challenge in a can

6:55 AM. It's my favorite time. Five minutes before the alarm goes off. Five minutes before I have to get out of bed. It's almost decadent how good it feels to lie back and close my eyes again.

I'm floating, not really awake, not quite asleep, content just to lie here in bed. I always wake up at 6:55, just so I can relax again. I always have, but I've never told anybody before.

You know, I'm a pretty lucky guy. I go to a neat school, the Prof's teaching me how to use my powers, I've got a bed, and all the food I can eat.

Why do people always complain about the food? I think it's pretty good. 'Course, Jubilee says I'll eat anything that isn't moving. Guess she's not far off. But I'm a growing boy, right?

So, I'm at this school with some of the hottest teachers you've ever seen, and the students aren't bad looking either. I mean, how bad can life be when I get to stare at Ms. Grey and Ms. Munroe all the time?

Okay, there are some downsides. Exams. Textbooks. Magneto. The Friends of Humanity. Wolverine.

It's not fair, I guess to put the Wolverine in that company. He's just a little scary. Mainly when he sees me with Rogue. He'll get over it. I think.

Rogue, oh, now there's a reason to be content. She's just so...so...I don't know, wonderful, I suppose. I don't know how to describe her, but it's nice to spend some time thinking about her.

Meanwhile, I get to lie here in my soft bed. Huh, most people would probably have said warm and soft. I guess I'm the only person around here who doesn't worry about where the thermostat is set.

But I do like my bed soft. Lots of pillows and lots of blankets.

A soft bed to wallow in and think about the nice things in my life. Did I mention Rogue? And all the food? Oh yeah, I did. Well, they're worth mentioning twice.

I've got some good friends, too. You know them...you love them...it's the junior X-Men! John, also known as Flameboy, Remy, the Ragin' Cajun, Jubilation, aka Sparky, and then the oh-so-lovable Kitty, the Girl Who Walks Through Walls. Then, of course, there's me, Bobby Drake, the Walking Popsicle. I come in grape, too.

They are truly the best friends. Occasionally aggravating and often annoying, but true blue when it comes down to it.

So, even when I do have to leave this comfy bed, somehow I've got faith everything's gonna be okay.

Yeah, there's bad stuff waiting for us, whether we leave or whether we join the X-Men. But I find it hard to believe we're not gonna make it. 'Cause we've all been through our separate hells and we made it here.

And this isn't heaven, but at 6:55 AM it does a pretty good imitation.

Bobby Drake. Bed. Content.