Charlotte darted out of her room and set off towards the kitchen. She was starving, and her stomach demanded food immediately. As she grabbed the railing of the staircase she heard a voice that made her stop in her steps. It was Warren, and just hearing his voice made her feel giddy.
She looked over the railing and down to the entrance hall. Warren was pacing around with a phone plastered to his ear. The hand not holding the phone was planted deep in the pocket of his faded black jeans, and his wings were fluttering ever so slightly. He was talking in a low voice, but the sound carried well in the room.
Charlotte was about to go downstairs to say hello before she was caught eavesdropping on him, when something he said made her stop.
"Why do you think that? I've told you before, there's no one special in my life." It was followed by silence; Charlotte presumed the one he was talking to was saying something.
"No, I don't have any girlfriend I keep telling you." More silence.
"No, there's no girl I care about like that, can we please talk about something else now? Please?"
Charlotte didn't hear anymore of the phone call, she turned abruptly and walked back the hallways, taking a detour to the kitchen. She did not want to talk to Warren right now. She had known it all along; Warren didn't have any feelings for her, not like she had for him. She had read too much into the prom and how that had been. He had probably only danced with her to be polite, nothing more.
Charlotte made her way to the kitchen and filled up a tray with bread rolls and some juice. She could feel her eyes watering up, but she bit her lip. She did not want to cry, not so people could see it. She managed to keep the tears at bay. Then she maneuvered her breakfast tray over the full dining room towards the free chair next to Rebecca. She sat down with a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked and put down her toast.
Charlotte didn't answer at once, but pulled her hair back and fastened it in a ponytail. She needed a moment to gather herself so her voice wouldn't crack.
"Nothing, I guess," she said when her hair was done and shrugged, picking up her knife to butter her bread roll.
"Come on Charlotte, I know you better than that. When you sigh like that there's always something wrong."
Charlotte looked up at her friend and smiled wryly. "There's no fooling you are there?"
Rebecca grinned and leaned back in her chair. "Nope. So spill your beans."
Charlotte looked back down at the table. She seemed lost in thought.
Just as Rebecca was about to ask again Charlotte started talking. "It's Warren." Charlotte paused and putt down her knife. "I don't think he likes me much."
"What are you talking about? You went to the prom together, of course he likes you."
Charlotte absentmindedly shook her head, and then she told Rebecca everything about the conversation she had just overheard, what Warren had said to whoever he had been talking to.
"So you never lie to people about your feelings do you? The first time I asked you about what you felt for Warren you old me just how much you love him? You didn't deny it at all?" Rebecca said as Charlotte finished.
Charlotte blushed.
"Well, that was different!"
"And how exactly was that any different than Warren denying it? You don't even know who he was talking to! It could be anyone! It's not like everyone around here knows what you feel for Warren is it? Actually, is there anyone besides me who knows?"
Charlotte had to admit to herself that Rebecca was right. She hadn't told anyone about her feelings for Warren out of fear that he didn't like her back and found out what she felt. That would be too embarrassing.
"Instead of drawing conclusions all by yourself why don't you just talk to him? Ask him out on a date! It's not like only guys can take some initiative."
Charlotte stared at Rebecca with big eyes. Should she ask him out on a date? She couldn't be serious. There was no way she had the guts to do that. What if he said no? So what if he had asked her to go to the prom? A prom was different from a date, everyone went to the prom, it didn't mean there were feelings involved. Just see how Rebecca had gone to the prom with John, she didn't even like him much! Maybe she had been the only one left without a date or something so he had to ask her.
"I couldn't ask him! What if he says no!" she exclaimed.
"There is only one way to know," Rebecca said and went back to her toast. Charlotte was left in her own thoughts.
Warren slammed his phone shut and shoved it down in his pocket. Sometimes he hated family. Why did his parents always have to talk about his love life? He was not going to drag some poor girl back to meet them. Their cross examination to find out all about her background, family and goals in life was sure to frighten her off. And seeing who the girl in question was he really didn't want to scare her off. He didn't want to risk what little chance he might have with Charlotte.
xxxxx
Rebecca stood facing Logan with Kitty and Rogue. All three girls had signed up two months ago for a special self defense class with Logan. Now, who better to teach self defense and weapon training than the legendary Wolverine?
"Am I late?" a voice came suddenly. Warren strode into the hall dressed in his gym gear, consisting of a black tracksuit, and stood beside Rebecca. She looked over at him puzzled and curious, not knowing that he did this class.
Logan crossed his arms and gave Warren a stern look before giving his command to the group. "Seeing as there's only four of you, pair up. I wanna see you what you've got."
Kitty and Rogue paired up whilst Rebecca and Warren stood beside one another smiling. "Not every day I get to kick my friend's ass, who so happens to be a girl," Warren whispered, leaning across to Rebecca.
"You wish," Rebecca scoffed playfully. "Bring it on."
Once Logan had instructed for them to begin, Warren grinned wickedly at Rebecca and shot forward punching outwards, but was immediately blocked by her arm and then countered with a fierce kick to his side. "Oh come on, you walk in here and expect to beat me on your first day?" Rebecca giggled. Warren just glared at her and lunged at her again, ready to give her a kick, but this again was blocked by Rebecca.
"You gotta be quicker than that!" Logan shouted to Warren.
Rebecca couldn't help but smile as she thought about Charlotte and Warren's current state of affairs. They were both sweet on each other but couldn't bring themselves to reveal any feelings. She'd had to sit through hours of Charlotte putting herself down and saying how she wasn't good enough for the likes of Warren, yet Rebecca knew full well that Warren liked her in return.
"How's it going with Charlotte?" Rebecca asked, slightly breathless, winking at Warren playfully as she dodged his punches.
"Alright, I guess," Warren replied, blushing a little.
"Come on, man! Ask her out already," Rebecca said loudly, kicking out at Warren again, but finding her leg being blocked by his arm. "That's it!" she congratulated him. "You're getting it now."
"Ask who out?" Kitty asked suddenly, grinning from ear to ear.
"No one!" Warren half growled, glaring at Rebecca. "Thanks," he told her testily. "Did you have to say it in front of people?"
After the class, Rebecca wiped her wet brow, hating how much she sweat and fanned herself with her arm. Warren sat beside her on the bench situated at the side of the large gym. "Do you think I should ask her out?" Warren asked suddenly, sighing and leaning his head against the brick wall.
"Yes, I do," Rebecca replied, turning in a little to face her friend. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"I dunno, she says no and then thinks I'm a moron?"
"I'm the one who thinks you're a moron for not asking her," Rebecca said, grinning, her already flustered cheeks becoming redder by the forcefulness of her smile.
"Don't give me that Cheshire Cat grin again," Warren said, rolling his eyes.
"Look, Warren, you should stop keep worrying about what will or won't happen, just go for it!"
Once they'd got out of their gym wear and into more ordinary and casual attire, Warren and Rebecca headed down to the dining hall. They'd been silent for a while now, too silent. Rebecca sighed, continuing to stroll down the hallway, when she noticed that Warren was no longer beside her.
"That's it!" his voice came.
"What's what?" Rebecca asked sharply, turning back on her heel. She crossed her arms and glared at him.
"We all go out somewhere and I ask her then. At least, you know… if she says no, I won't feel so much of a jerk with you there," Warren proposed with a large grin on his face, but at the same time blushing slightly. Rebecca just giggled, thinking how much he looked like an excited little child on Christmas Day morning.
"Look, Warren. You're my friend and I'd do anything for you, but this is something you need to do on your own. I can't do it for you, or be there for you the whole time. You'll have to do some things on your own."
Warren sighed and looked down. "I shouldn't have asked you. I'm sorry…It's just…ah, I've never, um, had a girlfriend before…so asking a girl out isn't really something I'm used to, Beck," Warren replied, turning even redder and shying away.
Rebecca's expressions turned to that of pity and guilt. Warren had never been with a girl before? It made her want to coo, but she ignored that temptation. "Okay, just this once. But you'd better ask her out or I'll beat the shit out of you," she said, but smiled at the same time.
"Thanks! I owe you big time," Warren said happily.
In the dining hall, Warren and Rebecca sat opposite each other, making sure a seat was kept spare for Charlotte who would be finishing up her Mutant Ethics class about now. Rebecca silently chewed on a piece of half burnt toast and drank a glass of full fat milk.
"Aren't you going to have anything more than just that?" Warren asked, picking up a couple of fries and shoving them into his mouth which above all craved food.
"I'm huge enough as it is already; I don't need that rubbish that you're eating," Rebecca half hissed. "I'm alright with this."
"Yeah, but you do realize that's full fat milk you're drinking there and it's loaded of fat and stuff. Hence the name," Warren said, smiling a little as he chewed absently.
"Oh, dear God!" Rebecca blurted out suddenly. "John's coming." She tried to act cool and pretend that she hadn't seen him. "Talk to me, Warren," she growled under her breath. "Make it look like we're talking."
"We ARE talking!" Warren snapped. "You can't avoid him for the rest of your life."
"I can, and just watch me," Rebecca said, downing the last of her milk, slamming the glass on the table and grabbing the last slice of toast which she shoved into her mouth. Then she ran. "See ya later," she called behind her, mouth full, and rushed off around the tables and out the door.
Warren laughed to himself and continued eating his fries. But then he was alerted as Charlotte entered the room. She looked up once, smiled, and then looked back down again.
Oh no! She hates my guts!