Chapter 9: Plans

I woke up the next morning snuggled up to Kevin's side with my head on his shoulder and my arm around his waist. He had his left arm around my shoulders and his head leaning towards mine. He was lightly snoring. I giggled at the sound and woke him up slowly.

"Kevin," I whispered gently nudging him with my hand. "We gotta get up. Someone'll find us if we aren't up soon."

I unwrapped myself from his arm and our blanket cocoon. I looked around the alley seeing the tell tale signs of the soon to rise sun.

"Wake up sleepy head," I said as I shook Kevin's shoulder. He woke up with a start and looked around groggily.

"Err, the sun's not even up," he mumbled rubbing his eyes.

"Ah know but if someone finds us, they'll take us ta the police."

Kevin's eyes went wide when I mentioned the police. He was suddenly on his feet, and from his body language, he seemed ready to run on a moment's notice.

"Hey, calm down," I said getting up too. "We don't gotta worry yet. Emma'll tell us if we gotta worry 'bout them."

"Who's Emma?" he replied to my reassurance.

I suddenly realized my mistake. I moved to fold up the blanket. Kevin let me and then helped me put it in the duffel just as the sun rose above the horizon. I shouldered my back pack and was about to grab the duffel but Kevin stopped me.

"I got it," he said while taking the duffel. He didn't ask about Emma again as we left the alley and continued walking down the uncrowded street.

We walked in silence for a few blocks before we stopped to eat something in a little diner that had just opened. We sat at a small table in the back so we wouldn't draw attention to ourselves.

"Hey kids, what can I get you?" asked the waitress that zoomed over to our table as soon as we sat down.

"Milk please," Kevin said immediately.

The waitress wrote on her note pad as she asked, "For both of you?"
"No," I interrupted, "Ah'll just have water."

The waitress nodded and left us two menus as she went to the kitchen to get our drinks. Kevin and I both looked at the menus in silence.

"Here you are," the waitress said a few minutes later, "one milk and one water. Are you guys ready to order?"

Kevin looked at me and I nodded. "I would like some of the scrambled eggs please," he answered the waitress.

"How do you want them cooked?"

"Well done."

"Will that be all?"

"Yup."

"And you miss?" the waitress asked turning to me.

"Nothin' ma'am," I replied quietly.

The waitress raised her eyebrow. "You sure honey?"

"Yah."

"Alright. I'll be back soon." The waitress turned and left our table to greet more customers that were coming into the diner.

"Why aren't you eating?" Kevin asked me quietly.

I looked at him and shrugged. "Ah don't need to eat," I answered simply. I looked at the coloring picture and crayons the waitress had left when she took our orders. "Ah know ya wanna ask somethin', so shoot."

Kevin smiled at my observation. "Two things. One: Why don't you need to eat? And two: who's Emma?" he questioned in rapid succession.

I sighed at his second question. "Ah don't need ta eat 'cause of mah ability," I whispered across the table so no one else would hear. "It's weird havin' stuff float 'round in ya all the time." I looked around making sure no one else was near enough to hear the rest. "Emma's mah friend. She's in mah head but Ah'm not crazy," I said quickly when Kevin gave me an odd look. "She's a telepath," I continued. "She doesn't have a body, so Ah'm letting her stay in mah mind." Emma, can ya please show him what Ah'm talkin' 'bout? I requested in my mind.

Way ahead of you dear, she replied. Kevin can hear both of our thoughts. Hello Kevin. I'm Emma Frost.

I looked at Kevin's face quickly. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide.

"How... But..." He managed to stutter before the waitress came back with his eggs and more milk and water. I lightly kicked him under the table to make him shush.

"Here you are," the waitress said smiling. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" she asked me.

"Yah, Ah'm sure ma'am," I answered without looking away from Kevin. The waitress quickly left knowing she had interrupted something.

Just talk in yar mind, I thought quickly to Kevin. We won't hear everythin', just what ya want us ta hear, I added at his skeptical look. Give it a try.

Kevin sighed acceptingly. This is so odd.

Ah know but ya get used ta it. I smiled at his stunned expression. Ya should eat up so we can get outta here.

Kevin nodded and began quickly eating his scrambled eggs. As soon as he was finished, we ran up to the register and I paid for the food. We were out the door before the cashier had closed the register drawer.

"Why'd we have to get out of there so fast?" asked Kevin after we had walked for a block.

"Ah'm not used ta stoppin' like that," I replied with a shrug.

We continued to walk for a few more blocks before Kevin asked another question.

"Where're we heading?" he inquired when we made it through another slowly filling intersection.

Xavier's School for the Gifted, I replied in my mind. Kevin nodded and we continued walking in silence.

Is that a place for mutants? he asked while we were waiting at another crosswalk.

Yah. Ah tried ta go there last year but it was burned down. Emma says it's there now and it's safe. I looked at Kevin to gauge his reaction to our destination. "Ya don't hafta go with us," I voiced quietly looking towards the crossing sign.

Kevin grabbed my hand. As we crossed the street he squeezed it reassuringly while he thought, I thought you said being alone was the worst thing out here?

I smirked. Yah, ya're right. I squeezed his hand back and then let him go as we continued walking through the maze of concrete and glass that was New York City.