"Tell me when they're not touching."
"Why, so you can go back to broodily staring at her?"
"Just tell me for my own peace of mind."
"Okay, they're not touching."
"Really?"
"Really. Not even looking at each other."
Warren looked behind him.
Emily's head was leaning on Quinn's arm.
"I thought you said they weren't touching." Warren growled at Layla, who shrugged helplessly. This was worse than just touching. This was Emily initiating warm and fuzzy behavior. That shit didn't fly.
"Well, he kind of won." Will shrugged innocently, "I heard rumors they're dating now."
"Women aren't prizes to be won, Will." A spoon was waved warningly in the boy's direction.
"Sorry, Layla. I just meant that he got the most out of the situation."
"Shut up, Stronghold." Warren growled. "That bastard just stuck his tongue out at me. That's it."
He managed to stand up for about two seconds before Layla shoved him back into his seat with the help of Will's rippling pectorals. Damn friends always getting in his way.
"Going over there and making a scene is only going to make her even angrier at you. And where will she find comfort? In Quinn's arms."
"She already is. At least I can break his neck and make it a little harder for him to gloat."
"And have her hate you for killing one of her closest friends."
"He's touching her. He's mocking me. He dies."
Warren was well beyond steaming now. It was all Layla could hope for that the smoke alarms wouldn't go off again. She even started fanning him with her homework.
"Control yourself, Warren! I have an art project drying in the classroom, and if it gets wet then Emily mad at you will be the least of your problems."
"She's been learning how to grow poisons." Will mentioned helpfully.
Warren took deep meditative breaths and exhaled loudly. Last year's meditating really helped him in the long run. Although he would never admit that to his former batshit crazy teacher.
"Don't worry, she'll eventually get over it and accept you again. Hopefully." Layla beamed happily and patted him on the head as if he were a pouting child.
He growled and shook off her hand before sighing again. "At least you're on my side with this."
"What are you talking about, Warren?" Layla chirped innocently, "I'm on her side completely. I'm just here so Will won't say anything stupid that'll make you do something even more stupid. Magenta is over there with her representing the both of us. I mean, I thought that Emily would be the one to make a stupid mistake. You seemed the more level headed of the two." Layla sighed into her apple juice, "You really disappointed me on this one, Warren. How am I supposed to take your advice seriously now? Our Paper Lantern talks will never be the same now."
"I get it. I'm stupid."
Ha! Will pumped a mental fist into the air. Now Will wasn't the only stupid one with relationships. Along with Zach. And Ethan. And even Quinn.
Oh God, all the men in their group were hopeless with girls.
But atleast he was one of the few with girlfriends.
"Oh my god, he's really glaring now. I think he's steaming." Janice giggled. She was really getting a kick out of this. "Do you think he'd have a heart attack if you two smooched? Better yet, smooch both of us. And Ethan. And Principal Powers."
"I'm not a whore, Janice. Get your perverted kicks elsewhere." I sighed, rolling my eyes and munching on my fritters. Quinn snuck a few into his mouth, and since I made more than enough for just me I let him.
It was depressing, having so much food. Usually I left some at home for Mark to eat and some for Warren in another container and then just nibbled on the leftovers. Now I was going to get morbidly obese with home-knitted sweaters and thousands of cats roaming around everywhere. I'll be cat-hair lady. I'd knit sweaters out of cat hair.
"Oh my god," Janice repeated, rolling her eyes, "That was supposed to make you laugh. Not get all depressed. Jesus."
Betsy gave her a warning glance.
"Yeah, yeah, blaspheme. Sorry babe."
Rachel glared possessively.
"I think you should just stop talking today." Magenta suggests, munching on one of my fritters, "Goddamn, these are good."
Betsy made a little annoyed huff, but then just gave up on caring. Good. Another teen converted to the apathetic side. Maybe I'll get her addicted to thick black eyeliner.
Rachel gave me a glare. Wow. She's a huffy thing. They both are. But at least Betsy doesn't get huffy at my thoughts. Yeah, I went there. Firecrotch. Take that stereotypical insult you redhead, you.
"So what's the game plan then?" Janice asked giddily, "How long are we going for the pissed-off cold shoulder before you allow him to lick your dominatrix boots."
"I'm wearing sneakers. And there is no game plan. I'm not a maneater like you or Quinn." Quinn looked insulted. He was a player. Not a maneater, "I'm done with him."
"Really?" Quinn asked hopefully.
"What? But... I thought you two..." Janice trailed off, looking between the two of us confusedly.
"Well we're not." I snapped.
"It was that bad?"
I glared at Janice until she got the hint and stuffed her mouth full with fritters.
Janice stopped in front of him, folded her arms, and glared. Hard.
"I shapeshift. I don't blow up heads by thinking it... Be thankful of that."
She brushed past him, hitting his shoulder harshly with her bony shoulders as she passed.
He sighed. At least that wasn't as intimidating as that one mousy looking girl's quiet promise of endless nightmares. He was too wary of her powers and not afraid of her to fall asleep that whole week.
Nor did it make him as angry as Quinn's brief statement towards him during Gym. He had been minding his own business, brooding about being such an idiot, and then the albino just came up to him and said in passing, "Em says I'm not allowed to make you drown yourself in a used toilet," He then looked him up and down before turning away, "Shame."
A fireball accidentally set Quinn's pants on fire.
But Emily has said nothing since the hospital. He's tried to get her alone, multiple times, but not only was she extremely skilled in avoiding his attempts, she was good at avoiding the very sight of him. It was a little insulting, the efforts that she used to avoid him. But at the same time a complement to his affect on her. If only that complement didn't make him feel like a complete asshole for hurting her so much.
It would suck if this was going to be a pattern from now on. This year was his year to be an asshole, last year was Will's, and it'll keep going on year after year until everyone's had their share of stupid mistakes.
Maybe it was just a high school thing.
"Cajun! The phone's ringin'!"
"Dis Cajun busy!"
"Busy with what? Pickin' up the damn phone?"
"Non, de little diable dat won't take de-merde-bat'!"
"Mah nails 're dryin' though!" Rogue whined a bit. She just bought a nice coral shade that made her pale hands look not as pale, and it was expensive. "And don't swear in front of our kid!"
"Screw de damn nails, Rogue! Pick up de phone!"
Rogue huffed, annoyed, and picked it up a ring before it went to voicemail.
"What'choo want?" She snapped into the phone.
"Rogue?"
"Scott? What's wrong?" He sounded like a puppy started dancing the mambo in front of him and then spontaneously combusted.
"My daughter..."
"Oh, you heard? Her and Betsy make a cute couple, raight? Whoda thought."
"My daughter is gay." She could hear him blinking through the phone.
"Not gay, sugah. That's so blunt. Just... open-minded. Hell, more than half the voices in mah head are men. Ah'm open-minded too."
"I'm not going to have grandchildren." He wasn't listening to her.
"You blast lasers out yer eyes, ya don't predict the future. Be happy for Rachel. She hasn't dated anyone in a while. Plus, Betsy's Sam's daughter. You know how much Ah love him, nothin' bad can come from his parenting."
"You're not going to let me deny this, are you?"
"Not a chance. Now I already invited Wanda an' her family over for Easter dinner at mah place, so it's your job to get your daughter and Sam's people over. And try to get along with everyone, please? This is the first time Emily's going to meet everyone. Including our recently paroled Pietro. I don't want you blastin' any holes in the wall."
"Don't worry, I have some ounce of self control. Even though the men you hang around with are near impossible." He said, referring to Logan. And Remy. And Pietro. And sometimes even James Maddrox, who she had adopted into their unorthodox family when he turned up at Xavier's for a free place to crash.
"I hang around you, don't I? Damn, I haven't heard Remy for awhile. Think our son killed him."
"It was nice talking to you."
"Me too. Easter, got it?"
"Right."
"And I'm here to talk, if ya need it. Not just about Rachel. Anythin', no matter how long it's been."
"Thanks, Rogue. But I think I already spoke about Jean enough you're getting a little sick of her name."
"Scott..." SHe said uneasily, wondering how to continue, "You know Ah never cared much fo' Jean. Not cause she was a bad person, she was wonderful and Ah know why ya love her. All that drama with Logan, y'know? But Ah cin never get sick of anythin' ya love, Scott. Yo' mah friend, and ya deserve tah talk t'someone who cares about you without all that psychological babble Hank always spews."
"Thanks, Rogue. Really, though I'm fine. I'll see you Easter."
"Kay, sug."