Ch. 3. Lunchtime

Warren's POV..

The morning passed in a haze of memories, and before I knew it it was lunch time. I hadn't seen Lissy since the bus this morning but knew I would see her again now. My heart rose to think of her, seeing her would confirm that I had not hallucinated her. Coming out of the food line I watched Hippie drag her to our table. She put up a struggle but in the end gave a huff of defeat and settled at the end of the table. My seat too no less. I could hear Layla asking about her morning as I got closer, but her replies were muffled. All I could discern was she'd been given hero placement. I got to the table just as Will asked what her power was. Powers actually I knew but I wondered if she'd tell everybody else what I already knew. She looked up to answer Will and saw me and whatever she'd planned to say vanished. She gaped like an out of water fish for a minute before settling for a soft,

"Warren."

"Lissy." I returned and watched her color at the use of her nickname. The one only I could use on her.

"You two know each other?" Will interrupted as I sat down, sliding my leg along hers as I did. She looked pleadingly at me.

"He asked you a question, so you are on your own." I told her with a playful tone I knew she'd catch.

"Jerk." she muttered across my mind.

"Yup that I am and we need to talk. Privately." I used the contact of our legs to tell her this silently. And with an emphasis on privately. Since I am not telepathic I need direct contact with her to share her power. It's part of her gift, to be able to share it like that and I'd bet money I was the only one she'd ever let know it. Her hand which had been in her lap slide to my thigh to let me know she had heard me as she gathered breath to answer Will. By now the whole table was looking at her expectantly.

"We grew up together. From diapers." she said finally, raising her voice to cut across Will who I knew was on the verge of repeating himself. I watched Layla's eyes gleam with suspicion and curiosity as she took in our close proximity. I knew she'd grill Lissy as soon as she had the chance.

"So what can you do?" asked Magenta.

"I'm a telepathic witch." she relied.

"Think Harry Potter but without the wand." she said to everyone else's puzzled expressions. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped as the light dawned.

"You knew and you didn't tell me." Layla snapped at me, once she realized that of course I would have known.

"Duh, hippie it wasn't my place to tell you what she could do. So stop gaping at me." I put some acid in my tone as if to dare anyone else to challenge why I had withheld information. Nobody did because nobody wanted to get on my bad side. I watched as she picked at her lunch which was noodles of some kind.

"Are you done?" I asked out loud, mostly for everyone else's benefit. She looked up again and I couldn't read the expression that passed over her face.

"Yeah." she said as she pushed the tray away.

"Good." and with that I grabbed her hand and literally hauled her out of the cafeteria. Once we reached the first empty classroom I let her go, only to have to catch her when she lost her balance.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Getting me out of there. I was starting to feel overwhelmed." she replied softly. If she hadn't been in front of me I would've missed it.

"Well I think I deserve an explanation for why you disappeared. And why you never let me know anything. Like I said on the bus this morning, I thought we meant more to each other. Or that I at least meant something to you." I would've kept going but she out a finger to my lips, silencing me. Her eyes were sad, and she looked suddenly older then 17.

*Lissy's POV*

"You mean the world to me, hell you are my world, Warren. And like I said I will never be able to make right the hurt I know I caused you. But I panicked, I'm sure you heard my dad broke out of prison." I paused to gauge his reaction. The topic of our dads' was water under the bridge for us, but still painful. He nodded after a minute. I could tell he was mentally connecting the dots.

"He was going to come after you wasn't he?" he asked finally, in a voice gone quiet.

"Yes. And I couldn't have that. I couldn't risk you."

"How would you be risking me?" he was puzzled but getting angry.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" I asked with a smirk. He just looked confused still.

"I didn't want him using you as a weapon against me. You the one person I hold above all else, the only sure leverage he would have. He'd have figured out the surest way to get my compliance would be to threaten you." I finished and saw the light of understanding dawn.

"Well now that I get that, I guess I can admit that like I'm sure you've figured, I can't stay mad at you. Or even hurt, though I tried to be." I waited for a minute to see if he'd say more but he just hugged me closer. He'd opened his mouth to say more when Layla burst in. I lashed out at her with a arc of lightning before my brain could say NO. She ducked and yelped, I stepped out of Warren's arms and advanced on the Hippie. In my temper I lit my arms ablaze. I saw her duck under a desk and Warren's eyes light up in awe. I had inadvertently showed him my newest power. He sat gaping for a second before he moved in front of me, cutting off my path to Hippie.

"Elisabeth Grace Hale." my full name came out in a growl. My flames went out instantly. Uh-oh.