In the hour that followed your discussion with Warren, you hadn't been able to get him out of your mind, so when you arrived at the cafeteria to dine with the other, you avoided his gaze shamefully. You felt it on you as you sat next to Ororo, deliberately choosing the seat that was the farthest from him.

Kurt, Peter and him were sitting on the bench opposite you and Ororo. Scott and Jean were nowhere to be seen.

Focusing on the rice in your plate, you were listening —without really paying attention — to Peter rant about some music bands that he enjoyed. You could hear Warren and Ororo chiming in from time to time, but it was as if in a blur.

Your brain was focused on one thing only: overthinking every little thing that Warren had said or done earlier. As if it could help you understand his sudden interest in you. Spoiler alert: it didn't.

On the contrary, it just made you doubt everything. And especially his motives.

In the beginning, you were simply thinking that he was just being polite and friendly, but after an hour of wondering, your thoughts went into a darker place. That he saw the crush you had on him and wanted to use it for his own interest.

What lead you on such a path was his offer to join him in his room. You couldn't help but feel like it was a disguised invitation for more than just working. And then, once he would get what he wanted from you, he would ditch you.

Angry at yourself for overthinking such a small thing, you put a mouthful of rice in your mouth and then noticed the surrounding silence.

"Peter's gone?" you asked, surprised while taking in the empty seat between Kurt and Warren.

"Yeah, he said he wanted a Twinkie and disapeared." Ororo shrugged.

"He'll be back soon,"added Warren, his eyes falling on you. He held your gaze steadily before stating. "You didn't come."

It took you a few seconds to understand what he meant and when you did, you were incapable to mutter an answer even if he didn't look angry or disappointed, simply curious.

"Didn't come where?" Ororo asked to no one in particular, her dark brown eyes focused on the pyramid of rice she was building in her plate.

"In my room," Warren answered, his voice showing no sign of embarassment whatsoever, on the contrary of you.

You felt your cheeks burned up when Ororo snapped her head up and stared at Warren incredulously before turning her attention to you.

"Well, that's new." she said, an eyebrow raised in amusement and surprise. "And what were you supposed to do in his room?"

"That's none of your business," Warren answered in your stead, his face a mask of calm.

"Do you have something to hide?"

"We were supposed to work," you explained, cutting short Warren's next reply.

You didn't want Ororo to get the wrong impression, even if, yourself, were not sure of the truth of what you were saying.

"Sure, working. In a bedroom. I guess the library's overrated," she snorted.

Warren shot her an angry look, but she was already focusing back on her rice pyramid. Her words echoing with your thoughts, you gazed away from Warren at the same time he sent a hesitant look your way. Kurt, in front of you, was moving nervously in his chair, his eyes darting between the three of you.

Silence fell on your table and disappeared only when Peter returned, a Twinkie in his hand, and a smile plastered on his face.

"So, where was I? Ah yes, The Rolling Stones!"

–

As soon as you entered your bedroom, you crashed on your bed. You buried your face in your pillow while Ororo was closing the door behind you. You heard the chair of her desk squeak and turned to look at her.

"Is that a tornado in your hand?" you asked, a look of incredulity on your face.

Sat on her desk, she grinned at you. In her left hand was spinning a minuscule tornado and, all around, speck of dust were being siphoned into it.She kept the tornado alive for a few minutes, making it grow and shrink at will. You looked at it with astonishment, wondering if one day, you'll be able to control your powers like she was. Finally, she closed her hand into a fist and the tornado died in a puff of dust. She met your eyes and declared, in all seriousness:

"He's into you."

"Who?" you asked, trying to push away the fear that crept onto you every time you were thinking about your powers.

"Warren, dummy."

"Oh... I don't know about that."

"Seriously? He invited you to his room, what more do you need?"

"It was to work."

"Oh please, I'm not buying that."

You closed your eyes. So Ororo was thinking the same thing you did. It reassured you in the fact that you were not overthinking everything, but it also increased your mistrust of his intention.

You chewed at your lowerlip, wondering if you should share your worries with your friend. After all, she was the only one in your group who knew Warren before, maybe she would be able to clear your doubts.

You sat on your bed, looking at your friend, and were about to ask her about it when the door of your bedroom opened and Jean appeared.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in!" Ororo exclaimed.

"Hello to you too," Jean said, smiling.

She closed the door behind her and went to sit next to you on the bed. She seemed exceptionally happy, her eyes gleaming more than usual. Ororo seemed to notice it too.

"Did you finally kiss?" she asked, curiosity lighting her features.

"No, we didn't."

Ororo groaned. "Oh my god, you're so slow!"

Jean shrugged. "We're not in a hurry."

"You look like something happened though," you said, studying her closely.

"I do?" She seemed clearly surprised. "I don't know. I just like to be with him, maybe it shows."

A smile stretched on her lips. You couldn't help but think it was cute, but then you thought back of Warren, saying he wasn't romantic, and wondered if he would find Jean's smile cheesy or stupid.

Your thoughts seemed to catch Jean's attention as she turned toward you, a teasing smile on her lips.

"So, I kind of overheard your discussion with Warren earlier--"

"Oh, no..."

You sighed, reluctant to hear what was going to come next.

"And we need to work on your lies," she finished, doing her best not to laugh.

"Damn it, Jean. It's already embarrassing that he heard me say that, and now you're telling me you heard it too? Kill me now."

"What happened?" Ororo asked, leaning forward, her forearms on her thighs.

You sighed again and then proceeded to relate the discussion you had with Warren to Ororo. When you reached the part about the pens, you saw her grimaced.

"You really said that?"

You nodded.

"OK, Jean's right, we need to work on your lies."

You ran a hand through your hair.

"Maybe he believed me," you said, not believing a word of it.

Ororo laughed out loud.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure he did. Just like he believes in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy," she exhaled, a big grin on her face. "Anyway, even if you had come up with a better lie, I'm sure he would have seen right through you. I remember the look you had on your face when you stared at McCoy, you were practically drooling--"

"Come on, that's not true!" you argued, but Ororo ignored you.

"If you had the same expression, it must have been obvious that you weren't thinking about 'school stuff' but more about him naked."

"I wasn't drooling and I wasn't picturing him naked, stop it."

You scratched the back of your neck nervously and Jean, feeling your unease, laid a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

"Don't overthink what happened."

"I know I shouldn't, but I don't know what to think." you murmured, crossing your arms against your chest. "I like him, really, and I don't think I could handle it if he were playing me."

As soon as the words crossed your mouth, you felt relieved. You saw Ororo's gaze softened when she said:

"I don't think he is. I truly believe he's into you. And even if I'm wrong, I know for sure that he's not stupid, or even suicidal. I mean, if he wanted to fuck someone, literally and figuratively, he wouldn't choose a girl whose best friend is a Telepath. She would call on his bullshit right away."

"She's right," Jean said, still laughing at Ororo's frankness. "I would tell you if he meant to use you. But he's not."

"So, I should stop worrying?" you asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, worrying about him using you for sex, sure," added Ororo, wondering out loud, "but maybe not about him wanting to have sex with you. I mean, he's a guy. And if he's attracted to you like we think he is, he's clearly thinking about it."

"Thanks for that," you muttered, blushing faintly.

"She has a point though, guys in here do tend to think about it quite a lot," agreed Jean.

Ororo smiled teasingly.

"Scott?"

Jean only smiled in response.

Relieved, you laughed. You might not know what Warren felt about you, but at least you could stop worrying. After all, you trusted Jean and if she was telling you to stop overthinking, you would do it.