(Billy's P.O.V)

"She doesn't even know how ugly she is..."

The thought came from a table with a group of three girls. All of them were wearing fashionable clothes.

It was clear they had hit their peak in high school and were desperately trying to hold on to it, though they looked to be in their twenties.

The smiles on their faces as they 'celebrated' each other hid a lot of ridicule and jealousy. The thoughts going through their minds were filthy as well.

The first thing I'd learned from learning Telepathy was that people were naturally dirty minded. And gross. A stray thought about kittens could be turned into something horrifying.

Oh and sex. Lots and lots of thoughts about getting laid.

I made it a rule to never stay in one mind for too long and to never look into their memories. That would only be reserved for bad guys when I eventually met them. I suspected that was going to be very soon. Trouble seemed to follow me.

On the moral side of things, was it still denying them their privacy? Yes. Did I care? Nope. Why? If this was it took to make sure I didn't die then so be it. Besides, I took great care not to hurt anyone while passing through the walls of their minds.

I turned my attention to the second table just a few meters at my back. In my TK field, This one had a young teenage girl of about 14 years old, a middle aged woman and a young man busy on his phone.

I imagined the tether, a small string extending towards the guy.

"I can't believe I only have a few months with my dad. Why does he have to suffer? Why can't anyone else get Cancer?! Why?..." He looked up at his sister and mother.

"Why couldn't it be one of them?"

I immediately pulled back with a frown. Telepathy, I had realized was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it could help you get out of a bad situation by knowing who was intending to harm you, other times, you stumbled upon an unfiltered thought.

A thought that was raw and untamed. And you realized...can you really trust anyone? After sitting inside the coffee shop for two straight hours, I had quickly learned something. We were all twisted in some way.

"You been staring at that screen for almost an hour. Refill?"

MJ called out, surprising me a little. I had been so concentrated on the young man that I hadn't noticed her coming.

"Oh. Yeah, please."

She smiled as I placed my phone down in a repeat of the interaction from yesterday.

"So you never really told me much about you."

She gazed down at me with her beautiful green eyes.

She wanted to get to know me? Was this some kind of plot maneuvering by the powers that be? Keeping quiet would be seen as rude though, even it felt like I was wasting time holding a conversation.

"Uh, I'm Billy, 17 years old I think..."

I said before I could catch myself.

MJ looked at me funnily.

"You think? You're not sure of your own age?"

"It...was a joke?"

I replied unconvincingly. To my benefit, she found it funny and giggled.

I matched her smile, sighing inwardly in relief. I was still not completely used to this new life. Which is fair because it had only been two days.

"Watson!"

Pedro called from the counter and MJ winced.

"Sorry, gotta go Billy. He's especially mad today. One of the special orders we were expecting came in late."

She turned around to walk away and that's when temptation got the better of me. Her brain was like a bright bulb in a dark room. I couldn't resist taking a small peek.

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'... doesn't look like a Billy. He's cute though.'

I immediately pulled back. Who knew where that thought would go? Maybe that was enough mind reading for the day. She called me cute though.

I rubbed the sides of my head, I could feel a headache coming on. Clearly reading minds for what must have been two hours had taken a toll.

I still had a few more things to do. Or rather visit. I paid for my coffee and walked out of the restaurant. Next stop, the library.

I took the subway, exposing myself to more of New York's busy life and the throngs of people that flowed in out of places in a ceaseless stream. Of course I soon found out a drawback of my telepathy.

A dull headache was quickly building up, not only from the chatter but the dozens of minds entering and exiting my zone. The New York public library was located on Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 40th streets.

I sat on a bench a block away, my mind thrumming painfully. I couldn't stop it either. Not like before. Everyone who entered my range had their minds turned up to full volume. It was steadily growing unbearable.

"Imagine a wall. A really really tall wall."

A voice said from beside me, startling me slightly.

"Pardon?"

"A tall wall made of bricks. Tough bricks that cannot be broken."

I looked to the side and saw a bald man, on a wheelchair, dressed in a gray sweater with a book on his lap. For some reason he looked very familiar.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be in some discomfort. Are you feeling alright?"

At his voice, his identity clicked for me and I tried my best to clear my mind while subtly looking around us. He wouldn't come here alone. Where was...

There. Next to a hot dog stand, was a tall beautiful black woman with white hair that was cut very short. Despite the lack of long hair that I was used to, there was no denying who she was. She had the beauty. Ororo Munroe, Storm...and she was walking towards us.

I turned to the professor feeling my heart speed up. How did he find me? Did he know? Was he here to recruit me? Was Magneto behind?

"Good."

He said and I realized...I couldn't hear them anymore. I couldn't hear the thoughts of the people going in and out of my zone.

I could still feel their minds. I could even feel his own mind. It wasn't different from anyone else's. He must have been shielding his powers away from prying eyes.

"Hello, I am Professor Charles Xavier."

My eyes widened.

His lips hadn't moved.

"I know. I'm speaking directly into your mind."

I stood up quickly, suddenly wary.

"Are you reading my thoughts?"

I asked, fully aware of my hypocrisy.

Charles waved a hand in dismissal.

"Far from it, I can just read your face. It's quite clear I scared you. Forgive me, that was not my intention. It's not everyday I meet another telepath. Not to mention one so young."

He replied with a harmless smile.

I looked at Ororo and saw she had taken a different bench a few feet away, content to flip through a magazine I didn't know she had.

Xavier patted the bench.

"Could you please take a seat my boy. I believe I can help you get rid of the headache."

I was aware he hadn't answered my question from before. I had no way of knowing if another telepath could read my mind after all.

But I also didn't have much of a choice. Following his instructions helped me control the automatic activation of my mind reading on anyone inside my range.

It hadn't been a problem when I'd been in a less crowded place but it was hard to ignore in such a populated part of the city.

Hearing him out couldn't be bad. 'If I feel something is off, I'm out of here.' I told myself, taking the seat.

"You have a gift, my boy, but it can be difficult to control."

I nodded. Hard to control was almost an understatement.

"First of all, it's important to understand that your abilities are not a curse," Xavier said.

"They are a part of you, and they can be a powerful tool if you learn to use them properly. But it takes time and practice to develop that control."

I looked at him, listening intently.

"Try to focus on your breathing," Xavier continued. "Take slow, deep breaths, and imagine that with each inhale, you are drawing in calm and peace. And with each exhale, you are releasing any tension or discomfort you may be feeling."

I followed Xavier's instructions, taking measured deep breaths and focusing on my breathing. The city noise disappeared.

"Now, visualize a peaceful place," Xavier said. "Somewhere that makes you feel happy and safe. It can be a real place or an imaginary one. Just imagine yourself there, surrounded by peace and tranquility."

His voice had a lulling effect. I Imagined my Grandma's apothecary. She was an eccentric woman. The fun eccentric. The blue walls painted with stellar maps and small statues of the Daeva covering the walls.

A deep scent of incense and herbs permeated the chamber. And there on a her soft mat, I sat crosslegged, deep in meditation.

"Good," Xavier spoke out. "Now, try to focus on that feeling of peace and calm. Let it spread through your body, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. And as you do, try to push away any distracting or intrusive thoughts that may be causing you pain."

I exhaled slowly, feeling the tension in my head start to ease. The pounding slowed, fading away.

"Very good," Xavier says, nodding approvingly. "You have a natural talent for this, my boy. With practice, you can learn to control your abilities and use them to make a positive impact on the world."

I opened my eyes. The headache was gone. The city life still retained its frantic energy but I was centered now. And I stayed centered.

I looked at Xavier.

"Thanks."

Xavier smiled.

"I run a school for mutants like you, and I" he explained. "We teach our students to belong. I can provide you with a safe and supportive community of people similar to us. Where you won't be judged because of your powers."

I won't lie. It was tempting. Very tempting.

I looked out into the streets.

"I can't."

I truthfully answered.

Xavier never lost the smile on his face.

"Very well."

He nodded simply.

I raised an eyebrow.

"You're not going to tell me to explain?"

He shook his head.

"No. I believe, that everyone has a path they must walk."

He leaned in.

"But if you ever need help, do not hesitate to come to me."

He smiled just as Storm walked over to us.

"I am sure you know where the school is."

He added cheekily, pushing his wheelchair towards Storm.

Ororo looked at me briefly before saying something to Charles. Then she looked at me strangely, before pushing the wheelchair away, leaving me seated on the bench alone.

"I can't believe it. I just talked to the leader of the X-Men."