Playing With Fire and Ice ✔︎

XI

Oliver parks across the street from the school and Alyson and I get out of the car as Oliver stays rooted in his seat.

"Oliver?" His eyes move to mine when he hears my voice. "We don't have to go inside if you don't want to." He shrugs at me unsure of what he wants to do.

"Alyson head inside and hear what they are saying please," she nods and walks ahead of us.

I slide back into the passenger seat and do not utter a word. I can sense Oliver's inner turmoil. He wants to know what they are saying but he is not sure how he is going to handle it.

"You know that they see me as the bad guy not you right?" I glance at him and he is now staring at me with big eyes. Like a child seeking his parents' reassurance.

"I know I just don't understand why they see you like that." I shrug I do not understand that as well. I take everything they throw at me and only hurt myself in the process.

"People fear what they don't understand and you know what they have told us as kids," he shakes his head, "playing with fire is dangerous."

"So is ice," he cracks a smile at me, "it can give you frostbite you know."

"Ice can't bring down an entire house," I retort.

"Touché," he lets out a humorless laugh. "Come let's see what these non-dangerous folks are saying."

Oliver actually manages to climb out of the car this time. I follow him as he crosses the road. By this time everyone is already in the auditorium where the meeting is being held. We walk in silence as Oliver takes a deep breath I follow his example and breathe in as well.

This is either going to make him stronger or break him as it did me. Oliver's walk radiates confidence but his face is a well-fabricated mask of impassiveness. He stops before the entrance and I take my place next to him letting him know that I am there for him.

Oliver's next move surprises me his cold fingers wrap around my hand. I look over at him and he glances my way, "I want to feel warm," he looks down at our hands a part of me, the sad lonely girl wants to push his hand away but I know that he needs me.

"Here we go."

"Three, two," he takes a deep breath, "One." We both step forward and we push the doors open.

"We have no idea what they are capable of," the voice booms through the speakers and then the silence falls as everyone turns to look at who caused the disruption.

The principal along with the PTA and a few other people that I do not know are up on the stage. Oliver walks down the aisle with me in tow. Oliver ignores the silence around him and keeps his eyes lock on the principal, an overweight, balding, and loud man. The principal stares at us as we make our way to the front row. Oliver gestures for me to take a seat like a gentleman I do and he takes the seat next to me. The girl next to me does not like that I choose that seat so she stands up and jumps over the seat and moves away from me.

I glance over at the people around us and they seem surprised to see us. "Go on," Oliver's voice disrupts the silence, "You have no idea what we are capable of." Oliver leans to the side resting his elbow on the armrest between us getting closer to me.

"I-I," Mr. Kratz, the principal, stammers.

"To be honest I don't see the point to this meeting," Oliver states nonchalantly.

"Me either," Alyson speaks up and I see that she is a couple seats behind us. She gets out of her seat and gracefully walks over to us and to my surprise sits on my lap since there are no more seats. Oliver looks over at us and smiles.