{How interesting...}
Rano had an amused expression on her face. In one hand, she held her soda cup, now empty and practically useless.
And in the other hand, she held Oliver's wrist.
The grip seemed to bring Oliver out of his reverie. His adrenaline washed away, replaced with clarity.
"Wha-"
"You almost killed a fellow human."
Rano gave it to him straight.
Oliver's face blanched as it dawned on him. He stared down at his elbow, blood stained the black fabric of his jacket.
He pulled away his arm and Rano let him without much resistance. She instead placed her hand inside her jean pocket and turned to glance at the now unconscious Herb.
{A clean knockout, huh?...}
Rano had to admit she was impressed. Herb, although wearing a blue hoodie that hid his bulk, was no small guy. Then Oliver (a smaller opponent) had fought not as a challenger but as an equal.
And now Herb was out for the count.
Rano had the urge to laugh.
How highly amusing.
She walked over to the unconscious Herb and fished his pockets till she found what she was looking for. She turned round once more to see Oliver staring at his palms, muttering in self-guilt. He was clearly not in the best of states.
Rano walked over to him and handed him his phone.
Oliver was clearly shocked and stared at the device reluctantly. As if he wasn't so sure if he desired it anymore.
"Take it kid. And get out of here quick. I'll take care of the rest."
She forced it into his open palms and shooed him away. Oliver was startled as he looked over his shoulder at her. Perhaps wondering just who she was, but eventually common sense got the better of him and he walked off.
Rano smiled as she looked at the smashed car. Within a few minutes, either a police unit would arrive or a social welfare hero. Neither really bothered Rano, but as she looked down at the unconscious Herb, she knew she would have to work quite a bit.
But who knew? The boy Oliver Smith had just displayed a glimpse of what he could truly become. Rano even wondered what would have ensued had she let his blow fall upon Herb.
"Truly how interesting...."
****************************************
"Where have you been, Mr. Smith?"
Mr. Bluff was the teacher on duty that week. He was patrolling the hallways when he saw Oliver walk in, blank faced and backpack on. Oliver simply glanced back at Mr. Bluff as if seeing him for the first time.
"I'm sorry, sir. I was robbed."
"Wha-..."
But Oliver did not elaborate any further and walked down the hallway. An air of discomfort exuding from him. Heading towards class. Mr. Bluff simply stared after him, at a loss for words.
Just what could have happened to Smith?
*************************************
"This is so stupid..."
Elaine was dressed in the school's tracksuit uniform. Blue water bottle in one hand and phone in the other. Today her hair was tied back in a short ponytail, her bags held aside with a cute sunflower hair clip.
It was an item most wouldn't associate with her. But when people asked her about it she simply said all her others were broken and this was the only one left.
Utter lies, but who cared?
She walked down a hallway and turned the corner. Now she stood before a wood classroom door. Though she was tall, it towered above her by at least an extra metre.
She glanced at her watch.
It was now 4:00 PM.
With a grumble, and something about "bloody bastard." She pushed open the door and entered the classroom.
Classes ended around 3:20 PM and everybody usually left the school at that time. But some students were allowed to stay a while longer, along with teachers who had their own agenda. Currently, Elaine should have been in the gymnasium, doing her workout and practice.
But as she looked at the back of the classroom, she had just entered. A tired sigh escaped her lips.
Oliver Smith sat at his usual desk at the back corner of the classroom, staring out the window with a blank expression.
His mind was not here.
Elaine grumbled some more and walked towards him. She sat at the desk right next to him and only then did he look her way. Surprised at her appearance by his side.
"How-"
"You were busy admiring the flower garden. I just snuck in while you weren't looking."
Her explanation was brief and simple, yet Oliver didn't seem to understand. Elaine couldn't care less and opened her water bottle. However, before she was about to take a sip she asked him a question.
"Is it true you got robbed?"
"..."
Oliver went silent and returned his gaze outside. Some scene Elaine doubted she would ever be privy to was playing in his head.
"Yea..."
Once more silence followed but Elaine broke the ice again.
"Mind telling me what happened?"
And Oliver found out he did not. He told her everything, his phone getting snatched, his inexplainable rage, his desire to kill and how he almost came to killing.
Of course for the story to make sense he confessed his new ability to her. Elaine simply nodded at all of this, accepting it without any problems.
That was one of the few cool things about her Oliver liked.
"Wait, but something doesn't add up."
She turned to him, eyes narrowed.
"How'd you track the guy? you said you had no device to use..."
Oliver flinched clearly uncomfortable but he confessed it now. It was now a time for confessions anyway.
"I stole from a guy just outside the store."
"..."
Elaine was dumbfounded. Nothing came to her in that brief moment.
"You... stole someone else's phone... just to find your own?"
Oliver's cheeks flared.
"Well, it's more accurate to say I snatched it from him and pushed him off when he tried to fight. But yea."
"Wow."
Elaine looked at Oliver yet again. He waited for the disgust, perhaps her usual harsh jab or questions about the phone.
But instead, she laughed.
"Was your phone really that important?"
She laughed and laughed, and eventually Oliver's mood melted away and he smiled. Elaine then looked towards the smart board at the front of the class. Her laugh died away and was replaced by a wolfish grin. This amused her to no end clearly.
"Here, I thought it was something important. What a fool I am... honestly..."
Oliver watched her as she got up and walked towards the classroom door. Curiosity got the better of him and he asked her a question.
"Where are you going?"
Elaine looked at him as if he was party insane. She sighed.
"You mean where are 'we' going? To the gymnasium, obviously dumbass. Come on, Jack is waiting."
With no further elaboration, she closed the door behind her and walked away. Oliver waited a while for her to return, for her to check if he was coming, but she didn't
She was just that sure he would come along.
And somewhere within him, Oliver felt an indescribable desire. To go to the Gymnasium. To go to his friends. To not lose the connections that mattered to him.
Oliver stood up, and without looking back, walked towards the classroom door. Hands buried deep within his pockets.
With an idiotic grin on his face, he silently muttered to himself.
"Heh. What a pain..."
*****************************************