Kindling

        I put away the headphones and music in silence. Taking a moment to tightly clutch the CD to my heart. The humming of the lights returned, but I was still so entranced I didn't matter, nor did I care. I floated mindlessly out of the booth and eventually out of the Choir room, as mindless and as situation influencing as a ghost. The words played over and over in my head, as did the scenes of my father's death. One of the many benefits and consequences to playing the song I eventually titled "Our Place".

        I continued on mindlessly, but even I couldn't escape a troublesome elf.

         "ELEAHN!!" Oliver shouted, snapping out of my hypnotic trance and thrusting me back into the cold pond of reality. He began to frolic toward me, smiling like the psycho toddler he really was on the inside. I tried to evil glare him, like I tried many times before, for snapping me out of my trance (not sure if it was a good or bad thing), but like every other attempt I smiled. It was impossible to be mad at Ollie, despite the reason, for long. Instead I rolled my eyes, and waited for him to share his ever exciting news (likely about the freak fest) to me. "Oookieee. So, now that you have taken the train back from La La Land, I have super important urgent news to share with you!" He stated loudly, acting as if he was the classic king from a far away kingdom. I folded my arms and smiled. I loved Ollie, but he seriously needed to get his priorities in order.

        "Oliver, if you have super important urgent news that pertains to the fate of the universe and the fabric of time itself, just say it. I do not need a narration." I informed, rather smart-assy. (a.k.a. the way I always was around Oliver.) I gave me annoyed smile andput his hand on his hip. Before he began I knew what was coming.

         Ollie flipped his hair as if it was a long golden mane, he jutted out his hip and his backside, puffing his lips like a Bratz doll, and began to speak.

         "Now you lisn' you lil' b***h. I ain't gonna sit around, and wait for you to pay attention. I didn't say nothin about the fate of the universe and the damn space time continuum." He stated, in the best old fashion air head + Snooki + Honey Boo Boo voice, snapping his fingers over dramatically in a 'z' formation. I face palmed, this boy, needed something. And it wasn't a magic show, and most definitely not caffeine, or sugar. Or anything that brings energy. "No , seirously. I didn't mention it, and it has to do with the show." He continued, thankfully back to normal. I rolled my eyes, murmuring an of course under my breath. "Okay, so we're going to meet at that Tahiti hut place across from the empty parking lot, which is not so empty anymore. Also, my drama club is commin', and they all be trippin'. So I'll see you there at five, bring money, and be prepared to be AMAZED!" He informed/shouted dramatically and WAY too quickly.

         Before I got the chance to ask any questions, he bounded off the way he came, leaving me majorly confused, standing alone in the middle of the courtyard.

        I pondered what he had said for several minutes. But unfortunately, right before I had breakthrough, the bell rang. Sending humungous, earth shaking, ear drum blowing, briiinnnngg!!'s throughout the school. I groaned. let me see, I had art, so that means I have... I paused my train of thought for a minute while I thought of the dreaded class with disgust. study hall. I shivered at the mere thought of me, Ollie, four other poor unfortunate souls, and Mr. Super Cool. Also known as The Supreme Dictator Of All Humanity Who Likes To Chuck Pens At People And Auction Backpacks And Corrupt The Minds Of The Young And Innocent.

         Mr. Super Cool, or the SDOAHWLTCPAPAABACTMOTYAI, as I rarely referred to him, scared me crapless. First day of class, Ollie asked to go to the bathroom. When he came back, Mr. Super Cool (as he forces us to call him) hid is backpack, locked him out, and auctioned his laptop to one of the artists sentenced to his class for an empty water bottle. He later nearly decapitated me with a pen, took a guys chips, made us adopt the phrase: "Pretty Please with a cherry on top, whip cream, and rainbow sprinkles on top" whenever we wanted something. You get it wrong, you'd end up in the hole. Like a legit hole, behind the couch, where the innocent are left to DIE. 

        Yah, I hate him. I once said "Please with two cherries, hot fudge, and a banana" and, he chucked my books across the room. The mere remembrance of his existence made me shudder furiously. Not giving anything a second thought, I dashed into his room, sat down, set out my books, and started working before a minute passed. Which although incredibly awesome, was too fast for Mr. Super Cool. He began to approach me slowly, inching forward in the ever inappropriate 80's leather jeans, a funky tie, and a striped shirt. I could sense him behind me, obnoxiously tapping his foot. I gulped, my pupils dilated, and I instantaneously knew how a chicken felt when it saw the farmer coming with an axe.

         "Were you running missy?" He questioned, the thick, sarcastic, insulting humor dripping from every word. I gulped nervously, concerned my heart was going to beat out of my chest. This was not the time to be me, a really smart-assy fourteen year old girl. THis was the time to be a weak, insignificant, goody two shoes.

        "What? Oh, yes. I'm sorry, yes I was Mr. Super Cool. I just didn't want to be late for class." I pleaded, sounding like an innocent child apologizing for eating off the gingerbread house. His foot kept tapping. tap tap tap tap. With each tap my heart pounded, getting faster every second, until I was sure it would burst. Thump. Thump. THump. Thump.

       "Ah hah! So you were! Go back. Go back to where you were, and walk slowly." He ordered, pointing toward the choir room, nearly all the way across campus. I knew what he was doing. I could detect the devious plan for torture underneath his display of power.

        "Yes Mr. Super Cool Sir." I replied meekly. So I slowly walked out to the choir room, and lazily strolled back. Two feet from the door the bell rang, and I rushed in again, hoping to foil his nefarious plans.

        "Uh uh! Nope! You ran. Go back, three feet, then do it again. CORRECTLY!" HE ordered fiercely. Already I was tired of the school system. No matter, I trudged back, and walked in slowly. The minute both of my feet were on the carpet he screamed again. "You did not! Just walk in late! To my class! Eleahn, you are in so much trouble, I swear to God if you are chopped up and thrown into the pit you will be happy. I glanced concerned at Oliver, he was smiling, as he was ordered, and through varying facial expressions, he caved into coming to my rescue. Now I SERIOUSLY needed to go to the frea- magic show.

          "Uhm, Mr. Super Cool, sir." Ollie politely butted in. SDOAHWLTCPAPAABACTMOTYAI whirled around screaming at him.

           "What is it peasent?" His voice boomed like that of a crazy dragon. Oliver swallowed what appeared to be a lump in his throat and continued.

        "Uhm, she is only late because you had her enter class 3 times. But the first time she entered was on time, early even. You are meant to record attendance when we first enter, that marks us as on time and present. Even if we leave the room to go to the bathroom, get something from the lockers, get a drink, or even follow your meaningful orders." Ollie explained logically. Mr. Super Cool studied him intensely, looking for signs that he was breaking. Luckily, his acting classes paid off, Oliver looked perfectly fine. Not even breaking eye contact with him, Mr. Super Cool growled orders at me angrily.

        "Get back in your seat!" I smiled and sighed with relief. I would need to hug Oliver, a lot, with a giant teddy bear, by him more chocolate gold, and a Ferrari. I quickly raced over to my seat, careful not to tick anyone else off. Thankfully, Mr. Super Cool seemed to calm down slightly after staring at Oliver for fifteen minutes after his comment. I made sure to may attention to nothing but my books. I finished my homework about half way through class, but I didn't dare ask to go to the computer lab. I had already cross the line with the dictator, and I didn't want to to risk the pit again. I simply looked at my books and read random passages of my English book. I considered writing down song lyrics, but, if he had found them, there wouldn't be anything left of me to throw in the pit.

       I flicked my eyes back and forth, watching the clock tick ever so slowly towards three. Come on! Come on! come on! COME ON! How long does it take to tick for 2 seconds? I thought quite angrily to myself. Luckily in the time I berated myself, luckily the two seconds had ticked by. The sharp, rapid, dinging of the bell rang through the room. Deafening us all and filling us with a new found desire to live, assuming we could make it out of his room. Faster than I had entered before, I scrambled up all of my books, and dashed outside, well aware that Mr. Super Cool was glaring me to death from his class room.

        His gaze burned my back like thousands of laser pointers with as much heat as the sun. Despite the heat, shivers ran up my spine. Suddenly fifteen feet from him was not nearly far enough. I quickly dashed farther away, sprinting full speed toward the cafe, the designated meeting point for me and Oliver after school. I didn't dare arrange to meet him right outside Mr. Super Cool's room. Last time we had done that, the Dictator gave us crap about how we needed to be dating for practically two weeks.

         Tap, tap, tap I found my fingers drumming rapidly agains the table as I waited anxiously for Oliver. Even though I was meeting with him later, he needed my help for his drama project, and the more time I spent away from my house the better.

        "D****t Ollie! Really? The one day you need my help your late?" I screamed at him to myself, hoping it would get rid of some of my anger. I sat staring intently at Mr. Super Cool's room. How long did it take to leave a classroom? I sighed, for this, he was losing his Ferrari.

        "MUHAHAHAHAH!!! MUHAHAHAHHA!!!" I heard the all to familiar evil evil laugh behind me. Even if I hadn't heard and recognized his voice, I would have remembered the feel of his fingers digging into my arms any day.

        "Oliver, if you don't let go of me in two seconds, I swear to god I will murder you right here and now." I stated firmly, not even flinching or turning around.

         "Nah, you wouldn't do that. I have your ticket to the magic show, you'd miss me, and you owe me one for class today." He pointed out, jumping up over the seat of the bench and sitting on the table. I shook my head and laughed, this boy belonged in theater, or at least on TV for comedy sake.

         "Aren't you, uh, forgetting something?" I hinted, raising my eyebrows to see if he would be able to detect what he had been spacing out on. I continued to drum my fingers on the table while I waited for him to pick up on what I had been hinting at. I could he was focusing in his eyes, but it was easy to tell there was that sensation of having it on the tip of your tongue. I began to cough out the answer. "uh, drama cough, club cough, meeting cough, thing cough cough!" I faked, pretending to be hacking up a schedule. Oliver slammed his fists on the table as he remembered his duty.

        "Eleahn! Why didn't you say anything sooner?" He questioned, suddenly overflowing with energy. Before I could even blink, he was cutting the circulation off in my arm and dragging my body toward the drama room. In between my stained gasps I managed to get out,

        "For the record, we're so even!" I could hear him laugh as he continued to pull me like a wagon toward the room. Through the shaking view of the hallway I could make out the drama room. "Woah Nelly! You may want to, uh, slow doowwwnn!!" I screamed desperately as I flew slightly out to the side, nearly banging myself against the door frame as he flew inside, dragging my nearly mangled body behind me.

        "I'm here Mr. Chaiston! Trust me! I'm here! and I brought my cast!" Oliver shouted panicked, trying desperately to reassure Mr. Chaiston, who appeared all too used to Ollie's loud entrances, simply nodded his head and pointed toward the line of people. I sighed, another group of in costume drama masters. None the less, I waited in line with Oliver.

        One by one the groups went, each with a dazzling plot, interesting voices, and awesome effects. Oliver had one thing, me. I gulped, luckily it seemed he had planed the skit to my strengths. I glanced over at him, in his bedazzled king costume, he looked about as eccentric as he actually was. I could see him smile with nervously as I got up on stage for my lines.

        "Once upon a time, there was a king, who's kingdom had fallen under seige by a dragon!" I proclaimed, gesturing dramatically as Ollie stood in the back, seeming to do a form of interpretive dance. "Wait! wait! hold up! Are we seriously doing this? Do you know how cliche this is? How about this; One upon a memory, there was a poor man." I began, I could hear Oliver behind me ripping off his kingly robe, revealing the clothes of a peasant. "He once had a beautiful wife, who loved him very much, and he had a daughter. But one day, his wife and little girl were taken by a fearsome and dangerous witch." I continued, continuing to motion dramatically. Sobs began to resonate from the back of the theater, where Oliver was screaming at the sky in rage. "However, a woman once told him, that if he saved a young woman he would find what he desired the most." Ollie took of running around the stage, looking out dramatically into the audience. The moment he spotted me, he ran toward me, and lifted me in the air, as if the floor was on fire.

        "I have been sent to rescue you!" He shouted valiantly as I stared at the trail of his gown that had been dragging on the floor.

        "Father! Father! I knew I would see you again!" I shouted with joy, in the cheesiest fashion I could manage. I heard the sound cue of the witches cackle and the lights flicked, an earlier recording of his neighboor's voice filled the theater.

        "I see you found  your child! How appropriate that you die together!" The voice cackled, a very convincing voice in my opinion. We both gasped in horror.

       "Not today witch!" Oliver screamed valiantly, charging out toward the back screen with a plastic sword. After slashing at the screen for about a minute, the cheesy dying screams of his neighbor filling the auditorium.

       "You did it father!" I screamed valiantly, going in for a hug. It was a quick ending, but hey. I could sing, not act, beggars couldn't be choosers in that situation. Oliver ran up to me, but instead of hugging me, he thrusted me over his shoulders fireman style. I heard the curtains close nad Oliver ran out into Mr. Chaiston's room screaming with joy, and still carrying me.

         "Thank you! Thank you very much!" He shouted happily. Mr. Chaiston smiled and laughed, clapping his hands.

        "Well done! I loved how you picked her up, now you are free to go you two. Oliver, I'll have your grade on Tuesday." He stated, still chuckling. Oliver began to run around screaming.

        "Ok Eleahn, you can go home to your normal life now!" He stated, slightly depressed.

        "Ollie," I began, annoyance dripping from my voice.

         "Yah?"

         "Put me down." I ordered, slightly annoyed he had forgotten that I was draped over his shoulder like a sweat rag.

         "oh, sorry." He apologized. With a quick goodbye, I began to stroll out. I had a fairly long walk, which was going to be a nice chance to stretch my legs after being manhandled.

Author's Note

Don't you guys just love Oliver? Funny thing is I unintentionally based him off my friend Oliver. They are the exact same person, mostly.