Warren laughed at himself as the girl walked towards him, extending her hand and nodding towards the dance floor. He watched as her hand froze into an icy appendage and his own flaming limb touched hers, neutralizing their powers for the moment. He smiled kindly, "Yea, I'll dance with you." She smiled, her arms swaying to the song and her hips moving even faster, "I'm Runa Anders." Warren nodded, "Where're you from? That accent is one I've never heard before." She cocked her head to one side, to think about what Warren had said, "Ah! I am from Denmark." Warren nodded, processing this new information as he swayed his hips slightly to the music. "Interesting." He was not ready when she asked him a question. "Um, pardon?" She smiled, asking her question again, "What's your name?" He blushed, "Oh, Warren Peace." She shook his hand, "Nice to meet you, Warren."

He smiled, nervous, "Um, Runa?" She smiled and, in her thick Scandinavian accent, she responded, "Yes, Warren?" He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "Would you like to join me for dinner at the Paper Lantern sometime?" She nodded, holding his hands between hers, "Ja! Ja! I would! I would!"

He grinned like some idiotic jack-o'-lantern, steaming slightly in heated sheepishness. Of course, to cool this fiery Romeo, Runa kissed his cheek with her icy lips, neutralizing their powers for a second time that night. She smiled, "I'll see you at Paper Lantern tomorrow, Warren?" He nodded, a dumb look on his face, "Uh, yea." Young Runa then proceeded to skip away, leaving Warren with a look of stupidity plastered on his dark face that only read "I'm in love".

Will Stronghold, now Warren's close friend, walked up with girlfriend Layla on his arm, "Yea, Peace. What you been doing?" Warren's dark eyes stared off in the direction that his Dane beauty had left in and mumbled, "Runa." Layla smiled, "Ice-Girl?" Will raised an eyebrow, "Ice-Girl? Who is this?" Warren's eyes kept a close vigil on the door Runa had left through, "Runa Anders." Will smiled devilishly at the dumb grin on his friend's face, "Warren, are- are you in- in love?" Warren ripped his gaze from the door and back to the young Stronghold, gripping his red shirt with a fiery fist, "Watch it, Willie boy." Will tore himself from Warren's grasp, then proceeded to extinguish the flames that had begun to scorch his chest.

Layla helped Will put out the fire before she turned to Warren, "Warren! That wasn't a nice thing to do!" Warren pointed a finger at Will, "Tell him to stop saying that about me!" The Stronghold boy shot back, "What? That you, Warren Peace, are in love?" He growled, flames sprouting from his fingertips, "I'll roast you, Stronghold!" Layla held them apart, "Boys. You sound like immature little five-year-olds." Warren put out his fire, "Tell him to stop. Or, I swear, I'll roast him." Layla turned to her boyfriend, "Will. Leave him alone." Will sighed, "All right. Fine."

The following night, Warren readied himself for his date with Runa. He combed his hair back into a ponytail and wore a black button-up shirt with some black pants and his combat boots. He looked himself over in the mirror before deciding he looked pretty damn good. He straightened his collar and tugged at the end of his shirt in attempt to rid himself of some of the wrinkles. He did not feel like ironing tonight. He smiled, walking out to the living room to tell his foster family where he was headed. His foster mother smiled and told him in broken English, "You are look handsome, Warren Peace." He kissed her cheek and smiled, "Thanks, Ma." She watched, tears in her eyes as Warren walked out the door to the Paper Lantern, which was a block away.

Warren walked in and was greeted by one of his co-workers, who smiled, "Warren, you don't have work tonight. What are you doing here?" He shrugged, "A date." The girl smiled and said, "Ah, the young blond girl. She's quite beautiful." Warren nodded, his mouth drying up at the thought of Runa. "Yea." He followed the waitress to the table where his date awaited him. He smiled, "Thanks." She nodded, "No problem." He sat down across the table from Runa and smiled, "You- You look great." She blushed, "Thank you, Warren. You, too, look great." He smiled at the compliment, "Thank you. So, what year are 

you?" She thought about it, trying to process a translation of the question Warren had asked of her. "Oh, I am- junior? Yes, I am junior." Warren's eyes shot open, "Really? A junior? And how come I've never seen you around here before?" She smiled, "I move from Gentofte this summer." Warren nodded, still in shock that he was on a date with what had to be one of the hottest juniors in all of Sky High.

She stared intently at her menu, looking for something to eat. Warren saw the frustrated look on her face and said, "Would you like me to help you?" She blushed, embarrassed at her lack of understanding the menu, "Ja. I would." He smiled, looking over his menu and asking her what she preferred to eat. They eventually settled on sharing a plate of orange chicken between the two of them. Warren smiled, harpooning a large piece of orange chicken with his fork, "So, what do you like?" Runa looked up from her food, confused, "Hvad?" Warren thought of examples, waving his fork around in emphasis, "Umm.. What types of music do you like? Rock? Jazz? Punk? Classical? Country? Do you like to read?" "Ah," Runa sighed, realizing what it was the young freshman was asking, "I like rock. I like the Rolling Stones, ja? And the AeroSmith. Ja. And country. Alan Jackson and George Strait are my favorites." Warren nodded, shoveling a load of food into his mouth and munching happily; although he was not a great fan of country music, he did enjoy the Rolling Stones. Then, as he readied himself for a second large fork-load, Runa turned the tables on him, "Your turn now, Mr. Peace. What year are you?" He blushed, his fork mere inches from his mouth, and muttered into his orange chicken, "A freshman." She smiled, "Hvad? I couldn't hear you, speak louder, Warren. No mumbling." He spoke louder, his deep voice twinged with embarrassment, "A freshman." Runa's eyes went wide at this news, "Ja? A freshman? You are only fourteen?" He shook his head, "No, no. I'm sixteen, I just wasn't enrolled in school with all the other kids, so I'm two years older than my classmates." Runa nodded, "Warren Peace. Freshman. Hmm. And music?" He smiled, "The Stones, their older stuff anyways, the Misfits, some Beach Boys, Thin Lizzy, erm, the Crüe... lotsa old rock, really. Do you have any interesting hobbies, Runa?" Runa smiled, "Ja. I sing." His eyes lit up, "Really? Well, that's something. Would you sing for me?" But the Dane girl only giggled playfully and shook her head. Warren's face dropped in apparent disappointment. But, their date went on without a hitch. They laughed and joked and were as compatible as could be.

At the end of the night, Warren asked Runa if he could walk her home, something she quickly agreed to. They walked down the streets, Runa's blond head resting on Warren's strong dark shoulder as they continued, hand in hand, to Runa's home. When they reached a quaint looking two story home near where the Stronghold family lived, Runa stopped and smiled, "This is my home." She kissed his cheek in a farewell, "Afsked, Warren Peace." He smiled, slightly confused but interested nonetheless, "Pardon?" She smiled, "Afsked means farewell." His smile grew and Runa walked up the front steps to her house. She turned back to see him still standing there and smiled, "Ja?" He said, "Will I ever see you again?" She smiled slyly, "Silly freshman."

He watched her walk into her house before thinking to himself, "What if she doesn't want to see me again because I'm a freshman?" This made him angry, and nothing was a worse sight to see than Warren Peace when he got angry. His arms burst into flames, each fiery end licking at his body until sweat trickled down his face. He walked down the street, towards his house, angry and hurt. How could she have used him like this? The cold-hearted Ice-girl playing with his heart in ways that he did not understand fully. That broke him.

Later in the evening, as he lay awake in bed, with "She's So Cold" by the Rolling Stones echoing in his head, Warren thought that maybe he was just over-reacting and she really did like him. He rolled over and closed his dark eyes tight, hoping he was right.



The following morning was Monday, that meant school for Warren Peace, Will Stronghold, Runa Anders, Layla Zielinski, and the other students of Sky High. Warren dressed himself in his usual clothes, not taking any time to make himself presentable for school. Or for Runa. He caught the bus to Sky High and, as usual, sat in the back to think about what he was going to do about Runa. But it was not to be. Layla and Will walked up. "Hi, Warren!" Layla said in her usual chipper tone. Warren sneered, "Hey." Layla prodded him gently in the side, "So, how did your date go?" Warren raised an eyebrow, "How'd you know I was out?" Will blushed, "We kind of overheard you ask Runa out." Warren glared, "Just be glad we're in a packed bus or else I'd have you roasted!" Will apologized, "Sorry, man." Then they decided it was best to leave Warren be, or else Will would be the first member of the Stronghold family to be a roast.

Warren walked off the bus with his usual "I hate life" attitude, until he saw his Heaven-sent Danish beauty. He decided to play it cool. Well, as cool as a pyro could be. He walked across the green lawns of Sky High and passed by Runa and her posse of equally blond and buxom friends, "Hey Runa." She did not even turn his way.

He felt so terribly used and abused that he could not control himself, he burst into flames and sent a fiery ball through several tree trunks. The reality of his actions hit him hard as he realized he had defaced school property, something worthy of a fine and a week's detention. He cringed and made his way, as face as he could, to the gymnasium.

When he reached the gymnasium, Layla and Will stood in the middle, hand-in-hand; the perfect superhuman couple. He hoped to slip into class unnoticed, but darling Layla blew his cover, "Oh, Will, look it's Warren. Hi, Warren!" Her cheerful voice echoed in his head as he spun around to face the flower child and her superboy. He smiled, "Hey Wonder-Dork, Hey Flower Child." Will cringed, "Hey Fireball. So, did you see Runa this morning?" Warren lied, "No." He flipped his wrist nonchalantly, his first two fingers ablaze and a somewhat bitter smile on his face as he added, "Must've missed her." Layla eyed him suspiciously, "You're lying." The fiery boy shot back at her, "How would you know? You a Psychic now?"

Layla shouted back at the dark-haired flame-thrower, "Because I saw you this morning!" Warren stepped back, his chest pounding, "So. Guess everyone here knows, huh?" Layla shook her head, "No one knows. I was the only one who saw and I didn't say a thing." Warren sighed, "Yea. She completely ignored me. I think she hates me. But I don't know what I did wrong. I was nice to her, wasn't I?" Layla shrugged, "Maybe she wasn't looking for manners." Warren let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know, Flower Child." Will butted into the conversation, smiling, "What about your date? Did you two have fun?" Warren shrugged, "I guess so. We both like the Stones." Layla smiled wider, almost laughing, "Funny." Will and Warren both looked at the fair-haired flower child, "What?" She said, "Both of you like the Rolling Stones. One of their songs is entitled She's So Cold. Maybe Runa's just playing a little game with you." Warren huffed in frustration, "Well, I'm getting tired of the game called love."

Magenta, who had been unusually silent, piped up, "You admit it then? That you're loopy for some girl who doesn't really give a rat's behind about you?" Zach Brieman, Magenta's glowing boyfriend, held his girl around the waist and shrugged, "Well, I wish you luck, man." Ethan Pembry, the meek melting boy who hung out with them, shrugged, "I can only wish you the best, Warren," before pushing his glasses up his nose and snorting heavily in the stereotype of nerds. Warren smiled softly at them, "Thanks, but I dunno how it'll work out." Then the day's classes began.

At lunch the following day, Warren tried yet again, to win the heart- or simply catch the eye- of Runa Anders. He walked up the wet lawn to the front of the school and sat on the cement steps, watching and waiting for his beloved that he knew was going to pass by. She did, and lucky was unaccompanied this 

time. He jogged up to her, not forgetting his leather book-bag, "Runa! Runa wait!" She turned around, her arms locked in front of her, ready to freeze anyone who crossed her. Then she saw who it was that pursued her, "Warren?" He smiled, "Hi. I saw you and I wanted to ask you if-" She smiled coyly, "If what, kaerlighed?" He swallowed his pride and his embarrassment, "If you like me as much as I like you?" She smiled, brushing a stray black hair from his face, "Ja, I like you, Warren." His mouth hung open about half an inch and a squeaky moan leaked from his throat as she pressed up against his over-six-foot frame and ran her delicate fingertips over his dark hair.

Regaining his composure, Warren's mouth closed and he swallowed his surprise, "Really?" Runa smiled wickedly, "Ja, mig kaerlighed." He nodded, blinking in surprise, "Wow. Seriously?" Runa wrapped a dark strand of Warren's hair around her index finger, twisting it gently as she cooed in his ear, "Very seriously." Warren smiled in joy, throwing a fist in the air to emphasize his glee, "YES!"

He took Runa's small shoulders in his hands and kissed her lips, igniting himself into a fiery blaze as she cooled them off with her freezing powers. A few students stopped to stare at this spectacle, but most just ignored this young couple like they did with any other super-couple who displayed affections in public. Warren pulled away, "I'm sorry. Was I being too forward?" She smiled, "No, kaerlighed. You weren't."

She held his hand in hers and they walked off. He walked around the school grounds with her at his side, resting her blond head on his strong, dark shoulder for at least fifteen minutes, simply enjoying her presence. He looked down at her, "Runa. Why did you ignore me yesterday?" She lifted her head to meet the gaze of the dark flame-thrower, "Warren, forgive me. I feel so foolish. I was embarrassed of you. You are a freshman and I am a junior. I did not want my friends to laugh." He looked in her blue eyes and said, "We're both sixteen. I'm not any younger than you, I just got a late start." She nodded, "I know, Warren. Forgive me." He smiled, holding her against him. "I do."

Suddenly they were bombarded by Will Stronghold and Layla Zielinski, Zach Brieman and Magenta Trent, and the dorky but lovable Ethan Pembry. Warren looked up, fire in his eyes as he glared at Stronghold and Zielinski, "Wonder-Dork, Flower Child." Will grinned arrogantly, "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Warren?" Layla beat Warren to the punch, extending an arm to shake Runa's hand, "Hello, I'm Layla Zielinski." Runa shook her hand, a bit nervously, "I am Runa Anders." Layla smiled kindly, "Oh, that's such a pretty accent. Are you Scandinavian?" The Dane girl nodded proudly, "I am from Denmark." Magenta extended a hand, "Nice to meet you, Runa. I'm Magenta Trent." Runa smiled, shaking the purple girl's hand, "I love your hair, so beautiful." Magenta blushed, "Thanks. This is my boyfriend-" Zach cut her off, "Zach Brieman. Very pleased to meet you, Ms. Anders." Runa smiled, "Thank you. I am pleased to meet you, too. Mr. Brieman." Ethan butted in, "I'm Ethan." She bent down to his height, herself being just about six-foot, and squeezed his cheek, "You look so adorable. Girls back in Gentofte would just love you!" He blushed, "Thank you." She then turned to the last of Warren's friends. "Warren, will you not introduce me to your other friend?" Warren looked at Will and said, "This is Will Stronghold, he's Layla boyfriend." She shook his hand, "Will Stronghold! I remember your parents, they were at homecoming, ja?" He nodded, blushing and giggling nervously, "Yea. Nice to make your acquaintance, Runa." She nodded, "Likewise, Will."

The bell rang, sending the students to their classes, and Warren smiled, kissing Runa's cheek, "I'll see you after class, right?" She smiled, "Of course, Warren." Then they dashed off to class, none of them wanting to be late."