(21)
Warren and I sat next to each other at the table. It was weird sitting next to him this time when we usually sat across from each other. At least now I didn't have to worry about awkward eye contact or the silence that passed between us.
Neither of us ever ate at lunch. Mainly because the food wasn't the greatest I guess. I smiled imagining Warren burning his food before he ate it for sport. Burnt food for the pyro just added more to his demeanor.
"I think this would be a good time to come up with a battle strategy for Speed and Lash," Warren spoke looking down at his clasped hands on the table.
I thought for a moment trying to remember any strategy we had before, if any.
"I kinda like winging it," I spoke.
Warren turned to glance down at me. His smile steadily grew which made my body temperature rise just as quickly. My lips tugged to once side trying to smile with him as I swallowed loudly.
God! All he has to do is smile and the butterflies in me multiply like fucking rabbits, I thought furiously.
"I enjoy it too," Warren responded. "But if we want to shut them out we need something good."
I sighed with relief as my body started to return to normal, "Well…"
Warren continued to look at me waiting for my thoughts. I looked out to the severely blurry cafeteria avoiding eye contact at all costs. I had a good two hundred butterflies in me trying to find a place to land, if they grew past five hundred I think I would pass out.
Passing out next to Warren Peace would be the ultimate school nightmare, I thought. Who knows what he'll do to my body.
I straightened up as my eyes went wide with shock.
"Something wrong?" Warren asked.
"No!" I answered far too quickly.
I glanced up at him, "No. Just… too many ideas at one time."
"Care to share those ideas?" Warren asked.
I said the first thing that came to mind whether it sounded good or not, "A herd of fire elephants?"
Warren's eye brows popped up.
Impressed?
"I like the herd idea," Warren said nodding. "But I think elephants are too slow to catch Speed."
"Well, what animal would you like?" I asked. "I can start practicing tonight."
"It's not about what I like, it's about what ever Speed doesn't like," Warren answered.
"I'm not going to ask him what his least favorite animal is," I responded. "And keep in mind we have lash to worry about too.
It was weird. All the sudden we were both just focused on Speed instead of both Speed and Lash. It was almost like Lash was out of the picture and Warren's "revenge" was just all on Speed.
Must be a guy thing, I thought.
"How 'bout spiders?" Warren asked with a mischievous grin on his face.
"Absolutely not," I answered with a straight face.
Warren laughed amused by his own joke, "You don't like spiders?"
"No, I do not," I answered laughing as it came out in a whiney tone.
The table shook as someone sat down across from us. Warren and I looked away from each other and towards our exceedingly annoying visitor.
We adjusted in our seats sitting farther away from each other. It surprised me how close we got. I must have been inches from his face because now he was barely in my view.
"Are you green with envy yet?" Warren asked.
What's their to be envious about?
Speed was silent at first.
Something is going on between these two behind my back, I thought.
"Wanna take it out side and see how green it really is?" Speed asked with a harsh tone.
Okay, someone is green with envy over something or it's very lush green outside, I thought. I'm going with the first one.
"Really?" Warren asked. "You're reduced to fighting on school grounds?"
Speed leaned forward, "Makes things more interesting with a small audience."
"No, you're just a pussy because you know I will over power you outside of school without your entourage," Warren calmly replied.
I heard Speed smack Warren before I saw it. Warren's face suddenly faced away from me as Speed sat casually back in his chair. Warren turned back looking at Speed through his hair.
"Gotta catch me first before you can over power me," Speed replied with a smug look on his face.
"Let's go then," Warren said rising from his seat.
Speed did the same. I watched for a few minutes as Warren and Speed headed out the cafeteria. I was in denial for a few seconds thinking they weren't really going to go outside to fight. But once they opened the door I immediately darted after them.
I was not about to start talking to convince them this wasn't necessary. Getting in the middle of Speed and Warren is like taking a high speed meteor to the head.
"So, what are the stakes?" Warren asked removing his leather jacket.
"You know what I want, hot-head," Speed said whacking Warren over the head.
"And I'm assuming you know what I want," Warren said throwing a few fireballs.
All of them missed and were hurled off the edge of the school.
A real meteor shower for the civilians down below, I thought.
"No chance in hell," Speed answered as the brawl commenced.
I stood at the end of the steps seeing two blurry figures go at it in the bus parking lot out front. I wanted to avoid all possible contact with the bullet and the flamethrower but I felt I was the "audience" they were talking about in the cafeteria.
The fight continued as I crept forward. They moved farther away from the school and farther out of my vision. It was a little hard telling the difference between the two but I knew the one that moved faster was not the one I wanted to see in victory lane.
"Guys!" I called out. "You're getting a little close to the edge!"
The pace of the battle continued as if I wasn't heard. And the edge was getting closer like they thought we were on the real ground.
My heart rate quickened. Maybe this was the plan. To throw the opponent off the edge of the school. It really would end the fight.
No, that's too much, I thought. Speed and Warren might hate each other, but death?
I was frozen. I didn't know what else to call out. If they ignored me the first time chances are the second time will go unnoticed to. But they were so close to the edge!
"Warren," I said his name quietly with worry.
"Get off me!" Speed shouted.
Warren was hurled in the air higher than I'd ever imagined. I braced myself for when he was going to hit the ground but he passed it. I waited a few seconds to see if he really fell off or…
Speed turned and zoomed up to me. His face was filled with shock. His eyes were wide and his face was pale white.
"You can't tell anyone," Speed said shaking his head.
I looked back to the edge. No sign of Warren.
"Warren!" I shouted passing Speed.
I jumped off the edge of the school plummeting down to the earth below. The wind made my eyes water which made my vision even worse. I looked for something red like fire. I listened hard for any noise at all that wasn't the wind.
"Warren!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Two fire balls came hurtling at me. They missed by far as I looked in the direction they came from. Warren was right below me keeping his fists ignited for me to see. I dived down faster making my body perpendicular to the ground below.
"Isabel! What the hell!" Warren shouted as I came closer.
I smashed right into Warren's chest wrapping my arms around his torso.
"Why the hell did you jump after me?" Warren asked almost crushing me against his chest.
"Jesus Christ Warren!" I gasped.
He was wearing a black muscle shirt and for obvious reasons! The shirt fit him perfectly as his toned stomach muscles could be felt through not only his short but also my own. Not to mention it left his arms completely bare for me to see what was keeping me fastened against him.
Great, now his sex appeal has tripled.
"Izzy, why did you jump after me? You're gunna die!" Warren shouted moving one arm to keep me against him and the other to hold my head close.
"Warren, it's okay." I told him. "I got a plan."
Warren shook his head which was currently next to mine, "What?"
"Just hold on tight to me, okay," I said slowly bring my hands up to my mouth.
"Isabel…?" Warren breathed.
I blew out keeping it at first inside my hand. When I felt it was the right moment, I released my hand letting the bubble emerge. I was facing down towards the earth when I blew out and the bubble shot back up at me and Warren. It surrounded us and brought us to a stand still before it started levitating down slowly. Warren and I were flipped around now with him facing the earth while I saw the sky.
"Holy shit," Warren breathed.
I laughed slowly resting my hands on Warren's back.
"I had no idea you could do that," Warren spoke as we slowly parted to make eye contact.
"Well," I paused. "I've only done it once before."
His eyes were so shiny! Maybe being in a near death situation was a little too much for him. But the fearless Warren Peace never showed emotion. It wasn't weird seeing him like this… just… surreal.
"Warren?" I asked almost afraid to see if he was doing alright. "Are… you okay?"
He nodded without any words to follow.
I smiled before I turned to see the ground. I could still see whole neighborhoods so we were still a little far up.
"We're gunna be here for a while," I said turning back to Warren.
I couldn't control the bubble's movements when there were people inside it. A minor set back but hey, at least we weren't going to die anymore.
Warren's lips parted like he was going to say something. His eyes were still overflowing with emotion which was a little hard to get used to. I wanted to ask him again if he was alright but I felt it would only make the situation more awkward.
"Thanks," Warren whispered before he planted a soft tender kiss on my cheek.
He lingered for a moment, like he was afraid of what my reaction would be.