Flashback
Flashback continues:
As a couple of years went by Sue and I had truly become best friends, even after she graduated. She would come home from MIT almost every weekend and we would hang out. She would even ask for my input on some of her projects at school and I would help her. Also as the years went by my crush on Johnny had become stronger, especially after we became closer. It was not easy keeping my secret from Sue especially since we tell each other everything but I couldn't tell her this, I was so paranoid she wouldn't like it and not be my friend anymore and I couldn't lose her she had become the sister I never had. It was torture though watching him with his little girlfriends either at school or at his house, having to watch them be affectionate and he had A LOT of them! While he wasn't with them though he would bring on the Johnny flirty charm on me, it was very difficult to not take his flirting personally, Johnny flirted with all the girls, I knew I was no one special but every time he did my heart would beat so fast.
One day after school I'm over at Sue's helping her prepare for a big test, we were in the kitchen. Johnny walked in after playing basketball, he was all sweaty. I kept looking over my shoulder at him, I noticed at one point that he was staring at us. I was so worried he saw me lurking at him, I silently cursed to myself for being so stupid!
"Oh damn, I forgot the book, I'll be right back." Sue said as she got up.
"Okay."
"Hey Via," He spoke out after Sue left the kitchen.
"Hey." I repeated forcing myself to not turn and look at him.
"How you doing?" He asked as I could feel him behind me, he very lightly rubbed my shoulder a little bit, my stomach fluttered.
"Pretty Good." I could only say.
"Is this the only thing you and Sue do when she comes home?" He asked as he pulled up a chair, sat on it backwards, rested his arms on top of it and brought himself close to me. He leaned in slightly for a minute to see what we were doing and that gave me the perfect view of his profile and I couldn't stop staring at him, admiring his beauty. I just kept thinking how much I wanted to tell him how I felt, that every time he stared or smiled at me it took my breath away, that I longed to be in his arms and all my dreams were about him but I choked back knowing I couldn't. "If I remember correctly you guys did something else for school last weekend too." He teased as he brought himself back to his previous sitting position.
"No, we do other things but this is a big test and she asked for help...and last week she just wanted my input on a project she was doing," I defended trying not to mumble my words after bringing myself back to reality.
"Do you ever do anything fun? I mean your always doing something that involves school or that program." He took a drink of his bottle water.
"That program will send me to the best schools in the country and I fully intend to go to space." I tell him as I look back down at the paper.
"You really want to go to space that bad, huh?" He genuinely asked.
"Yeah, it's been my dream since I was five...and it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices." I shot my head right back up to look at him to show how serious I was about space.
"I will tell you a little secret.." he leaned in a little closer, I had to inhale, "me too."
"Really?" I very quickly responded. Who knew we both had the same ambition?
"Yeah, I fully intend on being a pilot." He confessed to me.
"That's so cool, why don't you try joining the program?" I suddenly suggested.
"I don't think so..." He softly responded, he sounded a little insecure which usually isn't the case for Johnny Storm, he's usually so confident and sure of himself.
"Why not?" I genuinely asked.
"I don't know I guess I'm worried they wouldn't accept me, they can't reject you if you don't put yourself out there."
"But you have to put yourself out there or you'll never know." I tell him and without thinking I gently put my hand over his that's resting on the chair. "I bet you could get in. I mean there is still time, they're still going through applicants for next year. You could be one of them."
"You really think so?" He says still a little unsure.
"Of course, you like to act like you don't care and only care about getting girls but your more then that, if you want to be a pilot you have to work for it and this program is a great start." I confidently told him, "I know you can do it."
"You know what? Your right, thanks Via." He smiled at me, I smiled right back at him.
"Your welcome." We both look down and now notice my hand over his, I didn't remove it we just looked back up at each other. I swear we had this moment where our eyes were glued to each others and it could have just been my hopeful imagination but it seemed like he was leaning in but before I could really find out Sue walked back in.
"Sorry, I was looking everywhere for it, I thought at first I left it at the dorm but somehow it fell behind my desk..." She sounded annoyed. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Johnny and I both blurted out in unison, I quickly took my hand away. Hopefully she didn't see that!
"I'll see you later Via." He said with a smile and a wink as he grabbed an apple and left the kitchen, to say it was hard to get back to work was a understatement.
A few months after starting my senior year the worst thing in the world happened, my mom was killed in a car accident, I was devastated! First I didn't know what was going to happen to me because I didn't have any other relatives and I was not going to try to find my father. If he wanted to see me he would have tried a long time ago, it's not like we would have been hard to find, we had stayed in the same house my whole life. Gratefully Sue's and Johnny's parents who already had become like second parents to me let me stay with them and became my legal guardians until I graduated. It was the hardest year of my life, it was a very hard day when I did graduate, luckily Johnny was graduating with me and was able to at least put a smile on my face, he was always very good at that and even though my mom wasn't there I told her that I was going to make her proud.
I chose to go to MIT with Sue. There in college we met Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom, Sue and Reed hit it off right away and became inseparable. Reed was so smart and I had to give him praise for his mind. Victor on the other hand he too had an intelligent mind but he had a competitive streak with Reed, I don't know why. Maybe he was jealous of Reed, hell I was a little jealous. I met Reed's best friend Ben Grimm, he was a good man and always had Reed's back, he couldn't stand Victor, they butted heads a lot, Victor was intimidated by him but for good reason, Ben was built like a brick.
A few years of being together Reed out of the blue bolted, broke Sue's heart. I couldn't believe it, they were so good for each other and I thought they were going to be together forever. After the break-up she never saw him or Ben again. I wanted to ring Reed's neck and tell him how stupid he was being but I restrained myself. About a year ago Sue started working and dating Victor, I thought it was a little strange but I was going to support her no matter what, maybe being with Sue would soften Victor a little bit. He offered me a position with his company but I chose to go with another one, I just didn't have a good feeling about him, he irked me for some reason but I wouldn't dare tell Sue that. A month ago Sue came to me with a special offer.
"Olivia, you'll never believe where we're going?" She comes into my house very excited.
"Where?"
"If the meeting goes well and Victor accepts the offer, space!"
"Really?" I didn't quite believe her yet.
"Yes, tomorrow we're having a meeting with a partner."
"Whose the partner?"
"...Reed." She softly said responded.
"Reed? You haven't seen him for a long time. Are you sure you can handle that?"
"I mean, I won't lie, it won't be easy but...we're just going to have to be grown ups and learn to work with each other, it's only for one mission."
"I hope your right. Sue I am so excited for you." I say trying to smile and be upbeat without showing my longing to go to space.
"Well you should be too, your coming you know?"
"Me? Sue I don't even work for Victor. What would I be doing?"
"Well, until after the mission you are and Victor wants someone else to document the storm, not just Reed and he specifically asked for you. I'm pretty sure it's a way to take a dig at Reed, you know how Victor gets."
"Oh yeah, I do." I roll my eyes, I was actually shocked that Victor would want me to go, "Are you really sure about this?"
"Yes! You have to come!"
"I'm in!" I practically squeal with excitement as we hug.
"Okay, come to the facility tomorrow morning. We'll go through the details then."
After the meeting with Victor Sue and I walked in together. To say you could cut the tension between Sue and Reed with a knife was a understatement, at least Ben was there to break the ice a bit more. I had to give it to Sue though she took seeing Reed very well. Victor approved of the mission, before he did though he really made Reed plead his case even though we knew he was going to say yes regardless, it was like he needed to hear Reed beg and he had to shove his and Sue's relationship in his face, that really irked me! I may not be happy with Reed right now but he didn't deserve that, the second he saw Sue I could see that he still has feelings for her. We all walked into the elevator together, the tension was very thick in the air.
"So, when do we leave?" Ben interrupted the two former lovers who were starting to bicker a little bit.
"I'll be scheduling the launch in the morning, here's my card if you have any questions." Sue smiled.
"I remember the number." Reed said.
"It's been changed." I couldn't help but give a internal smile, that was a cold dig and I love it!
"Oh, I was hoping that Ben could pilot the mission." He requests.
"Before I answer that you should know Olivia is also coming to document the storm, just for precaution," Reed didn't look happy about that, he looked right at me and I gave a cocky smile. "And as for the pilot, I'm afraid we already have a pilot on our payroll but Ben's free to ride shotgun." She starts to say, "You remember my brother Johnny?" Directly talking to Ben with a smirk, after she said his name Ben and I both lost our smiles and I got a very big lump in my throat and if I had known he was coming I would have declined the offer to come on this mission. I know I have been waiting for this opportunity my whole life but I don't think I can stand in the same room as Johnny, not after what happened...
We have learned about Olivia's past but what happened? What happened with her and Johnny?
