Surprises. With need2speed.

[dl_greenarrow]

Oliver had taken the afternoon off from Queen Industries in order to spend some time at the Metropolis Community Center. The place was filled with activity: kids doing homework at some of the tables, some playing a game of pool, and others just sitting around talking and listening to music

Comments

[dl_greenarrow]

Oliver held her gaze for a long moment, then walked over to the refrigerator, opened the freezer and pulled out a couple of ice cubes, wrapping them in a towel and handing it to her. "I'll listen," he told her sincerely.

[need2speed]

"Trust me, you don't want to know." She frowned, holding the cold compress against her cheek and feeling it throb in response. "I don't want to know, sometimes."

[dl_greenarrow]

He studied her. "But you still do," he said quietly. "Things out there are pretty bad."

[need2speed]

She shrugged. "I've got it better than some. I can take care of myself pretty good."

[dl_greenarrow]

Oliver was silent for a moment. "Do you have any of that money from the other night left?"

[need2speed]

She snorted and gestured to her face. "Of course not. Why do you think this is a bruise and not a bullet? I bought my way out."

[dl_greenarrow]

"Right," he murmured, thinking for a moment. "How old are you, Mia?" he asked, recalling the name she'd given him.

[need2speed]

"Twenty-four," she lied, watching to see if he'd buy it.

[dl_greenarrow]

Oliver gave her a look. "Right. And my favorite color's not green."

[need2speed]

She returned his look with an innocent smile, then grinned. "Fiiiine. I'm seventeen, if you must know."

[dl_greenarrow]

A smile tugged at his lips involuntarily. "Well that makes this easier then. You want a job? Working here?"

[need2speed]

"Doing what?" she asked, suspicious.

[dl_greenarrow]

He hopped up onto the counter, thinking it over for a minute. "Helping the kids, mostly. A lot of them are pretty closed down. They don't want to talk to an old guy like me," he said wryly. "But maybe you can talk to them. You're closer to a lot of them in age."

[need2speed]

"You don't seriously think I'd be a good role model, do you?" She looked at him like he had a screw loose. "Just look at what I do...did for a living!"

[dl_greenarrow]

He met her eyes. "But you're not doing it anymore. And if I had to guess, you were only doing it because it was what you had to do to get by." His voice was quiet, and he shrugged a little. "I'm not going to judge you for that."

[need2speed]

She stayed silent for a bit, turning the idea of acceptance over in her head. "So you don't think I'm...you know...dirty?" A rush of embarrassment heated her cheeks and she focused on his shoes instead of his face