A strange Attraction (Olivia/Manfred)
A/N: I own nothing what so ever. All characters etc belong to Jenny Nimmo.
Olivia Vertigo ran through the long, dark hallways of Bloor's academy; her long purple cape flowing behind her. She was late for her mime lesson, as she had been busy talking to Emma in the art gallery. Desperate to reach the class without being caught, Olivia took a shortcut which unfortunately involved her going past Manfred's office (as he liked to call it).
As she approached the bookcase, in which behind Manfred Bloor would often spend the day, she tiptoed. Having got to the other side safely, she continued to sprint down the hallways, round the corner and...Straight into Manfred. The drama student hit the student teacher with such a force that they both fell backwards onto their bottoms and landed with a heavy thud on the hard stone floor.
"Vertigo, what are you doing out of lesson?" Manfred yelled, standing up slowly whilst rubbing his bottom. Olivia didn't know what to say in all honesty, if she told him the truth she would almost certainly be in detention, and if she lied she knew the tall young man would have his ways of finding out the truth sooner or later. "I'm waiting girl!" Manfred folded his arms and Olivia got to her feet.
"I was in the art department looking at some of my friends drawings." Olivia sighed.
"You and your friends are always up to something aren't you? Well I'm sick of it! Detention for you young lady." Olivia knew it was coming. "You'll be spending Saturday with me and I'll make sure I teach you some manners. Now off to class with you and make sure I don't see you out of class again or else you'll be spending every weekend with me for the next month. Do you understand me Vertigo?"
"Yes Manfred." Olivia chanted.
"That's sir to you. Goodbye." Manfred barged past Olivia and went to his hidden office, leaving Olivia stood on her own with a sore bum.
It took the girl a few moments before she realised what she was supposed to be doing, and she hurried off to class, hoping her teacher wouldn't be too mad about her being late.
Olivia dropped her bags on a bench and took off her pointy green shoes, only to replace them by bright purple Dr Martins. Asa Pike suddenly appeared from the crowd of students and dropped next to Olivia on the bench.
It had been a very dramatic weekend; the children of the red king had found their ancestor in the form of a tree and had circled it to break a curse.
Although the last time Olivia had seen Asa as a human he was trailing after Manfred like a love sick puppy, she knew he was turning out to be a pretty okay guy. He had helped them break the curse in his animal form and now Olivia didn't know what to think of him.
"Hi." Asa smiled, to Olivia's surprise. Olivia grinned back and asked "How are you?"
"I'm great thanks; it's been a pretty hectic week really. But I bet things won't change here at Bloors."
Olivia sighed. The drama cloakroom was so noisy no one could hear the two student's conversation.
"What about Manfred though? Are you going back to him?"
Asa looked confused. "Well, I have to! I have nowhere else to go. I failed my GCSE's in almost everything so I can't start college, and this is the only place were people don't think I'm a freak. If I don't go back to him Dr Bloor will kick me out on the streets and I'll have no where to go."
Olivia looked at Asa sympathetically, she thought how terrible it must be to have an endowment that is nothing but trouble and that you couldn't control and then she thought of how lucky she was that she had a great one.
"Anyway." Asa begun. "I think Manfred's slowly changing." Olivia couldn't help but snort.
"Manfred? Haha."
"No, Livi, I mean it! He's beginning to understand that what his father is doing is wrong and that the good side are much stronger than the bad. Just last month he told me he doesn't want to end up like his dad and his old grandfather. He wants success and the only way he can get that is through his family, but that's the only reason he's sticking by them. It's not because he agrees with what they are doing!" Asa explained.
"Well he certainly hates me!" Olivia sighed. "He gave me detention this morning for bumping into him." Asa gave a small chuckle.
"He can be really pathetic sometimes. But, you know I think there is some compassion in him, deep inside somewhere just waiting to get out. You know what else he needs?" Asa asked the eccentric teen.
"No what?"
"Love."
Olivia nearly chocked on her chewing gum. She couldn't stop laughing! It was certainly a good thing that no one could hear what her and the ware-beast were on about.
"Love?" Olivia snorted.
"Okay, don't take the Mick! I'm serious! The only girlfriend he's ever had is Zelda and she just wanted him for...other things." Asa chuckled. "And then she dumped him to go to Math College."
Olivia suddenly felt a bit sorry for Manfred. He wasn't very well liked at the best of times, but no one can help who their family is. And she couldn't blame him for sticking by them.
Suddenly the bell went for class.
"What have you got?" Asa asked Olivia who begun to collect her pens and pencils in her neon bag.
"Stage directing class. You?"
"Commedia Dell'Arte class. I can't act!" Asa grinned.
Olivia couldn't help but smile at her new friend as he walked away into the sea of colours.
"So, Manfred needs love, huh?" Olivia smiled as she strolled down the hall into class.
Manfred's eyes didn't rise from the plate of vegetable stew he was slowly tucking into; Olivia wondered if he even noticed she was there. It was Friday night and all the students had gone home, Olivia had watched them from her dorm window, a sea of colours; blues and purples and greens sweeping through the stone courtyard and into yellow buses or taxis or cars, and she wished she could join them, and yet here she was in the grand hall eating cold stew. The hall was empty apart from Manfred who sat at the high table, Olivia sat at the drama table, trying to concentrate on eating and not staring at the student teacher; it wasn't working. Asa's words kept flowing through her mind, over and over again, Manfred needs love.
When they had both finished eating and the canteen staff had finished clearing away the empty plates, Manfred stood up and began to walk back down the hall. Olivia rushed to her feet and ran after him, desperate to have some company. She had been in detention many times before, but usually Charlie Bone or Billy Raven was there to keep her company, however, at this moment Billy was staying at Charlie's house and so Olivia was alone with the Bloors and the staff.
"Manfred." Olivia struggled to keep her breath as she chased and caught up with Manfred. "What am I supposed to do? I've done all my homework and no ones here to talk to."
"It's Sir. And you should have thought of that earlier shouldn't you. Talk to mice, help the staff, and clean the trophies...just do SOMETHING! Billy never found it hard to keep himself occupied on the weekends. I don't know why the concept is so difficult to grasp Vertigo." Manfred didn't even look at Olivia.
"But Siiirrrrrrrrrr." Olivia whined in her best voice. "I can't speak to animals like Billy can, and I just had my nails done" she extended her perfectly manicured nails which were currently painted a neon green colour "Can I stay with you?"
Manfred didn't know what to say, how dare a STUDENT ask him such a question. His mouth stuttered, bobbing open and closed repetitively like a fish.
"Vertigo...I...why...how..." He stammered, before giving a small cough and straightening to his full height, trying to recover and answer the question. "Why would you want to do that?" He eventually muttered.
"Because there's no one to talk to. And you don't have anyone to talk to either. Don't you ever get lonely at weekends? Even Asa goes home."
Manfred thought about this for a second.
"I always have my experiments. And usually Billy's here to boss around. Not anymore though."
"Don't you ever get bored of bullying people Manfred?" They were now walking side by side in the direction of Manfred's bedroom.
"No." He answered simply and Olivia thought it was probably true.
Manfred's room wasn't at all like Olivia had expected, in fact the closest word to describe the image Olivia had in her head when the words "Manfred's room" was mentioned was more like "Manfred's dungeon." So you can imagine Olivia's surprise when Manfred opened the door to a rather large and modern looking room. There were no cobwebs to be seen, and if there was any jars of unpleasant substances Manfred obviously hid them very well indeed. In the centre of the room was a large black leather sofa and a double bed sat tidily in one corner of the room along with a large green plant and a beautiful open fireplace. A chandelier dominated the high ceiling and a rather big bookcase ran along one wall and Olivia immediately walked over to it while Manfred sat on the sofa and removed his black boots.
"Dickens, Blake, Wordsworth...You do appear to love your books Manfred." Olivia muttered, her finger tracing the book spines...classics and modern books along with poetry and biographies.
"Mhm." Manfred muttered.
Olivia walked over to Manfred's bed side table and picked up the open book that occupied the space. "Great Expectations." She read out. "You're reading Great Expectations?"
"Yes...why does that surprise you Vertigo?" Manfred asked, a little anger arising in his deep voice.
"Oh, I don't know. I guess I always imagined you to read books about spells and sorcery and so on. And your room...it's so...modern." She muttered, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to have to spend another weekend with Manfred.
"Again, what did you expect? Jars of eyeballs and dead insects?" Manfred chuckled.
"Yes..." Olivia admitted, a little embarrassed.
"No no." Manfred said. "I do all that stuff up in my grandfathers laboratory." Olivia paused and looked at Manfred, trying to see if she sensed any humour in his eyes...she hoped he was joking.
Desperate to change the awkward subject, Olivia walked around Manfred's large bedroom, looking and touching everything the room had to offer; she picked up what looked like an antique perfume bottle.
"It was my mothers." Manfred muttered, his eyes following Olivia around the room as she fiddled with all his belongings. He figured she either didn't know how to behave around him, or was just one of them people who pace around, touching anything they can find.
"Goodness Vertigo" Manfred said after a few minutes "Don't you ever sit down?"
Olivia hadn't noticed until now that she had been pacing and looking at whatever she could find, Manfred's room fascinated her; not only because it was the opposite of what she had expected, but also because she would have never thought Manfred could be so similar to her and her friends when it came to taste. Manfred rolled his eyes and gently patted the sofa he was sat on. Olivia nervously sat down beside him, keeping her distance, not knowing how exactly to behave.
"Jesus Vertigo. You asked to come here to have some company, and then you don't even speak to me. Are you sure you didn't just want to explore my room?" He snarled.
"Sorry. It's just so cool. Your room I mean."
"Cool?" Manfred sniggered. "I wouldn't call it that. I had to move from my old room after those..." He appeared to be unable to say the word flames "things...set fire to it." Manfred snarled in a way that made Olivia feel sorry for him. Then she remembered...this was Manfred. Charlie's enemy, she couldn't feel sorry for him after all he'd done to him and his family.
"I suppose there isn't much to do around here at the weekends." Olivia muttered, trying to take her mind off feeling sorry for him.
"No. Asa sometimes stays over. Not often though. And my Father refuses to speak to me at weekends, he tends to stay in his room, sometimes my great grandfather calls me to his room...but I hate it there, it's too hot and all he ever goes on about is Charlie Bone and Billy Raven and the rest of them bloody endowed. I'm sick of hearing about them! It's always Charlie Bone's done this and YOU have to stop him. Well, I'm sick of it. They bore me. I just want to get on with this teacher course and get the hell out of here. But Father won't have it..." He trailed off in a soft voice.
"If you told him I'm sure he'd understand."
"Perhaps. But maybe not. And if he didn't understand I don't know what I'd do. Here I have a job and everyone knows about my...endowment. But elsewhere I'd be considered a freak." Manfred, for the first time that night looked directly into Olivia's eyes. "Hmm. You wouldn't understand." He finally muttered and looked back at the floor.
Olivia felt awful. She did understand. She was hiding her newly found endowment from almost everyone and she hated it. She wanted to tell someone, she wanted to tell Manfred, but Charlie and the others had forebode it in fear that the Bloors would be after her if any of them knew. Manfred stayed silent and Olivia's mind battled and screamed and shook what could she do?
"Manfred..." She eventually murmured, her voice shaking a little. "I have something to tell you...something important." Manfred's eyes met hers. "I...have been keeping something from you...from the Bloors...your family. From most people actually." Manfred took her hand in his.
"I have an endowment too." She finally blurted out, as Manfred's mouth opened. "I can...imagine things...images...and they come to life. Hang on, I'll prove it." Olivia closed her eyes but Manfred gently touched her cheek and they snapped open again.
"It's okay. I believe you." He whispered. "You don't have to show me. It's a personal thing...an endowment. And you shouldn't be forced to use it...like...like I was."
"Thank you." She whispered back, looking at Manfred, his coal black eyes, his pale smooth skin, his shoulder length black hair tied neatly in a pony tail. Manfred looked back at her, and in a moment of madness? Or perhaps just mutual understanding, their lips met.
Manfred's hand cupped Olivia's chin as he kissed her deeper, his hand wrapping itself lovingly around her slim wrist. Both of them were so lost in the moment, they forgot where they were and who they were kissing. Manfred's lips were soft against hers, and she didn't want to ever stop kissing him. Her hand moved to the back of his head and she ran her fingers through his long tied up ebony hair, twisting and pulling out the band that tied it up, letting his hair fall to shoulder length. He stroked Olivia's pale skin as he kissed her over and over, his fingers lightly tracing her cheekbones, her jaw line, her lips. And then suddenly the realisation hit Olivia like a slap to the face. She pulled back and Manfred looked at her guiltily.
"I'm sorry." Olivia gasped, jumping up. "I don't know what I was thinking, I'm just so...sorry." She turned to go but Manfred grabbed her hand and stood up beside her.
"Don't go. It was my fault. I shouldn't have done that."
Olivia grabbed her head in confusion; she had just kissed Manfred, of all people. Had he just been nice? Wasn't she supposed to hate his guts? Then why did it feel so good kissing him?
"I don't get what you want with me." Olivia gasped. "First you give me detention to punish me, and now you kiss me like that...I don't..." Her voice trailed off and Manfred touched her cheek.
"I don't get it either. I guess I didn't realise how much we have in common." He laughed nervously, his own cheeks stained red. "I do get how much I like you though." He sighed. "Please. Sit back down."
Olivia reluctantly sat on the sofa and Manfred kneeled in front of her, stroking her hair as she spoke.
"Do you like me enough to stop the Bloors?" Manfred's eyes hit the ground. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that...or asked that of you. They are your family...I get that. It's not that simple."
Manfred nodded in agreement. "I'll try." He murmured.
"But Charlie...and the others. They won't understand. They hate you. I don't think they will ever understand you."
"I don't want or need Charlie Bone's approval, so long as I have yours." Manfred gently kissed Olivia again, and this time she didn't pull away.
Olivia Vertigo ran through the long, dark hallways of Bloor's academy; her long purple cape flowing behind her. She was late for her mime lesson, as she had been busy talking to Emma in the art gallery. Desperate to reach the class without being caught, Olivia took a shortcut which unfortunately involved her going past Manfred's office (as he liked to call it).
As she approached the bookcase, in which behind Manfred Bloor would often spend the day, she tiptoed. Having got to the other side safely, she continued to sprint down the hallways, round the corner and...Straight into Manfred. The drama student hit the student teacher with such a force that they both fell backwards onto their bottoms and landed with a heavy thud on the hard stone floor.
"Vertigo, what are you doing out of lesson?" Manfred yelled, standing up slowly whilst rubbing his bottom. Olivia didn't know what to say in all honesty, if she told him the truth she would almost certainly be in detention, and if she lied she knew the tall young man would have his ways of finding out the truth sooner or later. "I'm waiting girl!" Manfred folded his arms and Olivia got to her feet.
"I was in the art department looking at some of my friends drawings." Olivia sighed.
"You and your friends are always up to something aren't you? Well I'm sick of it! Detention for you young lady." Olivia knew it was coming. "You'll be spending Saturday with me and I'll make sure I teach you some manners. Now off to class with you and make sure I don't see you out of class again or else you'll be spending every weekend with me for the next month. Do you understand me Vertigo?"
"Yes Manfred." Olivia chanted.
"That's sir to you. Goodbye." Manfred barged past Olivia and went to his hidden office, leaving Olivia stood on her own with a sore bum.
It took the girl a few moments before she realised what she was supposed to be doing, and she hurried off to class, hoping her teacher wouldn't be too mad about her being late.
Olivia dropped her bags on a bench and took off her pointy green shoes, only to replace them by bright purple Dr Martins. Asa Pike suddenly appeared from the crowd of students and dropped next to Olivia on the bench.
It had been a very dramatic weekend; the children of the red king had found their ancestor in the form of a tree and had circled it to break a curse.
Although the last time Olivia had seen Asa as a human he was trailing after Manfred like a love sick puppy, she knew he was turning out to be a pretty okay guy. He had helped them break the curse in his animal form and now Olivia didn't know what to think of him.
"Hi." Asa smiled, to Olivia's surprise. Olivia grinned back and asked "How are you?"
"I'm great thanks; it's been a pretty hectic week really. But I bet things won't change here at Bloors."
Olivia sighed. The drama cloakroom was so noisy no one could hear the two student's conversation.
"What about Manfred though? Are you going back to him?"
Asa looked confused. "Well, I have to! I have nowhere else to go. I failed my GCSE's in almost everything so I can't start college, and this is the only place were people don't think I'm a freak. If I don't go back to him Dr Bloor will kick me out on the streets and I'll have no where to go."
Olivia looked at Asa sympathetically, she thought how terrible it must be to have an endowment that is nothing but trouble and that you couldn't control and then she thought of how lucky she was that she had a great one.
"Anyway." Asa begun. "I think Manfred's slowly changing." Olivia couldn't help but snort.
"Manfred? Haha."
"No, Livi, I mean it! He's beginning to understand that what his father is doing is wrong and that the good side are much stronger than the bad. Just last month he told me he doesn't want to end up like his dad and his old grandfather. He wants success and the only way he can get that is through his family, but that's the only reason he's sticking by them. It's not because he agrees with what they are doing!" Asa explained.
"Well he certainly hates me!" Olivia sighed. "He gave me detention this morning for bumping into him." Asa gave a small chuckle.
"He can be really pathetic sometimes. But, you know I think there is some compassion in him, deep inside somewhere just waiting to get out. You know what else he needs?" Asa asked the eccentric teen.
"No what?"
"Love."
Olivia nearly chocked on her chewing gum. She couldn't stop laughing! It was certainly a good thing that no one could hear what her and the ware-beast were on about.
"Love?" Olivia snorted.
"Okay, don't take the Mick! I'm serious! The only girlfriend he's ever had is Zelda and she just wanted him for...other things." Asa chuckled. "And then she dumped him to go to Math College."
Olivia suddenly felt a bit sorry for Manfred. He wasn't very well liked at the best of times, but no one can help who their family is. And she couldn't blame him for sticking by them.
Suddenly the bell went for class.
"What have you got?" Asa asked Olivia who begun to collect her pens and pencils in her neon bag.
"Stage directing class. You?"
"Commedia Dell'Arte class. I can't act!" Asa grinned.
Olivia couldn't help but smile at her new friend as he walked away into the sea of colours.
"So, Manfred needs love, huh?" Olivia smiled as she strolled down the hall into class.
Manfred's eyes didn't rise from the plate of vegetable stew he was slowly tucking into; Olivia wondered if he even noticed she was there. It was Friday night and all the students had gone home, Olivia had watched them from her dorm window, a sea of colours; blues and purples and greens sweeping through the stone courtyard and into yellow buses or taxis or cars, and she wished she could join them, and yet here she was in the grand hall eating cold stew. The hall was empty apart from Manfred who sat at the high table, Olivia sat at the drama table, trying to concentrate on eating and not staring at the student teacher; it wasn't working. Asa's words kept flowing through her mind, over and over again, Manfred needs love.
When they had both finished eating and the canteen staff had finished clearing away the empty plates, Manfred stood up and began to walk back down the hall. Olivia rushed to her feet and ran after him, desperate to have some company. She had been in detention many times before, but usually Charlie Bone or Billy Raven was there to keep her company, however, at this moment Billy was staying at Charlie's house and so Olivia was alone with the Bloors and the staff.
"Manfred." Olivia struggled to keep her breath as she chased and caught up with Manfred. "What am I supposed to do? I've done all my homework and no ones here to talk to."
"It's Sir. And you should have thought of that earlier shouldn't you. Talk to mice, help the staff, and clean the trophies...just do SOMETHING! Billy never found it hard to keep himself occupied on the weekends. I don't know why the concept is so difficult to grasp Vertigo." Manfred didn't even look at Olivia.
"But Siiirrrrrrrrrr." Olivia whined in her best voice. "I can't speak to animals like Billy can, and I just had my nails done" she extended her perfectly manicured nails which were currently painted a neon green colour "Can I stay with you?"
Manfred didn't know what to say, how dare a STUDENT ask him such a question. His mouth stuttered, bobbing open and closed repetitively like a fish.
"Vertigo...I...why...how..." He stammered, before giving a small cough and straightening to his full height, trying to recover and answer the question. "Why would you want to do that?" He eventually muttered.
"Because there's no one to talk to. And you don't have anyone to talk to either. Don't you ever get lonely at weekends? Even Asa goes home."
Manfred thought about this for a second.
"I always have my experiments. And usually Billy's here to boss around. Not anymore though."
"Don't you ever get bored of bullying people Manfred?" They were now walking side by side in the direction of Manfred's bedroom.
"No." He answered simply and Olivia thought it was probably true.
Manfred's room wasn't at all like Olivia had expected, in fact the closest word to describe the image Olivia had in her head when the words "Manfred's room" was mentioned was more like "Manfred's dungeon." So you can imagine Olivia's surprise when Manfred opened the door to a rather large and modern looking room. There were no cobwebs to be seen, and if there was any jars of unpleasant substances Manfred obviously hid them very well indeed. In the centre of the room was a large black leather sofa and a double bed sat tidily in one corner of the room along with a large green plant and a beautiful open fireplace. A chandelier dominated the high ceiling and a rather big bookcase ran along one wall and Olivia immediately walked over to it while Manfred sat on the sofa and removed his black boots.
"Dickens, Blake, Wordsworth...You do appear to love your books Manfred." Olivia muttered, her finger tracing the book spines...classics and modern books along with poetry and biographies.
"Mhm." Manfred muttered.
Olivia walked over to Manfred's bed side table and picked up the open book that occupied the space. "Great Expectations." She read out. "You're reading Great Expectations?"
"Yes...why does that surprise you Vertigo?" Manfred asked, a little anger arising in his deep voice.
"Oh, I don't know. I guess I always imagined you to read books about spells and sorcery and so on. And your room...it's so...modern." She muttered, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to have to spend another weekend with Manfred.
"Again, what did you expect? Jars of eyeballs and dead insects?" Manfred chuckled.
"Yes..." Olivia admitted, a little embarrassed.
"No no." Manfred said. "I do all that stuff up in my grandfathers laboratory." Olivia paused and looked at Manfred, trying to see if she sensed any humour in his eyes...she hoped he was joking.
Desperate to change the awkward subject, Olivia walked around Manfred's large bedroom, looking and touching everything the room had to offer; she picked up what looked like an antique perfume bottle.
"It was my mothers." Manfred muttered, his eyes following Olivia around the room as she fiddled with all his belongings. He figured she either didn't know how to behave around him, or was just one of them people who pace around, touching anything they can find.
"Goodness Vertigo" Manfred said after a few minutes "Don't you ever sit down?"
Olivia hadn't noticed until now that she had been pacing and looking at whatever she could find, Manfred's room fascinated her; not only because it was the opposite of what she had expected, but also because she would have never thought Manfred could be so similar to her and her friends when it came to taste. Manfred rolled his eyes and gently patted the sofa he was sat on. Olivia nervously sat down beside him, keeping her distance, not knowing how exactly to behave.
"Jesus Vertigo. You asked to come here to have some company, and then you don't even speak to me. Are you sure you didn't just want to explore my room?" He snarled.
"Sorry. It's just so cool. Your room I mean."
"Cool?" Manfred sniggered. "I wouldn't call it that. I had to move from my old room after those..." He appeared to be unable to say the word flames "things...set fire to it." Manfred snarled in a way that made Olivia feel sorry for him. Then she remembered...this was Manfred. Charlie's enemy, she couldn't feel sorry for him after all he'd done to him and his family.
"I suppose there isn't much to do around here at the weekends." Olivia muttered, trying to take her mind off feeling sorry for him.
"No. Asa sometimes stays over. Not often though. And my Father refuses to speak to me at weekends, he tends to stay in his room, sometimes my great grandfather calls me to his room...but I hate it there, it's too hot and all he ever goes on about is Charlie Bone and Billy Raven and the rest of them bloody endowed. I'm sick of hearing about them! It's always Charlie Bone's done this and YOU have to stop him. Well, I'm sick of it. They bore me. I just want to get on with this teacher course and get the hell out of here. But Father won't have it..." He trailed off in a soft voice.
"If you told him I'm sure he'd understand."
"Perhaps. But maybe not. And if he didn't understand I don't know what I'd do. Here I have a job and everyone knows about my...endowment. But elsewhere I'd be considered a freak." Manfred, for the first time that night looked directly into Olivia's eyes. "Hmm. You wouldn't understand." He finally muttered and looked back at the floor.
Olivia felt awful. She did understand. She was hiding her newly found endowment from almost everyone and she hated it. She wanted to tell someone, she wanted to tell Manfred, but Charlie and the others had forebode it in fear that the Bloors would be after her if any of them knew. Manfred stayed silent and Olivia's mind battled and screamed and shook what could she do?
"Manfred..." She eventually murmured, her voice shaking a little. "I have something to tell you...something important." Manfred's eyes met hers. "I...have been keeping something from you...from the Bloors...your family. From most people actually." Manfred took her hand in his.
"I have an endowment too." She finally blurted out, as Manfred's mouth opened. "I can...imagine things...images...and they come to life. Hang on, I'll prove it." Olivia closed her eyes but Manfred gently touched her cheek and they snapped open again.
"It's okay. I believe you." He whispered. "You don't have to show me. It's a personal thing...an endowment. And you shouldn't be forced to use it...like...like I was."
"Thank you." She whispered back, looking at Manfred, his coal black eyes, his pale smooth skin, his shoulder length black hair tied neatly in a pony tail. Manfred looked back at her, and in a moment of madness? Or perhaps just mutual understanding, their lips met.
Manfred's hand cupped Olivia's chin as he kissed her deeper, his hand wrapping itself lovingly around her slim wrist. Both of them were so lost in the moment, they forgot where they were and who they were kissing. Manfred's lips were soft against hers, and she didn't want to ever stop kissing him. Her hand moved to the back of his head and she ran her fingers through his long tied up ebony hair, twisting and pulling out the band that tied it up, letting his hair fall to shoulder length. He stroked Olivia's pale skin as he kissed her over and over, his fingers lightly tracing her cheekbones, her jaw line, her lips. And then suddenly the realisation hit Olivia like a slap to the face. She pulled back and Manfred looked at her guiltily.
"I'm sorry." Olivia gasped, jumping up. "I don't know what I was thinking, I'm just so...sorry." She turned to go but Manfred grabbed her hand and stood up beside her.
"Don't go. It was my fault. I shouldn't have done that."
Olivia grabbed her head in confusion; she had just kissed Manfred, of all people. Had he just been nice? Wasn't she supposed to hate his guts? Then why did it feel so good kissing him?
"I don't get what you want with me." Olivia gasped. "First you give me detention to punish me, and now you kiss me like that...I don't..." Her voice trailed off and Manfred touched her cheek.
"I don't get it either. I guess I didn't realise how much we have in common." He laughed nervously, his own cheeks stained red. "I do get how much I like you though." He sighed. "Please. Sit back down."
Olivia reluctantly sat on the sofa and Manfred kneeled in front of her, stroking her hair as she spoke.
"Do you like me enough to stop the Bloors?" Manfred's eyes hit the ground. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that...or asked that of you. They are your family...I get that. It's not that simple."
Manfred nodded in agreement. "I'll try." He murmured.
"But Charlie...and the others. They won't understand. They hate you. I don't think they will ever understand you."
"I don't want or need Charlie Bone's approval, so long as I have yours." Manfred gently kissed Olivia again, and this time she didn't pull away.