Melting the Ice 06

Story by Sophiie93 Silence fell over the room as Rhea and Elliot listened to the quick retreat of her mother’s footsteps after the door clicked shut. Slowly, Elliot's eyes turned to Rhea, who was still clutching his chest with her second pair of arms. Unconsciously, he released his grip on her upper wrists and took a step back, his expression one of pure surprise. Still flushed red from the situation, Rhea hid her arms inside her jacket again. “You don’t have to look at me like that. I already know what you’re thinking… that’s why I kept them hidden.” “L-Like what? I’m sorry?” Elliot said, almost offended. “I was just surprised, that’s all.” "Yeah, sure. 'Surprised.' That's why you jumped back like I was contagious." “Rhea, come on. Finding out someone you know has an extra pair of arms is pretty shocking, you know?” Rhea was silent for a moment, then nervously held the edges of her jacket. “I guess that ruined the surprise, even though I promised I’d show you if you bought me juice. So… what do you think?” "I think they suit you. They really go with your first… well, second mutation. And they'll definitely come in handy for your stage poses.” “It’s just…” Rhea sighed, “…what you said before, about loving my mutation. It’s not that simple.” “I didn’t assume it was,” Elliot replied gently, “but it’s not impossible either. You have to start somewhere.” Rhea met his eyes for a second before looking away. She opened her jacket and let it fall to the floor. Her body language was hesitant, uncomfortable under his gaze, but she clearly wanted him to see. Elliot didn’t just look; he admired her. The new arms grew just below her original ones, giving her a symmetrical, balanced appearance. Her shirt was cut short to accommodate the extra set of shoulders. “Wow, they look like they’ve always been there. The mutations are really incredible. Have you tried using them yet?” Rhea relaxed her upper arms. “Use them for what? Everything’s made for people with two arms anyway.” "I’m sure you’ll find creative uses for them. It’s got to be easier than having a second head, right?" Rhea gave a soft laugh and nodded. “You can say that again. And to answer your question… if I go slowly, I can move them on their own.” She began to demonstrate, raising her upper right arm and holding that elbow with her upper left hand. Then, a little clumsily, she placed her lower left hand on her thigh and her lower right on her hip, striking a model’s pose for Elliot. Elliot’s jaw dropped, his cheeks flushing red at the sight. Before he could respond, the door swung open and Rhea’s father’s voice, deep and firm, cut through the moment. “Hey Rhea, Alice is talking nonsense, saying you brought a boy to your ro—OH.” He froze mid-step, taking in the scene. Rhea was staring at him, one of her heads still holding the pose. “D-Dad… knock first!!” “Sorry! Sorry! I’ll, uh… leave you two alone,” he stammered before shutting the door quickly. Rhea’s pose collapsed, her four arms going limp as both her heads tilted up toward the ceiling in despair. “Elliot, I think you’re a bad luck charm.” “I mean… the way you reacted kinda made it look more romantic,” Elliot couldn’t help but laugh, which only annoyed Rhea more. She walked over and started hitting his arm with all four of her fists. "Don't laugh! I’ve made a complete fool of myself in front of my parents... twice!" “They don’t seem like bad people,” Elliot said, his tone turning more serious. Rhea stopped hitting him, her four hands instead clutching his clothes as if gathering strength. Her right head opened its mouth to speak, then stopped, letting the left one take over. “It’s just… I… you know… ugh.” Rhea stepped back, putting distance between them. “You’ll probably take their side. They’re always smiling, so charismatic, acting like we’re the perfect family.” Elliot sensed her anger and frustration and let her continue. "Then they turn around and meddle in my life. They try to control me, to shape me into the daughter they want, not who I want to be. This morning my mother told me my new arms make me look beautiful.” “Well, that’s objectively true,” Elliot said. “But she only said it because she wants to monetize them… They’ve already had clothes made for me for every possible mutation.” “That’s… a lot, yeah. Although it seems like they’re just trying to look out for you.” “It’s not like that… Elliot…” Rhea’s frustration was mounting. “Not even you… ugh… I don’t know why I bother. No one gets it.” Rhea’s eyes were fixed on Elliot. Her expression was full of fury and frustration, but her eyes betrayed a deep sadness. "If you really think that, why don’t we go talk to them and see for ourselves? We shouldn’t hide in here anyway." Rhea turned away, crossing all four arms. “Go by yourself. I’m not interested in seeing them, and I don’t need you to defend me. I can handle myself, like I always have… and I don’t want some big drama, especially since this is the first time I’ve ever brought a boy over.” Elliot stepped closer and touched her shoulder. “Rhea.” She shook his hand off. “Rhea, please,” he said. “Can you trust me? Just this once.” Rhea fell silent before turning one of her heads. Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. “Just once.” A few minutes later, they were seated in the large living room, on a sofa facing Rhea’s parents, Alice and Charles. “Nice to meet you, Elliot. I’m Charles, and this is my wife, Alice,” said Charles. “To what do we owe the pleasure?” Elliot swallowed, doing his best to sound professional as he gestured toward Rhea. “I’m a classmate of Rhea’s. She told me she likes to sing and play guitar and kindly invited me over to listen.” Rhea’s parents exchanged a smile, every bit the polished, high-class couple Elliot had expected. The conversation continued for several minutes with Rhea sitting in uncomfortable silence. Eventually, her parents outlined their plans for her to become a famous model, to which Elliot nodded politely, much to Rhea’s disappointment. “I understand your perspective, and it’s certainly a solid plan. However…” Elliot said, placing a hand on Rhea’s shoulder, “…have you heard your daughter sing and play?” Her parents glanced at each other. “A little, yes. Why?” Alice replied. “I believe your daughter has the potential to be a rock star. Her beauty would only enhance her natural talent,” Elliot said, sounding like a seasoned diplomat. Charles crossed his arms, tilting his head thoughtfully. “Hmm… that’s not a bad angle. A model and a singer—the perfect idol package. I like your thinking, Elliot.” Elliot glanced at Rhea and saw an entirely new expression on her faces. She looked like she had a thousand things to say, but her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. At the very least, he knew he hadn’t let her down.