Melting the Ice 02

Story by Sophiie93 Elliot stared at Rhea’s hand, momentarily overwhelmed by the proximity of her two faces. He hesitated before handing her the summary, his voice firm but quiet. “First of all, don’t call me a nerd. My name is Elliot.” “But… you are a nerd,” Rhea retorted, her right head smirking as she mimed wearing glasses. “I barely know you, and that’s the vibe you give off. Plus, it’s obvious you study too much.” Elliot’s cheeks flushed with irritation. “Oh, really? What about you, rocker girl? Do you even own anything that isn’t black?” “You’re an idiot,” Rhea shot back, her tone sharp. “Quiet down back there!” the teacher barked, cutting through their bickering. Both Elliot and Rhea froze, and Elliot felt the summary being yanked from his hands. Rhea made a mocking gesture as he muttered an apology to the teacher. As the class dragged on, Elliot couldn’t help but notice how Rhea seemed more animated than usual. Both of her heads were focused on the summary he’d given her, her red eyes darting between the notes and the board. It was impossible not to be curious about her new appearance, especially since her left head hadn’t said a word since she’d walked in. When the bell finally rang, Rhea gathered her things and stood, dropping the summary back onto Elliot’s desk as she passed. “Thanks, nerd,” her right head said, while her left head stuck out its tongue. Elliot stared after her, dumbfounded, as Seraphine stifled a laugh. “You two are like something out of a rom-com.” “I think I hate her,” Elliot muttered, though the frustration in his voice was tinged with something else. “They say there’s a fine line between love and hate,” Seraphine teased. “And hey, at least your… ahem… anatomy is safe for now.” Elliot groaned. “Can we talk about her… extra head?” “I was trying not to bring it up,” Seraphine said, lowering her voice. “But seriously, she looks… I dont know… so different. I’ve never seen a mutant in person before.” “I think she looks amazing,” Elliot said softly, his gaze drifting to the lycoris flower he’d drawn in the margins of his notes. “Make up your mind,” Seraphine said, rolling her eyes. “Do you hate her or love her?” Elliot hesitated, tracing the edges of the flower with his finger. “I don’t know. Her mutation makes her even more intriguing, but she’s still… well, rude.” “Wow, ‘rude.’ Harsh words. Well at least, you’re being honest,” Seraphine said with a sarcastic smirk. She paused, noticing the disappointment in Elliot’s expression, and softened her tone. “Hey, for what it’s worth, she’s treated you better than most people. That’s something, right?” “What do you mean? She called me a nerd and an idiot.” “Trust me, that’s practically a love letter coming from her. I think she might actually like you—or at least, she feels like she owes you now.” Seraphine gestured to the summary still sitting on Elliot’s desk. Elliot’s eyes lit up. “Wait, does that mean I could ask her for something in return?” Before Seraphine could stop him, Elliot was on his feet, heading for the door. “Don’t do anything stupid!” she called after him, shaking her head. Under her breath, she added, “You don’t hate her at all, do you, Elliot?” —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rhea was sitting in a quiet corner of the cafeteria, both heads focused on her phone and a half-eaten sandwich. She didn’t look up until Elliot’s hands landed on the table in front of her. “Rhea,” he said, his voice steady but his heart racing. Her four crimson eyes lifted to meet his. “What do you want, nerd?” her right head asked, her tone dripping with cynicism. “You owe me,” Elliot said, sliding into the seat across from her. “The summary I gave you—I spent hours on it. You’d be behind without me.” Rhea’s faces mirrored each other in surprise, but she quickly recovered, crossing her arms. “Fine. What do you want? If it’s a date, don’t even think about it. And I’m not sending you any… inappropriate pictures.” Elliot held up his hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I’m not that kind of guy. I just want you to talk to me.” “Huh?” “I want to get to know you,” Elliot said, leaning forward slightly. “Have a real conversation.” Rhea’s right head let out a sharp laugh. “Wow, you really are lonely and desperate. That’s peak nerd behavior.” “Rhea, I’m pretty sure I have more friends here than you do,” Elliot shot back, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I don’t need friends at this stupid university. I have plenty of friends, you know, from elsewhere…” Rhea said, though the way her eyes darted away betrayed her lie. “You’re a terrible liar,” Elliot said, his smile widening. Rhea huffed, both heads turning away. “Whatever. I’m talking to you now, aren’t I? What do you want to talk about?” The question caught Elliot off guard. His adrenaline was fading, and he suddenly realized he was sitting across from the girl he’d been crushing on for over a year—except now she had two heads. His brain short-circuited, and the first thing that came out of his mouth was, “Did you mutate last week?” Rhea’s faces froze, her four eyes widening in unison. Elliot immediately regretted his words, his face turning beet red. “I’m sor—” “No, I just got a haircut that makes me look like I have two heads,” Rhea deadpanned, her right head rolling its eyes. “Isn’t it cool? Does it achieve the illusion well?” Elliot glanced at a group of guys whispering and pointing at Rhea from across the cafeteria. He saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes before she looked away, her usual bravado faltering for a moment. “The hairdresser must’ve been really good,” Elliot said, his voice soft. “They made you look twice as beautiful as usual.” Rhea’s heads snapped back to him, her faces a mix of shock and indignation. “W-What?!” both heads exclaimed in unison. “I told you I wouldn’t go on a date with you!” Elliot’s eyes lit up. “Hey, your left head talked!” “Of course she talks! She has a mouth, doesn’t she?” Rhea’s right head snapped, though both faces were now flushed. “Does that mean she’s not a shy sister or something?” Elliot asked, noticing how Rhea’s left head avoided his gaze. “A sister? No, she’s… it’s just another head. I control both,” Rhea said, though her tone was less confident than usual. “Then why do you only use your right head to talk?” “None of your business!” Rhea shot back, crossing her arms. “It’s just… easier.” Elliot studied her for a moment, his curiosity piqued. “So… you’re still figuring out how to use your left head, huh?” Rhea’s faces turned red with embarrassment and frustration. “I-I can use it just fine!” she protested, though her left head remained silent as she pulled the hair between her heads to her back. Elliot couldn’t help but grin. “Sure you can.” He pulled out his notebook and began sketching, his pencil moving quickly across the page. After a moment, he turned it around to show her. “If your hair’s bothering you, you could try this.” The drawing showed a girl with two heads, each with a ponytail on opposite sides. The rest of the hair fell symmetrically around her faces, creating a stylish and balanced look. Rhea’s eyes widened as she took in the details, her usual tough exterior softening for a moment. “It’s… not bad,” she admitted, though her tone was still dismissive. “But I’d look ridiculous.” “I don’t think you’d look bad in anything,” Elliot said, his voice sincere. Rhea’s faces flushed again, and she quickly looked away. “Ugh, stop complimenting me, or I’ll kick you in the—” “I remember Seraphine’s drawing,” Elliot interrupted, shuddering. “No need to remind me.” Rhea smirked, but her expression softened as she glanced back at the drawing. “Fine. I’ll take it.” She tore the page from his notebook, ignoring Elliot’s protests. “Hey! That has my notes for today!” Rhea didn’t respond, her eyes fixed on the revealed page beneath the drawing. It was the lycoris flower Elliot had colored days ago, its vibrant red petals standing out against the paper. “Rhea, give it back!” Elliot said, reaching for the notebook. “Y-Yeah, sorry,” Rhea muttered, her right head handing it back while her left head continued to stare at the flower. “I’ll send you the notes later.” Elliot sighed. “Send them to my phone so I can transcribe them for tomorrow.” Rhea laughed, both heads shaking in unison. “Nice try, nerd. I’m not giving you my number.” Elliot’s face fell, and Rhea immediately regretted her words. “T-That’s what you get for making fun of my mutation,” she added quickly. “I wasn’t making fun of it,” Elliot said, his voice earnest. “I think it’s fascinating.” “Fascinating?” Rhea’s right head scoffed. “What’s so fascinating about being a freak? That I can be part of a circus sideshow?” “You’re not a freak,” Elliot said, his tone firm. “You’re… unique. And beautiful, too beautiful for the circus.” Rhea’s faces turned bright red, and she kicked at him under the table, though Elliot managed to dodge it just in time. “I told you to stop with the compliments!” Elliot shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “I can’t help it. You’re… interesting. The internet says mutants adapt quickly to their changes, but you’ve had this for a week and you’re still figuring it out.” Rhea’s expression darkened, and she stood abruptly. “Oh and I’m sure everything you read on those mutant porn sites is a hundred percent accurate. For your information, it’s none of your damn business why I haven’t ‘adapted.’ I don’t even like this mutation. One head is enough! I’m not even interested in learning how to use the other!” “Why not?” Elliot asked, genuinely confused. “That’s personal!” Rhea snapped, turning to leave. “Rhea, wait,” Elliot called after her. “If you say something with your left head… I’ll give you the drawing of the lycoris flower.” Rhea paused, her right head glancing back at him. “I don’t care about some flower,” she said, though her tone lacked its usual bite. “And my debt to you is settled. I don’t owe you anything.” With that, she walked away, leaving Elliot sitting alone in the cafeteria. —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day, Seraphine bombarded Elliot with questions about his interaction with Rhea, but he kept his answers vague. He wasn’t even sure if it had gone well or not. When Rhea walked into the classroom, the murmurs started up again, but this time, they were accompanied by a gasp of surprise; Elliot’s gasp of surprise. Rhea’s hair was styled exactly like the drawing he had made. She walked straight to his desk, her confidence unwavering despite the stares. “Elliot,” she said, her left head speaking in short and simple sentences. “Give me the drawing of the flower.” Elliot’s heart skipped a beat as he handed her the page, his hand trembling slightly. “O-Okay…” “Hurry up,” her left head added, glancing around at the curious onlookers. “Everyone’s staring.” Elliot handed her the drawing, and she turned on her heel, waving as she walked to her usual seat. “Bye, nerd.” Seraphine leaned over, her eyes wide. “Well, that was… unexpected. She even used your name now” “It’s complicated,” Elliot said, though he couldn’t suppress a small smile. “But I think today’s going to be a good day.” “If you say so,” Seraphine replied, glancing at his now-empty notebook. “But you’re missing a lot of notes.” Elliot looked down and groaned. The page with the flower had been filled with notes from the day’s lecture. “Oh, great.”