To Be Me

Same But Different?

                    Speacially Dedicated to                
                          OJ Singergirl And
                    My brothers and sisters 💝
               Thanks for all the love and    
                                    support
      

Emma patiently waited for Oliver outside the dorm, glancing down the street every now and then for any sign of him.

A little over 10 minutes, a car speedily drove towards her and ground to a halt.

Her jaw almost dropped when she saw him step out of the black Bugatti La Voiture Noire like a prince making a grand entrance at a ball.

Of course she was surprised. Why wouldn't she be when Bugatti La Voiture Noire was one of the most expensive cars in the world and she could count how many were produced on one hand.

"Oh well..." she thought briefly smiling to herself slightly shaking her head trying to brush off the thought.

"Shouldn't really be surprised by this now."

Before walking towards him, she took a deep breath and then greeted him with a welcoming smile.

"So where are we going?"

Not saying a word, he simply walked towards the car and held the door open.

"You'll see."

                                    ***

            Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a restaurant as they both got off and he brought out some bills to pay the driver.

"I still don't understand why you strongly insisted on making a stop, dropping your car and then taking a cab the rest of the way." Emma said still in disbelief.

"It's quite simple really." Oliver responded standing next to her.

"Where I'm taking you to is my little secret and I can't risk it since unfortunately, my driver reports my every whereabouts to my dad." He glanced at her as she spoke.

Emma looked to the building in front of her, confusion etched on her face.
"You don't want your dad to know you come to this restaurant?"
She asked akwardly pointing to the building that stood before her seeming quite confused and unsure.

"Hmmm?" Oliver followed the path her finger led before giving out a light chuckle.

"No. This isn't our destination Em."
He took hold of her shoulders and gently spun her sideways.

"Its close by but there's a place I would love to take you to for starters. I want to show you something." He said with a gentle voice as if asking for permission.

His voice sent chills down her spin and almost made her shiver.

Blinking away, Emma quickly began walking in the direction she had been spun to while Oliver trailed behind seemingly lost in thought.

Catching up to her, he spoke.

"It would interest you a lot to know that I've actually always loved art since I was little."

"No way." She sounded shocked and for obvious reasons. Who would've thought.

"You don't look the type." She added."It's quite nice though."

"Is it really that shocking?" He asked a light chuckle escaping his lips as he ran his hand through his hair. "Do I really not look it?"

"You really don't." Emma replied laughing.

"But it's not just that. I really did not expect most or any actually of the kids in higher dorms to be like interested in anything actually."

"Hmmm. Interesting." He thought.

"Why's that?"

"It's just that before I came to this school we usually hear a lot of stories about 'The Elite' back in Sacramento. And they're not the kind you'll expect." She made sure to put in air quotes.

"Really?" He sounded quite intrigued, "why don't you tell me more about that."

"Like all we would hear would be stories like this student got into trouble with the head of the school, another drove off while classes were ongoing, the school doesn't care if students actually show up or not, they threw this party and the cops showed up... That sought of stuff."

At this point she turned to Oliver who was already silently laughing due to all what she was saying.

"Hey." She playfully slapped him also chuckling lightly. "Those were the only kind of stories we would get to hear concerning the school and it's students so what did you expect me to think?"

"But I didn't say anything." He joked about still trying to contain his amusement.

"I mean in the end we're still students at the school so even with money there're some things we are not allowed to do." He added.

"Well I know now. Until I met Natasha and you it would seem. I thought that you guys had your whole life planned ahead of you and all you would need to do is just sit there and effortlessly watch it all unfold."

"Hmmm. You're not totally wrong about that you know."

Turning to him, Emma wondered, "what about?"

"Having our lives already planned out for us. Watching it all unfold as we can do nothing to stop it. I truly sometimes envy others because of that... that choice you know." He turned to the lady by his side who was now wearing a funny face which caused him to laugh once again.

"What? Why are you giving me that look Em?"

"Humph. I'm just surprised the great Oliver Asher would want someone else's life when he literally had everything." She made sure to emphasize on his name and the newly added tiltle as if she were paying reverence to a noble of some sort.

"The great what?" Oliver burst into laughter as he gently nudged her.
"That's definitely not true."

Emma laughed heartily looking at him.
"Ok maybe not completely."

"But truly. I would give an arm and a leg to live any other person's life. Maybe even yours." He added jokingly.

"No no no.way. You wouldn't want my life. You don't know the half of what it means to be Emma Blake."

"Try me." He responded quite confidently.

"No need for that." She took a brief look at him before smiling softly. "I'll take your word for it."

"You really seem different Oliver." Emma suddenly confessed.

"How so?" He asked intrigued by her sudden utterance.

"I mean, compared to the other students I've met and actually spoken to, you're different in a way. Somehow. I just can't put my finger on it but in a good way though. Way better than how I thought you'd be. May I say better than my expectations."

Oliver stopped in his tracks and turned to Emma.
"Well then. I am extremely glad I surpassed your expectations Miss Emma Blake."

Taking a quick pause, she nodded at him and smiled more to herself.

"What?" He inquired as they continued their walk.
"What's making you so happy?"

"Hmmm?" Turning to him she shook her head. "Nothing much, it's just..." She seemed to take a moment to contemplate. "You know what? Nevermind."

"What? Tell me. Now I've got to know."

"It's just that... I like the way you say it. That's all."

"Say what?"

"My name." She turned to him before speaking. "Emma. I don't know why but it sounds different coming from you. And I like it. Somehow."

She chuckled lightly continuing her walk causing Oliver to stop abruptly and look to her in amazement before a smile slowly appeared on his face.

"She was still the same person alright."