Name Blame, the Bonding Game

Finding the Boulevard

Marisa-

I walk into Halifax's office to see the last person I want to see.

"Miss Keaton. Thank you for coming." Mr. Halifax says. "I'll assume you know why you're here."

"Yes sir." I tell him. Oliver stands up stepping away from the chair. He motions me to sit. I do so warily.

"Mr. Stone has agreed to try to work things out, he's willing, if you are." Mr. Halifax says.

"What does this entail Sir?" I ask, "Because at present there is an extremely large bounty over my head and people trying to kill me."

Oliver looks up in alarm.

"Have you gone to the police Miss Keaton?" Mr. Halifax asks me.

"I have 24/7 watch," I tell him, "Yet still I manage to have a severe allergic reaction to my food and no Epipen in sight."

"Drag." Oliver says under his breath his shoulders tensing. "I'll handle this one." He says. "I don't know what he has against you, but I intend to find out. But I've got the guys word that they'll back off. I can't say much for the girls, but..."

"Thanks, I'll see what I can do with my guys." I tell him.

"This is great." Mr. Halifax says, "Why don't you two take some time to get to know each other, I've got to go meet with a few students." He stands up and leaves his office. Leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

"Why don't you tell me more about how this started."

"It's simple really. My great to the something power grandfather and your great to the some other power were in love. They were on opposite sides of the track like you and I." Oliver explains, "But they did't care, they were in love. He had everything planned, they were going to run away, not come back until they had a kid. As soon as he went to her house the following day he saw her in a carriage riding away tears in her eyes. They were both distraught."

"Big word for an Avenue." I tell him.

"We're not completely out of the school loop." He says. "Anyway. While she was at finishing school her father had made plans for her. He was determined to have her stick to them. And she did. She left her diary to my family. But that marriage solidified the line between our two sides of the track."

"That's terrible." I tell him, "And what do you know about Darren wanting me dead?" I ask him.

"Haven't figured that part out yet." He admits, "But I have found a few resources, we're a repeating Romeo and Juliet cycle, we have to break it somehow."

"How?"

"Romeo and Juliet broke the cycle by being together. Their death caused their families to put aside their differences."

"So we have to fall in love and die together to keep people from dying?" I ask him giving him a look.

"Hopefully without the dying part." He says, he pulls out a worn piece of paper from his pocket, "Sorry my handwriting is pretty sloppy."

He shows me a filled in cast list.

"Why am I Juliet?" I ask, "And why are you Romeo?"

"This is where things get complicated." He tells me, "I know we're not madly in love like they are, but they had the same problem we've got."

I cock my eyebrow at him. "You're comparing our problem with one of the most tragic love stories to ever exist, and none of us are in love across the line."

"Not my idea," He says, "It was my brother's."

"I didn't know you had any siblings." I tell him as I skim the list.