The Letter

Oliver is looking around the room trying not to meet the Deans eyes as he gives Oliver a welcoming smile pulling out the file from the small tray in front of him, opening it and flipping through the pages, before finally looking up and meeting Oliver's eyes, "Hmm, Mr. Watson I would first like to officially welcome you to our prestigious Elextrain Academy. It says here that you are to join the Robotics club as the Captain, is that correct?" 

Oliver is taken aback by the positive aura of the man sitting in front of him, because of how cold and distant the student council seemed to be towards him. He sighs softly fiddling around with the goggles around his neck, "Yes. I was recruited by the manager of the club yesterday and in order to help the school save money because of the debacle that happened at the preliminaries last year I will be bringing my own personal robot for the club.

The Dean gives him a curious look as he clasps his hands together on the desk, never breaking eye contact only to blink. "Oh, you have your own robot? If you don't mind me asking what were you using it for prior to bringing it over to Elextrian?"

Oliver looks at him worriedly, but decides not to lie to the man who can deny his admission, "Honestly I wasn't using it for anything. I was in the process of making it to join the junior league when I was 12 but because of the accident that took my parents I had the machine under lock and key until Ms. Davis came to recruit me. It was a tough time in my life and I did nothing but wallow in despair hiding away from the world, but thanks to some talking to by your club manager and one of my oldest friends I figured it was time to reenter the world. I only had the exoskeleton of the robot made before the accident and had to finish the bot fully and get it in fighting shape in only a couple of hours to fight in an underground battle for my uncle that same night."

The Dean looks at him softly before getting up and walking over to a shelf with a picture of him and two friends all roughly the same age covered in dirt and grime but with wide smiles on their faces. He hands it to Oliver and sits on the edge of the desk. "Hmm, that is quite the story young man, and if you don't mind me saying it's great to see you sitting here after all that, but you seem to be underselling yourself. The story Ms. Davis told me was extremely impressive and something I would love to have representing Elextrian, but lucky for you humbleness is something I value. I understand what it feels like to have to fend for yourself, but I wasn't alone when it happened to me, I had some amazing people around me that made things so much easier. Losing your parents so young and to something so tragic and then to have to try and move on with your life alone, I can't imagine how you must've felt young man. We don't have to dwell on your past too much, but I do have to ask, is the group you fought with going to do anything to disturb my school? The safety of you and the rest of the school falls solely on me and I just want to make sure accepting you won't cause them any harm."

Oliver's cheeks flushed a bit, "She did? I appreciate her willingness to help me, honestly I appreciate all 3 of them for coming out to find me and help me as much as they did. I feel like I wasted so much time focusing on the bad and never tried to live with the positives and I regret it so much, but this is a chance for me to move forward and live the kind of life they wanted for me, so thank you as well, sir. No, my uncle was in charge of the group in Chicago and I was never officially a member, more of just a janitor and I only went out there to make some money to eat and pay the bills. My relationship with them is over so there is nothing for you or anyone at the school to worry about, but if by some chance it happens I will gladly leave to preserve the safety of everyone here. I was wondering if I could make a request?"

The Dean is intently listening to Oliver who is doing his best not to get nervous and clam up as he usually does, "That's good to hear as an administrator, but no need to worry about leaving you are now a student of Elextrian so I must protect you as well. Well you're welcome, young man. This school is a place for you to go out and make a name for yourself and change the world in your own personal way, that's the kind of environment I have been trying to establish. If we can be of any help to you we will, so please just relax and enjoy your time here, but most importantly have the time of your life. Sure, what request do you have?"

Oliver smiles softly unsure of how he's found himself in a place like this, "Thank you, Mr. Walters, I will do my best for the school and for myself. I was just wondering if it would be okay for me to have my own room? It's just I'm still not used to being around people yet and being stuck in a room with a random person would be extremely difficult for me. I've been alone for the past few years which has caused a social gap in my life I need to work on. I hope that's okay."

The Dean has a comforting look on his face as he goes back to his desk and pulls out a piece of paper and writes on it. He folds the paper in his hand as he places it in Oliver's hand before offering him a handshake. "I understand, and when you get to the housing office, hand this to the clerk and she will help you. Well that's all I had for you today, and I feel like you will do perfectly fine here, but if you have anything to talk about, my room is always open. I sure hope you have an amazing time here at Elextrian Academy, Captain Watson."

Oliver smiles at the paper and nods softly as he places it in his coat pocket as his fingers feel the letter. He awkwardly gives a slight bow and immediate regret is plastered on his face as he slowly makes his way out of the room. 'He was a really nice man. I hope I can make everyone here proud for allowing me to come here. I never imagined I would be back on campus again in my life, but I have a feeling this is going to be an amazing year.'

The Dean calls out to him, "Mr. Watson, if you head down the hall and take a right the first room on the left is the housing office. I am ready to see what you can do, don't disappoint."

Oliver looks at him and smiles softly as he slowly makes his way through the building following the Dean's directions and finally finds the housing office, but he gets a text before he is able to walk in.

*Ding!*

Oliver checks his phone and a smile appears on his face, -Hey Oliver, it's me Vanessa. Eli gave me your number. I hope it isn't weird, but I just wanted to make sure you finished your meeting.

Oliver is too surprised to text anything for a few seconds, but eventually decides to text back. - Oh, Hello Ms. Davis. That's fine, no worries. I just finished with the meeting, and I think it went well. -

Oliver puts his phone away as he looks at the door for a few moments before he makes his way in. The room is light gray with chairs to the side for people to wait, a long desk with 3 female clerks, and a few rooms in the back. Oliver walks up to the clerk in the middle as she stops typing and looks up at him. She gives him a smile as he takes out the paper from his pocket and hands it to her. "Uh, the Dean told me to come over here to pick up my dorm key. I was hoping you could help me with that."

She carefully grabs the paper and studies it as she looks back up at him. "Oh, you must be Mr. Watson, I heard you would be showing up. Give me a moment and I will bring you back what you need."

She heads towards the back as Oliver takes in his surroundings messing with his gloved hands. A moment or two later she makes her way back with a key and a different paper in her hands."Here you are, Mr. Watson. This is the key and a map to your dormitory. The campus is massive, almost like a mini city, and we wouldn't want you to get lost on your first day. Follow the map and you will get to the building safely. Come by if you ever need anything."

Oliver gives her a warm smile as she places the map and key into his hands before sitting back down while he nods softly and starts to study the map for a moment. He places the map into his coat pocket next to the envelope and waves goodbye to the lady and leaves as she reciprocates it. "The map seems pretty simple, and the dorm doesn't seem too far away. I should make my way over. It's already 4:30."

Oliver takes the long way around the campus slowly doing his best to take in the environment, the people who are out hanging out, doing work alone, or just passing by as he eventually makes it to the dormitory's giant gates. He goes into his pocket to grab the map, but accidentally grabs the envelope and sighs deeply as he looks at it. "It's been nearly 3 years since I last saw her. I wonder if she is doing well? Wait, does that mean she's in New York!?"

Oliver starts making his way through the entrance of the building looking for Elijah, but he sees Elijah, Claire, Tyler, and Abigail smiling and laughing with each other. A somber look appears on his face as he looks at them having fun together. 'I should ask him another time. They seem to be having a lot of fun, and knowing me I would mess it up somehow. I will just go to my room.'

Oliver watches them for a moment before turning around and walking towards the elevators with a somber expression on his face. Abigail notices him and when she is about to say something the doors of the elevator close and she goes back to listening to her friends talk with a sad look on her face.

Oliver goes up to the 5th floor and makes his way to the final room on the floor and stops. He sighs softly as he unlocks the door and makes his way in. It's a decent sized room with a red interior, a desk, a personal restroom, a bookshelf, a nightstand, and a bed. He walks over to the desk and sits down as he looks at the Envelope in his hands. "I should open it, but I'm very nervous. She left and didn't say anything to me or anyone, and it h-- I didn't enjoy losing a close friend. It's now or never, Ollie."

Oliver places the envelope on the desk and takes a deep breath as he opens it and pulls the letter out, but two pictures fall out with it. One is of a younger Oliver with his original hair color, Elijah, and a girl with blonde hair in a ponytail standing together in front of a machine with smiles on their faces. On the bottom it says -Oxxy Won!-. Oliver has a huge smile on his face as his eyes get teary. "She kept that all this time? My first ever science fair in 1st grade. Damn that was such a long time ago."

Oliver puts the picture down and starts reading the letter.

'Hi Oxxy,

I have so much I wish I could say, but you know me I just have trouble breaking bad news to you…or Eli. I'm sorry I couldn't bring myself to tell you or him I was leaving, but it was because I knew it would hurt me too much. In the end not telling you hurt so much more than anything I knew, because I L…I couldn't imagine losing my closest friends. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when your parents passed away, but I knew if I went to see you I wouldn't leave your side and my parents probably knew that as well. I haven't stopped thinking about them or you. They always treated Elijah and I like family when all of us would hang out in the lab, and I loved them so much. Oxxy, I also heard you dropped out of school, are you okay?? Have you been eating? Taking care of yourself? If only I were old enough I would visit on my own and check up on you, but my parents said traveling from New York to Chicago alone is dangerous, but I want to. Oliver, you know I think you're such an amazing person and inventor, so you better get out of that house and prove me right one of these days. I would always tell you that if anyone could change the world with a snap of their fingers it was you. Just take your time and move at your own pace, because if anyone can get past this and keep running it's you.

Ps. If you ever get out of the house and want to take a trip, come to New York. My parents would love to see you, and so would I. Snap! I forgot to tell you, I am in the Journalism club at Rancin Academy. My dad is a teacher there now. I'm waiting.'

Oliver has a huge smile on his face as tears are streaming down his cheeks. He places the letter on the desk gently and takes a deep breath as he leans back on the chair and looks up at the ceiling. "So, Lizzy's in New York! I can't believe it's been 3 years since we last saw each other, and she still wrote me a letter to check up on me. She always does the strangest things. What could that mean? Does she l--no that's dumb we're just close friends, but I should find out if she wrote him one as well. Rancin Academy huh, I guess it's my fate to involve myself with that school."

Oliver looks at the letter one more time with a smile and notices another picture sitting on the floor, he stares at it and picks it up off the floor, "Huh, she really is one of a kind."

He puts the two pictures on the mirror one says - Oxxy Won - and the other says - Watch out world for the Prince of Robotics -. The picture is Oliver alone working on the robot with a huge smile on his face as he's covered in oil, paint, and dirt. He crashes onto the bed letting his body sink into it as he stares at the ceiling with a smile on his face. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out Pandora's box and runs his fingers along the indention on it as he types into it -Black duffle bag-. "I guess I should unpack all my stuff and get some rest. Tomorrow is a new beginning and for once in the past few years I am ready."