Page 26 of Beasts

“How is knowing what you're gonna do next, cheating?”

“Can you just turn it off for one game?”

“It doesn't work like that, dude.”

“Okay, well you have to answer us at least one thing then.”

“I told you I can't just tell you the future.”

“Sure, well, then don't, but can you at least suggest something?” Seth stops eating completely and turns towards where Nolan is sitting. “Do you know the reason none of our abilities work on Amelia?” Rather than answering, he turns back to his food and takes a long drink before eating again. “You're a dick.” I smile, but I'm starting to get a little bit concerned myself.

“Exactly how many of you have tried using your abilities on me? Without me knowing?” I ask.

“For those of us who have abilities to be used on you?” Valentine speaks, “All of us.” My mouth drops open almost in a playful version of disgust.

“I feel violated.” I comment, but it's just met with laughter around the table. “But I really don't understand it. If your abilities work on other people, why aren't they working on me?”

“Ask the psychic…who won't answer you.” Hunter scoffs.

Seth throws his hands up in the air, “I can't just tell you the future! You'll behave differently, and then it won't happen.”

“You intervene with the future all the time.” Valentine sighs.

“There are small changes that you can make to the future, granted, but telling you guys that Amelia was bringing pizza for dinner is very different to telling you why your powers don't work on her.” Valentine might not be giving up anytime soon, but I certainly am. That's when I hear something. Everyone else around the table starts to hear it too and decides to start being quiet. Is that a piano? I recall that Oliver does have a baby grand up in his room, but I haven't heard in play it since I've been here.

“Wow.” Echo breaks the silence around the table, “He hasn't played that in like a year.”

“For context,” Seth turns to me, “, he stopped playing when he became a little bit depressed and stopped going outside. But since you've been here, he's gone out quite a few times. He even went back to drama club.” The fact that Oliver is going outside because of me, required him to do something terrible yesterday. I want to ask Seth if he knew that was going to happen. “The answer is yes, by the way. To the question that you were about to ask me. I also knew that you were going to be fine, so I hope you don't hold that against me.” The truth is I can't hold it against him, just because he has the gift of foresight doesn't mean he has to use it. It also doesn't mean that he owes me anything. The truth is, I technically…am fine. It was someone else that got the worst of what happened. If anything, it just solidified the fact that I probably can trust Oliver even though he is a vampire.

I bid everyone good night before heading upstairs. I had intended to go to bed early to shake off as much as possible of what happened this weekend, but as I climb the stairs, I hear the piano more prominently. Drama club also meets on Mondays, which means Oliver would be asked to showcase his skills for his role. Based on what he said, Mr. Fasoli values preparedness, and that could spell trouble if Oliver had to perform with someone else because I wasn't there, or worse, if we were asked to perform together and he wasn't prepared. I owe him at least that much.

I close my eyes, but I can still see the green eyes I once saw when I was a child. They remind me so much of Oliver's, but they can't be his. Surely, like other vampires, their eyes also change from green to brown, just like Oliver's do.

I turn to make my way up the narrow steps. As I stop outside the door, I can finally hear what song he's playing on the piano. It's his own musical rendition of "Teenage Dream." To be honest, I didn't quite expect that, but what really surprises me is hearing him sing along with it. Instead of knocking, I take a seat on the top step outside his door and listen for a while. He just seems so perfect. I mean, his music seems perfect. As the song comes to a close, I stand up and knock on the door. He invites me in, and I close the door firmly behind me.

He seems a little surprised to see me. “Hey. Sorry, I was expecting Nolan.”

“Oh, did you want me to go?”

“No, not at all. Did you need something?”

“We have a drama club meeting tomorrow. You said Mr. Fasoli tends to go into the romance quite a bit, and that he likes to rehearse his favorite scenes more often than any of the others. I'm a little worried that we're not really prepared for that.” He stands up and walks towards me with his hands in his pockets.

“At this moment Amelia, I think you're the one that's less prepared than I am.” I raise my eyebrows at him.

“Excuse me, you're the one that can't come anywhere near me without wanting to bite my face off.”

“That's wolves. I just want the neck.” My heart pounds twice as he says that. “Sorry, bad joke.”

“No, I really need to get used to it.”

“So you're conceding that you're the one that needs to get used to it then?”

“I concede to no such thing.”

“Please, I saw you the other night. You couldn't even kiss a human.”

“When it comes to the stage, a kiss is just a kiss, Oliver.”

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