A delicate piece of music soars the room, from the organic piano. Oliver's fingers danced on the keys of the piano passionately, he held a plan expression as the music danced in his eardrums. Mrs. Clare stood in front of him with a musical stick as she directed his melody.
He seemed to tense up as she went faster.
"Relax your shoulders, sir." She advises in a stern tone. And he did as told only to hit a wrong key, which sent all the melody off.
He immediately stopped, gritting his teeth at his stupid mistake.
Clare saw his expression and approached him, "you're not an amateur, sir, you have been doing this for years. What brings about this mistake?"
Oliver fixed the keys silently, before deciding against his silence. "I need a break." A simply said.
"I'm afraid it wouldn't be possible, sir, you have two hours straight on the piano no break allowed, it would help your skills. And in a while you have Miss Jones coming over. It would be better to get it done now."
Oliver sighed as he recalled the same words from the past. "very well." He placed his hands on the keys and tried again. He allowed his shoulders to be relaxed, but his mind kept wandering back to the call he had received earlier that day from his mother who had informed him of Emma wanting to come live with him and be a transfer student at his university for a few months.
Emma would rat all his moves, and would constantly hit on his nerves, home would be hell, she would want a competition out of everything and would bring back bad souvenirs.
He managed to remain focused and was soon over with.
"You still need more work." Mrs. Clare said to him.
"I know," Oliver said. "Thanks." Oliver retreated to his room where he found Bruce asleep on his bed, the puppy he had barely taken a good look at he approached the pet, as the doctor's words crossed his mind. Surgery. He cringed at the word.
A soft knock brought him out of his stance, "come in." He called out.
A maid walked in. "Sir, Miss. Jones is here." He nodded softly.
He picked the puppy in his arms as he walked out. Evelyn was already ushered in by Clare who was having an informal chit-chat with her, she looked nervous with the look on her face.
"Miss, de- Miss Jones. You're welcome in my humble abode." Oliver said from the stairs.
Evelyn refrain from rolling her eyes she nodded toward Mrs. Clare before walking to Oliver.
Together they walked the long hall in silence with his puppy scooped in his arms.
When they got to the study Oliver held the door out so she could walk in which surprised her. He just couldn't help his manners.
He released the puppy which ran to Evelyn and began sniffing her. She cringed. "Take it off!" she squealed.
The door burst open and Tim was standing there on alert. Oliver slowly picked the puppy in surprise. Evelyn was bright red but her black skin muffled it.
Clare was soon standing in the doorway.
"You know you can't have your puppy in there sir, it is a distraction," Clare stated clearly.
Oliver almost rolled his eyes, "I know, Mrs. Clare." He glanced at Evelyn.
"There you can take it." He held it out for her but she refused to touch it not without slipping her gloves first.
"Don't forget to wash your hands." She said to Oliver, who nodded very well.
The two exited the room, and Oliver once again glanced at Evelyn who looked relaxed.
"You didn't have to scream." He hissed softly.
She rolled her eyes, there was only one chair in the room next to the study table. Oliver picked the marker and started on the project title.
"Uh, where do I sit?" Evelyn sounded a bit pissed.
Oliver didn't bother to turn around. "Wipe your glasses, blink again and take the seat, which is the only one in the room. If you can see it now. I bet you were blind before." He murmured.
Evelyn scoffed. "Where would you seat?" She asked as she tried lowering to the seat which did not squeak.
"I don't think that is your business or concern." He turned around.
"Let us talk about something that would convince the instructor we did this project together." He said.
"Yeah, that's smart. At least she wouldn't question it. What if it was in the park downtown?"
"I don't agree with that idea." Oliver simply said as he approached the table.
"We could go downtown and try to see what we can observe and you tell me your point of view while I tell you mine. You write your thoughts on my point of view while I do the same on yours and that would be it." She grinned like she was a genius.
"Why don't we just study a movie and do exactly the same thing?" He asked.
Evelyn furrowed her brows. "Not as exciting."
Just then a maid walks in with Oliver's phone. "Sir," she said. Oliver looked her way and so did Evelyn.
"I'm busy, Natalie, can you tell Mrs. Clare that I don't like distractions whilst I'm in the middle of work."
"No sir, your father wishes to speak with you?" Natalie responded in a small voice.
Evelyn watched Oliver's shoulders stiffen as he walked quickly towards Natalie grabbing the phone before nodding to her.
"Father." Oliver started while itching his eyebrow.
"I saw the contract of Mr. George recently. That was a good job. And I received an update from Zilda that you missed out on a meeting with our investors today. And the previous day. You also didn't go to the construction field of Ida. Our new company. How careless have you become?"
Oliver gulped silently, "I was caught with work father, which was why I canceled the meetings, and I was called to an instructor's office. That was why I couldn't attend the previous meeting and supervise the fields."
"What gibberish excuse you, are blurting to me now." Mr. Brookes sounded pissed on the other line.
"Father, I failed on my project. I had to make things right, and I'm doing that now." Oliver paced around.
"Failed? You never failed when you were in London here, what brings about your failure? How laid back and carefree have you become?!"
"Father-"
"Shut up when I'm talking, you'll shut the fuck up, son, cause I know what you can turn out to be. I raised you and I know why I have always guided your steps and made you who you are, you are trying to turn away from that aren't you? Started abusing alcohol and drugs? Send me the details of your bank and credit card records for the past two months and you'll account for every expense with proof of an invoice. Do you fucking hear me? Nonsense."
"Yes sir," Oliver gritted his teeth.
"And I want you to drive to the construction field right away."
"I can't do that sir," Oliver said with a strong grip on the phone. He desperately wanted to scream for his father to stop his possessive controlling attitude but for that, he would have to flee forever.
"Are you directly disobeying me on my face?"
"No sir, I have Miss Jones over and we're over a project. If I leave her on it then I'll be graded a U for this project."
"You could do that quickly."
"Not exactly, uh, because we're heading to the park and would be spending a few hours there for a proper documentary." Oliver glanced at Evelyn who quickly looked away.
"I see, and who is this Miss. Jones?"
*Bloody cow, what is this interrogation?! Fucking drop it already.
"She is a partner in class nothing more, sir. I'll hang up now, cause I know you're busy, I'll provide a report on both Zilda and Ida. By tomorrow evening."
Mr. Brooks grunted, "very well, I wanted to ask about your health, but I guess that's the least important now." The line went off.
Oliver felt the hole deep within him widen, Christopher Brookes had never really considered his feelings. He was like a built android to carry out instructions ever since. Shana left the world.
"Uh, are you okay?" A voice brought him back to reality.
Oliver felt exhausted mentality of all the menace and fear from his father. The man was dangerous and for a reason, he had made him his puppet.
"None of your business Miss denim, come we're doing as you said." Oliver hissed.
Evelyn couldn't make out why he wore a hollow look of sadism and isolation on his face but all she knew was a certain Father.
"Going to the park?" Evelyn's face lit up and Oliver could spot the sparkles in her honey-colored eyes. "Yay!" She exclaimed as she rushed to pack her stuff.
Oliver was stunned by it, the last time he saw anyone exclaim this way right in front of him was years back. It was Shana.
"Uh, I'll go grab my wallet." He said before exiting the room.
Evelyn quickly pulls her phone out and click on a group chat before typing in a password.
"Hey, guys! Everything is going as planned." She sent.
"Ohh, you guys are going out now? He agreed?" Madison typed.
"Yeah!" Evelyn replied.
"We'll finally have that video out there and he will pay for all he has caused us," Cherry replied.
"Girls, this is the first step. After causing me huge trouble with the direction over the elevator incident he doesn't think I'll let him off the hook. I'll enjoy our revenge and take a slow bite." Evelyn laughed more like a dark laugh than an innocent laugh.