Touch Me ✔

Chapter Six

Over the next few nights, things became stranger. Or perhaps they became more comfortable. It started small. Theo was somewhat obsessed with my education regarding classical music, mostly piano composers. Many times, he'd set me down on the edge of his bed and place an oversized headset over my ears before drowning me in the melody of classical tunes. I was introduced to all the great composers, including tons more Theo hadn't mentioned before. Within the melodies were also great pianists, who all had their own emotional variations of many works. I was in Heaven.

Over time, Theo had given me a blanket and pillow for my still uncomfortable sofa, but more than that, he had begun to light the fireplace in an attempt to help give me warmth. Some days I had taken to ignoring the oatmeal and so he began to bring me other foods. It began with soups, sometimes sandwiches, and then he began to bring bits of other gourmet foods and asked my opinion of each of them. It was important to have opinions, he told me. It was important to know what I want, what I liked, and who I was as a person. I wondered if most people were this concerned about individuality.

I found I liked chicken. In fact, I liked chicken everything. Chicken sandwiches. Chicken salads. Honestly, if Theo were to give me chicken in that dreadful oatmeal, I'd probably finally enjoy it as well. Otherwise, I preferred fruits. My favorites were the melons such as watermelon and cantaloupe.

Theo would allow me to listen to music on his bed sometimes where it was much more comfortable. It was here I came across a new favorite; a piece composed by Erik Satie called Gnossienne No. 5, though I wasn't sure what exactly about it intrigued me so much. It was slow, peaceful, but joyful at the same moment. It reminded me of how I was beginning to feel around Theo over time.

It was also here where I found him to be most intriguing, when during one of my listening sessions I drifted asleep on top of his bed and awoke to find myself safely blanketed and Theo the one sleeping on the uncomfortable couch. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why he hadn't kicked me off the bed or at least picked one of the other more comfortable sofas. Did he think the one he'd placed me on was more comfortable? Was it because he didn't feel the cold like I did?

One following night, I was tapping away on the piano, playing the tune Theo had created himself. The song was slow at first, confused and almost monotone. Then as time went on it became lighter, filled with life. There came tones of dark aggression followed by small bouts of joyful grace. It ended with a slowed variation of notes and a quiet high ring that left it open to continue, if that's what Theo wished.

Once the piece was played through, I waited for a response from Theo. Usually he either continued writing or stated we were done for the night. In this case, he only stared down at the floor in deep thought. I watched him for a moment, my eyes trailing over his messy black hair down over his jawline and flawless pale skin. The other vampires within his family had a certain addicting aura that drew me to them. Theo had no such temptation. But as I watched him now, I felt a separate warmth flourish within me that heated my skin quite randomly. I quickly looked away in confusion.

As he thought, I began playing with the keys on the piano. I was trying to reconstruct my favorite piece by Erik Satie, but I wasn't quite skilled enough to play without a music sheet instructing me along the way. It was a good way to sound terrible and waste time.

Suddenly, Theo's hands were over mine, striking the proper notes with ease. He played only the first few notes before pausing and pushing me forward on the bench enough for him to sit just behind me. Then he leaned forward against me, his chest against the length of my back most intimidatingly, before reaching around me once again and playing Satie's piece from the beginning.