Endgame ⚜ Sweet but Psycho

46. the cold and bitter truth

The beginning of the end.

2026

Manosque, France 

Piano music filled the restaurant and bar as her fingers tapped against her glass of wine anxiously. She was waiting, and time was moving very slowly. The man playing the piano watched her intently, intrigued. He had seen her a few times before, they were friends, and a vampire like him. She got a haircut earlier that day, so her curls fell right above her shoulders. She wore a simple dress, simple jewelry. Everything about her seemed so...simple. But he knew it wasn't. The woman was a mom, but she barely got to see her kids. They were in America with their aunt, at the school her step-mother had founded in her and her father's last name. The Salvatore Boarding School, for witches, werewolves, and vampires. For the Young and Gifted. While they were at school, she wanted to use her free time to travel and learn new things. 

The man held a small smile as he finished the song he was playing, and everyone applauded, except for the woman he had been watching. Something was off about her, it was obvious. "Thank you," He said to those clapping, giving them smiles as he tore his eyes off of the vampire "thank you." He raised a glass of beer to them and took a drink. When he lowered his glass he saw that the woman had approached the piano and set her glass of wine on top of it. 

The woman rested her arms on the surface, then placed her chin on her hands, giving him a smile. "It was a lovely song, Elijah." She told him, standing up straight afterwards. 

Elijah set his glass down with a look of concern. "What's wrong? We've been friends long enough for me to know when something's off with you." He frowned when she sighed and looked down at her glass of wine, her fingertips running smoothly around the rim. "Mia. Talk to me."

Mia took a deep breath and looked up into Elijah's eyes. "It's just...um..my ex-husband called last night. I didn't answer but he left a voicemail." She mumbled, but he heard her. "After seven years he still wants a second chance." The woman looked back down at her drink, frowning. "I don't know what to do."

"Maybe you should talk to him." A new voice sounded, causing Mia and Elijah to both turn their heads in his direction. Elijah had seen him before, once or twice, but he hadn't for a while, so he tilted his head the slightest bit. He knew that he was friends with Mia, a fellow traveler. Mia's eyes widened the slightest bit, and Elijah wasn't sure what expression they bore. Was it surprise, fear, happiness? All of the above? "Hear what he has to say." Mia looked into the familiar blue eyes, taking another deep breath. He gave her a smile. "Hello, love."

Mia cleared her throat a bit and looked back at her drink, trying her best to ignore the whispers she heard, and to ignore the wilting flowers by the wall. "What're you doing here?" She asked. "I thought you'd be long gone."

The man, Klaus, sat down in one of the chairs with a smile. "I thought I'd pay you a visit." He spoke as Elijah began to play once more, a song the hybrid recognized. "I'm a sucker for Weill. You play with such finesse."

Elijah looked up at him. "Yeah, it keeps me out of trouble."

"Though Mahler's really my style." Klaus said.

Mia reached into her mini purse to pull out her phone, which had been vibrating incessantly. She had been trying to ignore it, assuming it was her ex, but when she looked at the screen she knew she was wrong. "One second, boys, I have to take this," she told them, not bothering to look at them as she walked away from the piano, walking towards a more quiet and secluded spot of the restaurant. It was the Salvatore Boarding School. She pressed the green button and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?"