“This series is about transformation. Or at least that’s what I told the professor,” he explained. His voice held passion and no small amount of sarcasm. “How the sea changes, how it changes us.”
“Is that why you painted me?” I asked. “Did I change something for you?”
Nerion hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “You might have,” he admitted quietly. “I just don’t know what yet.”
Before I could ask what he meant, Professor Aurelia approached, beaming at Nerion.
“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she exclaimed. “The Dean is looking for you.”
Nerion’s smile faded instantly, replaced by a look of guilt. “He’s here?”
“Of course! He and Coach Flannery always come to the art exhibitions.” She turned back and waved two men over. One I recognized at the Dean, and the other was a man I’d seen around the athletic building, but never actually met. “Here they are now.”
“Mr. Thalassos,” Dean Thornfield said as he stepped up to our little group. “So this is what you’ve been doing instead of making it to our mandatory meetings, is it?”
“Dean Thornfield, Coach Flannery,” Nerion nodded, his voice suddenly formal. “I apologize for missing our meeting. I’ve been preparing for the exhibition.”
“So I see,” the Dean replied, his eyes drifting to the paintings. “Your work is quite remarkable, Mr. Thalassos. Though I still would have appreciated you keeping our appointment.”
I stood awkwardly to the side, unsure if I should excuse myself. The werewolf, Coach Flannery, caught my eye and gave me a curious look.
“Are you Theodore Voss by chance?” he asked, seeming to recognize me.
“Yes, sir,” I replied, straightening up instinctively as I’d been taught to do around authority figures. “That’s me.”
Coach Flannery moved closer, his nostrils flaring slightly as he studied me. I tried not to fidget under his scrutiny.
“Coach Mathers has mentioned you. Says you’re one of her most promising swimmers, though you’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.” His blue eyes seemed to look right through me. “Didn’t she order you to take some time off?”
I felt my face heating up again. “Yes, sir. I’ve been...resting.”
The werewolf coach’s eyebrows rose slightly, and I could’ve sworn he sniffed the air between Nerion and me. A knowing look crossed his face that made my stomach drop.
“I see,” he said, his tone neutral but his eyes twinkling with something that looked suspiciously like amusement. “Well, sometimes rest takes unexpected forms.”
Dean Thornfield cleared his throat. “Mr. Thalassos, we still need to discuss the incident from last week. My office, tomorrow morning at nine. Do not miss it this time.” His stern expression softened as he looked at the paintings. “Though I must say, your work is truly exceptional.”
“Thank you, sir,” Nerion replied, tension evident in his shoulders. “I’ll be there.”
As the Dean and Coach moved away to view other exhibits, Professor Aurelia lingered, her eyes darting between Nerion and me with obvious interest.
“Mr. Voss, I don’t believe you’re in any of my classes,” she said, studying me intently. “Do you have an interest in art?”
“I’m just beginning to discover it,” I admitted, unable to stop myself from glancing at Nerion. “I’ve never seen paintings that made me feel so much before.”
She smiled knowingly. “Art has a way of reaching parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed. Don’t you agree, Nerion?”
“Or it can be a lot of bullshit,” Nerion replied, relaxing a bit now that the Dean was out of sight.
“Nerion, while one of my most talent students,” Aurelia sighed. “Is a non-believer when it comes to the therapeutic effects of art. Or that fact that it can sometimes reveal things about us that maybe we weren’t ready to share.”
“That’s because it doesn’t do either of those things,” he grumbled. “It’s just paint.”
“Of course,” Aurelia nodded. “And I’m sure the first painting you’ve ever done with a person looks just like Mr. Voss here.” She reached out, patting my shoulder with a big smile on her face. “Enjoy the show, gentlemen.”
I watched her go, my heart pounding in my chest. Did she know? Did Coach Flannery know? Did everyonefucking know?!
“Ignore her,” Nerion muttered beside me. “She’s a little woo-woo, if you know what I mean.”