Chapter 1

I sit eating my lunch, in the wide-open courtyard area of my school. As I sit on my lone bench I watch as other students pass me by. The friends I enjoy hanging out with from my friend group are out sick today so I'm enjoying some solitude on my own today. [creepy twins #1&2] approach me. I get the feeling these two like me, I'll explain why later. "eating alone today I see, told you he didn't have any friends"

"I-I'll be your friend [insert name]" the mean one said something as if trying to pull off a love/hate vibe despite the fact I keep telling her I'm not into it. [creepy twin #1] is kinda cute though, if not for the fact me hanging out with her means being so close to her sister, I might even consider her a potential love interest but no… book has spoken.

"Sorry to disappoint, the tolerable ones of my friends are sick today, so I decided to eat on my own."

"You have friends? That's the first I'm hearing it." She sits down real close to me.

"You mean you'd rather we didn't get this opportunity to talk today?" the other sister sits at my other side. Both leaning on my sides but…

"I'd much prefer to hang out with my friends. As pleasant as you two are to look at I find your voice and attitude grating and your presence taxing" I turn fully to [creepy twin #2] when I say this. "You are cute, but I wouldn't want to come between sisters," I said to [creepy twin #1].

I finished my lunch gave them both a hug and whispered, "just kidding I love you both" into their ears as I got up to go to the library where I know they won't go brazenly pressing themselves on me today. I check Book, "ok good… no brutal death by being fought over today." This is why I refused them. When I check the future in Book, I can see multiple paths line up before me like a choose your own adventure book except if I choose wrong, I could die.

No matter how I go about trying to get close to the twins Book says it'll never end well but rejecting them outright could also get me killed. I have to reject them in a very specific way that frankly I'm not convinced I could pull off yet. Then again, Book says they'll be moving away in a month, so I just have to keep my distance until then.

Every day after school I set aside an hour a day to consult Book about how my future will look and how best to avoid the twins until the month is up. After all my classes were done for the day and I finished magic club activities I went home and studied my future.

First things first, I have to see what will be on the test and what the correct answers will be. I just have to memorize the correct answers which shouldn't be too hard as I, [insert name], am very good at remembering things. [dead parent #1] came in to check to make sure I was studying, and I let her know I've never failed a test since I learned how to use my special ability.

For now, I'm left alone to study my future. This is odd. In the near future, there will be an opportunity to drink alcohol for the first time and I see no immediate consequences from accepting. The twins will be the ones offering but Book doesn't say I'll die some gruesome death from going along with them as long as I go about it as ambiguously as I have been. I just have to keep up the "I hate you, but I find your appearance very charming" act a bit longer. But there's also no immediate consequence for not going drinking with them. Hmm…

This is the first time reading Book where instead of ultimatums and aside from trivial decisions, I have been given an actual choice to make. Do I drink with them this weekend? There's plenty of ways to avoid it that won't incur their wrath. I can go visit my friends and ask if they'd rather fight the disease on their own to bolster their immunities or if they're sick of being sick and would rather be healed already. though I'm not too good at healing magic.

And though these actions have a chance of me getting sick… although me getting sick could help me avoid the twins in the future. Then again, I get the feeling they're more forward with me at school where other girls can see them. They may just be bragging about how virtuous they are to their friends for giving someone with a useless oracle skill the time of day.

I doubt they'd be as formal on a day off with no one to witness how kind they're being. This is part of the reason I usually retreat to the library. I know they can just tell their friends that I had to go study. Book tells me also what others do as a result of my actions. As Book speaks, I will follow to the most favourable of circumstances.

Before I figured out how to use my ability, I had seriously screwed up my own life. If not for Book I probably would have made several decisions that could have led to my death a couple of times by now. Hmm… am I really this stupid? The only safe option Book gives me is to try dating my childhood friend, but she won't transfer into my school for another week or two. For some reason Book isn't exactly clear, maybe minor details in her life are adversely affecting Book or maybe someone around her has a similar oracle skill.

Or maybe someone around her has good pattern recognition and is more in charge of their own fate then Book is. Either way no use thinking about it now, all I can do now is to live out tomorrow as it happens. After my hour of studying my future is over, I go help my mother to set the table and eat dinner with my loving parents, they tell me they won't be home the night of this weekend until the day after and that I'll have the house to myself, just like Book said I would. In other words, if I stay home and the twins know I'll probably end up drinking with them… not that that'd have any immediate consequences.

I say immediate because in my studies of Book I usually can't go more than one page before my knowledge of the future changes the future as I'm reading it and Book settles on a path I'm very likely to take, and tells me why it's wrong before I correct the path on my own.

After Friday I aced my test and my friends were still sick, when the twins approached me today, they were a bit more cautious and I strung them along a bit today because their presence was slightly less easy to repel than usual, on days like this if I don't humour them it could end very badly for me. So says Book.

My friends still weren't back yet, so I ate lunch with the twins and had a bit of fun messing with them. They didn't try to get so close to me today, so I rewarded them by staying around until it was time to return to class. Deciding that I was curious about how alcohol tasted right before we made it back to class, I let it slip to [creepy twin #1] that I'd have my house to myself this weekend and had no immediate plans.

After school, I checked Book to see how she took it and boy is she nervous. Through Book, I watch as she and her sister converse over what my cryptic message could possibly mean. They didn't know whether to think I just didn't want to be seen so close together with them or that I'd rather get closer to them in private first. Honestly seeing [creepy twin #2] act like a proper girl instead of pretending to be mean thinking it'd help her win my heart was almost enough to give in to temptation, but I know where that road leads.

If I choose one the other will most assuredly either kill me or make me wish I was dead, and if I choose both the smallest misstep could have them both out to kill me. It's just not worth it in a world where hiding a body is as simple as casting a spell to change someone into the tobacco their father smokes. Either way, Book sees nothing wrong with my decision. They're too flustered to act on anything and I can always just pretend like they heard me wrong.

They don't even believe it themselves after all. When they arrive, I could pretend like I don't remember telling them at all… actually Book strongly recommends I go down that path. Today when I go downstairs for dinner, I see my loving and adoring parents getting ready to set out on a magical adventure to save some girl who got stuck in a well a few towns over where the literacy isn't so great, and most people don't learn magic.

For some reason, Book gave me a vague warning and an exact phrase to speak when they leave. And the next morning when they set off, I speak it to them with rehearsed flawlessness. "I wish you the utmost safety, glory, and power on your next endeavour."

I feel a great deal of magic leaving me. Did I just cast a spell I don't know? I almost teeter over at the door as I see them off. They look a bit shocked, but they thank me for the blessing and go off with smiles on their faces. Book explicitly warned me not to tell them to "have a safe trip". I made every effort not to say it to them as they left even though it's what I usually say Book gave me grave and cryptic warnings not to. Every future where I did, had me at my study time the next day sitting in horror and disbelief starring at Book.

I don't know why but it can't be good. This is the first time Book actually offered me a suggestion because I was stumped as to why I couldn't say what I usually do. I spent my morning like I usually do on days off, I looked through my parents' books read some spells I'd never known before I actually found the charm, I used just now but it was strange how the book phrased its description. "a charm used by competent oracles to change an otherwise unchangeable outcome" …did I just accidentally save my parents' lives?

No… but why would their lives be in danger? My mother can reset time to save herself if things get dangerous, there shouldn't be anything that can prevent them from coming home alive… unless something gets her before she can use her special ability.

Perhaps… I check Book. Just as I suspected. As my parents make their way on their path, they seem to be extra uber cautious, it seems they took me not sending them off like I usually do as a sign something might go terribly wrong and are being far more attentive than they usually describe themselves being… especially for such a simple job as this. I feel relieved at the very least. Nothing can harm them with as careful as they're being. After a brief meal, I cooked for myself, and some light reading I heard a knock at the door.

When I opened it I saw the twins in fairer clothes than usual. Time to do as Book guides. "Oh hello?"

"Hello?" one twin asks with a tilted head

"Didn't you invite us over?" the other wondered aloud.

"Did I?" a bit of an awkward silence fills the antechamber to my parents' house and having set the stage I somewhat give in and say, "well since you're here you might as well come inside."

I heard the two, whisper arguing to each other. "I thought you said he invited us"

"I thought he did" as I begin ignoring them, I walk over to the couch barefoot lean back and continue reading.

"Well… make yourselves at home. My parents are away but you can still stay if you want."

"Um… you told us your parents would be away at school yesterday."

"I did?" [creepy twin#1] nods "why don't I remember doing that?"

the twins look a bit dejected, but such is the scene Book described to me. I have to act so oblivious they will be more confused as to the standing of our relationship. This way I can try alcohol for the first time and keep the twins at arm's length at the same time, plus [creepy twin #2] dropped the "I hate you, but I love you" act while she's here. It seems she just did it as a front for school… not that these two aren't actually insane girls that could murder me if I make a single misstep. But so long as I keep them confused, I keep myself safe.

As I was sitting leisurely on the couch taking up more space than I needed to the only other seats available were where my parents usually sit but I get the feeling that's not what these two are going to do. [creepy twin #2], ever the bold, walks right up to me, as I'm reading one of my parents' spellbooks, and sits on my lap. She was probably expecting to get a rise out of me, but I just let her sit.

Eventually, she got embarrassed and retreated on her own. As she was about to get back up to leave, I very subtly let my arm fall from its spot dangling loosely on the back of the couch to her leg. She almost jumped at the sudden contact, but I quickly apologized and told her that I may be a bit too relaxed in my own home. Seeing her flustered was almost worth dying for… almost.

[creepy twin #1] walked over to where my head was and set my head in her lap. It was a much softer pillow than my hand had been. "What are you reading?"

"It's a spellbook, I'm learning how to prolong my life."

"Why would you be reading something like that? The world is not so dangerous as long as you don't leave town."

"But I want to see the world. I want my kids to have even half the amazing stories my parents tell me when I have kids."

"Oh? You already think you're going to have kids." They both look down on me warmly.

"Yeah, it's just kind of hard trying to figure out who to have kids with. The future is so muddy it's a bit hard to decide." I said looking at neither of them.

The two seem befuddled. Like these aren't the words one would say to a potential love interest. (because they're not), but they seem to also think this gives them a chance because it's a thought I'm having. Not that I'd ever give these two a shot, as I know how hard that road would be to walk.

For now, I let the two do whatever they like, my complacency no doubt confuses them. So eventually they ask me a question the question anyone would ask, "why do you let us get so close to you now when you didn't before?"

"I could feel jealous eyes on me then… I'd really rather you two not just use me to keep your suiters at bay."

"I-is that what you think we're doing?"

"I've seen you two reject many a friend of mine and I'm not one to brag about taking what my friends couldn't, even if I knew they wouldn't see us together I knew someone else would probably tell them and I didn't want them to think like I was going after one of you when they already tried and failed." My bull seemed to have worked because the two looked a bit guilty.

It's like I rejected them without rejecting them again. No doubt in the next few seconds their depraved little minds will work out I can't go after you, but you can go after me from what I just said.

As I was about to lift my hand from [creepy twin #2]'s leg to turn the page she grabbed my hand and laced her fingers with mine. Regardless I carried her hand over and flipped the page with her hand in mine. After a while, the three of us were reading books from the pile I'd left on the table In front of me leisurely and the mood relaxed. The three of us were laying lazily on the soft fur rug. The two were on either side of me insisting I have an arm around each of them as I read.

Eventually one of them picked up Book from the table. "What's this?"

"Why can't I read it?" the other asked

"Oh, that? It's a language I made up. It's like a journal of sorts and I don't want random people to just be able to read it." Book is actually written in a language I've always known but never found anywhere else. though the twins don't know that and it's a pain to explain so I just won't

"Huh? The letters are changing."

"That's because it's a magic book. I can write and edit it with my thoughts. I'm usually taking notes on interesting spells but sometimes I get distracted by other things and have to rewrite what I actually want to remember." They seemed to buy this lie too.

"Say you're an oracle, right?"

"Kind of…"

"What does our future look like?" the two began boring into me with their eyes. They knew I could see the future, but they also know I've described my skill as useless from time to time. So, what can I tell them?

"Now that you mention it, I did have a fairly unclear dream about you two recently."

"Really?" they both asked together.

"Yes."

"What was it about?"

"Now, now, you know how unclear and constantly shifting my visions can be. Hmm… let me try and remember… I think I saw you two, and me drinking something and having a good time but I don't remember what or when."

After I spoke these words the mischievous one grinned that cat-like smile you usually see when someone's about to put a paper bag filled with excrement in front of someone's front door and light it on fire before knocking and running away. "What could it be about I wonder?"

she kept chuckling to herself and since she gave me an opening, I took it to stand up and tell them I'd be cooking dinner soon and that they should probably return home soon. This is when I saw [creepy twin #1] begin using her special ability, telepathy. No doubt they were either lying to their parents to stick around a bit longer or devising some kind of plan amongst themselves… all according to cake.

"Don't worry I just asked mom if I could sleepover at a friend's house and saw through the telepathy link her and dad rush out the door, I neither know nor care to know what that means but they gave me the ok."

"Alright, what do you two want for dinner?" and so I cooked for the twins. The two seemed to want to cook for me but I insisted I cook, half because Book warned that they didn't know how to cook and were liable to burn the house down, and half because I enjoy my cooking better than most anyone else's.

After dinner, I saw the other twin's special ability for the first time. She pulled a liquor bottle out of her bra, something that couldn't easily be concealed was taken out because her ability allows her to steal and store things in a pocket dimension provided there's some kind of crack or opening directly touching the thing she wants to steal, so if there's a bunch of holes on the shelf the liquor was sitting on and nobody was watching it, she could steal it easily. And she used this ability to pull things from her sleeve that definitely shouldn't fit and to hide them all the time.

She also pulled out a few glasses and chided me, "does this bottle look familiar?"

"The bottle no but the glasses are ringing a bell." she began laughing to herself, she probably took it to mean this won't be the last time we drink together, but it could also mean I didn't see what we were drinking hence the vagueness of the vision I described.

She pulled the stopper on the bottle and poured us each a glass to go with our meal. These two were drunk on a few sips but my drink didn't have such an immediate effect on me, just as Book said. These two are lightweights and I am not. And so, we passed the night away. They got so drunk they could barely see; I got a light buzz. I drank most of the bottle by the end of the night. And when night fell, they both opted to sleep in my bed with me.

I set out cups on my nightstand by my bed and dropped them both on the bed. I was a bit disoriented, but it wasn't so bad and as I sat up in bed to read Book, which I hadn't had a good chance to study during the day I made a startling discovery. I could now read past a single page without it changing on me. This doesn't have any immediate effects no, but it does mean that if I want now neither of them will try to kill me.

But I can't do anything now. I have to wait until morning. The two had undressed down to their underwear while drinking for some reason and in my judgement deprived state, I didn't see the issue. But Book says it'll probably be an issue come morning so as they slept, I grabbed a couple of my shirts and put them on them, Book said they'd like that. Now that I can see farther than a single page, I can also see more minute details I hadn't known before.

Finally, the future can be whatever I want it to be. After studying and carefully drunkenly choosing the future I'd want to see over this next month, I closed Book, set it down by the glasses and got some sleep. When I woke up the twins were hungover, but I was fine. I wonder if it's because they drank too much despite me drinking more than them.