by J. L. Ostle
I spend the rest of the night serving, having some laughs, and getting to know more about Cory and Sean. I am having a blast tonight, never wanting it to end. We are closing the doors and tidying up when Sean walks to me, takes my hand, and hands me a huge wad of notes.
“I think you overpaid me,” I joke as I look at the money.
“This is just from tips. I shared it three ways and this is your cut.”
My eyes bug out that this is just from tips. I knew the jar was full, but bloody hell. “Thank you,” I say.
“No, thank you—you were a godsend tonight.” He hugs me again and then lifts a crate of bottles and heads back to the bar.
“You ready to go home?” Cory asks, heading my way.
“I took a taxi here so I just need to order another. Thought I would be drinking tonight,” I tease.
“Well, let me give you a lift.”
“Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t,” he chuckles. “Sean, I’m taking Iris home. Will see you later.”
Sean nods and waves us goodbye.
We get in Cory’s car and start to head home. We talk some more, and it feels so comfortable and I really am happy I met them when I did. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if they didn’t talk to me. I would really be relying on Cara to talk to and hang out with. After Cory parks up, he walks me to the building and he gives me another hug, thanking me. I see headlights turn off and watch Sebastian get out of his car and he looks at us both.
“You just getting home now? Must’ve been a fun night,” Sebastian says.
I notice he sounds a little sarcastic. “It was,” I reply.
I give Cory another hug and tell him I will see him at school. I watch him leave and I enter the building, heading to the elevator, and I can already feel him. I can feel him standing close behind me.
“I didn’t think you would be out all night,” he says when the doors open and we both step inside.
“Well, I was having fun, so why wouldn’t I? Did Cara have fun?” I look at him and he nods.
“She did.”
I hate the different scenarios that are popping through my head. Did he sleep with her? Knowing Cara, she will tell me tomorrow if she did. I will have to be prepared for what the answer will be. “That’s good. Glad we both had fun.”
The doors open again to my floor and I head out, but Sebastian holds onto my arm, stopping me.
“You want a lift to school tomorrow?” he asks me softly.
“Yes, please,” I say just as softly.
He gives me a smile and kisses my cheek, his lips lingering a second longer than need be. He pulls away and heads back inside the elevator. “Will see you tomorrow, flower.”
I watch him until the doors close. I shake my head and head inside. The only light is coming from the lamp in the living room; Mum must be in bed. I am going to be so tired in the morning.
As soon as I walk out the door, the elevator doors open and I see Sebastian standing there smiling at me. I smile back and join him as we head down. Neither of us really say anything apart from good morning but it feels comfortable, which is weird. We head to his car when I see Cara already standing there in a black short skirt and tight white vest with a denim jacket. She jogs towards us, wrapping her arms around Sebastian’s neck, hugging him, and then she hugs me quickly and lets go.
Like yesterday, she sits in the front seat.
I have my earphones in for the entire drive, listening to Chase Holfelder’s “Hello.” I love his version of the song. He has an amazing voice and I love how he makes the songs his. I look out the window as I let the words hit my soul. I love when music just goes right through me, where it makes me feel so many emotions. I feel myself tearing up just thinking about it, but I hold it in.
Music always gets to me; it always pierces me.
I look towards the front and see Sebastian’s concerned eyes in the rearview mirror, but I look away. I turn up the volume, letting the chorus reach inside my soul. I hit replay, and even when we park up at the school parking lot, I don’t move until the song comes to an end. I put away my phone and climb out and Sebastian comes to my side.
“Are you okay?”
I nod.
“You sure?”
“Is everything okay?” Cara bounces over.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I smile at both of them.
We start to head inside when I hear my name being called and see Sean and Cory walking towards us, smiling as they wrap their arms around my shoulders.
“You are amazing. Have I told you that?” Sean says.
I giggle. “Not in the last nine hours,” I joke.
“Well, you are. You are amazing. You were amazing.” He kisses my cheek and guides me inside the school, Cory walking on my other side. I turn my head and see Cara talking to Sebastian, but he is looking at me, and when his eyes connect with mine, he looks down at my cousin.
“Hi, guys.” Anna walks towards us and her eyes are on me and the twins. “I don’t think we have officially met. I’m Anna.” She smiles sweetly and I roll my eyes.
“We know who you are,” Cory says, and we walk around her as we head off towards our first class.
“I don’t really like her,” I tell them as I look back and see Anna glaring at me and Cara is leaning against a wall with Sebastian leaning in close to her. I quickly look away.
“I guess he found his next victim,” Sean jokes. I find it ironic that I used that exact word yesterday.
“I guess so.” I turn to Cory and he is watching me; I quickly look away from him too. I really need to get my emotions in check. We are about to round the corner when I hear Cara calling out to me.
“Sebastian is playing Friday at Randi’s if you fancy it?” She smiles at me, knowing she is using one of my English phrases.
I look to Cara and Sebastian, and he is watching me intently. I’m about to say no when Cory jumps in.
“She will be there—she’s working that night, anyway.”
I look at him and then look back and Cara is looking at me confusedly.
“You got a job?”
I shrug. “It happened last night.”
“That’s why you were late,” Sebastian says.
“That is amazing.” Cara hugs me.
“Thank you.” I smile at her and she leans forward and touches my hair.
“You had a little fluff in your hair.”
She smiles at me and I don’t know why but I look at her, really look at her, and she really is a nice person. She is beautiful on the inside as well on the outside.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
I shake my head and smile at her. “You really are beautiful,” I tell her, and she hugs me again.
“I love you, you know that?”
I hold onto her hands, squeezing them in return. “Yeah, I love you too. I will see you at lunch.”
I look at Sebastian and I vow to myself that I will no longer lust after him. He is looking at me and I start to build that wall between us; I think he senses it, as his body deflates.
“Cory, you ready to head to class?” I smile at him and link my arm with his.
“I will see you guys later.” Sean walks with us to the end of the corridor until he heads in the opposite direction.
“Are you okay?”
I look at him and smile. “I think I am.”
The rest of the day flew in and at lunchtime I text Cara that I am going to join Cory and Sean for lunch. I sit with them and their friends and they welcome me with open arms. The girls are even nice to me. I am laughing and Cory smiles at me.
“You look good when you smile.”
I blush. “I bet you say that to every girl.” I use the same line on him that I did when I first met him.
“I don’t really notice when a girl smiles, but yours is making you shine.”
I push his shoulder and lay my head on him as I listen around the table as they tell me stories about the twins. I eat my ch
ips—well, fries as they call them—without being judged, and even feed a few to the twins.
“Looks like the boys have found their next girl.” A guy called Jax chuckles and I throw a fry at him.
“They really have to make it worth my while if I am going to be their next goddess,” I tease, and I hear ohs and claps.
“Guess you got your work cut out for you, boys.” Sasha, a girl sitting opposite with a few tattoos on her arms and a pink pixie haircut, laughs.
The rest of the lunch goes by quickly, and I am looking through my bag for my earphones when I notice they aren’t there. I must have dropped them somewhere. I try to think back to when I last remembered seeing them and it must have been in my last class. I tell everyone I will be right back. Cory and Sean want to come with me but I tell them I’ll only be five minutes. I stand and start to leave when Cara stands in front of me.
“You look happy.” She waggles her eyebrows looking behind me.
“I am.” I smile at her.
“That’s good, just be careful with those guys, though. I know you said they are your friends, but I don’t want you to do something you really don’t want to do. I know it may seem hot having two guys at once, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Cara, they are just my friends.”
She nods. “Sorry, it’s just that Sebastian and Anna were going on about you and them, and I guess they made me worry.”
Great, they were talking about me. “You know me, I don’t take shit from anyone, so do you think they will hurt me and get away with it?”
She laughs. “You are badass.”
“Yeah, I am.” We both chuckle.
“Well, Sebastian and I are getting close. He has classified me as a friend, but that’s just for now. I am going to make him want me.”
I keep smiling at her. “He has said you were friends?” I ask her.
“Yeah, we were talking before, and he said he is happy he has a good friend like me.” She rolls her eyes. “I was telling him that I’m looking forward to hearing him play. I just hope he doesn’t put me in the friend zone permanently, as that would just suck.”
“He would be stupid if he did.”
“We shall see. Where are you going, anyway?”
Shit, my earphones. “I left my earphones in class. I will see you after school,” I quickly yell out, and head to the last class I had.
I walk in, heading towards my desk, and spot them lying on the floor when I hear a noise and start walking slowly down the steps. My mouth hangs open when I see a guy fucking a girl against an old desk near the whiteboards. I start walking back slowly, hoping they don’t spot me when the guy’s head lifts, and I see it’s Sebastian.
I am frozen and so is he, but I hear the girl’s groans and moans, and he starts thrusting inside her again and looks away from me. I quickly run out of there, leaving the room and leaning against the wall.
What a dick.
I told him my cousin likes him, she is hanging on his every word, and he is fucking someone else. I step away from the wall and see Cory.
“You found your earphones?”
I lift them up in my hand. He walks me to my next class, and before he leaves me to head to his, I stop him. “Do you mind giving me a lift home after school?” I bite my lip.
“What about rocker boy?”
I scoff. “I think I’m starting to see his true colours and don’t want to be any part of it.”
“Sure, meet me near the doors after school.”
I hug him tightly. “You really are sweet. Why couldn’t you not share your girls?” I joke, and he grabs my hand and pulls me towards him.
“Maybe I’m thinking about making an exception,” is all he says before walking away.
Holy crap.
After class, I start heading to my next one when I feel a hand go around my wrist and drag me into what looks like a cleaning cupboard, before the door is shut closed and I’m surrounded by darkness. I am about to scream, when a hand covers my mouth and by the tingles that flow through my body, I know that it’s him.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I swat his hand away. I can feel that he is close to me. I can feel his eyes on me, even though I can’t see a thing. “I’m going,” I spit out.
He doesn’t say anything. I can hear his breathing but he doesn’t make any other sound. I have my hand on the handle when I feel his front press against my back. I can hear his laboured breath near my ear.
I feel his hand glide softly up my arm, causing heat along its wake. He is teasing me. I turn around, so that my back presses against the door, and I now wish I hadn’t, as his body is pressed against my front.
I need to leave.
“I am going.” But I don’t move.
“You said that already,” he says near my ear. “If you were going to go, you would have.” He strokes my cheek. “I think you want to stay with me. I think seeing me fuck someone else turned you on. Did you picture it was you that I was fucking?” He rubs his stubble along my jaw. “Do you want me to enter you right here? Right now?”
“Stop it,” I say with a shaky voice.
“Stop what? I am only saying what you are thinking, what you are wanting. Come on, flower, let go.”
“I am going.” I move to the door handle again and I hear a loud thump—his hand hitting the wall, blocking me in.
“Not until I have a taste,” he whispers.
I can feel his breath against my lips. “Sebastian, please …”
“I love hearing you say my name.”
I close my eyes and gather all my strength and push him away, giving me some space. “You need to stay away from me.” I open the door and the light shines in. I turn and see him standing there, his eyes hooded, his chest puffing in and out rapidly.
“I don’t think I can do that, flower.”
“Try.” I walk away. I press my hand over my heart, trying to control myself. He is going to make this so hard for me. I guess that’s what he wants.
For me to give in.
I wait near the exit doors, texting Cara that Cory and Sean are giving me a lift home. I am sure she will be happy she is spending some alone time with Sebastian. I need to tell her what I saw so she isn’t in some fantasy bubble that he isn’t sleeping with anyone else. I am looking at my phone when I feel two bodies press against my back, and I turn, giving them my stern expression.
“I told you, I’m not into your kinky ways, so stop trying to get in my pants,” I joke and they both laugh and bend their elbows for me to link into.
We walk outside and head to their car, where I see Cara, Anna, and Calvin hanging around Sebastian and his car. Cara waves and I give her a nod in acknowledgment. I notice Sebastian ask her something, and when she replies he looks at me but I look away. We drive out and joke and tease one another all the way to my place.
“What are you up to tonight?” Cory asks me. For the rest of the day, he didn’t mention what he had said, and I am not bringing it up. Maybe he was just joking.
“My mum is working late, so movies for me until I pass out. Need to enjoy these relaxing nights now that I’m a working girl.” Okay, that didn’t come out right and they both laugh.
“Well, Sean is heading to Jax’s, so if you don’t mind me hanging out with you?” He smiles and a part of me is unsure but I shrug it away.
“Sure, as long as you’re happy watching Pretty Woman.” I grab my bag and climb out of the car, giving Sean a quick hug on my way out.
“How did you know?” He presses his hand over his heart. “It’s my all-time favorite movie.”
I link my arm with his again as we head inside. I see Sebastian pulling in but I don’t wait around. I head to the elevator and we head on up.
I let us both in and look around to make sure the place is tidy, and I almost hit my head in stupidity as Mum and I are neat freaks, so of course, the place is going to look tidy.
“Would you like the grand tour?” I wave around the room.
“Of course.” He places his bag on the floor, and I show him the kitchen, the bathroom, and finally my room. He looks around, looking at my photos on the wall, smiling. “You have no pictures of your dad?”
I shake my head, looking at the floor while sitting on my bed. I feel him sit next to me.
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I know he didn’t. “I know—I’m sorry. It’s just still a sore subject for me.” I look at my hands and he entwines his fingers with mine. I look at him and he gives me a small smile. “He hurt my mum in the worst way possible.” I pause, taking in a deep breath. “Mum and I were meant to go to the movies, and when we got there, there was a flooding or something, so we had to head back home. We were laughing and being goofy. Mum and I are like best friends; we have always been very close.”
Cory nods.
“We decided to have a girly night in the living room and kick my dad out to his room. We headed up the stairs to my parents’ room when we heard noises. We thought it could be an intruder, so Mum grabbed a bat and we walked in slowly, and we both saw my dad sleeping with another woman on their bed.” I feel tears sliding down my cheeks.
“Holy shit.” He wipes my tears and then holds my hand again.
“Yeah, he didn’t even notice we were there until he heard my mum release her first sob. He moved so fast, covering himself, and my eyes were glued to the girl on the bed. She didn’t look that much older than me. He didn’t just break my mother’s heart, but mine too. We were a close family; we were happy and he ruined it. The girl got overanxious and spilt that it had been going on for months. Mum kicked him out, but our home was tainted. They’d had sex in our home, God knows where, so Mum sold up, got divorced, and we moved.” I look across the room at the object mocking me, and his eyes narrow in on what I’m looking at.
“Is that …?”
I cover his mouth with my hand. “Don’t. I know what you are going to say and don’t. Don’t ask.”
He nods and just holds me. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”
I wipe the rest of the tears and smile at him. “Bet you wish you didn’t come over now.”
He smiles warmly at me. “It’s just another piece that I know about you.” He looks at me intently, and his thumb strokes over my knuckles.
