Sebastian turned his head away from her, his heart clenching. “I…” He swallowed. “I get beaten up. A lot. The neighbourhood gangs don’t like me. At all. But that time… I was walking past my dad’s house. My dad.. also dislikes me.” He clamped his mouth shut.
“Oh… Oh, Sebastian, I’m sorry,” Devon all by whispered, her eyes widened slightly. “Is, um… Is there anything I can do? At all?”
Sebastian stood, averting his eyes. “It was a lot of people at the same time. Not just him. I’m not weak, I can hold my own.” He clapped his hands together. “Right. Where’s your washroom?”
Devon sighed. “Down the hall, first door on the left.”
See? I knew it wouldn’t end well…
“Thanks, Devon.” His smile, though small, was genuine as he disappeared down the hallway.
“Sure. No problem,” Devon said, returning the smile. She sighed and took a sip of her water again.
Enclosed in the safety of the washroom, Sebastian stared at his reflection in the mirror. Memories hit him like sledgehammers, one after another, relentless.
Devon stared down at her glass and ran her thumb around the rim. She shouldn’t have asked him the question, and she knew it.
Simon closed his eyes against the mental barrage, his shoulders trembling ever so slightly. You’re fine, he told himself. And you’re weak. Stop whining and get out to apologize to her.
(Simon? Lol. Wrong RP.
Sorry, I was playing games w/my sister and grandparents. Apples to Apples was hilarious, Uno was funny, too, and then I gave up on Risk… I only had four countries, so I let my grandpa take over. Now I’m watching Riverdale.)
Devon pulled her phone out and started looking at old pictures and videos of Layla. The memories always made her smile, and she chuckled at something her daughter was doing in a clip.
(Damn
Happy New Year!!)
Sebastian inhaled deeply, fixing his eyes upon his reflection in the mirror. He forced a convincing smile of his face, pushed open the bathroom door, and returned to Devon.
(Happy New Year! I hope it goes well for you.)
Devon was still flipping through pictures on her phone, laughing softly to herself at times. She glanced up when Sebastian walked in, and her smile softened a bit.
“Hey… I’m sorry about asking that. I shouldn’t have asked such a personal question,” she said quietly.
(You too!!)
Sebastian shook his head, the smile still plastered to his face. “It’s fine, I don’t mind. I was just.. unprepared I guess. Don’t worry about it.”
(:3 Thanks.)
Devon shook her head a bit. “No, I shouldn’t have asked, and I’m sorry… But anyway, would you like to see some cute pictures and videos of Layla?”
“Don’t be sorry.” He moved to set down next to her, closer than he had been previously. “And yes, definitely.”
Devon smiled over at him and unlocked her phone again. She pulled up a video of Layla playing with her toys, making them dance and babbling as if she was talking for them.
“Awe…” Sebastian let loose a small chuckle. “Cute.”
“Yeah… She’s pretty funny sometimes,” Devon said, smiling softly at the screen, which was playing a new video. “One time, she argued with me for an hour about what clothes to put on her doll. Who knew two-year-olds could argue!”
The chuckle turned into a snort. “And you argued with her? Tsk tsk, I thought you were smarter than to argue with someone that stubborn.” It was evidently an attempt at teasing, said lightly and humorously with no intention to offend.
Devon grinned and laughed lightly. “Right, of course. I should have known better. She is my daughter, after all.”
Sebastian let out a relieved laugh, glad she hadn’t taken his comment the wrong way. He shook his head jokingly, feigning condescension. “Oh, Devon.”
“I know, I know… It was a lapse of judgement!” Devon exclaimed, laughter in her voice and sparkling in her eyes.
“Alright, alright.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “I apologize.”
Devon grinned and laughed lightly. “Good. I accept your surrender,” she joked.
He let loose a theatrical sigh of defeat. Grinning, he then picked up the discarded doll at his feet. “She really does like this thing…”