Reaching out to people sometimes doesn't work out the way others intend it to. Inez faced the brute force of those consequences when beginning to tackle the wall that was Sebastian.
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Plagued by loneliness since childhood, seventeen-year-old Inez...
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You Still Love Me, Though
"Hey, Inez," someone called.
I groaned lightly, turning away from them and plugging my ears. After yesterday's events, we got home at around one in the morning. A sick feeling stayed planted in my stomach while my chest held pangs of guilt. All those things combined with Sebastian's face when he discovered me at the fight club prevented me from sleeping for hours. Last night was horrible.
Last . . . night?
My eyes flung open, my upper body flinging itself up from my makeshift bed. Gaze flitting around the room, my brown orbs found Jasmine, who'd fallen on her bottom out of shock. She clutched a hand to her chest, taking in deep breaths. Her own dark brown eyes were wide with surprise. My shoulders slumped in disappointment while memories of last night flooded back to me.
"You scared the shit out of me," she gasped.
"I-I'm sorry," I stuttered, looking down at my hands.
"You're good. It's a little early, but you should start getting ready for school. I'll make breakfast," she told me, dusting herself off after standing up.
I rose from my spot on the floor as well, giving her a nod. She gave me a quick smile before leaving her room. With a sigh, I began getting ready for school. Starting with a shower. Then, changing into my clothes and brushing my teeth. While staring at my reflection in the mirror, I caught sight of the slight bruising on my upper arms.
Another sigh left my lips. Minty toothpaste burned my tongue as I let it sit there, too distracted by the light purple discoloration. It sent me back in time. Straight to last night. The look on Sebastian's face, full of rage . . . and fear?
My eyes widened so much that I could feel my lashes tickle the skin above my eyes. The toothbrush I'd been using fell into the sink, my mind whirling with thoughts.
"He was scared," I muttered to myself. "Why didn't I catch that?"
I winced at the sting of the toothpaste, immediately spitting it out as my mouth watered. After a quick rinse and towel drying my face, my gaze went right back to the mirror. It looked like I didn't get a lot of sleep. Which was very true. It was one of my first times going to bed late.
However, amidst staring in the mirror, I realized how scared and worried Sebastian was when he saw me. Although it had slipped my mind at the time because of how frightening he looked. In the end, if I paid close attention, I could've seen how concerned he was. I had to apologize to him today.
"Inez, breakfast is ready!" Jasmine shouted.
"Coming!" I responded.
After that realization, a giant weight felt like it'd been lifted off of my shoulders. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't just mad at me. Or because I was determined to ask for forgiveness. Either way, I sudden feeling of relief coursed through me. There was less confusion now.
