Locked Eyes

9. Genevive

I had a small hiccup during thanksgiving and my grandparents noticed making me stay home with them and attend meetings at the hospital, my favorite thing in the world hence the sarcasm. After shoving food into myself for a whole week my grandparents finally lifted their gazes and I returned back to school, like a fucking zombie. I knew Imogen was watching me from the corner of her eye but I was honestly too tired to tell her to stop.

My little step back had the worse time ever because it's exam season, again. The highlight of my life. I was currently balancing my third cup of coffee of the day and two huge textbooks when I bumped into someone and my things went flying out of my arms.

"Fuck," a familiar voice says, "I'm so sorry," Sebastian says as we both bend down.

"It's fine," I shake a hand, "it's just the universe telling me today isn't going well," I force a smile as I shove a loose-leaf into the textbook.

"Are you okay?" He asks as we stand, he hands me the other textbook as I grab the now empty coffee, I toss it into the trash bin near us.

"Yeah," I let out a laugh running my free hand by my hair, soon my laugh is choked back and I find myself tearing up "no, I just,"

"Okay Woah," Sebastian says immediately and grasps my elbow pulling me to the side away from people coming up and down the stairs. "Take a fucking breathe Cindy." He tells me.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply "I'm sorry, I'm not usually this emotional," I open my eyes.

"No worries, it's exam season. I've seen Maverick shed a tear already," he tells me and I smile wiping my cheeks.

"Uh yeah," I nod hoisting the textbooks higher up my arms. "Sorry for bumping into you."

"Stop fucking saying sorry, I think I bumped into you," he tells me. I nod again and sigh. "Are you sure your okay?" He asks glazing over me.

"Yeah, just exhausted," I nod adjusting my school purse. Sebastian nods slowly and stares at me, for the first time I find myself shifting on my feet. I know he can easily read into me and I'm scared he'll know.

"I'm grabbing coffee with Penny, you can always come with," He says suddenly. I find myself smiling.

"You inviting me to get coffee, Hale?" I ask crossing my arms. He rolls his eyes.

"With my sister," he reminds me.

"Oh, so I'm a third wheel now?" Penny exclaims, I turn back to look up the stairs just as she steps out.

"More like I'm the third wheel on a sibling coffee day," I tell her with a small smile as she walks down to us.

"Are you okay?" She suddenly gasps. I wave a hand and assure her it's just school. "Are you sure my brother didn't make you cry?" She jokes.

"Fucking A Penny," Sebastian grumbles, Penny smiles. "Are we going or not?" He asks tipping his head back.

I shove my textbooks into my bag as we cross the campus "Seb handles crying women like a bro if I'm being honest," Penny tells me once we were seated inside the local on-campus coffee shop.

I chuckle, "I bet he'd tell you to fuck off right now," and she nods.

"I'm serious, I've cried a shit ton in front of him and Rhett so," she shrugs easily. "But are you okay? You look pale and your eyes," she squints a bit.

I rub my cheekbone, "I'm fine. Just exams don't get easier," I sigh.

"You should remember to eat," she chastises me, I roll my eyes.