Locked Eyes

17. Sebastain

"Sebastian?" Chris asks me, I blink and look away from my glass of water. "What's up with you mate?" He chuckles.

I shake my head and blink "someone just walked over my fucking grave," I confess.

"What happened?" Penny asks me as the others join us at the pool table.

"Nothing, I'm fine," I assure her, she furrows her brows at me but moved past and sat at the booth by us. I nod at Chris to take his turn as I step back a bit and grab my phone. It's almost midnight here, so that means it is almost seven pm back home. I have the sudden urge to call the boys and check in which is completely uncharacteristic of me, so I shake my head, pocket my phone and turn back to the pool table.

"So I assume sobriety is still going strong?" Chris asks me rounding the table for his drink.

"Yeah, so your seduction of alcohol isn't going to work."

Chris mocks a gasp and puts a hand to his chest, "seduction? whatever do you mean?" He winks over the rim of his beer and I shake my head. "do you ever miss it?" he asks seriously.

I play with my stick "Sometimes," I confess, "you get sudden urges but I hated the person I was, and I would probably be dead if I didn't stop."

"I think it's cool that you are still able to come to pubs," He tells me.

"Rhett said if I just think that the glass of water in my hand is like a beer, just smoother."

Chris laughs "typical of him. I miss that dude."

"His business hardly ever brings him out of the states, but I know he misses it too," I say aligning my stick.

"You still give him tough cookies?" He asks and I raise an eyebrow. "I got a kid now," He waves me off.

I shake my head and nod for him to go again "No, we have a mutual understanding of respect, we keep each other sober. We're family," I sigh sipping on my water.

"I remember when you guys first got back and you hated his guts, telling us he's a wanker and shit," He laughs and I shake my head.

"I will always have a tiny bit of hate, he knew of us and what dad was hiding," I sigh.

"So what if he knew? Your dad paid off his mom, made both of them keep quiet, and forced him not to say anything to you two," Chris begins glancing at Penny. "We all know your dad is a jerk, which is an understatement but Rhett was the one to come to you guys himself and break every rule your dad enforced, he wanted to meet you."

I sigh and narrow my eyes at him, "So what? you suddenly have a kid and you know everything?" I ask and he laughs.

Despite all the crappy things dad has ever done, and not just hiding Rhett and his mom from us, the fighting, the alcohol, the manipulation all of it. I still find myself loving him, he's a terrible dad but yet I can't ever see myself cutting the one lonely string that keeps us attached. He's a prick and an asshole but Penny and I would never have the lives we have right now without him.

I clear my throat, "so have you found a job yet?" I ask Chris. He just recently graduated and with a kid I know he's dying to find work and find one quickly.

He sighs and downs the rest of his drink, "It's still coming together, I've had a few interviews but nothing too fancy. I'll be fine for a bit," He assures me. I know he's telling me he'll be fine because I offered to give him some money just in the meantime, but he declined as I expected. I nod at him, "so you coming over to meet the rugrat?" He jokes with a small smile.

He and his girlfriend, who is at home with their son, had a baby back in December and I have yet to meet him. "Sure, but I know completely nothing about babies," I tell him and he shrugs but still holds his smile. He definitely takes pride in his son and I am happy for him.