Keep Calm and Carrie On

Chapter 9 - Payback Time.

After the horrible incidents that happened yesterday, Carrie tried her best to keep a smile plastered onto her face, as if nothing happened.

She planned to talk to Josh about the kiss, that it didn't mean anything to her, and that Sebastian just suddenly kissed her. Slamming her locker door shut, she caught Josh kissing Hollie by the lockers. Hollie Strandford. Anger and jealousy boiled inside of her. She rushed to the entwined lovebirds without thinking again. As she was inches away from them, someone grasped her shoulder to stop her, leaving her even more furious. Hollie broke the kiss and turned towards her with a sneering look on her face. "What are you looking at?" she asked her.

"Your fake tan and your fake lashes." Carrie replied.

"Excuse me?" 

"Cut it out, ladies." Josh said in a chill tone.

"So you found a replacement for me, huh." Carrie asked him, feeling a lump on her throat.

"Just like you. Sorry, Carrie. She's much more fun than you are." 

"If that's the case, then you don't really know Carrie." said Sebastian. He was standing behind her protectively.

"What do you know about her? We were together for a year and a half, jerk." spitted Josh.

Sebastian let out a chuckle. "We've been friends since we were toddlers. Apparently now, we're more than friends." He wrapped his arm around Carrie's tiny waist.

Carrie shivered. "What is he doing?" she thought to herself. Slowly, she relaxed and rested herself against him.

"Carrie? You're with this prick?" Josh scoffed.

"Look who's talking, Josh. And hey. You're jealous of him. I can see it in your eyes. I know that face." Carrie told him.

"Let's go, Carrie, before I decide to break his nose." Sebastian said and walked away, hand still wrapped around Carrie. 

"What the hell was that?" Carrie yelled at him in a hushed tone.

"I saved you from making a scene. You were about to lash out." he said and shoved his hands inside his jean pockets. "You're right, Carrie. He is jealous. We're going to make him feel even more jealous if he sees us together."

"Why are you doing this, Sebastian?" she asked him.

He shifted his gaze from his shoes to Carrie's eyes. "First of all, he is such an a-hole. Second, you don't deserve to be hurt. The only way you can get back to him is to make him feel the hurt, too." 

Carrie sighed. Classes have not even started yet she wanted to call it a day already. 

"From now on, I'll always be with you wherever you go. Be warned that I might kiss you whenever I feel like doing so." he informed her.

"No." Carrie replied in a firm tone.

"Yes." he insisted, a mischievous smile forming in his face.

Carrie groaned. "Ugh! Let's go. We're going to be late."

"Welcome back to Cambridge High School, seniors. I hope you had a great summer vacation. As you all may know, a week after school starts, we will be having a prom, to be held in the Amethyst Hotel. For more information regarding the prom, please approach members of the prom committee. They would be very pleased to answer your questions. Now, you may all proceed to your classes. Thank you, students. Have a great day." said Mr. Thompson, the school principal.

"Babe? I heard that Josh's with Hollie." whispered Natalie.

"I know, I know." Carrie said.

"You've heard about it?" Sadie asked.

"I've seen it, for God's sake!" Carrie yelled out, annoyed.

"Girls, please. She just saw her ex-boyfriend making out with some chick. Why not give her space?" Sebastian asked, suddenly standing beside her.

"Why do you always pop out of nowhere?" Carrie asked him.

"Let's go." he said, and took her hand. 

Carrie rolled her eyes. "I hate this game you're playing, Sebastian. I'm not happy about it."

He stopped and brushed his lips against hers as he saw in the corner of his eye that Josh was glaring at him. He wrapped his arms around the small of her back.

Carrie broke away, eyebrows furrowed together. "Damn it, Sebastian!" she whispered.

Sebastian chuckled. "Puh-lease. I'll make sure you'll enjoy every second of this little game I'm playing in no time. Guaranteed." he said and smirked.