Before the Storm- Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt Love Triangle

Chapter 10: Serpent's Lair

The rest of my classes seemed to drag on, getting longer and longer as the day progressed. Dinner finally progressed and I didn't have much of an appetite. I gazed over to the Slytherin table, trying to find Sebastian, he was nowhere to be found from what I could see. Poppy had talked about herbology class all of dinner. Not because she enjoyed the subject, but because Garreth was assigned a pot next to hers.

"Violet, you should've seen the way he handled his Mandrake today! He was fearless! Beautiful!" Poppy exclaimed, blushing hard. I shook my head and smiled at her. Looking around one final time, I get up from the table.

"Hey, I'm going to go look for Sebastian while it's quiet through the castle. I'll meet you back in our room, okay?" I leaned down to whisper in Poppy's ear. She gave me a thumbs up and whispered 'goodluck'.

I quickly exited the Great Hall and made my way down the Grand Staircase, reaching the dungeon of the castle. The lower I descended the colder it got. I followed the snake inscriptions on the floor, leading me to a wall. This was it. Looking around to make sure no one was lingering around, I casted the Disillusionment spell, disappearing into the shadows of the dungeon. I was prepared to wait however long it took for someone to come through that door and to my luck, a third year was quickly exiting the common room, wiping the sleep off of his eyes. I quickly ran past him, bolting through the entrance of the common room.

The cold air from the dungeons of the castle quickly dissipated as I entered the common room, warmth radiating from a fireplace was welcomed. I had been in the Slytherin common room a few times, but those visits were often rushed. I had forgotten about the elegance and gothic furnishings the common room offered. Leather sofas, dark mahogany wooden tables and the richest color of greens to accent it all. Macabre paintings scattered about the walls. All of it was truly a sight to take in. The smoky aromas of what I assumed was incense backed by the musk from the stone floor flooded my nose. I stood there basking it all in, longer than what I should've when I was quickly interrupted by what sounded like arguing. I see the door swing open to one of the dorm rooms and see Ominis walking out.

"Sebastian, I told you! I cannot deal with this right now! I really need some time to think, okay?" Ominis says with sadness. He storms off the common room and passes me. He stops a second and turns around. He looked confused and then continued off. My heart started racing rapidly inside my chest, I knew Ominis couldn't see me but for some reason I was sure he was aware of my presence. Maybe? I quickly made my way to the dorm room Ominis had just left. I've never been in the dorm rooms before but thankfully for Ominis, he just saved me from a treasure hunt. I entered the dorm room and I immediately saw Sabastian pacing back and forth, grunting under his breath. His hands were bloodlied and his face filled with a mixture of rage and sorrow. Sebastian had stopped pacing, facing a wall and began to punch his hand through, repeatedly. He scared me and I felt like I should leave. No, he needs someone. He needs me.

"I can't fucking handle this anymore!" Sebastian screamed, pulling his hair. Tears were running down his cheeks rapidly. He slouched against the wall and sat down in defeat.

"Sebastian! This needs to stop now!" I reveal myself to Sebastian, walking quickly over to him where he laid in defeat. He looked up at me, surprised, jumping a bit at the sight of my intrusion. He started to shake his head.

"Why am I not surprised that you're here, come to gloat?" He scuffs.

"What does that mean!" I snapped at him. He looks at me and I can see pure emptiness and defeat in his eyes.

"Why are you even here Violet? Are you here to tell me you don't want me again? Why would you even want me? I fuck everything up!," He stares at me with pain. I made him feel this way because I had to be a people pleaser.

"Sebastian- '' He cuts me off, "I destroy everything! I lost Anne, and Ominis because of my dumb actions. I just wanted help," He kept repeating himself, " I just wanted to help," He started to breathe heavily. He looks in a dace most likely reliving every moment what he did last year. I finally stop staring at him and grab his face. He looks startled when he sees me at his eye level because he was sitting on the floor.

"You did NOT lose me," I shake his head, tears filling my eyes, "I want-" I stop myself before all the emotions come out of me.

"I want you. I want you at your worst, and your best. I want you all the time. I have wanted you since I met you. I can't ever be mad at you, because I am absolutely in love with you," I gasped what came out of my mouth. His eyes were wide like mine. We sat in silence staring at each other.

"You what?" He questions me. It looked like he wanted to hear it again to reassure himself that he heard it correctly.

"Don't play dumb," I sniffled, "You had to know that I did. I would've done anything for you. You asked for it and I did it. You weren't the only one who made horrible mistakes. I killed too, and hurt people. I am sorry I made you feel unwanted because you are not. I want you and yes, I love you," I say confidently, wiping the tears off my face. Sebastian looked at lots of words which were unlike him. He grabs my face and cherishes it.

"When we had sex, I felt true happiness again. I haven't been happy for a while and you came around. I found some happiness. Maybe I played it off that I did not like you or something last year but I felt the same. It is so hard for me to discuss emotions like this but I love you so much, Violet," He says to me with a warm smile with tears in eyes. I have never seen Sebastian so vulnerable. So real. He always had his guard up and played it cool. I truly only saw emotion when he spoke about Anne and now he is showing his true emotions about me now. We both looked at each other again because we did not know what to do next. Both of us I assumed got the same idea because we both leaned in at the same time. When our lips met it felt like the whole world went away. All the pain, sadness, and sorrow we had was gone. It was electrifying. I was kneeling by him and grabbed my hips to place me on top of him. We both looked at each other again and I grabbed his face and my thumb was placed on his lips. He smiled at me and we started kissing again. His tight grip around my waist made me feel secure that he was lusting for this moment with me. I go down to the first button of his shirt and start unbuttoning him. He grabs my hand and places it down. He stops kissing me and heavily sighs.

"Not now," He whispers to me. I was taken back with that response because I thought he wanted this. I am still sitting on top of him with my arms around his neck.

"Why?" I asked him.

"I just want to lay down and cuddle. I haven't been able to sleep since I got here. Could you stay with me?" He asks me, looking at me with his big brown eyes almost begging me with them.

"Of course," I softly said, picking a strand of hair off his forehead. He gets up and gives me his hands to help me up. I looked around the room to see another bed on the other side of the room. He sees me looking at the neat side of the room and it looks like no one has even touched the bed.

"Ominis's side. He hasn't come here much and when he does it is only to grab stuff. He refuses to have a conversation with me," He looks down. I felt bad because I do understand Ominis's perspective on everything that happened. He felt used by his oldest and truest friend. Also, it trailed back to me that Ominis and I betrayed Sebastian in the worst way possible but part of me does not feel guilt about what happened this summer with Ominis. It felt right at that moment to do that. I lay on the bed and he climbed on top of me. He just kind of collapses his head where my heart is.

"Your heartbeat sounds so peaceful," He says in a soft tone that you could barely hear him. I started to stroke his hair as his head was faced to the side. A few minutes went by and I looked to see a peacefully sleeping Sebastian. He was holding on to my tight so I couldn't get up. Poppy is going to freak that I did not come back but I can't leave him like this. I lay my head back on the pillow and my eyes start to flutter shut.