evermore || sebastian sallow

chapter 8 - champagne problems

chapter 8 - champagne problems

The doors behind us closed, muffling the sound of the lovely music and the chatter of the crowd.

"Right this way," I told Sebastian, leading him through a darkened hallway that was only lit with some candles burning in candelabras and moonlight streaming through the huge windows lining the wall.

"Y/n! Y/n, wait," said Sebastian, touching my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. I didn't realize how fast I was walking.

"Sebastian, please can we talk somewhere far from here? I need a break, I'm exhausted from being there. I want to be far away from it." I gestured at the ballroom doors we just went through.

He nodded, swallowing. "Fine. Come on." He put his hand on my lower back, gesturing for me to lead the way again.

There was only silence the whole time we walked down the hallway. My heels clicking on the tiled floors were the only ones filling the silent space.

I hastily opened the door when we reached the end of the hall. Unlike the hallway, the room was dark, only bathed in moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides. One could hear everything in the silence between us, the high ceiling seeming to echo even just my breathing.

I needed fresh air so I opened another set of doors to the right, which led straight to our courtyard. The doors squeaked open, letting in a whiff of freshly cut grass and roses.

I heard thunder rumbling in the distance, and I noticed a few clouds gathering in the night sky. There was a storm coming soon.

I took one last breath of the fresh air before turning around, meeting Sebastian's gaze. But I couldn't tell what he was thinking, so I stepped a few paces closer to him.

I tried to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, but I ached for his comforting touch after all I've just dealt with at the party. Before I could stop myself, I ran and jumped, throwing my arms around his shoulders. I had to stand on my toes just to do it.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his face on my hair. But I felt him hesitate, which I tried to ignore.

I unwrapped my arms around his shoulders, looking at him excitedly. "Oh I've got so much to tell you! So much has happened, and you will not believe the kind of things they've been making me do!" I paced across the floor in front of him, my movements animated. "I wanted to tell you everything in the letters but it was never the right time so I'm glad you're here actually, so I could tell you everything, but where do I start—," I stopped, realizing I was speaking too fast and rambling too much.

Although Professor Fig told me to keep my ancient magic a secret last year, and any information we found about it, I always told Sebastian everything. He was the first one I always told.

Even with Poppy and Natty, I was hesitant at first. But Sebastian? I never thought twice about it, especially when he covered for me in the library. That was when I knew I could trust him.

"Y/n..." he called, halting me from my pacing.

"Yes?"

"What was that about?"

That wasn't what I expected him to start with at all. My face fell, feeling the mood shift.

I frowned, confused. "What was what?"