Echoes of Emotion (Sebastian Sallow x OC)

Chapter 31 - Blaine's Plan

It had been a week since we had told Blaine about the secret of the keepers and ancient magic, and each day seemed to drag worse than the last.
I kept waiting for something to happen, for Isidora to beat us to it and turn up at the school, taking all the pain she could.
I could see it so clearly in my head, the terror she inflicted.
And what made it worse was that I knew it was a reality, that somewhere in the world she was taking the pain of villagers right now, and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop it.

I sat by the fountain in the courtyard as I let my mind wander, fiddling with my necklace to try and remind myself of what had happened so far.
We were on the right track to end this, I just needed to trust my friends.
I needed to trust that we would get through this together.

The thought caused images of the other night flashed through my mind, causing a blush to creep up my face.
After Sebastian and I had talked, we had practically become inseparable, spending each moment together between and after classes.
He would wait for me in the common room to get breakfast, and we always said goodnight before heading to our rooms.
It had been so nice... even peaceful.
It felt like I was finally getting to experience a normal school day with my friend...

Friend.
No, that didn't seem right.
With each day we spent together, my heart seemed to race faster and faster, as though one day it would just shoot right out of my chest.
The way he seemed so relaxed recently, how he actually seemed to be enjoying himself, it was something I desperately missed.
The way he lit up when he got that mischievous glint in his eye, and how his voice would change as he put on a teasing tone, I could watch and listen for hours.
That felt like more than just friendship to me, and I think it was time I accepted that.
But with the way I would catch him looking at me, the way he acted with me compared to others, I sometimes got the feeling that he felt the same way.
Was that really possible?
Or were Poppy and Natty finally getting to me?

"Hi."
Speak of the devil.
My eyes shot towards the person standing before me, my face turning red as I recalled my thoughts.
Sebastian stood there with a grin, taking in my reaction.
"Hi." I rushed back, causing him to let out a laugh of amusement as he sat down next to me.
"Everything okay?" he asked, to which I nodded eagerly, trying to hide my face.
I needed to think of a new subject before he pressed.

"How come you took so long to get here?" I wondered, still refusing to show my face.
I heard him click his tongue in annoyance, which meant that my distraction had thankfully worked.
"Peeves, as usual. Decided to corner me in the corridor." He grumbled, narrowing his eyes as he recalled the incident.
I let out a small laugh at the explanation, my embarrassment subsiding as I fully faced him, my interest piqued.
"Why?"
"He thought it would be funny to try and come up with a sketch, dramatically recreating things he's seen around the castle." he rolled his eyes, looking off into the distance.
"Oh? Like what?" I shuffled closer, amused by the odd actions of the poltergeist.

Sebastian sighed heavily as he thought about it, before he turned to me, exploding in irritation.
Peeves really had a way of getting to him.
"Apparently he's been stalking us recently. Got a kick out of it I suppose, thought he could get under my skin by acting it out like we're Romeo and Juliet."
Normally, I'd find this funny, given how Peeves' plan had clearly worked, seeing how Sebastian was waving his arms around and pouting about it.
But for some reason, all my feelings came rushing to the surface again, my blush returning as my heart began to pound.

Sebastian took a second to calm himself again, before looking at me, seeming surprised by my reaction.
As we stared at each other, a blush seemed to creep onto his cheeks too, as though he realised what he had said.
And yet, he didn't deny it.
It didn't even seem like he wanted to.
It was reactions like that which gave me hope.
As I looked into his eyes, I wondered whether or not I should tell him.
I knew it was terrible timing, that this could mess up so many things.
But right now, as my eyes darted between his eyes and his lips, I didn't care.
I wanted him to know.
I wanted him.