Different Worlds

EIGHT - SECRETS

Sophie's POV

We were indeed lucky. When we got back to my apartment Madame Reeves was nowhere to be seen.

"Did you by any chance know where Benington is?" Sebastian asked me as we sat down on my couch, both of us holding a cup of tea.

"Actually I do. It's north of London, maybe a half a day walk."

"Nice, more walking," he said grumpily.

"You don't look like someone who despises walking. You actually look quite fit." I sipped my tea and glanced at him, hiding my face in the cup, just in case.

"Was that a compliment, Stark?" He gave me his significant smirk as he asked me almost the same question I asked him just a few hours before.

"Maybe." I gave him the same answer but with much less confidence. "How do you usually travel then? I thought you spent a lot of time traveling because of your work. At least that's what Alexander told me."

He looked away, trying to think how to answer me, opening and closing his mouth. But nothing came out of him.

"What?" I laughed. "Is it really that secret?"

"Actually, yes."

"Why? What can be so secret about the way of transportation," I shook my head in disbelief.

"Trust me a lot of things."

"How can I trust you, Sebastian, when you are lying to me all the time! I know you do, don't try to deny it," I retorted angrily.

"Soph, If I could tell you I would. There are...rules I have to follow," he said carefully. "A lot of things in my life, most of them actually, you can't know about."

I was watching him closely. He wasn't lying, at least not now. He really wanted to tell me but he couldn't, for whatever reasons. "Does Alex know?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

He just nodded. So Alex was lying to me too. I knew him for most of my life, he was my brother. So it had to be for my own good. Alex always did everything to protect me as I always did to protect him. And even though he was lying to me, I still trusted him like no one else. So I had to trust Sebastian too.

"What would happen if I knew?"

I saw a hint of pain in his eyes. "You would never see me or Alex ever again," he said almost inaudibly.

"Fine then, I trust you. Keep your secrets if it is really necessary. Madame Reeves usually wakes up at nine. She isn't exactly an early bird," I changed the subject. "We should leave around eight. If we won't take breaks we should arrive at Bennington around seven at night." I finished my tea and went to the kitchen to clean the cup.

"Okay, let's leave at eight then. We will see tomorrow how it'll go."

"Agreed. I am going to sleep." I turned around and headed towards the bedroom.

"Soph?" I heard him calling me quietly. I stopped before I closed the door and looked at him. He was still sitting on the couch, holding the cup in both of his hands like it was his lifeline. "Thank you for trusting me. I wish I could tell you everything."

"I know, Sebastian. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, squirrel." I heard him whisper before I closed the door.

When I was lying in the bed later that night I couldn't help but think about the brown-eyed man, who was currently in the room next to me, and what he told me. Why would I not be able to see him or Alex ever again if I knew his secrets? Alex would never leave me. Not willingly. We promised we would always take care of each other. I just needed to make sure that he was okay. If it involved keeping secrets from each other I didn't mind.