The Truce

Chapter 17

If someone had told me, even a month ago, that I'd be voluntarily spending a Sunday afternoon with Sebastian, I'd have laughed in their face. But here I was, sitting beside him on my couch, his arm around my shoulders as we watched a movie and shared a bowl of popcorn. And I was actually admitting to dating him.

Life was weird.

"I can't believe you didn't warn me," Natalie said from where she sat with Wes on the love seat, adjacent to the couch. The Neverending Story was drawing to a close, but Natalie, the biggest horse lover ever, was traumatized by Artax's death. Not that I could really blame her, but it's not like I decided to kill him off myself.

"I didn't even remember about that part. The last time I watched it, I was like seven."

Natalie scowled at me until Wes said something quietly in her ear. She gave him a dopey smile and I decided I really liked him. He was sweet and it had been a long time since any guy made her so happy.

Sebastian leaned down to my ear. "You know, the last time we watched this, you called me Bastian."

I pulled back to look at his face and fought a smile. "Would you like me to do that again?"

"Yes, please." It was so cute how dorky he was about fantasy stuff. I was obsessed too, but I let the fantasy world stay there. Still, it was nice to have someone to share it all with again. Natalie tried sometimes, but she really wasn't into it. Though, traumatizing horse scene aside, she seemed to be enjoying this movie pretty well. Even though the costumes were weird and the graphics, cheesy - her words. But Sebastian had even agreed to give the first Immortal Six book a try. He stressed that he only planned to attempt to read it since, according to him, it was a chick book, but at least he agreed to start. Once he did, I planned to badger him if he tried to give it up prematurely.

We weren't quite to the end of the movie when someone rang the doorbell. Slipping out from under Sebastian's arm, I went over to the door and stupidly pulled it open.

As soon as I saw Scott standing there, holding a bouquet of purple flowers, my mood plummeted. I tried to slam the door in his face, but he stuck his foot in the way.

"Just talk to me," he tried. "You won't answer my calls or texts."

"I have nothing to say to you." I shoved the door harder but it didn't budge. "Go away."

"Please, Michaela."

"You heard her." Sebastian was suddenly beside me. He put his hand on the door and I let him pull it open to stare Scott down more effectively.

Scott looked at Sebastian, his penitent expression morphing to anger. I fought a satisfied smile.

He turned to me again. "Nothing was going on, huh?"

I wanted to slap him. At the very least, I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.

"Sebastian, give us a minute," I said, glaring at Scott.

He hesitated, clearly not liking the request, but after a second, he stepped back and I went outside, pulling the door shut behind me. I crossed my arms and continued to watch him angrily. I wasn't quite sure where to start, but I was toying with the idea of following through with that slap.

"What do you want, Scott?"

Seeming to remember himself, he held out the flowers. "I wanted to apologize," he said. "I know it's not enough, but I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. It was an accident. I think I drank too much and she was there and I... I wasn't myself." He shook his head. "She was really pushy. You know how she gets."

Excuses like always. I made no move to take the flowers and he let his hand drop to his side.

"So it's Kennedy's fault that you cheated? It's the beer's fault that you lied to me about what you were doing in the first place?"