{𝟑} 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 | 𝙻𝚞𝚔𝚎 𝙲.

02.

Ψ 𝐈'𝐦 𝐋𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 Ψ

𝐀𝐬 𝐈 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬, I ripped open the horribly wrapped up Damien's gift. I saw inside a carving made of wood as I pulled it out and saw a small panda and I smiled looking at it.

"Now be careful, it took me days to perfect the height and those little eyes annoyed me!" He grumbled out squeezing his hands into tight fists as my mom, Sebastian, Thomas and I all laughed at him.

"Well thank you. It's so cute..." He smiled and I hugged him as he whispered in my ear "thank you for being my best friend."

I smiled and nodded as I hugged him tighter, hearing "alright, alright! I have a flight to catch, and I have three gifts for the birthday girl!" Thomas spoke and I sighed pulling away from Damien.

Sitting back down as he handed me two gifts and I opened the first one, seeing a new phone, I widened my eyes looking up at him as he smirked, "I know you have complained to your mum for some time."

Looking at the phone I told him "Thanks..." he nodded and handed me the next one "here you are."

Sebastian took the new phone, and I lifted the lid off the bigger box and looked inside, seeing a stuffed and soft panda toy wrapped in a blanket like a baby. I was confused and looked up at him with my confused expression as he smiled "now open the letter."

Sebastian handed over the envelope and I took it and sliced the top open and took out a folded paper that had a photograph of a panda along with a certificate that stated.

This certificate acknowledges that a symbolic adoption of GIANT PANDA has been made with a generous contribution to the World Wildlife Fund to protect species and their habitats.

I looked at Thomas as he smiled and sipped on his drink "your mum told me how much you liked those animals. It's only $60. Happy birthday."

Looking at the paper I smiled seeing the photo of the panda and simply said "thanks...it means a lot."

He nodded, putting his arm around my mom's chair as I put the things back in the box. Sebastian quickly pulled out his bag and announced, "saved the best for last."

Damien rolled his eyes as I grabbed the bag and opened it seeing a box inside of it and I pulled the small box out and he told me "Just something me and my dad whooped up."

Curiously I opened the box and saw a ring with a pearl perfectly set right in the middle, a real pearl. Not the ones you can buy at a craft store but the ones that are with much value.

"Sebastian...it's...beautiful." I managed out as he smiled and took it out of the box and smirked.

"Found it when my dad and I went to the beach." He explained and I smiled.

He grabbed my right hand and slipped it on my finger, and I looked at it and...it was beautiful but it...it didn't feel right. It felt weird, while the ring fit great.

That was it, the fitting was fine, but it didn't...fit right.

If you know what I mean?

"I love it. Thank you." He nodded and kissed my forehead as I sighed and suddenly Damien had gotten a call on his phone, and he excused himself as my mom said, "how about some cake?"

My mom and Thomas got up as Sebastian smirked and leaned closer to me and asked me "are you okay?"

I just nodded and told him "Of course. Y-yeah. Totally fine."

But at that moment Damien ran over to us and leaned towards us "something happened. Newcomers getting to camp. I have to prepare for Grover to drop them off. Apparently 2 new fresh Demi-Gods. I'll know more when I get back. I'll see you for your real birthday party."

I smiled and hugged Damien as he turned to Sebastian and patted his shoulder.

"Ms. Reyes I'm so sorry I have to go back home now. Can I get food to go?"

My mom nodded and began setting up a plate for him as Sebastian got a text and groaned "my dad's finished early and is coming to pick me up. I guess I've got to get ready."

With that my mom began making up plates for both Damien and Sebastian, more like tubs for Damien and a plate or three for Sebastian. Damien left in a hurry while I walked Sebastian out the door and stood by his side.

"Thanks for coming..." I told him and he stared at me and cupped one side of my face.

Feeling his warm hand on the left cheek I stared at him as he pulled me closer, and I shut my eyes as I paused "Sebastian..."

He stopped for a second and looked at me as I sighed and shook my head "nothing."

That's when he leaned in closer and kissed me. I held his jacket as he smiled pulling me closer. He pulled away and held my hand and kissed my knuckles saying "my mom helped me find this. She said that no girl could look more beautiful than her. But she knows you're special to me."

I smiled and he smiled back and kissed me again and whispered "te quiero...para siempre."

Looking into his eyes as he looked back into mine. Just at that moment admitting to me that-

"You love me?" I spoke and he sighed and told me "Maybe just a bit. But...I want to say it when we're both ready."

My heart dropped at that. My feelings were everywhere. And I hated myself at that moment, for lying to a guy who is so sweet to me.

Instead, I'm still falling for a guy...who appears in my dreams and is off somewhere.

I hate myself for hurting everyone.

And especially with the Percy situation that practically only myself, Clarisse, Sebastian, and Damien know. I haven't really explained it to my mom because I don't want another reason for her to feel like crap about herself.

It's a lot still and I just want to try and fix my relationship with Percy and find out what the hell happened. Watching Sebastian's dad stop in front of the house I looked at Sebastian as he kissed my hand and walked down the steps and waved me goodbye as he and his dad left.

I took some deep breaths in trying to keep my composure.

I was hurting the heart of someone else...the heart that didn't belong to me.

My heart belonged to someone else, someone that I knew for a short time but made me feel something I had never felt before.

Luke made me feel so much in such a short amount of time than Sebastian has made me feel these last few months.

And it's awful to admit that, but I have to...which means I need to tell him the truth before it's too late.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Hayley has never felt this way before and she's feeling so guilty that were gonna see her break in the next chapter.

She hates lying to people and especially to someone she can trust with her life and someone she thought maybe was a good influence. And while Sebastian may be a good influence and right there and not on the run.

Luke impacted her more in a short time than Sebastian had done in a few months...