Chapter 20

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*TW: BLOOD AND GORE*

FLASHBACK

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Sebastian stared at me, his gaze inconsolable and utterly helpless.


"These Keepers," he stressed, ruffling his rutty fingers through his hair, "are playing games with you. Y/N, you need to press them for more information."


Sebastian's eyes were desperate, his usual smolder diminished in the twilight that cast dancing shadows across the dirt which we stood. His usual charisma dimmed by the weight of our predicament. His muscles tensed beneath his tunic, betraying the urgency of his plea.

 

He truly was desperate.


"It doesn't work like that!" I reasoned. "To access each of these memories, I have to complete a trial." I stepped towards him, willing my dearest friend to understand.


"And?"


"It's not as easy as you think!" I yelled, my gaze flickering to the deafening wind swallowing our conversation. The trees swayed dauntingly, threatening to collapse at any moment. "It was never easy."


Sebastian snorted. "Either they don't trust you," his eyes fell to his wand, the Slytherin's voice cracking in denial, "or you don't care enough about Anne to ask the difficult questions!"


"I do care about Anne!" I spat, drawing away from him. I dared meet his gaze, fury coating the pain that bathed our faces with each passing second.


"Prove it, then!" He yelled.


My jaw clenched. Who do you think you are?


Tears threatened to spill, I swore, but I wasn't about to lose my cool over some shitty fight. "I have nothing to prove! I've been nothing but good to you. And I do care about Anne! I'm tired of explaining myself." The last words came out as a hoarse whisper.


I back away from Sebastian, my chest racking with ragged breaths.


"Maybe you don't care enough to ask the difficult questions. It's always about Anne! Anne, Anne, cure, Anne, cure, Anne. But did you ever ask about me?"


"I care plenty enough!" Sebastian roared. "I've always thought about you. Maybe you were too selfish to realize that."


"Selfish?" I sobbed. "Selfish?"


This time, the tears fell. They ran, and ran, drowning me in my own lake of broken hearts and betrayal. Perhaps if I kept swimming, suppose I kept fighting, maybe I could escape it. Maybe I could escape the pressure, the lies, the frustration, the exhaustion—would it even matter if they knew? 


If I just up and left... would they care? 


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