Sebastian Sallow Fucking Sucks

Chapter Nine

[Author's Note]

Hiiiiiii! These flashback chapters were a massive nuisance to write. I thought they'd be the fun ones, but whatever.

We're getting HL2!!! I'm so happy lol. I honestly gave up hope. Everything has been getting cancelled so I just don't hold my breath for anything anymore (RIP the Acolyte, DBD, and My Lady Jane because wtf was the month of August). I think the biggest thing I want in a sequel is actual consequences for choices made. Genuinely not sure where they're going to go with the plot, but I hope it's better fleshed. There were so many loose ends and plot holes that could have been explored. I also hope to god the rumors aren't true that it's going to be live service because I hate playing with other people. It makes me too anxious. I SUCK at Quidditch Champions and can't do PVP lol. It's embarrassing lol. I can only play beater and can't locate the quaffle.
Anywho
Hope you enjoy :)

***

I slid into the empty seat besides Violet McDowell. She sat alone, strewn desserts and cups across the table as if everyone was in a rush, and she'd been left behind.

She pursed her lips, giving me a curious glance. We didn't talk much, if ever. I once accidentally tipped her plant over in herbology after she'd punched Sebastian's shoulder a little too playfully. But of course I repotted it and apologized because it was the right thing to do. Or whatever.

"My feet are killing me," I said, leaning my chin into my palm. My elbow dipped right into a dollop of soggy whipping cream. I swallowed a gag, slowly raising my arm up.

Violet shot me a contemptuous huffed. "There's a good charm for uncomfortable shoes. I could teach it to you, but you'd have to trade me something."

I smiled a little too tightly, flicking the cream off. Something told me the Unforgivables were off the table. "How about a jinx that gives you split ends?"

"You'll have to do better than that."

I plucked a strand of her hair, and she nearly hissed at me like a cat. "How about a charm that reveals how many mouths someone's kissed with only a measly strand?"

"How does it do that?"

"Reddens their mouths like rouge lipstick."

"Scandalous." She fished her wand out from her ruffled frock. "Deal."

We exchanged spells before settling back in our seats. This time, her posture seemed looser. She kept her shoulders tilted toward me, as if waiting for me to speak again. It looked like I'd earned her attention.

"Where's your date?" I asked.

"Oh, he's off somewhere." Violet frowned. "You know how Garreth is. The attention of a jackalope and just as finnicky."

And there it was. Her lips tugged down into an almost frown before she smoothed out the dangling beading on her sleeve. She was not happy her date was off with another witch. Technically with two. I wouldn't be either.

"Where's yours?" she asked. "You're with Sallow tonight, aren't you?"

"Oh, he's off somewhere," I mirrored her response, and she gave me some secret smile. Clearly I'd said something right even if I had no idea what it was.

I scanned the room, first spotting Ominis and Poppy on the dancefloor still going strong on their third song, before finally spotting Sebastian's messy hair. He'd started running his hands through it again, and the hair wax was making it stick up wilder than usual. He spoke with Nerida, another one of Garreth's dates left unattended.