The Cursed Proposal

Chapter 6: The Cold Air of Regret

Kaya definitely dug her own grave. Her anger got the better of her, and she dumped a bucket full of ice-cold water on an innocent man.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. You brought me flowers. I'm ashamed of myself," Kaya said trying to fix the situation, but to be honest she only made it worse. The man in question, still smiling, tried to brush the water off from his suit.

"Apology accepted. You're right on the mark, I'm here in Alex's place asking you for your-ah... achoo," Sebastian's words were cut off by his body shivering and the cold water dripping from him.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry. Please come in," Kaya said, opening her front door wide for Sebastian. Although he seemed hesitant, he stepped inside.

"Wait a minute," Kaya said to Sebastian and then ran upstairs. Kaya's house was a small two-story building. The stairs to the second floor, located in the middle, separated the kitchen from the living room, laundry room, and guest bathroom behind the stairs. On the second floor, there was one master bedroom, two additional bedrooms, and one bathroom.

Kaya grabbed what she needed and returned downstairs to find Sebastian still standing in the same spot, holding the bouquet and looking around as if searching for something.

"Here, a towel and a change of clothes. Please follow me; you need to get out of that suit before you catch a cold," Kaya said, guiding Sebastian to the guest bathroom. He didn't move. Kaya turned around, puzzled. "Is something wrong?"

"Are you okay?" Sebastian asked. Seriousness was clearly written on his face, which Kaya found odd. "I called you a couple of times, but you didn't answer. I had to ask people for your address to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry," Sebastian continued. Kaya realized she might have missed his calls while busy stopping her mother from calling.

"Please forgive me. I was so preoccupied with stopping my mother from calling that I may have missed your calls too. Please have mercy on me," Kaya pleaded. Seeing a sign of relief on Sebastian's face only confused her further.

"That's okay, achoo," Sebastian replied. Kaya felt even more guilty and hurriedly pulled him into the guest bathroom before he got colder. "Uhm, here are the flowers. Sorry, they got ruined," Sebastian added as they reached the guest bathroom.

At that moment, Kaya thought Sebastian was endearing. She took the bouquet and told him to take a shower and leave the suit outside for washing. Sebastian tried to protest, but Kaya didn't give him a chance.

With Sebastian in the shower and his suit in the washing machine, Kaya returned to the kitchen where she had left her laptop. She cleaned up and started preparing dinner. Unsure of Sebastian's preferences but mindful of her tight budget, she reheated the casseroles she had made for lunch and started a pot of chicken soup to warm him up. While chopping vegetables and boiling chicken, she heard footsteps approaching.

"Finished? Still feeling cold?" Kaya asked, not turning around. A long pause sent a chill through her. When she turned, Sebastian looked like a lost child in her oversized pajama pants and a t-shirt that read "I Want Ice Cream Right Now!"

"I should go," Sebastian said. Kaya could see he was very uncomfortable, but the rain had started pouring heavily. Both were momentarily startled by a loud clap of thunder. The silence that followed was only interrupted by the heavy rain hitting the roof.

"So, dinner?" Kaya suggested, breaking the silence after hearing Sebastian's stomach growl. Although Sebastian still seemed unsure, he nodded and sat at one of the chairs at the small breakfast table. The room fell silent as both of them were lost in their thoughts.

After Kaya finished cooking, she asked Sebastian to help set the table. He stood up to assist but stopped midway. Kaya, puzzled, directed him, "Here are the plates and utensils. Please put them on the table. Also, place the coaster in the middle."

Sebastian complied. Kaya brought the pot of soup to the table. After setting everything up, they sat down, and Kaya filled Sebastian's plate with casseroles and gave him a bowl of soup. She watched him eat with gusto and felt relieved to see he enjoyed the food.

A few minutes later, Kaya initiated a conversation. "So, why are you here, Mr. Blackwood?" Kaya asked, glancing at him. Sebastian took a sip of water and began explaining his visit.

"Alex came to my office this afternoon, asking for my help to convince you to return to work with him," Sebastian said, continuing to eat. Kaya appreciated how Sebastian kept asking for more of her casseroles and soup, though he looked like he hadn't eaten properly in a while. She noticed he seemed to have lost some weight but couldn't be sure as she had only met him once before.

"I will never go back there," Kaya said firmly, her voice dripping with contempt.

"May I ask why? Although Alex is annoying and mischievous, he couldn't be that bad," Sebastian inquired. Kaya debated whether to tell the truth but decided to share her experience of the toxic work environment.

She watched Sebastian's reactions as she spoke, making sure she wasn't overstepping. He listened attentively, offering comments and warnings to temper her anger. Kaya felt satisfied after sharing her story.

Unbeknownst to them, the rain had stopped while they continued talking and laughing. Kaya excused herself to use the bathroom, and when she returned, she found Sebastian asleep on her couch. It was too late for him to drive home, and considering his long day, he must have been exhausted. Kaya rearranged the couch to function as a bed, though Sebastian's legs were still longer than the couch. She covered him with a blanket and gave him a pillow. She left a lamp on in the hallway if he needed to use the bathroom during the night.

In the morning, Kaya woke up early, brushed her teeth, and went to the laundry room to check on Sebastian's suit, which she had hung up to dry. She peeked at Sebastian, who was still sleeping soundly, and started making breakfast burritos. Since she had errands to run, she needed a portable breakfast.

She heard a noise and turned to find Sebastian falling off the couch. She stifled a laugh as he stood up, clutching the blanket tightly with messy hair.

"Morning, Mr. Blackwood. Coffee or tea?" Kaya asked with a smile. Sebastian looked at her for a moment, making Kaya blush a little, thinking something might be wrong with her appearance.

"Tea, tea is good. What time is it?" Sebastian replied. Kaya noted that he still seemed half-asleep.

"It's seven-thirty," Kaya said, returning to her cooking. She heard Sebastian curse softly and rush to the bathroom. Kaya quickly finished cooking and packing things so Sebastian could take his breakfast with him. "Your suit is dry and ironed. It's hanging on the door. Just leave the dirty clothes outside," Kaya called out to make sure Sebastian heard.

"Thank you," Sebastian yelled back. After a few more minutes, he returned to the kitchen, ready for work.

"Are the clothes okay? I made sure to follow the washing instructions," Kaya said, handing him a lunch bag and a travel mug. Sebastian looked confused but accepted them.

"The clothes are fine. Thank you for last night and this morning. I'm sorry, but I'm running late. How about we meet for lunch today? We didn't finish our conversation last night," Sebastian said. Despite her decision not to return to work with Alex, Kaya didn't mind having lunch with Sebastian.

"Alright, we can have lunch. I mean, a girl's gotta eat, right?" Kaya said, earning a smile from Sebastian. He waved from his car and drove off. Kaya closed her front door and leaned against it, smiling brightly. She got a date with amazing blue eyes.

To be continued