Never Again

Chapter 48: Truth

Hi guys, another update! It has been raining cats and dogs here in Belfast today, so after doing a tour about the Troubles I was freezing cold. Got back to the hostel and spend some time writing for you :)

She had survived the flight, although it had gotten awkward when she had found herself sleeping on Seb's shoulder. He hadn't mind, but skin to skin contact was now a forbidden area for her. She had spent the rest of the flight resting her head against the window and making sure she wasn't going to fall asleep again. That was the reason why she was so tired right now, Seb had slept most of the time, so he was his happy and cheerful self.

'Do you want to go for a coffee? You look very tired,' Seb asked when he had picked up his luggage.

'No thanks, I'm fine,' she hastily replied as she didn't want to spend another minute in his presence. Her eyes were already drawn to his body to admire how good he looked after spending twelve hours on a plane and that was only getting worse if she had to sit opposite to him.

Disappointment had returned to his face and a frown was visible between his brows. 'Why not? You live for coffee. I know you, remember?' he said as he tried to read the expression on Keira's face.

'I don't feel very well, I just want to go to my room and lay down for a moment,' she said while dodging his eyes. She quickened her pace to the exit and regretted the amount of stuff she had put in her suitcase. She now had a team suitcase and there had been a lot of spare room she had found a pity to leave empty.

Disappointment had now turned into concern. 'I can go with you and we can watch a film if you want?' his voice was soft like it often was and he put his hand on Keira's arm.

His warm fingers on her skin shot a shiver up her spine, but it also stirred up the anger that had been simmering since last week. 'No, I would like to be on my own please,' she said harsher than she had intended to. He looked hurt and that made her feel even worse, she didn't want him to feel as bad as she was feeling. Especially because he could illuminate the world with his smile and although she didn't want to admit it to herself, she still found herself staring at him when he was smiling.

'Let's go then. Just call me when you need me, OK?' he still looked hurt, but his comforting eyes were now looking into Keira's.

Now it was really time to get going, or she would end up doing things she was going to regret later on. She followed Seb outside and made sure to sit as far away from him as she could in the taxi. She spent the ride to the hotel on her phone doing nothing really, but she pretended to be busy so she didn't need to talk to Seb. He looked rather lost and that crushed her from the inside, but she reminded herself of Hanna and how she would feel if she did what she wanted to do.

'I'll see you later then?' Seb asked hopefully when they both had checked in and were both on their way to their rooms. He was on a floor above Keira's and he held the lift door when they had reached Keira's floor.

'Yes, Rocky called me before I left home that there are a few things he wanted to discuss after talking to Gavin. I think he wants to speak to you too, so I'll see you then,' she smiled. She turned around to look for which way she had to go, because this hotel was huge.

'Yes, he told me. I have a few sponsor events tomorrow, so I'll see you somewhere in the afternoon. I hope you'll feel better by then,' he smiled. The corners of his mouth had turned up, but his smile didn't reach his eyes and his shoulders had drooped after Keira had given him another cold shoulder.

'Have fun then, don't make a fool of yourself. Leave that to Mark,' she grinned. Seb had shown her a hilarious video of Mark doing a milk commercial where he had to sing a couple of weeks back, it had been hilarious. Mark was a really bad singer and therefore it had been a very popular subject to tease him with.