east of eden

riding in cars with boys

sebastian

nothing had quite been the same since that fateful day in greece, on the private island dad enjoyed escaping to during business breaks. kate havilland had just started making a constant appearance and fixture in my life, making me thirteen at the time of the incident. i could remember was an animalistic scream and the impact of dad's body tumbling down the stairs of the home kate had meticulously decorated. in just that instant, one of the world's most powerful and influential cocaine and heroin suppliers was dead. i thought of it as an unexpected and slight ending to a larger than life force. since then, i was basically trapped until i was either seen fit to take over or until kate havilland kicked the bucket, whichever came first.

i heard voices downstairs, of mother and an unfamiliar male voice. his monotonous tone deeply contrasted mother's sharp and clear connecticut accent. i debated going downstairs, but decided not to, thinking it would be better if mother called upon me.

"sebastian, your stepbrother is in his wing, pursuing his passions at the moment," stated mother, her voice getting louder as she approached my room. she knocked on the door and walked in, probably shocked to find me on the floor. i sensed another pair of footsteps, most likely belonging to my "stepbrother".

"why is he on the floor?"

"sebastian, sweetie. why are you on the floor?" questioned mother. after a few seconds of grasping around for a hand, i felt hers and pulled myself upwards.

"i tried to grab my stick, but-but i fell," i explained, feeling myself get into an upright standing position.

"why can't he-"

"i'm blind, dumbass," i retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.

"language, sebastian."

"yes mother."

"kate, is your invitation for dinner still on?" asked the voice. from what i lacked in seeing a person, hearing their voice gave me possible characteristics to visualize them as. i imagined a lanky son of a bitch, with dark hair and an awful sense of fashion.

"of course, colin. sebastian, please join us as a toast to your new family," suggested kate. i nodded and grabbed my stick. i guided my self to my private elevator outside of my room and felt the familiar drop in my stomach as i went down. the elevator was my idea, after a disheartening amount of tumbles down the stairs. i even had a small throne-inspired chair, making this addition after being inspired by the byzantine empire customs. i began walking to the dining room, somewhat elated that mother wouldn't make her daily inspection of me. a maid gave a small push on my back in the right direction as i went to my seat at the table.

"sondra, fix sebastian's plate for him," ordered mother to a completely complacent maid.

"what do you want dear?"

"uh, what'd you cook?"

"your favorite. roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls," explained sondra.

"all of it, please. and don't go lightly on the gravy," i instructed, earning a small giggle from sondra. sondra was the only person i had met that seemed to be at full ease with me since she had known before and after the accident. she had effectively risen from the ranks from being just another person with the help to essentially my caregiver.

"so, colin. what do you want from me?" asked mother. i could only imagine the glare mother gave the boy, though seeing it would give me enough satisfaction for a lifetime.

"to look at me?" pressed mother, as colin didn't say anything.

"t-ten thousand dollars."

after the slightly chaotic imbalance that colin had caused during dinner, i felt that i should seek out something to read, pretty much the only thing that bought me pleasure anymore. i grasped my walking stick and directed myself to the bookshelf and began feeling the raised bumps looking for a title. while i searched for a book, i heard a familiar rhythmic knock on my window: kyle.