Don't be Shy ✓

1. don't be shy (edited)

A/N this novel has a big brother, called Those Cold Eyes. You don't have to read it to understand, but if you want more... you know where to look. 

Seb peered at the slip of paper resting in his hand. He read the number again and felt with his fingertip along the frayed edge. Blushing, he recalled how he had ripped the paper in two, giving the other half to Kaiden: the part with his own number scribbled across it in rushed handwriting. He had never done anything like that before, and he couldn't understand what had brought him to do it. Perhaps it was those cute dimples in Kaiden's cheeks, or the spray of freckles on that otherwise flawless skin. Perhaps it was the kind brown eyes. 

He was sitting on his bed, legs drawn up all the way to his chest, his arms hugging them close: as if to protect himself. He blushed again. Just thinking about Kaiden made him all warm and fuzzy, but also terribly nervous. He glanced at his phone. It lay silent on the bed, begging him to use it. He knew he wouldn't dare to call they guy, but perhaps he could just add his number. That was innocent enough. 

He snatched the phone and unlocked it, typing in the number before he had time to second-guess himself. Smiling, he entered the name "Kaiden". He almost wanted to add a little heart at the end, but he knew it was stupid and extremely cheesy. If anyone saw it by accident, he would die of embarrassment.

"Sebastian!" his mother called from downstairs. He rolled his eyes, but put the phone away and left his room. 

"Yes, Mother," he replied as he closed the door behind him with a soft click. Knowing that his little moment of peace tonight was over with that call, he sighed and let his shoulders slump. His mother always made him do his homework under surveillance. It was terrible, almost humiliating and something he would never tell his friends; however, there was no point in arguing with his mother. A year ago, he tried to persuade her to let him do it in his room and on his own, but it didn't work. His mother had this grand plan for him, and nothing he said seemed to make much difference. She never swayed; she never let him slack. 

He had been home-schooled when he was younger, but it hadn't really ended as he got older and was allowed to play with the other kids. She liked to control his studies, telling him that her baby boy would get into Harvard one day. Seb detested the notion with a passion.

"I talked to your history teacher today," his mother said as he entered the kitchen. Clenching his jaw in a silent protest, he counted to ten. Bursting out in anger wouldn't help him; he knew that already. It didn't matter that he hated when she checked up on him like that; as long as he lived off his parents' funds, he couldn't do much about his situation. Also, he couldn't really attempt something physical even if he wanted to: he was tiny, even compared to his mother. He waited for her to continue, but all she did was raise one disapproving eyebrow. 

Letting out a soft sigh, he sat down at the table where the textbooks lay open as if it would be more inviting like that. He grabbed the pen, twirled it between his fingers and told himself to stop hating his mother; all she wanted was to help him. 

Two hours later he closed the door to his room behind him. It was getting late, and he was tired after studying for so long. He went to his small bathroom and got ready for bed. As he removed his clothes he looked down at his boxers and blushed. He would never ever show these ones to Kaiden. Just as that thought passed through his mind, he made a little squeal and covered his mouth with his hands. He shouldn't be thinking such things. 

He stared at himself in the mirror, brushing his dark hair away from his green eyes that always looked too big on his face. He hated how they made him look like a girl. It was something with the long lashes that did it. He knew he wasn't much to look at, and he was far too shy to attract attention. So why had Kaiden given him his number? 

He looked away and steered his steps to the bed. Slumping down on the soft mattress, he stole a glance at his phone resting idly on the night stand. A small little flutter of butterflies entered his stomach, but it was mingled with so much anxiety that he wasn't sure if he liked it. He wanted to meet Kaiden again, but to contact him... it just wasn't possible. 

The phone buzzed, and he almost fell off the bed from the shock. He scrambled for the phone and gulped as he saw the name. 

Kaiden

It was a message. 

Hi :)

Seb stared at the word, but especially at the smiley. What did it mean? Did it mean anything? Was he over-analyzing? He fumbled with the phone, almost dropping it to the floor before he put it down next to him. Calm down. He repeated the mantra a few times while trying to slow his racing heart. It didn't help; everything just got worse as he began to think about what he should reply. He was a silly idiot, and he knew it. 

After taking a couple of deep breaths, he reached for his phone again. It felt cold in his hand, and his fingers didn't want to cooperate. 

He looked at the message again. He had to reply. 

Hi!

He pressed send, and closed his eyes. It was ridiculous—a feeble reply—but he didn't know how to act causal about this. He wasn't used to messages; Dylan and Tyra mostly called, and those were the only friends he had.

His stomach became queasy and got worse by the minute as he awaited a response. He regretted not writing a question in reply. Kaiden didn't have a reason to text him back, so why would he?

The phone buzzed in his palm, causing the butterflies to dance around inside him again. He opened the message and blushed as he read the reply. 

Can't believe I'm smiling from a "hi"... so how was your day?

Seb's fingers slipped as he wrote; he was so flustered by Kaiden's message that he had trouble remembering what had happened after they'd met at the café. He was also completely clueless about what to write back to those first words. Kaiden was flirting, and he should flirt back, but how?

It was great, meeting you and all...:)

He erased and wrote the same message three times before sending it. The reply came right away this time, even before Seb's nerves started to mess with him again.

Same here. Wanna meet up again?

Seb couldn't believe what he was reading. He was a mess of nerves, jumbled thoughts and raging hormones; he wanted to get up and dance around the room, anything to release everything from its confinement inside him. Perhaps he would put on some music in his headphones and celebrate. 

Kaiden wanted to meet him.

He couldn't believe it. 

He took a deep breath and started to type a reply. This time he didn't hesitate, he didn't erase it; he just wrote it plain and simple and sent it before he could change his mind. 

Yes, I'd love that!