Broken Strings (18+)

10

I told him everything.

The shift in Storm's attitude. The horrible anniversary date. The time he called me baby after we'd made love. The sudden coldness and secrecy. The suspicions I started having. And finally, last night.

Telling Sebastian was the hardest part. It was like rubbing salt on my wound, again and again.

A part of me still wanted to protect Storm, to protect his relationship with his brother. Because I knew that whether Sebastian chooses to believe in me or not, their relationship would never be the same. Sebastian would always remember how I, Storm's girlfriend, accused his brother of infidelity after six long, supposedly happy years of being together.

But last night. The trembling of my fingers when I picked up his phone. The stab in my gut when I saw who was calling. The tears I fought when he forgot my 25th birthday. The pang in my chest when he withdrew from my touch.

The wounds were so fresh and sore. I couldn't have tended to them on my own. I needed Sebastian to keep me strong all through out. His company allowed me to stay calm and not yelp in pain. His presence reassured me that eventually, all wounds would heal.

"Tomorrow, I'd put some sense into his head," he solemnly said, a few minutes after I finished talking.

I shook my head slowly. "You don't have to. I'll sort it out myself."

"But—"

"Thanks for listening, Sebastian." I placed a hand on my chest. "It really felt good to let it all out."

"Are you sure you don't want—"

"Yes, I am," I said, cutting him off. "You're a great friend, Sebastian. But you're still his brother. I don't want to come between you two."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'm a big girl already, you know," I said, smiling.

"You're no girl, Mischa. You're a woman. A very beautiful woman." He smiled back.

My lips parted in astonishment. After years of trying to be perfect, someone finally recognized my worth and genuinely acknowledged it. "Sebastian..." I almost jumped into his arms and hugged him so tightly.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and patted my back repeatedly. "My brother's a very lucky guy. I hope he finally sees your worth."

He inched away, his hands on my shoulders. "Thank you," I whispered.

He pulled me slowly and planted a soft kiss on my forehead. The contact made my eyes shut and my heart soar. He pulled back and gently cupped my cheek. "You have to rest now. Good night, Mischa," he said as he stood up.

I grabbed his wrist to stop him from turning his back. "Sleep with me, Sebastian." His eyes grew wide, making me realize what I just said. "Sleep beside me, please. Hold me in your arms tonight."

"But Zach..."

"I won't tell him. After all, we won't be doing anything wrong," I reassured him. He was silent for a while, then he nodded.

We laid down on the bed. I leaned against his chest, listening to the calm beating of his heart. He draped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. "Good night, Mischa."

I closed my eyes and whispered, "Good night, Sebastian." I reveled in the warmth of his embrace and drifted off to a peaceful sleep I never had in years.

Brightness seemed to pass through my eyelids. I opened my eyes and saw that the sun was already up outside. I rolled on my side, a masculine scent wafting through my nostrils. I looked down and saw the dent left on the mattress.

Sebastian. My lips curved into a smile as I remembered how he comforted me last night. Nobody could've handled me better.

I got up and made the bed. A fresh towel and some toiletries were placed on a chair. I grabbed them and went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

As soon as I left the bedroom, the air smelled of... what's for breakfast. That made my stomach grumble.

I went to the kitchen and found Sebastian in front of the stove, putting the cooked food on a plate. He turned around and set the plate on the table. He lifted his gaze and met mine. "Oh. You're up."

"Morning, Sebastian," I greeted him with a big, genuine smile.

He smiled back. "I hope you slept well, Mischa."

"Very well."

"Glad to hear that." He motioned to the food set on the table. "Do you want to grab some breakfast?"

I approached the table. "Let's see what's on the menu."

He pulled a chair for me. "Thank you," I said, sitting down.

"I hope you like tapsilog. It's actually my favorite for breakfast, but I only get to cook on weekends," he said, rounding the table.

I crinkled my nose as I smelled garlic and onions. The rice seemed to be seasoned with garlic powder and the beef was topped with rings of onion. Well, at least, the sunny-side up eggs were cooked the way I liked it.

Sebastian sat across me. "Oh. You don't like it? Okay, I'll check what else—" He was about to stand up when I grabbed his wrist.

"No. It's... uh, fine. It's just that... I'm not a fan of garlic and onions."

"Oh." He chuckled. "Like you're not a fan of bagoong. The smell puts you off, huh? Well, why don't you try just a bit? If you really can't stand it, I'll go get something else for you," he said, grinning.

"Okay." I stabbed a piece of meat and onion with my fork and took a bite. The onion was crunchy. Its juice was... somewhat sweet, somewhat spicy. It has its own unique flavor. It tasted good, surprisingly. Encouraged by my new discovery, I took a spoonful of garlic rice, which complemented the dish so well.

"So?" he asked expectantly.

"You're right. It's delicious," I said, grinning. "I never thought it would taste like this."

Sebastian walked me to the door. I turned to face him. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Mischa." He smiled. "Anytime."

"Really." My eyes felt warm and heavy with unshed tears. It was no longer caused by sadness. It was relief. "Thank you for everything."

"Shh, no more crying." He cupped my cheeks, looking at me intently. I bit my lip. His gaze caressed the length of my face, pausing at my chin. "I'm always here, okay?" he murmured, his face inching toward mine.

My heart raced. My eyes instinctively closed.

His soft lips touched my forehead. A lone tear fell from my eye.

© Cyan