Summer with Seb

Chapter 3

Sebastian looked confused, and I could read in his face that he was trying to figure out if he knew this person waving at him. He hesitated, but then waved back at me.

Can we take a picture, I mouthed, gesturing with my phone.

His face changed then, as he realized I was just a fan, and not someone he should try and remember where he met them. He looked around, grimaced at all the people crowding around and gestured, One minute.

I nodded like, Yeah, sure, it's cool, I'm cool, I can wait, but I had no idea what to do with my body. Should I sit beside him on the bench, pretend to text someone on my phone, pretend my oblivious coworkers were calling me and run away, dash back into the burning building to accept my fate??

Before I could do anything, Sebastian stood up from the bench and walked toward me.

"You're from Romania, right?" I blurted.

He looked surprised. "Uh, right," he said.

"I went there last fall!" He was so, so tall. My head tilted all the way back to look at him and I felt like an excited child telling any willing adult about my day at school.

"Oh, really?" Sebastian's ice blue eyes held my gaze for the first time. "What were you doing all the way over there?"

"For Halloween! I wanted to visit Transylvania, Dracula Castle - Bran Castle- for Halloween weekend."

"You went all the way to Romania just for Halloween?" I couldn't tell if he was impressed or thought I was crazy.

"Oh, no, I was studying in Greece, so I was already in Europe, and I thought, this is the closest to Transylvania as I'll ever be so I might as well go! Our tour guide was sooo good, she literally told us the entire history of Romania from medieval times to the present," I had to stop myself from word vomiting all over him any more than I already had.

"What were you studying in Greece?" he asked.

"Anthropology," I answer. "Archeology at all the ancient sites, modern ethnography."

"Do you speak Greek?"

I could feel my phone shaking in my hand. In fact, I noticed that my entire body was trembling. I tried to steady my hands, and I hoped my voice wasn't shaking when I spoke. "Yeah, I was taking a Modern Greek language class, and I got to practice while I was there."

"That's the best way to learn a language. In the country, ordering your morning coffee everyday, getting around the city." Sebastian kept asking me questions and seemed interested in my answers, and that calmed me somehow.

"Exactly! Most of the young people I met in Athens could speak English, and wanted to practice with me, but on the islands is where I really got to try my Greek. They're so friendly and willing to help you out."

While we were speaking, firemen had arrived and determined it was safe for everyone to go back inside. People were starting to cross back over the street toward the office building, and Sebastian motioned for us to walk over together.

"How are you liking Atlanta?" I asked.

"I love it!" he answered. "It's unlike any other city I've been in. I haven't gotten to explore as much as I would have liked. Any suggestions?"

"Oh, there's too much! Each neighborhood has it's own little vibe, so it really depends on what you're looking for." I get excited talking about my hometown. "Atlanta isn't very walkable compared to New York or somewhere but you could walk this neighborhood all the way from Krog Street Market to Piedmont Park on the Beltline right behind the office." I tell him, gesturing to the walking and bike path that crosses the hipster office and shopping complex we're standing outside of right now.

"I'll have to check it out," he nodded.

There was a pause, and I wanted to ask if he was in town to film a movie, but I didn't want to scare him off by coming off as some sort of stalker. He filled the silence before it could get awkward.

"So you're in school for anthropology?" he asked.

"I actually just graduated!" I said proudly. "I'm interning in one of the offices here for the summer." I was impressed that he even remembered what I was studying, much less that he wanted to return to the subject. How was he so easy to talk to? I was usually the most awkward person and here I was offering up information like he was a long lost friend.

"Congratulations!" Sebastian said, his eyebrows raising with excitement. He started to lift his arm as if he was about to pat me on the shoulder or fist bump me but he lowered it before I had a chance to respond, and I decided I must have imagined it.

"I think I heard them say it was a fire in one of the kitchens," he explained as we walked, and I murmured my agreement. Below the offices was a large food court that was a popular tourist destination, and it made sense that one of the industrial kitchens could set off an alarm without causing any real damage. I looked over my shoulder to try to find my coworkers. I didn't want to get to the office way later than everyone else, but I also wasn't about to end this conversation with Sebastian any earlier than I absolutely had to. He paused in front the brick wall.

"This is probably good." he said, glancing around at the thinning crowd and gesturing down at the phone in my hand. I had completely forgotten that I had even asked for a picture.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed. "I didn't even introduce myself! I'm Araceli." I beam at him.

He returned the smile warmly and said with a small laugh, "Sebastian. Nice to meet you." He moved from opposite me to stand by my side for a picture. He glanced down at the lockscreen on my phone as I raised it up.

"Is that your boyfriend?" he asked lightly.

It was a picture of Niall Horan. Mortified, I quickly unlocked my phone and opened the camera. "Oh, no, that's just some guy," I tried to laugh it off, and I hoped he couldn't feel the heat of my embarrassment as he stood so close to me.

"Actually," I paused, lowering my phone, "Instead of getting a picture, can I buy you a drink?"