"This story is about the boy I loved. This is about his suffering. This is about my suffering. All of it due to one thing. Affluenza."
TW : Key themes of suicide.
Sebastian Grey. Golden boy, trust fund baby, and Braylen Adams' mortal enemy. Braylen...
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"WHY EXACTLY ARE we all here?" Hunter grumbles, rubbing his stomach. "I'm hungry."
Robyn pops out wearing only her bra and black jeans and I laugh at Hunter averting his eyes quickly. "You're here because I need multiple opinions on my dress for the Graduate Ball! Braylen thinks the color black is a fashion style, Devin will just tell me what I want to hear, and Sebastian has a personal stylist who does all his thinking for him."
"Not true," Sebastian argues, flipping her off before returning his hand back to my thigh. He'd been touchy all morning, holding my hand and sending soft touches my way. I knew he was trying to comfort me and I knew that he knew it wasn't entirely working.
I hadn't expected to be so heartbroken to see Hiro off at the airport. Somehow, in two short days the kid had worked his way into my heart. I realized I didn't want to see him go. He left me with the folder of dad's letter and check, one of his baseball caps, and a long lasting hug. The drive back was spent with me looking at the winter chill outside the window and trying very hard not to cry.
We drove back in Sebastian's car while my aunt and the twins went back to the house; we'd already planned to go dress shopping with Robyn and the rest of our friends. I could feel Sebastian's worried eyes on me during the ride here and I could feel his eyes on me now.
"You okay?" Sebastian whispers as Hunter continues complaining about having to go dress shopping. Hayley attempts to shush him but to no avail.
I look up at him, shrugging softly. "I never had a brother before," I whisper back, voice breaking. "I kinda liked it."
Sebastian leans down and kisses my forehead. "Hey. I don't not love you."
I laugh, grabbing his hand and lacing my fingers through them. "I don't not love you, too."
"Isn't that a double negative? You two make my stomach hurt," Devin complains with a gag. "Suzuki, put on a damn dress already. I want to know what color I should match my tie with."
Robyn walks out of the dressing room completely, crossing her arms across her chest. "What makes you think we're going together?"
Devin blushes so deeply I didn't even think it was possible. I hold back a laugh as he gulps. "Uh, I—I just assumed—"
"Relax," Robyn says with a chuckle. She jogs over and plants a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "You're taking me to the Ball and you're taking me out for cheesecake after. Deal?"
Devin grins. "Deal."
Hayley gags. "Okay, now you two are making me sick. Put on a dress, girly!"
"Okay, okay," Robyn screeches, jumping up and returning back to the dressing room. There's the sound of grunting and clothes dropping until she finally walks out, dressed in a form fitting red dress with perhaps the longest slit I'd ever seen. "What do you think?"
