affluenza (1.) | ✔️

Pretty

        "A maternal ghost," I correct and he grins again. "I woke up and you weren't there. That was slightly depressing."

        He raises an eyebrow. "Only slightly?"

        "It was mortally depressing," I amend. "I miss you."

        I half expect him to make a joke about how I'd seen him less than seven hours ago, but he doesn't. "I miss you, too," he admits and my heart pounds against my chest. "I forgot that the world wasn't just you and me. My parents are back home again."

        "How do you feel about that?" I murmur, rearranging my pillow to make it more comfortable.

        Sebastian's eyes roll. "They wanted all the details about our trip. It's always the same, B. They pretend to care one day and then the next they're in Tallahassee or Timbuktu."

        "Timbuktu is a real place?" I ask, eyes wide. He smiles teasingly at me and I grin. "I'm sorry, Sebastian."

        "No worries. I suppose I'll see you at school tomorrow and I can pretend that you're the only other person alive a bit easier," he remarks.

        I bite my lip. "About school...have you realized that this is sort of the first time we'll be going to school together?"

There's a silence. Then, "B, we've gone to the same school since the fourth grade."

I shake my head, laughing. "No, I mean, like, together together. You know, as boyfriends."

I can see the wheels clicking in his head. "Huh. No, I guess I didn't think about it. Look, it's like what I said before. We don't have to tell people about our relationship. The people that matter know. Who cares what everyone else thinks?"

A sinking feeling drops in my stomach. "People are going to talk if we're just suddenly together all the time."

"Hey," he responds, looking into the camera intently. "You're mine. I don't care who knows it. Okay?"

"Okay," I whisper and a slow smile spreads to my face. He returns it easily.

"Besides, it's not like we'll make out in between every passing period. It's gonna be fine," he assures me, winking softly.

I nod, biting on my bottom lip. "Sebastian?"

"Yeah, baby?" he responds and my smile returns full force.

"I'm really glad I found you on the balcony that night at Devin's party," I whisper.

Sebastian grins just as widely as me. "I'm really glad you found me, too."

€

        Putting back on the Academy uniform felt like waking up from an beautiful dream. The last time I went to school I'd been heartbroken and gotten high with Cora and a bunch of stoners. Now I had Sebastian back and felt as light as ever.

I jog downstairs to grab a yogurt and banana where Oba is sipping a morning coffee. "Hey," I say. "Thanks for picking us up from the airport last night. Sorry I was so tired. It was an eventful couple of days."