The Curiosities Concerning Fate

∷ Chapter 33 ∷

MIKE STARED AT the man sitting across from him, his hands balled into fists as he resisted the urge to lean over and punch him square in the face. He silenced the burning rage within him and said, "You came here to tell me that my best friend is in a coma and you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with it?"

Sebastian sat unmoving with an unreadable expression on his face. His coffee had gone cold, much like his unwavering gaze.

"I had nothing to do with it," he reaffirmed.

"You're starting to piss me off."

Sebastian stood and buttoned his jacket, giving Mike a look that bordered on obvious contempt.

"I came here to deliver news about Adine. Do what you will with the information."

Mike waited until Sebastian was out of sight before he exhaled, his anger dissipating at the thought of Adine. He felt the very life drain out of him as he continued staring out the window listlessly. He didn't know what to make of the news, the suddenness of it yet to sink in. It wasn't until a moment later did he bolt from his seat, rushing out just in time to stop Sebastian before he drove off in his Lexus.

Sebastian rolled down the passenger side window and leaned over the gearbox.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Mike pulled open the door, falling onto the leather seat beside him.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" Sebastian asked. "Get out of my car."

"I'm sorry about earlier," Mike said, breathless from his run. "I didn't mean to be rude to you. I was just angry at myself for not being there to help her. I know that place is bad but I still . . ."

Mike rubbed his hands harshly over his face and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, dizzy all of a sudden. He felt an awkward pat on his back and realised a moment later that Sebastian was trying to console him; as weird and uncomfortable as it might be.

"She'll be fine," Sebastian said in a tight voice.

Mike cleared his throat and Sebastian's hand fell away.

The silence stretched on before Sebastian finally said, "Are you going to get out of my car, or are you just going to sit there? Because I have to head back to the hospital now."

"I'll go with you if you don't mind," Mike said. "And . . . there's something else I have to say."

"What is it?" Sebastian asked as he pulled out of the parking space and into the main street.

"Do you know anything at all about what happened? About how Adine got hurt?"

Sebastian glanced at Mike from the corner of his eye, his grip on the steering wheel tightening before he said, "I don't know. I couldn't recognise the man who attacked her and it was too dark to see."

Mike stiffened.

"This happened at Queen Island? And it was a man who attacked her?"

Sebastian nodded, "What of it?"

"Did she tell you?" he asked instead.

"Tell me what?"

"She didn't tell you," Mike mumbled. "She was supposed to tell you. I told her multiple times to tell you."

Sebastian brought the Lexus to a slow stop at a red light and tapped his finger furtively against the gearshift.

"She did mention having to tell me something important, but the incident happened before she got around to it," he said.