2 | Defiance Discipline Dream Repeat

30 Not Him Again - Sebastian's POV

School's over for the week, Sophia has been dropped off at Jasper's for some Friday lark, my dogs snore underneath the table after our evening walk, the dishes are done, and the laundry is folded; it's high time for me to settle in my library with a book.

I merely reach my armchair before the doorbell startles me to spill tea on my knee. A foul utterance in pain later, I stalk out to see who hasn't given up after receiving no answer after three times...

''Long time, no see! Good evening, Sebastian!''

No, for fuck's sake... Not him again. Not him. Please, not him.

I slam the door shut in his face and lock it. No, no, no... I cannot deal with this sod again. It has to be a joke. Was it even him? Perhaps I didn't see clearly in the dark.

He keeps ringing the doorbell, knocking and pleading for me to open the door for a minute. I feel as if I'm going to be sick. Thank God Sophia isn't home.

I slowly reopen the door, wishing that it wasn't who I thought it was. Critically, I scan him, repressing the urge to gag at his new pitiable beard. ''Why are you here?! I thought you had broken up and moved back in with your deranged parents!''

''I'm here to be considerate and give you a little heads-up before you freak out seeing me in public. I've moved back as I fell in love with another woman from here.''

His words make my jaw drop. Who on earth, literally, would want to interact with this one free-willingly? ''Are you delusional again? Is that woman aware that you are in love with her?''

''No, I've been sober since spring, and my medication works very well now. I have no paranoia left, and the voices aren't deceiving me anymore,'' he tells me blithely with a disturbing smile.

''I am glad to hear that. That's good for you,'' I say genuinely, pausing for a moment to collect myself and find the right words. ''...However, I don't want to see or hear from you, Leo. I can't stand you after what you did to Sophia... To everyone - you hurt everyone I care about and nearly caused me burnout before my 30th birthday.''

''I understand that–''

''No! If you understood how badly you messed up, how unpredictable you are and what a danger to society you are, Leo; you wouldn't come back, and you would stay away from relationships.''

''The psychs said I'm fine like everybody else if I abstain from alcohol and take my meds,'' he asserts. ''I didn't try to kill anyone or beat anyone unconscious like Zander has, yet you all admire him–"

''There's a big difference between prison life, assaulting your girlfriend in her kitchen and repeatedly acting out abusive behaviour toward your partners and friends! Those psych have known you for a few months. I've known you for over–''

''You only knew; the sick version of me for a few months!'' he exclaims in his notorious, nasty defensive tone.

''You were always sick with a disagreeable personality! You were a ticking bomb! It's only a question of time before you take a sip or skip a dose because your illness makes you believe that you aren't ill, and then you're going to slander the whole town and abuse your new girlfriend and cost us a bunch of money!" I fume.

''I understand that you loathe me, and that's fair. I'm going to therapy for it, though, and take drug and alcohol tests regularly. And I told my doctor to give me injections if I start skipping my pills,'' he says in a tone that I reckon is not entirely sincere. ''I've never felt so sound as I do now.''

''As I said, I'm glad you found treatment that works for you, and that you are recovering, but I don't want you around. You aren't welcome in this town. You should break up with your girlfriend before you hurt her and move back in with your parents, Leo,'' I declare.

''I'm not going to be around much. I'm not going back to school, and I will be working from home, and the only times you might see me are if we bump into each other in the grocery shop, library or trail,''

''Zander's fiancé works at the library.'' I know they haven't reached that point yet, but they will eventually, and it might make Leo understand that nobody wants him around.

''Yes, my girlfriend told me his new boyfriend is a librarian,'' he shrugs. ''I don't care to interact with them. I will mind my own business.''

''Bring your business to the other side of the country!'' I snap. ''No one wants you here.''

''Well, my girlfriend does want me and doesn't want to move. She grew up and loves her job here,'' he says. ''And I genuinely love it here and can't wait to experience another wonderful Christmas here.''

No one will experience another wonderful Holiday if you stick around.

''How in the hell did you manage to get a girlfriend in a couple of months with your reputation?'' I scoff, looking down at him with contempt. ''A girlfriend from this town should know what you did and be horrified by the sight of you!''

''She believes in second chances and understands mental illness–''

''Is it Bella you have manipulated?''

He chuckles, ''No, it's not that daft lass.''

''Who then?''

The silence only tells me that it is someone I know and can possibly stop. ''...I will keep it a secret for now as I suspect it will cause unnecessary drama–''

''Like you coming here now!'' I bray. ''You've ruined everybody's weekend now.''

''Just a friendly warning so I don't trigger any panic in public. I hope you can communicate this with Sophia as I don't wish to approach her personally."

''I won't need to tell her because you will leave this town tonight and never return,'' I growl.

''No, I'm here to stay, Sebastian," he says with such confidence that I want to throw up. "I'm picking up some of my old things from Zander's house to bring home to my girlfriend after this."

''Well...'' I drawl. Does he know his parents are back? I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he rings on their door and Debbie opens. ''...Good luck with that.''

I slam the door shut one last time. This cannot be real. I need to pick up Sophia ASAP before he finds his way to Jasper's.

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Who do we believe is Leo's new girlfriend? Or is he fibbing?