The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

S2-Ep. 5.8 (R) - Are You Serious?

"What do you mean their skills?"

"I mean..." Sir Geoffrey says, irritated by having to spell it out, "what special talents do they have, beyond the obvious aspects of being a Shifter and an Enchanted? What have you seen them do during your training?"

"Uhh... Father..." Sebastian bites back, his teeth clenched, the muscles in his neck straining. "I don't think we're allowed to talk about the details of our training or of our missions."

Sir Geoffrey's expression sours. "There's no need to be precious about this, Sebastian," he huffs out as he leans forward in his chair. "I'm your father. It's perfectly fine if you tell me."

Sebastian's eyes narrow. "I don't think that's true."

"Boy!" Sir Geoffrey snaps. "Why must you make everything so complicated?!"

Offended, Sebastian snaps back, "I'm not making it complicated! Those are the rules!" He inhales, then slowly blows out a breath. And then in a lower and much calmer voice, adds, "That's the code we're bound by, and it's one I intend to uphold." He leans back in his chair, then underneath his breath mutters, "I would think you'd be proud of that."

Sir Geoffrey scoffs, shakes his head, and taps his fingers together as the silence grows between them.

After a moment, Sebastian starts to rock quietly in his chair. He grips the seat so tightly his knuckles begin to whiten. He's debating... debating whether or not to ask his father the one question he's always wanted to ask him.

Then after a moment, he looks up, and blurts out, "Why do you hate me so much?"

Sir Geoffrey is shocked, but not entirely surprised by the question. "Pardon me?"

"I said," Sebastian reiterates. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Sebastian, this is ridiculous," Sir Geoffrey scoffs. "What are you getting at?"

"Well, it seems that everything I do, everything I say, just makes you mad at me. It all seems to make you hate me more and more."

"I don't hate you, Sebastian. You just..." Sir Geoffrey leans forward and plants his forearms squarely on his desk. "...you just irritate me."

Sebastian's eyes grow wide—and almost imperceptibly—they begin to water as the sting of his father's confession pierces through him. But he perseveres. Quietly, his voice breaking, he asks, "But why?"

Sir Geoffrey responds wearily, "Why what?"

"But why do I irritate you?" Sebastian shakes his head slowly. "What do I do that sets you off?"

"I don't know, Sebastian." Sir Geoffrey leans back and looks up at the ceiling. "You just... do," he mutters. "What else do you want me to say?"

"But why? There must be a reason," Sebastian insists. "You don't treat any of your other children the way you treat me."

Sir Geoffrey sighs heavily. "Maybe it's because you're my First Son, and I expect more from you."

Sebastian shakes his head adamantly. "No, no... it's more than that and you know it. Everyone in the family knows it. And I want to know, once and for all, why?"

"Because..." Sir Geoffrey replies frustrated, then he pauses.

"Why?!" Sebastian insists.

"Because," Sir Geoffrey takes in a deep breath—it's finally time to come clean. "Because there's too much of your mother in you, and I don't like what I see!"

Shocked, Sebastian sits perfectly still, then after a beat, he lets his body sink back into the chair. Well, all right then. There it was. The ugly truth of it.