Pining for Evergreen | Sebastian Sallow x MC |

20 - Sharp's Stores (pt.2)

Sebastian's POV

Sebastian had spent the last hour in his room reading. Without a mystery to solve or a cure to find, his reading had become more of a leisurely activity. Though he could have been working on the essay he was to write for Charms class, he'd opted for his well-read copy of A Study in Scarlet instead. He'd probably read it a hundred times by now. The pages were stained, the edges wrinkled, but it was the first Christmas present Anne had ever got him after their parents passed away. 

They were ten when their parents died, just a year before they came into their magic. Their parents usually helped them to shop for each other, buy the selected gift on their behalf, and then help them to wrap it. It was almost as much a tradition as Christmas itself. So, on the first Christmas after they passed, no one felt much like celebrating anything. But the year they turned twelve, it was different. Anne had gone out alone and used her pocket money to buy him this book. It was a turning point for them. The point where they started living again.

He tried to focus but found his mind wandering to anything but the pages in front of him—to the obligation of his homework, to his parents, to last night's conversation with Anne and Ominis. Their words repeated in his head: 'If you care about her; just let her be.'

After another few minutes of re-reading the same paragraph for the third time, he decided he'd had enough and needed a better distraction.

It was Friday night, after all, and he was in his room reading, which just wouldn't do. But what to do? Ominis was on patrol tonight with the other prefects, but he had a perfectly good sister on the other side of this wall, and the Gobstone set under her bed was calling his name.

It was just after eleven o'clock, but there was no way the three girls would be anywhere near sleep right now, so he knocked on their dorm room door.

"Come in." Anne called from inside, where she and Imelda sat on their respective beds.

Though they weren't asleep, both seemed settled in for the night, as they both wore their winter school pajamas. Each with a quill in hand and a set of books at their side, they'd clearly been studying together.

However, the third bed in the room was notably empty.

"Has your dorm mate taken to hiding in your closet when I come knocking?" He joked, gesturing to the empty bed on the far wall.

"She's got some plans for Sharps office tonight." Anne waved a hand, dismissing the question. "I didn't ask too many questions."

"Sharps?" He asked, worry touching his voice. "Are you sure?"

"It's not like she hasn't broken in there before." Imelda pipped in, seemingly annoyed by the topic of conversation.

"Sharp's on patrol tonight." He explained, and Anne looked up from her papers, her eyes widening as she realized what her friend might be walking into.

Anne sprang from her bed, grabbing a pair of trousers to slip on over her nightwear. "She's only left about ten minutes ago; we might be able to catch her." She said, stumbling as she tried to jam her foot into the pant leg.

 "We can't wait for you to get dressed. I'll go." Without waiting for an answer, he was off, up the stone steps, and through the common room door.