Every Second [COMPLETED]

Chapter 31 - "I didn't want to look too eager."

Amelia sat quietly on the couch, her laptop balanced on her crisscrossed legs.  Her phone beeped, a cannon blast in the still apartment.  Her eyebrows raised as she saw the text was from Sebastian.

"Are you home? Can I stop by?"

Amelia read the text again, and double checked the sender.

It had been two days since she had stopped by the music video set. She hesitated for a moment, her mind trying to debate over the different responses. She finally pushed them all aside and replied with, "Yes and sure."

Settled back into typing, she was jolted from her thoughts five minutes later by a knock on the door. She pushed herself off the couch. Sebastian stood on the other side, a tired smile playing his lips.   

"Okay I know our elevator is bad but five minutes seems a long time to take you from the lobby to the 12th floor," Amelia said.

He pulled his hand from behind his back, bringing with it a plastic bag.

"I stopped for ice cream. How could you have possibly guessed I was down stairs?"   

"Process of elimination. Your hair isn't wind blown and you're not wearing a cape, so you couldn't have flown here."

"Ah. A natural thought."

Still smiling, Amelia stepped aside and he walked in.   

"I can take that," Amelia said, taking the bag from him. "I know its late but are you hungry? Charlie and I had sandwiches from that place you like. We have a couple left over halves if you want them."   

He looked haggard but perked up when she looked at him.

"Food would be great, actually."

"You look tired, go sit down and I'll be over in a second."

A plate of two sandwich halves in hand, she joined Sebastian. He raised his head from his hands at the sound of her and gave her a grateful, tired smile.

"Thanks," he said. "Sorry, to show up this late."

Amelia shrugged and waved away his comment, like it was natural for someone like Sebastian to show up at her apartment at nine at night. Sebastian ate in silence, his gaze wandering around the apartment, before falling back to Amelia.

"I not going to lie, I expected Charlie to be awake, considering the way you've talked about him studying so much," Sebastian said.

"I actually forced him to go to sleep early. He has a debate with Natalie tomorrow and will need all his wits about him."

Sebastian's eyebrows narrowed in confusion and Amelia quickly explained how Natalie was the only student at NYU to beat Charlie in a debate. He nodded and smiled.   

"So, its not that I don't love you showing up on my doorstep at night or anything, but I'm just curious why you did?" Amelia asked.

"Honestly, I needed a little normalcy and a quiet friendly face."

She cocked her head.

"I know," Sebastian said, "you're probably thinking I have Danny, but you look at Danny sideways and he thinks its time to party. I trusted I could give you the same look but not receive the same response."

"It's actually one of my best qualities. You can look at me sideways any time of the day and I'll do absolutely nothing."

"Really? How do you keep the men away?"

"I have Charlie answer the door and I hide behind the couch."

Sebastian's laugh rang through the apartment, and erased the haggard look from his face.