DESCENDED

LOADED QUESTION

"Quick... you, back inside," Liz orders.

Heeding her warning, I go back inside to watch from the front window. Uncle Cliff, Aunt Sarah, Anna, and Alex are all frozen in place.

Sebastian must have stopped everything again.

Now he and Samuel look like they're in a heated argument, and I'm one thousand percent sure whatever conversation they're having is about me. Sebastian motions for me to come outside, meanwhile, Samuel seems pleased with himself.

"What is it?" I ask. Slowly walking over to them.

"Samuel wants to talk to you. Alone." Sebastian answers.

"Okay."

"You promised to go to the Ball with me. I take that promise very seriously, and I want you to convince your boyfriend not to interfere," Samuel tells me.

"You came all the way over here for that? Why can't you tell him yourself?" I frown.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. You accepted the invitation, so it is you who must decline it, and or tell Sebastian to back off."

I gave Samuel my word, and even though Sebastian might be upset about it, I want to keep my word.

Turning to Sebastian, I tell him, "I gave him my word. Besides, Anna's supposed to be your date, and you can't ditch her now."

To my surprise, Sebastian looks relieved but concerned at the same time. And a simple question now seems like a loaded one.

Samuel finally leaves, pleased with what he's accomplished. And Sebastian pulls me into his arms. Sighing heavily as he hugs me, like he's worried.

When he releases me, I ask, "Do I even want to know what that was about?"

"No," he shakes his head. "Go back into the house where you were so I can undo this."

Doing as he instructs, I wait for Uncle Cliff to move before going back outside. Liz, Crystal, and Sebastian are talking when I walk up. But they stop when they sense me coming.

I hate when people do that.

As if it isn't blatantly obvious, they were talking about me.

"I'll catch up with you all later," Sebastian tells his friends.

"Okay, stay safe," Liz nods. Then she turns to me, and tell me, "You too."

Grabbing me by the hand, Sebastian takes me into the house. I hear a loud whooshing sound, and when I turn around, Crystal, Liz, and the rest of Sebastian's friends are gone.

"Sebastian, welcome back," Aunt Sarah hands him a plate.

"Ooh, jambalaya... my favorite," he smiles.

"Hey," Anna smiles sheepishly at him.

"Hey. Sorry about... um... you know."

"It's okay. I get it now."

"Here's your plate," Aunt Sarah hands me one.

We sit down at the dining room table, and I watch Sebastian devour his entire plate before I've even gotten a third of the way through mine. Like he's starving.

"More?" Aunt Sarah offers.

"Yes, please," he nods.

"Somebody worked up an appetite," I chuckle.