affluenza (1.) | ✔️

Chain Reaction

        Devin flushes. "Oh, uh. Sorry?" His voice rises into a question and I fight back a laugh. He was so whipped. "Just wanted to see if you guys were ready. Ash and I have been waiting for like thirty minutes."

         I stand up and grab my black leather jacket and toss my hair back over my shoulders. "Let's go."

        Devin, Robyn, and Hayley walk down the steps first, the girls moving extra slow in what looked to be ten inches heels. I follow behind them into the living room when I finally see him.

       His eyes were bright with amusement as my cousins spoke animatedly to him, his blue eyes electric with content. He was dressed in a white button up along with black jeans, gold jewelry on his ears, fingers, and around his neck. He looked devastatingly handsome and I smile as he finally turns to me.

        Sebastian's eyes look me up and down hungrily, a glint in his eyes I'd only seen a few times before, one of those times being that Christmas night in my bedroom. The look sends shivers down my spine and I fight to keep my face even. "Christ, Brayls. You look amazing," he says with a suave smile, standing up and walking over to me.

        "Coming from you," I say, my voice slightly breathless. I blushed as I realized how obvious it was that Sebastian has this effect on me.

        He smirks as if he knows exactly what he's doing and stands beside me, wrapping an arm securely around my lower waist. I force my eyes away from his and back to the twins. "I can trust you guys here alone, yeah? Aunt Amanda shouldn't be out too long."

        Bridget laughs. "You kidding? She deserves the night off. Besides, she's with Dr. Singh which means our plan worked."

        Bridget and Bethany high five before Beth turns to me. "Welp. You know the drill before any party. Don't leave your drinks anywhere, stay together, and if you're going to have sex—"

        "Use protection!" my friends and I echo and then laugh simultaneously.

        I avert my eyes from Bethany to Sebastian and wonder if it was as obvious to him as to everyone else that I was totally in love with him.

¥

Hunter's house was slightly smaller than Devin's but nowhere near less extravagant. In conjunction with the expensive tiles and gorgeous antiques, waiters were handing out champagne in clear glasses. Upon entering, Sebastian grabbed two for the both of us, handing me one and sipping his own gingerly.

I could feel everyone's eyes on Sebastian and I as we walked in and instinctively stood closer to Robyn. "Well," I mumble, talking to Sebastian without looking at him. "Looks like a lot of rich homophobes."

"Screw them," Sebastian responds, but his eyes are tense. He wasn't out to everybody either.

We all walk further into the house, my heart thumping rapidly. I knew the eyes on us were simply shocked because we were supposed to be sworn enemies, not because we were dating. But I still felt like an animal behind the glass.

"Ash!" someone exclaims. All five pairs of eyes turn to the source of the voice and I feel Sebastian stiffen next to me.

A boy that looks a little bit older than us appears. He has jet black hair and brown eyes, dressed in a floral dress shirt and black jeans. He smirks widely as he takes in Sebastian but I can't even focus on him; I could practically feel the nerves radiating from Sebastian.