^ I love these goofballs so much
•••
When I arrive in New York I eagerly look for Sebastian. I walk around, trying to find him, but to no avail. I grab my phone and go to text him, when I see I've been spammed by Leo. I ignore them for now, and click on Sebastian's name. "Excuse me, miss? But you'll have to come with me", someone behind me says. My heart begins to race and I turn around to see Sebastian, a huge smile etched on his face. I slap his arm as I hold onto my chest. "You scared me!". He laughs as he pulls me into a hug and I do the same. "You look good. Much more tanned than the last time I saw you", he comments as we walk towards the exit.
"You cut your hair", I say as I point to his short hair. "I'm happy to see you", I say as we reach his car. He grabs my bags and puts them in the trunk, then jogs over to me to open my door. "After you", he bows down. I laugh as I sit inside the car. He closes the door, then jogs over to the driver's seat and gets in. "Thank you". He starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot, getting onto the main road. "So, what's new? Tell me what you've been up to the last couple of months", he says as he looks over at me. He drums his fingers on the steering wheel to an unidentifiable beat. "Well-", I begin to say but get cut off by my phone ringing. I see Leo's name flash on the screen but quickly deny the call. "Sorry about that, as I was saying, I-". My phone starts to ring again and Sebastian raises his eyebrows. "Are you going to answer that?".
I swallow harshly as I feel my face heat up. I knew that the moment I answered my phone, I'd get chastised and verbally abused by Leo, but I pick up nonetheless, wanting to get it over with. "Hello?"
"Where the hell are you? Do you have any idea how you made me look last night when you disappeared? I've called you fifty times and texted you about hundred times. Where are you?", he yells through the phone. Sebastian shifts in the driver's seat, obviously hearing every word Leo was saying. "I don't have to answer to you!"
I hear him laugh menacingly on the other end of the phone. "But you do, and you will! I want answers"
"Yeah? You want answers? Well I'll give them to you plain and simple. We're through, Leo, and I should've never said yes to being your girlfriend and I should have never forgiven or trusted you the night you said you wouldn't treat me the way that you did at the restaurant, ever again. I should've known better. You have no right to control me or belittle me, and I'm tired of you insulting me every second we spend together. I'm sorry I'm not good enough for you, and quite honestly, with a personality like yours, I don't think anyone is. Please, do me a favor and delete my number. I don't ever want to see you, or speak to you, ever again", and with that I hang up the phone, aggressively shoving it into my bag with a huff.
I pat my face to try and cool down as I turn to look at Sebastian, who was already looking at me. We were stopped at a red light. "Well...that was something", he starts as he clears his throat. I sigh as I lean my head in my hands. "You don't even want to know", I mumble as I push my sleeves up, beginning to get hot. "Are you okay?"
"Yes and no", I answer honestly. "You can tell me what happened, if you want?", he suggests as he starts driving again. I chew on my bottom lip, a bad habit I picked up when I get nervous. We hit another red light and he turns to look at me again. I hear him take in a sharp breath as he gently reaches for my hands. "Who did this to you?", he carefully asks me as he rubs his thumb over the bruises on my wrist. They seemed to have gotten slightly more purple over night, from the way Leo was holding onto me at the business party. "My boyfriend- my ex-boyfriend", I comment. I nudge him to continue driving as the light turns green. "The one who I just spoke to", I add, like it wasn't completely obvious.
"And you stayed with him?"
"It's easier said then done when you're in that situation", I comment as I look out the window. I wasn't proud of myself, that was for sure. I've seen and heard of countless of relationships like this, yet when I was in one myself, I couldn't leave. "Is that all he did?", he asks me, his voice becoming more agitated. "Physically, yes. But verbally, it was an every day ordeal. Not one second spent with him was enjoyable. It was constant insults and yelling. I felt like I couldn't breathe. So yesterday, when we were at one of his business parties, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and that's when you texted me"
"And what happened after that?"
I sigh as I recall the moments leading up to my departure from the party. "Well at first I thought it was him texting me, and I panicked, but when I opened my phone and saw that it was you, I was relieved and happy. But then I read the last thing you wrote. Hope all is well, and it kind of snapped me out of whatever haze I was in. I got up and ran out, went back to his apartment, packed all of my things and took a cab to the airport",
"If I would have known what was going on-"
"What would you have done? What could you have done? Nothing. It's over now and that's what matters most. He was a mistake and I realize that now, but I'm here and let's just focus on that. I feel safe again. I feel free, again". He parks the car on the side of the road and undoes his seatbelt. "What are you doing-", I ask him but he silences me as he gives me a hug. I hug back. "I hate people like that, I really do", he mumbles into my neck. "I'm okay, Seb, I promise"
"I know, but it could've been much worse had I not texted you", he replies as he pulls away. "Well then I owe you big time", I respond as I nudge him. He smiles and puts his seatbelt back on, getting back on the road. To lighten the mood he brings me to a cute ice cream shop that he claims has the best ice cream he's ever tasted. "Well then you've clearly never been to Italy", I say as we sit down. "I have"
"And have you tried their ice cream?"
"No, but-"
"I'm sorry, you mean to tell me you've been to Italy and you haven't tried their ice cream? Are you crazy?", I gape as I look at him. He laughs as he throws his head back. "I guess I am. I just didn't have time"
"Well one day I'm going to bring you and we'll make the time. I cannot allow you to live your life without having tried ice cream from Italy!", I say dramatically. I lick my ice cream as Sebastian slurps his milkshake. I look around me as I eat my ice cream, in awe of the beauty of New York. I had only ever seen New York through pictures, so seeing it in real life was quite surreal. "So", I start as I gain Sebastian's attention. "Are there any good hotels around here that I can stay at?", I ask him. Sebastian chokes on his milkshake as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "Hotel? There is no way I'm making you stay at a hotel, in New York, when I'm in the same city as you", he says as he hands me a napkin to wipe my mouth with. "I couldn't ask you to do that, Sebastian!"
"You're not asking, I'm offering", he states matter of factly. I click my tongue on my palette as I watch a couple pass by us. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose. Besides, we barely know each other", I comment as I play with the few rings adorning my fingers. "True, but I promise I'm not a serial killer", he says as he lifts his hands up. "How can I be sure of that?", I joke with him. "Ah, you got me there", he laughs. "Besides, it wouldn't just be me, Anthony is here too"
"The same Anthony I met at the airport all those months ago?", I ask as I prop my head on my hands. He nods his head as he throws his empty milkshake in the trashcan beside us. "Are you guys filming or something?"
"We are. A TV series, actually". I sit there, unable to comprehend how I was actually speaking to an actor, and talking about a new project he was working on. And what made it even more uncomprehebdable, was how normal it seemed. "Really? That's amazing. Congratulations!", I smile as I place my hand on his. His eyes shift to our hands and I see him take a deep breath. I remove my hand, hoping I didn't make him uncomfortable. "Well, I'm sure your dad will be a fan"
"It's a Marvel project?", I ask. He nods his head and shows me his phone. He pulls up a few promotional pictures as I gasp. They were amazing. "I'm sure he already knows about it, knowing him", I laugh as I think of my stepdad bombarding my mom with information about something she doesn't understand one bit. "Come on, Anthony's probably wondering where we are". I stand up and throw my napkin in the garbage and follow Sebastian back to the car. We get in and Sebastian starts driving as I continue to gaze out of the window, watching the beautiful streets of New York pass me by. "We were given a small, temporary apartment while we stay here to film so there's more than enough room for the three of us. We're not staying long because we have to be back in Atlanta for the bulk of filming, which you're more than welcome to come along with us", he says.
I snap my head towards him, "Wait, really? Is that even allowed?". His eyes crinkle as he smiles, nodding his head. "They won't mind, plus you're great company", he adds as he winks at me. My face turns red as I look away from him. "Usually, this is the part where I make an excuse to get out of going somewhere, but seeing as I literally have nothing to do and nowhere to go, then I guess I can tag along! ", I tell him as he pulls into a parking garage. "Perfect!"
He turns off the car and gets out, rushing to my side to open the door before I even have a chance to grasp the door handle. "Thank you", I say as I get out. He grabs my bags and we take the elevator from the parking garage to the main floor. When we get to the main floor we cross the marble flooring and get into another elevator. He presses the fifth floor and we silently wait. I close my eyes and clutch the handle beside me as I feel the elevator drop, my stomach doing the same thing. "You're scared of elevators too?"
"They make me nauseous", I reply without opening my eyes. "Is there anything else you're afraid of that I should know about?". I hear the elevator doors open and open my eyes as we walk out into the hallway. "Extremely afraid of spiders and I absolutely loathe clowns", I tell him as he sets down my bags to open the door. "Noted". I look at him, squinting my eyes. "Is there anything you're afraid of? Or are you just too perfect to not be afraid of anything?"
"Very funny. I hate heights", he says shortly as we walk inside. I close the door behind me and gape at the beauty of this apartment. "Seriously? That's the only thing you're afraid of? There has to be more!".
"Well I'm sure you're afraid of more than what you told me", he says as he sets his keys down. I shrug, "Well yeah, but those fears are more personal and deep". "Same goes for me. Maybe one day we'll share them", he says as he turns around.
"Share what?", a voice says. I turn around to see Anthony walking into the room. He notices me and smiles. "Hey, airport girl!"
"Airport guy! Nice to see you again", I laugh. "Anthony this is-"
"Italia, I know. My memory isn't that bad, Seb". Sebastian rolls his eyes as he excuses himself to go change into more comfortable clothes. "So, how was the trip here"
"Pretty good. Didn't expect to end up in New York overnight but I'm excited. I've never been here so it's been quite an interesting day so far", I say as I awkwardly stand in between the entrance and the kitchen. "Well we have a day off tomorrow so we can show you around. Come and sit", he motions for me to follow him into the living room. "Listen, Anthony, I hope I'm not imposing. I can get a hotel room or something. I feel like I'm barging in on your privacy", I say as he leans back into the couch. "Don't even start! You're more than welcome here. Relax, Italia, we're pretty chill people, and you're a friend now, so sit back, relax and enjoy your time here"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely", he smiles. I sigh of relief, feeling better than I did before. I always felt like I was burdening people, which is why I always needed so much reassurance from others that I wasn't bothering them or imposing. "So how long are you guys in New York for?", I ask him as Sebastian walks back into the room, wearing sweatpants and a hoodie. "Four more days". I nod my head as I turn to look at Sebastian. "So? What are we all sitting down for? Let's go out and walk around New York", Sebastian says as he claps his hands together. I look at Anthony as we both raise our eyebrows at each other. "Okay, I don't mind. Anthony?", I say as I stand up.
"Well do I have a choice?", he sassily asks as he looks at Sebastian. Sebastian smirks at him and Anthony rolls his eyes. The three of us leave the apartment and walk onto the New York city streets. I stare in awe as we get closer to the busier streets, my heart racing in excitement. "Italia, let me take a picture of you in front of Times Square". I turn to look at Sebastian who eagerly nods his head, encouraging me to pose in front of the infamous screens. "Oh no, I couldn't", I blush as I wave him off. "Italia, go! It's your first time in New York and the weather is beautiful. Let him take a few pictures of you!", Anthony encourages me as he sides with Sebastian.
I look around me and nod my head. "I'm not the most photogenic person", I comment as I try and position myself. "Then that's perfect, just act natural while I take a couple of pictures". Anthony smiles at me and nods his head, giving me a thumbs up. "Get it girl! Look at that, look at that! She's killing it", Anthony yells, making me laugh. "Oh that's a nice one! You're pretty when you smile", Sebastian says as he sends me a sweet smile over my phone. I look down as I feel my cheeks heat up again. "Okay, did you get enough pictures, Seb?", I say as I see people watching us. He nods his head and I sigh of relief as he hands me back my phone.
"Thank you for the compliments", I say as I look at both of them. "Anytime", Anthony says as he drapes an arm over my shoulder. Sebastian walks beside me too as he pulls me into a store. "Why are we-"
"Shhh", he says as he places his finger on my lips to shush me. Anthony gives his best friend a weird look as Sebastian shoves a cap on Anthony's head and slips a pair of sunglasses on me. "What are you doing?", Anthony whisper shouts. "Paparazzi", he whispers as he points out the storefront window. "How many?", Anthony asks as he looks outside. "Five or six. Walk to the back of the store, one of them is coming in here!", Sebastian whispers as he grabs my hand. He pulls me in front of him as he walks behind me. Anthony walks in front of me as we head towards the back of the store.
"Are they that dangerous?", I ask them, getting a little uncomfortable. "Sometimes. It depends though. Some are understanding and will back off if you ask them to, but some are brutal and won't stop until they get a picture", Sebastian says as he looks behind him. "How do you know if they saw us, Seb?", Anthony asks as he pulls the cap on his head further down. "Two of them were together and they spotted me and starting whispering to each other, that's why I pulled you guys in here"
"What if I distract the guy by asking for directions and you guys walk out of the store and to the corner? I'll meet you there", I suggest. Sebastian immediately pulls me to his side, "No way"
"Why not? I'll be fine"
"No. They're unpredictable, okay? I'm not leaving you alone in New York, especially in Times Square. If we leave, we leave together", he says as he looks me in the eyes. I see the concern in his eyes and nod my head, "Okay, so what do we do?"
"He's not looking, let's go", Anthony signals as he slips the cap off and puts it back on the shelf. I take my sunglasses off and put them near the cap as we quickly make our way out of the store. We run past the other paparazzi, who were oblivious to us, and reach the corner. "How about we go grab something to eat and have a calm day?", Anthony suggests as he breathes heavily. I nod my head eagerly. "That's enough excitement for one day", I add. I had never encountered paparazzi in my life but I had never liked them from the start, anyways. I always thought that they were way too invasive and overstepped their boundaries.
We walk a few more blocks and find a small, quiet restaurant. We ask if we can be seated at the back of the restaurant to which they oblige and bring us towards our table. When we sit down, we all sigh of relief. "Hey, dinner is on me", I tell them as I point to our menus. Anthony and Sebastian share a look and simultaneously say, "No way!".
"It's my treat and that's final. It's the least that I can do for you guys, for letting me stay with you", I say as I look through the menu. "Fine, but I'm paying next time", Sebastian says. I smirk as I look at him, setting down my menu. "Next time?". His face turns a shade of pink as he scratches the back of his neck, "Well yeah...uh...you know what I mean", he coughs. Anthony slaps Sebastian on the back as he smirks. "Like a date?", Anthony asks him, adding fuel to the fire. Sebastian glares at Anthony, nudging him in the ribs. "You know I can hear and see you guys, right?", I say amused, as I watch the two of them fight each other.
"God I wish the ground just swallowed me whole right now", Sebastian mumbles as he covers his face with his hands. I laugh as Anthony and I share a look. We high five each other as we watch Sebastian shield his face with the menu. "Well, if you're implying what Anthony said, then yes, I'd love to", I say as I slowly pull down the menu so his eyes meet mine. "Really?", he asks me, his eyes catching in the sunlight, making them sparkle more than they usually do. This man really was perfect, wasn't he? I nod my head, "Yes".
"Okay, enough flirting, where's the waiter, I want my burger", Anthony says as he swats his hands in between us. I laugh as I call over the waiter. We place our orders and I thank the waiter as I hand him our menus. "You have to-", Sebastian starts to say, but I hold my breath as it triggers a memory between me and Leo the night at the restaurant, when I should've turned him away, but instead I forgave him. I remember how he accused me of flirting with every man that I encountered, which wasn't true. "You have to flirt with every man that passes by, don't you", I remember him telling me when we had left the restaurant. I subconsciously rub my wrist, as I remember that he had harshly gripped onto them that night.
"Italia? Italia!", I hear someone call my name. I snap out of my daze and am met with two very worried faces. "Hmm? What? Sorry", I say as I shake my head. "Are you okay? I was talking and all of a sudden you zoned out and started breathing heavily", Sebastian says as he grabs my hand. I take a deep breath as I look at Anthony, who hands me a glass of water. I thank him and take a sip, "I'm fine, sorry. I was just thinking of something".
Sebastian looks at me and then at the waiter who was now at the other table. "Was it something I said?", he asks. I shake my head no. I watch Sebastian as realization sets in. "Oh no, does it have something to do with that guy?".
"What guy?", Anthony asks as he sits up. "Yeah", I answer as I look away. "But let's not talk about it, I don't want to ruin the mood". I take my hand back from Sebastian's and try to change the subject, but the both of them are persistent. "I have no idea what's going on, or who you're talking about, but I know that it's not good to keep everything inside. And it's not a mood destroyer if you're with people who care enough to listen", Anthony says as he nods his head.
"Italia, you can talk about it, you know? It's not your fault-", Sebastian says. "Yes it is! Because I could have prevented him from controlling me and making me miserable all those months. It was a situation much like this one. We went out to eat, I saw that he wasn't acting like himself and I asked him what was wrong. He bit my head off in front of the entire restaurant, embarrassing me. Being nice like I am, I thanked the waiter at the end of the night and gave him a tip, but apparently he took that as me flirting with the guy. He accused me of not being able to control myself and that I just couldn't stop myself from flirting with every guy I cross paths with. I was just being nice", I say as I begin to grow frustrated.
"He practically yanked me outside the restaurant and didn't even give me a chance to speak before he started yelling at me. He wouldn't even let go of me. That's why I have these bruises. Because he always gripped onto me when I wasn't acting the way he wanted me to. If I would have just listened to my gut and not forgive him that night, then maybe none of what I went through the past three months would have happened", I say as I rip the paper napkin in my hands. "Hey, you are not at fault! You understand me?", Sebastian says as he forces me to look at him.
"You had no way of knowing he'd be like that. Stop blaming yourself for things that he did. That's exactly what he wants. He wants you to feel like you're the one who did wrong, but you aren't. You got out in time and that's what matters most, okay? Things could have been a lot worse had you not put your foot down and walked away from him. It shows how strong you are and how self aware you are. I'm proud of you, and don't ever feel like you can't open up and talk about it. We're here for you. I know we only just met, but I care for you, and now you have Anthony, too"
I look away from him as I feel my eyes burn. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me", I say as I look at Sebastian and then at Anthony. "Thank you for listening. I'm sorry if I ruined your day", I grab another napkin and wipe my eyes. "You didn't", Anthony says. "I'm happy you felt comfortable enough to talk to us", he adds. "Now give me a hug!", he gets up from his seat and rounds the table. I stand up and hug him back, as he begins to tickle me. "Stop!"
"Ah, there's that smile!", he points at me as he pulls away. I playfully glare at him and sit back down. Sebastian winks at me when I make eye contact with him, making me blush, but luckily the food arrives, saving me from embarrassing myself. We eat relatively fast and I pay the bill before the boys can try to convince me otherwise, again. We leave the restaurant and decide to head back to the apartment to wind down and relax.
Sebastian shows me to my room and leaves me to get settled in. I check my phone as I sit down on the edge of the bed, and see that my mom had texted me.
"Hey sweetie, just wanted to check in. How are you?
I smile as I read her text, and begin writing back to her, keeping it short and sweet. "I'm happy".
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
For the sake of the story, let's pretend that Anthony and Sebastian spent a few days filming in New York before going to Atlanta to film (where they actually filmed).
Also, I wanted to say that if any of you have ever been abused in a relationship or by someone close to you, that you're not alone and that your feelings are valid. You matter and you're so incredibly beautiful, strong, brave and so incredibly loved.
If any of you have ever experienced any type of abuse, whether that's physical, verbal, etc. just know that I love you and honor your bravery. You're amazing and never forget that!
- Sabrina