The three of us all engaged in an awkward stare-down, everybody remaining strictly frozen in place. Sebastian kept his hands still on my naked back, and I continued lying on the bed while staring at my dad, wide-eyed. It was like a nightmare that had come to life.
My dad blinked twice before clearing his throat. "I'm going to get a drink," he said abruptly.
Then taking a step back from the door, he hurried to slam the door to vanish what must have been an awful sight, clean from his view. From the look on his face, I'd bet the drink he was after was a heavily alcoholic one.
"Well...erm, that went better than I thought," Sebastian said from above me.
"No, no, no. This is bad. This is so, so bad," I groaned, as I buried my face into my covers. "I didn't even know they were coming home today..."
I heard Sebastian gently climb off the bed and soothingly rub up and down my back. The soothing up-and-down rhythm of his fingers felt relaxing and almost distracted me from my humiliation. Almost.
"I want to die," I cried into my covers.
"Relax, he didn't even see anything, you're covered. And besides, he can't prove we were doing anything, he argued.
I slightly lifted my head and threw him a deadened look. "Yeah, because he's totally going to believe that I was just casually hanging out in a room with a boy without my top on, for good normal reasons," I muttered sarcastically.
There was a brief silence, an uncomfortable one. "Fair point, fair point...," Sebastian trailed off with a nervous laugh.
I let out a heavily defeated sigh. "Can you just pass me a baggy T-shirt or something from my wardrobe? I'm paranoid he's going to come back."
Thankfully, Sebastian did as I said and the bed dipped as he rose before I heard him make quick strides toward the direction of my wardrobe door. I heard the swing of the door before silence spread throughout the air.
"Erm...Phoebe...," Sebastian started slowly.
"Yeah?" I murmured as I flipped my head around from where I still lay.
"Why is my jacket in your wardrobe?" he asked. My heart instantly stopped. Shit.
"What do you mean?" I said deciding to play dumb.
Walking back over to me, he dangled his green bomber jacket in front of my face. "I mean this is the jacket, I came over here for. You know the one you claimed you'd never seen?" he said as he plucked up an amused brow. The level of smugness on his face was unsettling, as were his twitching lips that were more than threatening to turn into a smile.
I did my best to keep my face neutral and unsuspecting. "We must have the same one," I lied again.
Sebastian plucked out the label and looked down at me with a humor-filled smile. "So, you're trying to tell me you drape your tiny body in a men's medium to large, do you?"
"Or then again, it could be my brother's," I muttered with a nervous laugh.
When Sebastian met my eyes with a flat look, I knew the jig was up and rolled my eyes. "Whatever, maybe I stole it, but it was your own fault for not being more careful with your stuff."
Sebastian looking slightly intrigued, further plucked up his brow. "Oh, really is that the case? Maybe in that case I'll just hang on to your top since finders and keepers and all that," he said, his eyes sparkling devilishly as he spoke.
In normal circumstances, I would have leaped off the bed to slap the shit out of him, but due to the fact I was currently topless, that didn't seem like the smartest option.
"My mum and dad are literally right downstairs, you idiot!" I hissed.
My panic only seemed to further amuse Sebastian, and I watched as he picked up a baggy shirt from my wardrobe before dangling it right near my face.
"This what you're after?" he chuckled.
With one hand under my chest to try and cover myself, I leaped my other hand out to try and rip it away. Sebastian moved my top back at the last second. "Oop too slow," he said mockingly.
"Sebastian!" I hissed.
"Phoebe? Is everything alright up there? Come downstairs and say hello?" I heard my mother's voice call up the stairs.
This instantly made both of us pause.
"On reflection, maybe this isn't the best time to be doing this," Sebastian said quickly before finally dumping my top back on the bed. Or more, accurately, on top of my head.
"You think," I snapped as I snatched up the top. Not even caring this time, I quickly put my hands on my chest and turned around, so my back was once more to Sebastian. I quickly pulled the top up and over my head, not caring too much about a bra. The top was baggy anyway.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see Sebastian following my every last movement. It was a wonder really how he could still act this way when he'd already seen me half-naked.
Once dressed, I stood up and turned to face Sebastian who was still leaning up against my wardrobe door.
I let out a breath. "Okay, look, you're going to have to go downstairs with me and meet my mum and dad. This means no weird flirty eyes you do, no-"
"Flirty eyes?" he laughed, his grin spreading wider.
I rolled my eyes and continued. "Yes, and no weird, perverted comments, no trying to embarrass me, and most importantly do not give any impression that anything is going on between us. Are we clear?" I finally rushed out.
"Wasn't aware anything was going on between us?" Sebastian unhelpfully remarked.
"There isn't! But you do seem to have an awful habit of spitting out things that very much insinuate there is," I explained.
Sebastian paused for a second, probably realizing I had somewhat of a point. Or well at least that's what I hope he was thinking. Sebastian shrugged. "Okay, whatever, fine, I agree to be civil."
"Excellent, so let's go," I said. Leading Sebastian out of my bedroom, I slowly led the way down the stairs and across our hallway toward the sound of my parent's voices in the kitchen. I noticed their luggage off to the side of the hallway, and the front door half open indicating there was more to come.
The second I entered the kitchen; I spotted my dad sitting up by the breakfast bar pouring himself an over-generous amount of scotch. He wasn't normally a heavy drinker, but his turn to alcohol was more than understandable after the picture he'd just walked in on.
My mum stood cleaning a jug at the sink and shot him a concerned look. "Erm...is everything alright Sam? I haven't seen you touch a cup of scotch in years-"
Before he could answer, I cleared my throat and stepped further into the kitchen to let them know I was there. Sebastian who'd been following behind me, stopped awkwardly by my side. "
Hey mum, hey dad," I said in what I hoped was a decently chirpy tone.
Both my mum and dad turned my way. The second my dad saw me, he quickly looked at Sebastian and then back at me. He swallowed hard before once more reaching for his scotch and taking a worryingly long sip.
"Oh Phoebe, it's you!" My mum cried. Hurrying across the kitchen, she embraced me in a tight hug before pulling back to look at me. "God, your face," she said as she squeezed my cheeks together.
"Mum!" I groaned in protest, embarrassed that she was treating me like a toddler with Sebastian present. I heard Sebastian chuckle from beside me, further confirming my worry.
That's when my mum turned to face Sebastian. "Oh sorry, I didn't notice you there," she smiled politely. "Are you a friend of Phoebe's from school?"
"Mum, it's Sebastian," I explained when it was clear she no longer recognized him. I could hardly blame her, Sebastian had sure as hell changed since being fourteen.
Her eyes widened in recognition, and she looked Sebastian up and down in shock. "You're little Seb! I can't believe how big you've gotten! You must be taller than my husband now," she laughed, with fondness sparkling in her eyes.
My mum absolutely loved Sebastian when we were kids. And I couldn't exactly blame her, preteen Sebastian was the sweetest boy you could imagine which I can't help but find heavily ironic, considering he's the complete opposite now.
Sebastian let out a light laugh. "Yeah, I kind of shot up in the last couple of years."
My mum quickly turned back to face my dad. "Sam, what are you doing from over there, come say hi to your daughter and Sebastian. You remember him, right?
The three of us all made awkward eye contact, knowing full well the reason for my dad's reluctance to come to greet us. My dad forced a smile in Sebastian and I's direction before reluctantly climbing off his chair with his drink in hand.
"It's nice to see you again son," My father spoke tightly as he raised out a hand for him to shake.
Sebastian took his hand and shook it but from the wince and pained expression Sebastian made as my dad's fingers closed around his, I knew the handshake was anything but friendly.
That was the thing about my dad. He was never outright and bold when he was annoyed with someone, instead, he would just find small little ways to express his irritation.
As they pulled away, I noticed Sebastian shake his hand slightly as though trying to regain back blood pressure.
My dad took another sip of his scotch before speaking again. "So, what were you guys up to before we got home?" my dad asked coldly, staring at Sebastian with a calculative-like stare.
"Yeah, that's a good point, I didn't think the two of you were all too fond of one another," My mother admitted with a smile.
"Hmm, well I wouldn't be too sure. They looked plenty fond of each other to me," my dad with another forced smile.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see Sebastian's eyes darting around frantically, clearly growing very uncomfortable from all my dad's blatant insinuations.
"Yeah, we're actually okay at the moment. We were actually just doing a bit of light studying before you came," I quickly explained.
"Oh really, what subject?" My dad probed straight-faced.
"Biology," Sebastian answered for me.
My dad looked Sebastian coldly up and down. "Certainly, appeared like it," he said tightly as he took another long swig.
Before things could progress to be any more awkward, I let out a nervous laugh. "Anyway, I think Sebastian needs to go now, don't you? Something about picking up your sister, right?" I said as I gave Sebastian a pointed look, indicating for him to just run along with this.
"Oh, yes, that's very true," Sebastian said while nodding quickly in agreement.
"I'll see him out," I said with a smile as I quickly grabbed Sebastian's elbow and steered him over to the door.
As I hurried to open the door for him, Sebastian stopped just short of the door and looked at me. "Just to confirm, your dad now hates my guts, right?"
I nodded my head. "Yup," I stated boldly, too lazy to lie.
Sebastian let out a heavy sigh. "Excellent," he spat sarcastically, sounding a little too irritated for someone who was barely my friend. Finally, with a nod and smile my way, he finally stepped out the door to leave.
Shutting the door gently behind him, I leaned my back against the door and nearly sobbed as I fully properly processed the reality of what had just happened.
In the space of two days, not only had my brother seen me half-naked with Sebastian, but now my father had too. I was fucked. So incredibly and undeniably fucked.
----------------------
Next Update: Thursday