Chapter 25: Sebastian's (Dis)Respect
"I'm reeling in my brain again,
until it can get back to you."
Ricky Montgomery
This chapter may contain partial mature content.
Heavy breaths echoed within the steam that covered the surrounding moisture walls. The air was suffused with a palpable tension; each inhale was laced with something more hotter. Something more burning.
The image of the forest green fabric hugging the body with effortless grace danced around the vivid imagination. It haunted at the edges of the consciousness.
Sebastian Sallow recalled the way the jersey clung to Penelope Silverthorn's skin; each seam and stitch molding to the shape of her body as if a stupid jersey from years ago was the last straw for the man. The sight was barely enough to quicken his pulse, igniting a burning sensation of the shower that hit with each moment.
"Goodnight, Professor Sallow." The memory echoed in his mind. Such simple words stirring something deep within him.
Professor Sallow. He knew Penelope held the power; the way her words could unravel him with a mere whisper, and yet she did it again.
Sebastian Sallow stood beneath the hot water, lost in inappropriate thoughts and his head tilted back toward the shower head, eyes closed as droplets of water fell from his freckled nose.
In the cocoon of the steam and solitude, he gave out a small grunt whilst his soapy fingers trailed down the abdominal area of himself and caused a tingling sensation.
Sebastian wondered what would've happened if Penelope ever allowed him to let loose on that Undercroft. He wondered how the scenario would've been if Ominis Gaunt wasn't there tormenting their moment.
Would her lips still taste the same? If her lingering scent stood the same, anything else would've been too, right? Would she still giggle when a hand would touch her inner thigh? Would she do that thing where she'll moan louder if he just pressed that one spot —
Sebastian threw off a low whimper, his right hand pumping tighter with each stroke and he could feel the tension seeping from his muscles. He'll replace the image with Penelope Silverthorn's touch; her fingers trailing along his flesh with the same tenderness.
What if he had taken her on that Faculty Tower after the game? No. He was a loyal man. It was impossible. He would never do that.
But what if he did? Could he finally get a scent of the old jersey on her? Fuck her endlessly as he imagines her wearing his Coach Sallow jersey from the back instead?
"You're not telling me to stop," Sebastian could recall his voice.
"Stop." She'll say, but he knew her.
"Do it with your eyes open."
He remembered the rhythms of her breaths vividly, each exhale marking a stroke on his skin as he thought about the experience. Or how she wore that bloody black leather suit in his class.
How dare she? Wearing that battling gear and not thinking twice about the unknown consequences she gave him for doing that. How she'll bend forward and —
A hand reached up, resting aggressively against the slippery shower wall as Sebastian Sallow's breaths grew heavier. With his eyes closed, he tilted his head downward, the lashes glistening with droplets of water as he surrendered to the intimate feel.
"Oh, Sebastian!" Penelope's young voice would moan out in their sexual escapes as a Hogwarts couple, "Don't stop."
Sebastian's fingers curled, wanting to grip the wet wall as his other arm heightened its pace; the vivid image of burying himself inside of her made him reach a finishing point, finally releasing himself.
"...F-Fuck," Sebastian said between his teeth, his chest rising in and out from his own mess as he twitched under.
The sheer frustration and yearning he felt against the woman. It was fucking embarrassing for him, but he felt free inside the hot shower that morning. After such events at Hogwarts the last few years, he became relieved to have found something to rile him up, even if it was wrong.
Sebastian Sallow played with the sleeves of his white dress shirt that morning and adjusted each button slowly at the end of them as his wet hair bothered his sweaty face.
He tried to trick it into making it another usual daily routine for himself while getting ready, but everything inside his head was burnt. All he could think about was the stupid shower. The stupid thoughts. The way he enjoyed it. It felt so wrong, but so right.
The brown suspenders felt tighter, but maybe it was just him feeling weird about himself. He hadn't worn suspenders in a while, but he felt a little confident this morning and went for a clean look at himself.
A breath hitched slowly as Professor Sallow closed his bedroom door with a locking charm and held his original brown journal on his side with an elbow.
A shut of a door clicked near the exit and as he turned, he only saw a glimpse of Penelope Silverthorn's long hair swish over the hall outside before disappearing.
Thank, Merlin. Sebastian freaked for a moment.
For once he was glad he wasn't confronting the woman that morning. His mind was still at stake and the least he wanted was to become a frozen statue. He was ashamed to even look at her.
Professor Sallow's eyes stayed glued onto a random note page of his leather journal inside the faculty meeting room that morning. Yeah, another meeting. How great — the avoidance he had on Penelope Silverthorn felt like a difficult challenge.
Penelope Silverthorn found herself flickering over at the professor occasionally in the small space. She hated herself for even doing it, but lately, there had been an intrusive urge to watch him. Not in a weird way, but her actions were reacting first than her mind.
The man was avoidant. Penelope overthought the idea of Sebastian not looking up once on that meeting and wondered if last night's interaction after the game win was too much. Was it?
Perhaps, not telling him anything and not speaking to him felt better. Now she felt weird.
"Percy, would you like to speak about your findings?" Headmistress Weasley called out mid-meeting.
Percy Dumbledore cleared his throat while sitting beside Penelope and nodded.
"Yes, of course. I believe the students set in the hospital wing are staying in a consistent sleep, but there has been no progress. And as in new report," he looked down at his notes, "It's been reported that a fifth-year student has been feeling ill."
A few of the faculty members gave out sighs and facepalms at the bad news. It only meant the case was getting progressively worse.
Penelope closed her eyes and shook her head at the report. Another student falling victim. It was stressing her.
"We have to re-enter The Map Chamber," Penelope blurted out, not holding back her plan, "We gathered there is no entrance, but we have to try again. Anywhere inside the castle that leads us to the underground." She directed.
"Yes, definitely, Miss Silverthorn. You do have a point." Matilda Weasley agreed right away, and fixed her glasses, "I believe this should be an immediate quest soon. Along with the team members that are joining,"
"I'm in on this case," Joshua Rogers stepped in, looking over at Penelope and giving her encouragement, "I go where Miss Silverthorn goes. We work together this way."
Sebastian clenched his teeth. If he applied enough force he'll probably break them from the tone of Joshua Rogers across him.
"Oh, I appreciate the help, Mister Rogers, but," Matilda looked down at the list with her wand, "I believe the list of members is limited on the Map Chamber. Only four." She informed.
Now Professor Sallow felt relief at the defeat inside his head. He wouldn't been able to imagine having Joshua and —
"May I ask, who's on the list?" Joshua asked.
Of course.
"Yeah, it's Miss Silverthorn, of course," The headmistress looked at Penelope, "Albus, Mister Beaufort, and Professor Sallow, as it is written here." She read to him.
Penelope watched Joshua Rogers legs fidget under the desk, almost hitting hers as the man thought to himself for a second and shrugged, thinking of a way to squeeze in.
"I'm sure it was mentioned Professor Sallow had too many priorities above him," Joshua looked over at Sebastian, "Teaching, note-taking, and preparations for the Halloween Dance. Don't you think?"
Sebastian Sallow stared up after a moment of silence, realizing that all eyes were on him from Joshua Rogers reminder and he leaned up, intertwining his hands on the table and nodding.
"Yeah, I must say, you are correct Mister Rogers," Sebastian said in force, "But I do ask, are you well caught up with the knowledge of the Map Chamber?"
Penelope Silverthorn began to feel her hands get sweaty from the meeting itself. Any interaction between Professor Sallow and Joshua Rogers made her nervous. Her body signaled the combination wasn't right.
"I caught up with everything. Of course, I do." Joshua stated, "I'm aware of the risks with the findings and the plague that is plastered underneath this castle."
"Do you know the kind of magic that lies beneath us?" Sebastian asked him.
Again, Penelope felt like an audience watching the two adults have a face-off of who knew Ancient Magic the best. It was horrifying.
Joshua chuckled, looking at the other members as if he were taking what Professor Sallow was saying as a joke. Like if he were a student being taunted.
"Well, the obvious," Joshua elbowed Penelope and she plopped up, furrowing, "Ancient Magic, of course."
"Dark Ancient Magic." Sebastian fixed.
Joshua crossed his arms, now feeling competitive in the conversation, "Yeah, I know that, Sallow. As I said, I read the notes. I know what's going on. I'm here for a reason, aren't I?"
"You are here for an extra hand, Rogers." Sebastian fought, "It is my right to lead onto the case, considering I've been attending this castle for years and have studied this magic for years."
"And I know someone with that magic for years, so consider us the same level." Joshua spat out.
"I demand the Map Chamber quest gets cut to only Percy and I." Penelope Silverthorn finally called out between the chaos, demanding a switch.
Both men stood muted at the case call, but Joshua let out a "what" from the shift.
Penelope didn't want to do it. She didn't want to handle any of it, but it seemed like she was getting overwhelmed with it all. Over a case.
"Considering it is a fact that Percy Dumbledore is gifted with similarities of magic and skills like me," Penelope explained, "It is only fair that the people that can see it, should go down. Otherwise, the others could be put at risk."
Aesop Sharp nodded, almost proud that his favorite student of Hogwarts stood her place between chaos. As Always.
"Mister Beaufort," Penelope turned to Victor Beaufort, the French Auror who had also been involved in the quest, "You are welcome to join, but I do understand you are still overwhelmed by the sights."
"All well, madam," Victor nodded, not resisting twice on not joining, but researching.
Penelope reflected on Professor Sallow. She was lost for words on what to even tell him, but Sebastian understood. He was better off knowing Joshua wasn't part of the quest, than knowing he was also not part of it either.
"My respects, Miss Silverthorn," Sebastian said in an understanding tone, but he didn't look at her, "Understood."
The meeting ended with uncomfortable tension. You could tell the faculty members became quiet after Penelope Silverthorn's unexpected new plan, but knowing she was a powerful witch with much knowledge of the magic, they agreed and thought it out.
Penelope Silverthorn walked out of the Headmaster's Wing with a severe headache. Her throat seemed to close as she became anxious with the entire case itself and Joshua Rogers presence. Just everything in general.
Joshua Rogers didn't catch up to Penelope until she neared down the Central Hall stairs that led to the Faculty Tower.
"Are you serious, Pen?"
Penelope rolled her eyes, continuing her walk up the stairs as she grabbed her journal and spoke out to him.
"Josh, I really don't need you to follow me around this castle like a lost puppy." Penelope said in honesty, "I'm tired."
But Joshua Rogers rarely respected space.
"Plopping me down on the quest? Really?"
Penelope's hands rested on the railing as she huffed, "It happens, Josh. This case is different. It's not always everything together like America."
"What?!" Joshua began to raise his voice, and a few students turned from the adult talk going up on the tower, "It's our job, Pen. We are partners. We've been ministry partners for almost four years and this has never happened."
"I've done solo cases like these too, you know? Just like this one. That's why I was sent here." Penelope pointed her finger as she spoke, "You are only here for an extra hand, that's it. I'm doing fine without more help." She informed him.
"Uh, are you sure? Last time I checked, records state that you've fallen victim to the case itself, almost like the affected students," Joshua stated, "Taking vials and hallucinating?"
As Penelope reached the marbled floors of the long hallway, she turned at him with a scoff, "W-What? Why are you reading over my own health records? That's my privacy on the scene."
"You need help." Joshua said in a low tone about his concern with the health records.
"Help? The students need help here, Josh!" Penelope brought up the truth, "How about you focus on the students themselves? That's what you're actually here for."
Joshua scoffed at the unexpected attitude that began to mark Penelope Silverthorn.
"What the hell is your problem?"
"My problem?" Penelope said in confusion.
As Penelope used her wand to open the Faculty Tower door, her eyes remained on the man behind her, not noticing that the fireplace at the end of the hall had opened, revealing someone else in the scene.
"Ever since I've came, all you've been doing is pushing me farther!" Joshua raised his voice mid-floor.
"I have not," Penelope denied, "This is just a more complex case, and you've been taking it as a bloody joke, as always!"
Joshua smirked, shaking his head to deny it.
"You see!" Penelope said in frustration, "And you wonder why the president of the ministry never gives you the hard cases." She insulted.
Joshua clenched his jaw, "Oh, fuck off. Hard cases? Since I arrived, all you have been fucking doing is taking plenty of breaks on this damn castle like a vacation. Attending games, hanging with friends —you have too much time in your hands as I see, so you don't seem to act like it's a 'tough' case."
"Children are dying, Josh." Penelope breathed out.
"And whose fault is that?"
Penelope caught her tongue at Joshua's questioning. Although he said it in a normal way, the questioning made her overthink her entire self.
"What are you implying?" Penelope said in a low tone.
"That you're no longer fun, or attentive!" Joshua complained, "You owl me in a fucking letter that you feel lonely and stressed out here. Like, was that not a sign that you wanted me?"
Penelope's jaw almost dropped at the embarrassing topic Joshua switched over to, now bringing it over about intimates and relationships.
"That's what you're worried about?! Are you kidding me?!" Penelope screeched, "Are you not seeing what's happening in this castle?"
Joshua raised his hand upward, "What? The part where you're acting like a bitch inside this castle and suddenly pretend like my presence here isn't important?"
Penelope gasped at the insult, knowing Joshua Rogers had never insulted her that way in years. Yeah, he was an aggressive person to argue with, but his word choices were poor. He kept getting lower throughout the years.
"I prefer you watch your words over a woman, Rogers."
Penelope Silverthorn gave a swallow as she watched the presence of Sebastian Sallow appear behind the man. It's like he had been witnessing the entire thing, but wanted to mind his business — but he couldn't take the disrespect.
Joshua Rogers turned at Sebastian, his brows already frowning upon the anger that was rising in him and he scoffed.
"Of course," Joshua wiggled his tongue over his cheek, "You mind your business, Sallow. This is a conversation between me and Pen."
Sebastian crossed his arms, "Honestly, it seems like you're just having a conversation with yourself and insecurities."
"Sebastian," Penelope let out, giving him a warning that saying stuff like that would only make the situation worse.
Sebastian Sallow did not listen. He was already angry at Penelope for letting herself be treated that way. It annoyed him. Why was she letting herself get this far?
Joshua stared down at Sebastian and kept his evil cocky smirk as he spoke down on him.
"What? You think just because you hold a professor badge on yourself and wear glasses, you have an excuse to intervene here? Fuck off."
"I do." Sebastian said bluntly.
Joshua gave out a loud scoff, "What? Words so tough now because you had her once?"
Penelope began to panic, "Josh—"
Sebastian shook his head in disapproval, still keeping his mannerisms, "It's not about who's had her. It's just about the fact that you can't simply stand the idea that someone like her doesn't have interests in someone like you at the moment."
Penelope clenched herself. She was upset at Sebastian. Upset that he knew the truth about herself. That he was speaking for her, and he was right.
"And you say that from experience?" Joshua pushed with a smirk, and eyed the professor darkly, "You don't know anything about her anymore."
"I know more than you." Sebastian said in confidence.
Joshua scoffed again, looking over at Penelope and then looking back at Sebastian.
Penelope was muted. She was preparing her wand to cause a scene and end the discussion between the two men, again.
From a distance, you could see a few heads of other professors peak from the other levels of the towers, beginning to hear the chaos that was happening in the hall. A few students had also turned heads as they passed the locked doors.
"You only knew her for like two years, Sallow," Joshua reminded Sebastian, his fingers pointing over his chest, "I've known her for almost four. Know your fucking place, professor."
Sebastian's nostrils fumed as Joshua's fingers poked into his chest, but, again, he remained calm and relaxed. Only a man who knew himself and the truth could win a conversation. Calm.
"Yet, you can't tell how to read her expression that you're being a fucking annoying imbecile." Sebastian gritted at him.
"Josh, leave him—" As Penelope tried to speak forward, Joshua kept going.
"What did you just say?"
"Just leave her alone." Sebastian ordered in a more heavier tone, annoyed that the childish man couldn't read the room.
"I could say the same," Joshua frowned, "Why are you even defending Pen? Aren't you married? Worry about your own fucking woman. I know I would." He spat.
"Josh! Stop!" Penelope said in shock, "Please—"
"You shut up, Pen." Joshua warned her.
"Stop talking to her like that." Sebastian stepped forward, his thick brows now furrowing from the anger that grew upon him.
"Fuck off, Sallow!" Joshua yelled at the attitude, "If you're not the one sleeping with her and claiming her, mind your fucking business."
Sebastian smirked in deep madness, "Oh, I've probably been inside of her more than you ever have."
Penelope gasped at the take Sebastian Sallow took about her. She could feel her stomach turn as her blood pressure rose to her face from what he had just confessed.
All three adults stood quiet for a few seconds. It was all just a speechless feel. Everyone was lost for words.
"Sebastian." The trembling voice of Cecil Greengrass echoed down the entrance of the hall.
The woman stood with arms crossed, and her green eyes twitched from what she had witnessed. It's like she wanted to scream and shout — throw the plants beside her onto the floor and make a fuss, but she waited.
Joshua Rogers was fuming inside himself, but he no longer had the courage to even cause a fight after the silence. Instead, he turned to Penelope from feet away and pointed at her,
Sebastian Sallow was prepared to raise his wand when he saw Joshua raise his hand at the woman, but once he saw he was just pointing, he lowered it.
"You and I will talk later." Joshua warned her and he began to walk away from the scene, pushing his surroundings aside angrily and disappearing into the hall.
Penelope Silverthorn had a lot of emotions from the post-scene. Her eyes were sweaty and her fists hard as she stared over at Sebastian Sallow in so much concern and anger.
How dare he say something so scandalous? How dare he say it in the most professional setting where many people heard? How dare he?
Sebastian stared at Penelope, wanting to apologize for his random blurt to win the conversation, but Cecil cut in.
"Sallow. Room. Now." Cecil Greengrass demanded at him.
Sebastian Sallow stormed into his faculty bedroom with anger still revealed in the air as his hands shook. The door slammed shut behind him and his knuckles were white from gripping the wand in place.
"I don't want to hear it, Cecil—"
"Are you not embarrassed?" Cecil let out in disbelief.
Sebastian threw his wand onto his office desk and unbuttoned his sleeves from the sweat he built at the chaos. He never looked once at Cecil Greengrass.
"I said I don't want to hear it."
Cecil Greengrass was offended at the behavior Sebastian Sallow gave to her, "How could you?"
"How could I what?" Sebastian said back.
The man was clear when he said he wanted to be alone. When Sebastian Sallow became upset, he would shut down everyone in his surroundings. It was his weak trait, hence, why he wanted to be alone at this time.
Cecil looked at the state her fiancee was in. She breathed as she noticed his expressions, his emotions, his actions, and him as a whole. He was stirred up over the situation and she despised it.
"What has that witch done to you?" Cecil said in between her teeth.
"She has done nothing wrong," Sebastian defended at the reference, "Why do you always blame her?"
"Why are you always defending her?" Cecil gasped out.
Sebastian Sallow stood quiet. He was quiet because Cecil was right. His head remained down as he thought about everything that happened in a span of a few minutes.
"You lied," Cecil gritted, "Penelope Silverthorn was not a summer fling." She said, almost gagging at the mention of the woman, "You slept with her."
"I did." Sebastian said, finally lowering his guard and confessing his truth.
Cecil gasped again, not expecting the man to match up the assumptions. But they were no assumptions Cecil Greengrass already knew the history, but needed him to confirm.
"I did, plenty of times." Sebastian murmured, "I honestly lost count."
How embarrassing of him. But he was done. Sebastian Sallow was done. He couldn't keep hiding his truth anymore. The days would progressively get worse as he hid.
"Penelope Silverthorn wasn't a summer fling. She was my girlfriend for almost two years before she left." Sebastian told.
Cecil couldn't fathom the reality of it. She was in denial that her soon-to-be-husband had someone else in the past. Her jealousy issues were psychotic.
"So the rumors were true," Cecil paced around with her heels in annoyance, "Those stupid children that spoke and bickered around the halls about you and that bloody witch...they were true."
"Don't call my students stupid." Sebastian defended, still annoyed.
"Oh, boohoo, Sallow!" Cecil threw her arms up, also unraveling her true self, "Who cares about the students! Care more about the tone you're using on me right now." Her claw nails pointed at him as a warning.
Sebastian sighed, "Well, what do you want to hear, Cecil?"
"What was Penelope Silverthorn to you?"
"I already said she was my girlfriend," Sebastian answered, again.
"No." Cecil breathed, "There is more to this."
Sebastian rolled his eyes and turned his back to her, fixing his wand in place on the office desk as he closed his eyes on the topic of Penelope.
"As I said, I don't want to talk about this right now, Cecil. Please, with respect, give me some space." Sebastian ordered.
"No." Cecil said, feeling taken aback that Sebastian was telling her to leave — like how could he do such a thing to someone like her?
Sebastian turned to the side, his side-eye still detecting the redhead behind me, "No what?"
"I'm not leaving this room until you tell me the truth." Cecil crossed her arms and became unbothered by intruding Sebastian's personal space.
Sebastian rested his hands on his desk, taking a breath and shaking his head, "Why does it matter? Were you not the one who said to leave the past behind?"
"Who gives a shit about what I said! You're going to tell me the truth." Cecil yelled out at him.
Sebastian gave her the silent treatment. He did that often with their arguments. Considering half of their relationship was arguing, he was used to it.
"Tell me the truth, Sallower!" Cecil screamed.
"What truth, Cecil?!" Sebastian yelled back, "That I dated Penelope Silverthorn?! That she was my first everything? That I was in love with her?"
Cecil stared in annoyance.
"Yeah, I did everything with her. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to marry her and she wanted to marry me, but she left. She left eight years ago. She left me. She left for eight years and I never saw her again." Sebastian breathed out.
For some reason, it felt relieving for Sebastian Sallow to confess his truth. It was like he was vomiting all the words that had been sickening his body for the last few years. He was now letting them out.
There was silence that tormented the bedroom. You would imagine that Cecil Greengrass would cry her eyes out at the shout and confessions, but the woman was standing there without emotion. Just amused by it. Unbothered.
"Until now." Cecil wondered, connecting the dots on Penelope's return to Hogwarts.
Sebastian blinked once to himself, the adrenaline inside his body beginning to cool off after the stir of yells and emotions. He was tired.
"And you're not over it." Cecil pinpointed.
No, he wasn't.
"I am." Sebastian lied.
"No, you're not." Cecil chuckled. "You think I don't know your bloody schemes, Sebastian Sallow? Look at yourself in the mirror."
Sebastian's jaw clenched.
"Are you over it?"
Sebastian was becoming triggered by Cecil's voice. The constant repetitive questioning. It was as if he was being interrogated. It was uncomfortable.
"No, Cecil. I'm not over it. I've spent the last eight fucking years being in denial about it. Plastered myself in distractions for a while. It's not an easy thing to get over." Sebastian admitted.
Cecil's green eye twitched again, "Am I a distraction?"
Sebastian's hazel eyes stared up at the woman in front of him. He eyed her for a moment. Yeah, he must admit, Cecil Greengrass was pretty and tall, but it never became serious in love.
Before Sebastian Sallow could say anything back to her, Cecil walked toward him, her face inches from him as she lifted her finger. The expensive bright ring reflected in Sebastian's eyes.
"Well, it's too late now, Sallow," Cecil said bitterly, "You're engaged to me. You're going to marry me. End of story, so get over it."
Cecil Greengrass readied herself to declare an exit with confidence, thinking that she had the last word on the entire thing. That Sebastian Sallow was her's. Her body lifted and she turned her back, walking to the door.
"I'm not." Sebastian said bluntly.
Cecil's body froze like a moth in place. Her hand stood mid-air near the doorknob as she turned her face slowly at the words.
"Excuse me?"
Sebastian licked his lips, staring at the floor as he prepared for another outburst from his true feelings.
"I'm not going to marry you, Cecil." Sebastian said to her.
"WHAT?" Cecil screeched like a child.
Sebastian shrugged in guilt as his ear vibrated a little from her scream, "You heard me. It's over."
Cecil shook her head repeatedly in denial, "No, no...you can't do that. You can't."
"Yes, I can." He declared.
Cecil looked down at the ring in her hands, her hands shaking as if hot oil had been thrown at her. It was a dramatic take and Sebastian wanted to roll his eyes.
"No! You...you can't take this ring away from me!" Cecil cried.
Sebastian scoffed, "That's what you're worried about? The ring?" He said in disbelief, but not surprised.
Cecil frowned, but didn't answer him. Her eyes were just on the expensive rock in her hand.
"Well, it's your lucky day, Cecil," Sebastian crossed his arms, leaning on his circular table, "I didn't buy it. Your father did, so keep it. All yours."
You can see the shift of Cecil's face change from the news, but she layered a mask of false hope as she stares at Sebastian Sallow.
"You don't mean your words, Sallower," Cecil told him in a whiny voice, "You're just upset right now."
"I'm not." Sebastian replied tiredly.
Cecil stared at him knowing Sebastian wasn't lying. It was revealed in his face that he no longer had interests. He never did. She never did either after a while.
"She doesn't even want you." Cecil blurted in a haunting way.
Sebastian swallowed at the reference. It was like his skin now tingled at the thought of her.
"This isn't about her."
"It is about her. Everything has been about her since she stepped foot on this bloody castle!" Cecil shouted again, "And you know that!"
Sebastian played with the ring on his fourth finger, now fidgeting as Cecil's voice became irrelevant.
"You're set for life with me, Sebastian." Cecil trembled, "I'm pretty. I'm rich. And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be where you are today." She snapped.
"You're right," Sebastian brought his weight up from the desk and agreed with her, "You are pretty, I won't deny that. You have a rich perfect family. And I cannot thank you enough for helping my career, but I cannot give you the life you want."
Cecil blinked, "What do you mean?"
Sebastian placed a hand on Cecil's shoulder for comfort, his eyes softening as he stared at her with guilt, "You deserve someone who loves you very much, Cecil."
"I know I do." Cecil said.
"And that's yourself." Sebastian joked.
Cecil gave out an offended scoff at the words and snatched herself away from Sebastian, and he sighed in stress.
"You hate my job, you hate my views," Sebastian listed, "You always pick an argument with me every other day — you dislike my students, and you don't even speak to my twin sister!"
"She's cursed!" Cecil blabbed at Anne Sallow.
"Was." Sebastian frowned, "Was. Past tense. Just because she was cursed doesn't mean you'll get cursed too, Cecil. Your family's theories on this had always been bizarre. Anne is healthy—"
"My family does not have bizarre views!" Cecil raised a finger at him in defense, "You don't dare speak about my family."
"It's the truth."
Cecil held in her throat, but grew fists, "Well...well, at least I have a family!"
Sebastian's brows raised at the harsh attack Cecil threw at him. It almost hurt him to be told that, but he brushed it aside and just stared at her without reaction.
"And I have no shame in telling you that!" Cecil went on, "You could've had a family too. A rich one, may I say! But you're choosing the wrong path."
Wrong path. It's a good path. No more anxious family dinners every weekend where they'll interrogate Sebastian. No more stress. No more hiding.
"You're going to regret this, Sebastian Sallow." Cecil pushed Sebastian's shoulder in hate.
Sebastian Sallow did not react. He watched as Cecil Greengrass clutched onto her engagement ring and walked away dramatically, letting out a "hmpt" as he had lost the biggest trophy in his life.
Bang.
Sebastian flinched a little as Cecil slammed his door loudly and he stood there in silence, his hands dug inside his pants pocket as he breathed.
For once, the silence became the most peaceful setting for him at that moment.
And Sebastian Sallow stood there as a single man.
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