The weekend came around fairly quickly and it was the day of Leslie's birthday.
After Harry's visit, Mia had briefly spoken to Sebastian about the surprise party and he confirmed he was going to be there, something that she had guessed but wasn't so enthusiastic about.
It just didn't settle well with her.
His presence was making her feel a certain way and that terrified her.
She hadn't felt this way before and didn't really understand what to do about it. It was like the feeling before an exam, her stomach in knots. Not to mention he was still with Anna and that woman would bring chaos with her, if there was any feeling associated with Sebastian, even feelings of dislike.
Little did Mia know, she was also make Sebastian feel a certain way and it was confusing the hell out of him.
When he was around Mia, his mind was only on her, not even his work. That didn't happen before, not even with Anna. He was at a loss and didn't really know what he was doing, or what this strange feeling was that he felt in his chest. There was also this tug or pull at invisible strings inside him, whenever it concerned her.
The email that Harry had sent Mia, included all details of the party, including the dress code and the address.
Obviously, Nicole, being the self-proclaimed 'fashion expert', couldn't let Mia go to the party without dressing her up a bit.
She made Mia put on a pale-pink dress, with thin straps at the shoulders. It was knee-length, tightened at the waist and chiffon skirt flowing down. Her hair was done in curls, soft make up adorning her face, and this time she kept her glasses on.
Mia had to search for the address beforehand, to know where she was going, since it was completely unknown to her. Taking a taxi there made the most sense, since she was not looking forward to going on public transport in heels.
Her taxi pulled up to a lavish driveway, where many cars were already parked on the side. Mia had assumed that the party would be at a house, a normal house. Not a mansion! The place looked amazing, something straight out of a movie. It could be set for The Great Gatsby.
She was in complete awe of the place, even as she stepped further inside.
Her heels clicked on the marble floor, as Mia took in her surroundings. She should have realised sooner that Sebastian's parents were wealthy, of course they wouldn't have a modest, little house. It made sense that they lived in a place as grand as this.
Mia couldn't really tell if she was in the living room or just a massive hall. There were paintings on the walls, which were undoubtedly costly, along with fancy furniture and decor. However, the place still looked lived in. It was still a home. It wasn't some prissy place where, you were afraid to even sit.
As Mia walk in, she realised the party was clearly underway, with people mingling with one another and enjoying their drinks. She assumed she must have missed the whole surprise part and arrived a little late.
She tilted her head from one side to the other, as she tried to look out for a familiar face. As soon as she spotted one, Mia smiled and began to walk straight to her.
"Mia, sweetheart," Leslie Nelson grinned widely, one much like her husband, as soon as Mia came up to her, with a gift in hand.
"Happy Birthday," she wished her and instantly she was pulled in for a hug by the elder lady.
"Oh thank you, my dear," Leslie replied, squeezing Mia tightly in a big, before moving apart.
She then quickly spotted the gift in Mia's hand and she gently shook her head. "You didn't have to get me a present."
"It's just a little something," Mia said and handed her the small box.
It was hard to think of something to buy Leslie and after a lot of thought, Mia finally thought she had bought the perfect gift.
She had gotten her small pendant, with five rings attached to it. Each ring was engraved, with the names of the people Leslie held close to her heart, her husband, kids and grandchild.
"When it comes from the heart dear, nothing is ever just a little something," Leslie said and Mia smiled at her words.
After talking for a bit, Leslie had to leave Mia to go and greet other guests, since it was a party in her name. This left Mia to greet some familiar people and also look around.
"Mia," a voice called her name from behind her.
She turned around and a smile adorned her lips, she saw the familiar face.
"Mr Carter," she greeted him.
"It's Richard, Mia," he told her in a scolding tone and frown, but there was a still a playful look in his eyes, one that made Mia smile. "Not a hard name to remember," he added.
"Sorry, Richard," she apologised and this made him smile once more. "Better," he nodded.
Mia then glanced to his side and noticed the beautiful lady that stood next to him, and she gave her a polite smile.
"This is my wife, Lorelai," Richard introduced her.
They had never met before but Mia had heard all about Lorelai from Richard. He spoke about her so often and with so much fondness, it was cute.
She also remembered her visit to Sebastian's flat, the first time that she had to work from his place and then later hide in his bedroom, when he didn't want his Mum to see her.
"It's nice to meet you," Mia responded, offering her a hand and it shocked Mia when Lorelai pulled her into a hug. "Oh come now. Leave the handshakes for the suits, I'm a hugger," she said giving Mia a tight squeeze.
As Lorelai released Mia from the hug, she looked confused.
"Suits?" She asked.
"It's what she calls, Seb and I," Richard said, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist affectionately.
Mia tensed at the mention of his name.
She had yet to see him and a part of her was hoping he wouldn't be here, or would arrive after she had left. 'Maybe fate would be nice and his car would break down on the way here.'
"When the two of you learn to dress in something else, I'll stop calling you that," Lorelai replied and jabbed her elbow into husband's side slightly, causing him to chuckle.
Mia spoke to Richard and Lorelai and even Harry and Leslie joined into the conversation. They spoke for a while, until they had to attend to some other guests and she was left to walk around on her own again.
As she looked around their home, Mia came across one of their paintings, one that she couldn't help but admire. It was one of a couple in sweet embrace, the man's face hidden as he kissed the woman, his arms wrapped around her tightly.
She carried on to gaze at the painting, when she felt someone come and stand beside her.
"You look a little lost."
Mia turned around to see a girl, seemingly about her age, standing next to her with a smile.
Weirdly, the girl a looked a little familiar. She had brown hair, lighter than Mia's and pretty green eyes. Her dress was bottle-green colour, shiny and silky. It had to be expensive.
"Oh no, I'm okay," Mia responded and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, wondering if she truly looked like a lost puppy.
"I'm Elizabeth," the girl introduced herself, taking two glasses of champagne from a nearby waiter and then handing one over to Mia.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Mia," she replied as she took one of the glasses from her.
Hearing that name Elizabeth froze a little.
"Oh, you're the famous Mia," she said, with a wide grin on her face.
Mia's faces scrunched up in confusion.
"Famous?" She asked.
"Harry," Elizabeth said and Mia chuckled.
'Of course,' she thought.
"He's always going on about you. I often get compared to you," Elizabeth said and Mia's eyes widened in guilt.
Being compared to someone is always the worst. As if you should live up to someone else's expectations, rather than be your own person. She'd never want someone to do that her or be used as that kind of comparison.
"Oh, I didn't-"
"It's okay, I've actually always wanted to meet you," Elizabeth confessed. "I have no interest in my Dad's business, but he'd always tried to make me like it," she said.
For Elizabeth, business was dull and boring. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to go into it unless it was forced. Photography was her passion. She wanted to travel the world and capture it within her camera. Of course, her Dad thought it was more of a hobby or passion rather than a career, but that wouldn't let that put her off.
"...Especially since my brothers into it," she carried on and Mia gave her a confused look.
"Oh, whose your brother?" She asked, taking a sip of her champagne.
"I am."
As soon as Mia heard that deep voice, she recognised it immediately and couldn't help but freeze mid-sip and closed blinked slowly.
She looked at Elizabeth, who was looking over Mia's shoulder, with an amused expression. She already knew that he was standing there.
Mia really didn't want to turn around, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice.
Taking a deep breath, Mia turned around slowly and then saw Sebastian standing directly in front of her, with a rare smile on his face.
Her eyes briefly roamed over his form and she saw that he was dressed in a dark-navy, checkered suit and white shirt.
"Hi," Mia awkwardly waved.
'Why am I waving? Idiot.' She chided herself.
"Hi," Sebastian replied with a smile, his eyes not leaving Mia.
He was transfixed seeing her, she looked...beautiful.
Sebastian had become so used to seeing her in her normal 'work attire', the usual formal clothing. There had only been that time at the club, that he'd seen her dress differently, and now, like that time too, she was stunning.
She looked so gorgeous in her dress, on that fit her so perfectly. From the straps at the shoulders, to the skirt of it that reached her knees.
He loved her hair. He had the urge to run his hand through her curls and let them tangle around his fingers.
Sebastian looked at Mia like he was in a trance. And he truly was. He could see her brown eyes shining through her glasses and it was all he stare at.
"I'll leave you two to it," Elizabeth then said and Mia nodded at her.
Only, Sebastian kept his gaze fixed on Mia.
She then shifted awkwardly under his stare, wondering why he was looking at her like that. She trusted Nicole enough, to know that she didn't look that bad, but the way his eyes were on her, was starting to make her think a little differently.
When he noticed her move a little, Sebastian finally snapped out of his daze and he cleared his throat.
"So, you met my sister," he stated and Mia looked in the direction Elizabeth walked off too.
It now clicked why Elizabeth looked so familiar to Mia. She had seen a picture of her, on Richard's desk once, only then her hair was a lot shorter. There was also that resemblance to Sebastian.
"She's lovely," Mia replied honestly.
"She really isn't," Sebastian joked and Mia couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"That's such a brother thing to say," she said, thinking how Aaron would never leave an opportunity to tease her just the same.
"Yours would never," Sebastian replied, clearly aware of the sibling love between the two and Mia just smiled at that.
She was happy that Aaron and Sebastian became friends once again. It was a slight relief and she felt less guilty.
Sebastian was grateful towards Mia, since she had helped mend his friendship with Aaron. He'd spent so long blaming her for being the reason he went away, but knew deep inside, that it really wasn't. It was on him. He just didn't want to admit that before.
Suddenly, he was then reminded of Aaron's words from before, 'you broke her'. He had held back from asking her what that meant, but the thought still lingered in his mind and he just couldn't get it out.
"Mia, I-" he began and she was listening, until a guest accidentally pushed past her, causing her champagne to spill onto Sebastian's jumper.
Her eyes widened immediately.
"Shit. I'm so sorry," she apologised and used her hand to clumsily get rid of the stain.
Sebastian couldn't help but laugh her at attempt.
"It's okay," he told her and gently grabbed her wrist, which caused Mia to stare up at him.
They both seemed to have froze at the same moment and just looked at each other.
Mia clutched the champagne glass in her other hand, in a tight, vice-like grip. She didn't attempt to move her wrist out of Sebastians' hold, instead just letting it stay there, whilst the mere feeling of his touch burned through her skin.
As his hand encircled her wrist, Sebastian resisted the urge to tug her closer towards him. He let her stay a little apart from him, but brought her hand to rest on his chest.
"Sebastian," Lorelai's voice then broke the two apart.
Mia stepped back immediately, realising how inappropriate that was.
She was standing too close to him and that wasn't professional behaviour. She didn't know what she was trying to achieve by getting rid of the champagne stain with her hands, but knew it was stupid. So stupid.
Whatever that she was feeling when he held her wrist, wasn't right. She couldn't feel this way. There couldn't be anything between them. There was the fact that she didn't want to ruin the friendship they'd just developed, and more than that, she didn't want to risk even him finding out how she felt in case he threw it back in her face.
Sebastian may have changed from what she had seen recently, but she'd seen how people were quick to change into something bad.
As Mia took that step back, Sebastian felt a slight disappointment within him, at the distance that was now between them. He understood it, but didn't like it.
He had to let go of her hand and that suddenly left his feeling...empty. As if he held the world in it before and now there was nothing. Sebastian had no clue as to why he was feeling like this.
Lorelai then walked closer to the pair and frowned when she looked down at Sebastian's shirt.
"Oh, Sebastian," she sighed, as if he were a child that couldn't keep himself neat.
"It's fine, Mother," he replied and looked down at his shirt, brushing the material down.
"No, no, go change," she ordered him. "I don't want you in pictures, looking like a grown man who hasn't learned how to drink from a glass."
Mia stifled a laugh hearing that, which earned her a look from Sebastian.
"Fine," he huffed and headed upstairs, towards the bedroom that he would use whenever he came to his parents house.
Sebastian wasn't bothered about the stain, he was just frustrated not being able to ask Mia about what Aaron had said.
***
After some time, the photographer that Lorelai had hired for the day, had began to take the formal pictures of all the guests, along with the Nelson family and the Carter family. However, it didn't look so great with oldest child missing, since Sebastian still hadn't come back downstairs.
Mia watched the photographer work his magic, only to look away when her name was called.
"Mia," Richard walked towards her. "If you don't mind, could you please go get my son? We're in the middle of taking pictures here and he's nowhere to be seen," he asked her.
She then looked slightly panicked.
"Me?" She questioned him. "I don't think-" she wanted to refuse but Richard didn't let her.
"Please?" He requested. "His bedroom is upstairs, down the corridor, take a left and then then first door on the left again."
Mia opened her mouth to object, only for Richard to speak up again.
"Thank you, dear." He said, assuming that she would agree and then left her to go back to his wife's side.
Mia didn't really want to create a scene or cause questions on why she didn't feel like doing it, especially when they had invited her into their home. Instead, she just sighed and tried to recall the directions that Richard had given her, before walking up the stairs.
As she walked around the maze of a mansion, Mia found herself outside a room and she was hoped that it was indeed Sebastian's.
She knocked on the door a couple of times, but when she heard no response, she tried the doorknob, only to find that it was unlocked.
Mia walked into the room cautiously, looking out for Sebastian.
Her eyes glanced around the room and she saw the bare minimum interior inside it. The bare, grey walls weren't all too surprising. Neither was the shelved filled with business-based books and cluttered desk.
"Sebastian?" Mia called his name out hesitantly, creeping further into the room. "Are you in here?" She asked, but received no answer.
She walked towards, what seemed like a walk-in wardrobe, and tried to peer in.
"You're needed down-"
Her words were cut off as Sebastian rushed out of the walk-in closet and crashed into her, causing the two of them to stumble backwards and then fall onto the bed not too far from where they were once stood.
"Ouch."
"Shit."
Sebastian reacted as quickly as he could, once he realised he'd bumped into her. He held one arm around Mia's waist, and his other hand behind her head for support, so that she didn't hurt herself on impact.
He had heard Mia's voice as he was changing and quickly tried to get out of the closet and see her, he didn't expect her to be standing right there in front of him.
As they fell onto the bed, Sebastian tried his best not to crush her with his weight and quickly held himself up by his elbows, instead of completely on her.
Sebastian looked down at Mia, his arms still around her securely. Her eyes were tightly squeezed shut, and her face scrunched up. Her hands were bundled into fist, kept close to her chest.
He wanted to laugh at her shocked state, but held back, only because he wanted to look at her for a few moments longer.
"Mia," he said softly, "Open your eyes".
At this, her breathing which had increased rapidly, slowed down and evened out a bit more. She cautiously peeked one eye open, still wary of everything, only to see Sebastian's amused face hovering over her, which caused both her eyes to open widely.
"I-I came to get you...I mean your dad needed you for pictures, so I-" she stuttered, feeling uncomfortable at the proximity between the two, whereas Sebastian was quite enjoying this.
She realised she was never going to get her words out if they stayed like this, and she really needed to move away from him.
Looking away, Mia mumbled, "Excuse me."
She didn't wait on a response from him, instead she moved Sebastian's arms, which had been holding her, and got off the bed. Her movements caught him by surprise, and his grip on her had loosened.
Mia rushed to get away and quickly headed towards the door.
Before she could exit the room, Mia felt a grasp on her wrist, which then tugged and next thing she knew, she was gently pushed against the wall with Sebastian in front of her.
Her wrist was still in his hold, held up against the wall, the other instinctively resting on his chest.
Sebastian hadn't realised when she had hurried off, but he couldn't let her leave like that, not when he had more to say. Not when he wanted to hold onto the feeling that he got when he was near her.
It was as if he couldn't help himself from stopping her, and managed to catch her wrist before she could leave.
He held her wrist with one hand, as the other cupped her face gently. His fingers grazed her jaw, her skin so soft against his, and Sebastian was loving that feeling.
"Mia," he whispered her name, his face an inch away from hers.
Immediately, her eyes closed and his were trained on her lips.
Whilst Sebastian was relishing in the moment of being so close to her, and wanting to be closer, a painful memory from high-school made its way into Mia's mind.
Suddenly, her mind went back to high school where he first kissed her. He just wanted to hurt her at the time and called her names, and she still remembered the way he wiped his own lips after.
The image was burned into her mind, replaying over and over, and she couldn't let herself go through that again. To let herself hurt like that again.
"Please. Please let me go," she then whispered, ever so quietly.
Her voice was low enough that it shouldn't be heard by anyone, but with how close Sebastian stood in front of her, it was inevitable for him to hear.
His eyes, that he momentarily closed whilst getting lost in the moment, had opened straight away at her plea. He noticed how a tear had escaped her eye and his hold on her loosened immediately, with him taking a step back.
Mia's eyes then opened, once she realised that he wasn't holding onto her anymore, and she saw a shocked Sebastian standing in front of her.
He saw this raw pain in her eyes and it tugged at his chest.
"Mia, I-"
Only, he wasn't able to continue with his words.
She shook her head rapidly and only remembered that past memory.
"No. I can't, I-I can't. Not again," she muttered to herself and then she bolted out the room at lightening speed, before Sebastian could even register her movements.
"Mia, wait!" He shouted behind her, but to no avail, since she was soon out of sight and Sebastian was staring at an empty corridor.
"Fuck," he cursed, running his hands through his hair.
All he could think was if it was so bad that he wanted to kiss her? Was what Aaron said the truth? Did he actually break her back then?
Sebastian wanted answers, but the only person that could give him any, just ran away from him, leaving him alone and confused.
What had he just done? He thought.
***
So close, yet so far.
But this is meant to be a slow burn book :)
Hope you enjoyed.