Sebastian was still a blushing, shaking mess by the time school ended and he and Letitia were on their way to the diner. He hadn't meant to say it like he did, it just slipped out. Because Chris was more important than a silly math class.
Letitia was watching him with a sly smirk on her lips. "What's got you all blushing, kitten?" She giggles, nudging the boys side and causing him to jump. "Has it got something to do with a certain Chris?"
Sebastian is sure that he was redder than a tomato. "N-no.." he mumbles, moving his gaze to the window while Letitia laughs.
"Lemme guess." She begins, stroking her chin. "You said something to Chris that could imply that you care a lot about him and Chris thought nothing of it and made you blush?" Letitia says, causing Sebastian's jaw to drop.
"How do you do that?"
Letitia laughs. "Hon, you're so easy to read sometimes. And I'm very happy that you let the nurse strap your nose properly."
Sebastian shrugs. "The pain was too much. But.. I'm easy to read?" He questions.
Letitia nods and Sebastian's heart sinks. She could most definitely find out things just by looking at him. Things Sebastian was never allowed to repeat. "The way you blush and just how you were kinda fidgety gave it away, kitten."
Sebastian sighs in relief, then groans. "That nickname isn't going away, is it?"
"Nope."
Sebastian shakes his head. Letitia had given Sebastian the nickname after she sent him some pictures of her new kitten and wouldn't stop cooing over her. Letitia then came to the conclusion that Sebastian was just as cute and as sweet as the kitten, so there for, his nickname was kitten.
"You thinking bout what happened?" Letitia asks.
Sebastian shrugs. The two had known each other for barely two weeks and she could already tell what was going on inside of his mind. Sebastian never thought he'd find someone as amazing as Letitia to be his friend. Best friend. "Yeah." He whispers. Sebastian was scared. Seeing Chris in that way. Seeing him unable to breathe, crying, panicking brought up so many new and old memories that Sebastian almost fell into a panic attack. He couldn't bare to see Chris in that way. It was awful.
Letitia sighs and places a comforting hand on his knee. "Chris is okay, Seb." She says calmly. She knew he was scared. "I'm sure he's just sleeping it off. If your so worried, we can find out his address and you can go see him?"
Sebastian shakes his head. "I don't want to intrude."
"Then just text or call him. I can pull over and step out of the car if you wanna talk to him privately?" Letitia suggests with a small smile. She was too sweet.
"Um... I'll just text him and call him later, I'm sure he's tired." Sebastian responds and Letitia nods.
"Okay. That's fine. We're almost at the dinner so I'll park and we can wait a few, yeah?"
"Yeah."
Sebastian pulls his phone from his pocket and unlocks it, going onto Chris's and his messages. He begins typing, asking Letitia on her opinion, only to have her say that whatever he sent would make Chris feel better and make Sebastian blush.
SEBASTIAN: Hey, I just wanted to check in and to make sure that you were okay. I've been so worried.
Chris replies in almost an instant, causing butterflies to flutter around Sebastian's stomach.
CHRIS: Aw, thanks Sebby. I'm sorry to worry you. I'm okay, mum took me to the hospital and I'm all clear. Though I won't be coming to school tomorrow.
SEBASTIAN: I'm glad your okay. And don't worry about it, take all the time you need 💕
CHRIS: Aww, a heart? I'm honoured.💕
Sebastian blushes intensely and places his phone in his lap, hands covering his face. Letitia looks at him confused and grabs the device. She awes and pokes his side. "You two are so cute!"
Sebastian groans and snatches back the device as his friend begins to squeal.
SEBASTIAN: Is it really an honour?
SEBASTIAN: I better let you get some rest. Talk to you later?
CHRIS: ofc it is😉
CHRIS: Aw, okay. Bye👋
SEBASTIAN: bye😊
Letitia grins over at Sebastian and he rolls his eyes. "Shut up."
The two get out of the car and walk side by side into the diner. A woman, most likely in late twenties, comes out to the register from behind a door and smiles at them. "Hiya loves, what can I do for you?" She says happily.
Letitia smiles. "Hi, we were wondering if you were still hiring?" She asks and Sebastian nods in agreement.
The woman grins and yells out in relief. "Yes! Oh yes, thank the lord! When can you guys start?"
The two of them grin. "Tomorrow?"
"Sweet. Sounds like a plan."
****
Sebastian was exhausted and aching. Coming home late was a big mistake. His father was waiting for him in the kitchen, a firery look of anger in his brown eyes. He grabbed Sebastian by the throat, threw him against the wall and began to punch his stomach to the point Sebastian was coughing up blood.
Sebastian had been laying on the floor, a trail of dried blood on the corner of his mouth and down his chin, for an hour or two, struggling to breathe. Everything was tight. His lungs were squeezing to the point all that could be heard were soft wheezes. Sebastian flutters his eyes shut, a tear falling down his cheek.
He wished Chris would walk through his front door, lift him into his arms and take Sebastian somewhere safe. Somewhere he was loved. Somewhere he could be happy and no longer afraid.
A sudden buzzing from his cracked phone beside him causes Sebastian to jump. He reaches a shaky hand over and grabs it, looking over the caller ID. Chris
Sebastian gulps and clears his throat. He presses answer and hold the phone up to his ear, willing himself to stop crying. "H-hello?" He wheezes painfully.
"Seb!" Chris sounded excited, like he was happy that Sebastian had answered. "Hey. You okay?"
A small smile forms on Sebastian's blood covered lips. "Hi." Sebastian croaks. "Yeah. I'm fine." He sounded as though he was in pain, like something was pressing on his lungs. Chris frowns and Sebastian can hear it in his voice.
"Sebastian." Chris only says his name when he's trying to be stern. "Don't lie to me."
Sebastian sniffles and curses himself for being so easy to read. "I'm not." He insists, the aching in his body growing. "I swear."
Chris sighs. "Your a horrible liar, you know that?" Chris says matter of factly. "Even through a phone call and not being able to see you, I know exactly when your lying."
"Chris please." Sebastian begs him. "Not now."
Chris nods, Sebastian can hear the small movement, and drops the subject for now. "What'd you do after school?"
Sebastian lets out a throaty cough. "I went with Letitia to the local diner and got a job with her."
"Oh nice."
"Yeah. What'd you wanna talk to me about?" Sebastian asks.
"Oh, I just wanted to know if you knew anything about what happened today." Chris says, voice soft. "That's never happened to me before and I don't think I've pissed anyone off.."
Sebastian gulps. "No, I don't sorry. Was there a note left there or anything? Are you okay?"
Chris chuckles. "I'm fine, you sound just like my mum." That makes Sebastian smile. "Anthony looked for one and couldn't find anything."
Sebastian nods. "Oh okay. So you're sure that your okay?"
"Yes, Seb. I'm sure. I'll see you the day after tomorrow."
Sebastian chuckles hoarsely. "Yeah, okay."
"It was nice talking to you, Seb." Chris says. Sebastian knows he's grinning. "We should definitely do this more often."
"Yes, we should."
For the next two weeks, once Sebastian got off work and had avoided a beating or did not pass out from one, he and Chris would text or call late into the night. It helped clear Sebastian's head of everything that has happened. The night when he returned, Chris's locker incident. School.
School wasn't going great. Joel had found another way to torment Sebastian. After school, if Sebastian was standing alone, Joel would grab him harshly and throw him behind the school. He and his buddies would then proceed to attack Sebastian any way that they could. Punching, kicking, rocks, glass.
Home wasn't that good either. His father had been throwing him around more than usual and Sebastian's friends were beginning to worry. Unable to hide the bruises. The cuts. When Chris had seen the fresh cuts on Sebastian's arms, he cried. Cried harder than Sebastian had ever seen him cry.
It made him feel guilty. Incredibly guilty.
Everything was growing far too much for Sebastian. He had been able to suppress his thoughts, feelings deep into his mind for far too long and he was at his breaking point. Joel had shoved Sebastian up against the wall behind the school and had shoved his hand down Sebastian's pants, telling him he enjoyed it. Sebastian didn't understand as to why this was happening. A cold sweat had coated his back and his face had lost all of its colour.
It all came flooding back. With each harsh touch, Sebastian sobbed harder. With each word, the images grew more real. And with each press of lips to his neck, the panic grew.
That's when it happened. Sebastian fell into a panic attack and Joel hadn't a clue what to do other then run for it after a simple threat. He left Sebastian shaking in a ball on the floor, gasping down breaths, eyes wide, tears streaming down his cheeks. He left Sebastian to burry his teeth into his lower lip, to try to hold back his screams, his sobs. He left Sebastian with the images he had worked so hard to suppress.
And now, Sebastian was standing, shaking, in front of Letitias homes door. He rose a shaking, fretful hand and knocked. Letitia opened the door, happy to see Sebastian, and gasped at the state he was in. "Seb?" She whispers softly.
Sebastian lets out a sob. "I— I- I have to— to tell y-you something."
****