"Hi, excuse me?" I question meekly as I stand in front of the main reception desk, staring at the flurry of people behind it. The admissions office of Briarwood Prepatory was chaotic to say the least but it makes sense since it was the first day back.
There were about four other desks behind the main one, all large and of dark cherry wood. The three woman and one man were either hurrying about with stacks of paper, typing away on their large iMacs or calling people on the phones.
No one had noticed I was standing right here.
"Hello?" I call out again with a small smile as one of the ladies who was zooming past, cradling a messy pile of papers in her arms, glance up at me. I breathe a sigh of relief, thankful I had gotten one of their attention when suddenly she averts her gaze and continues past me into another room.
I screw my face up, slightly offended but more so annoyed. I had been standing here for the pasty twenty minutes and not one of them have come up to ask me if I needed help. And I needed a lot of it.
Suddenly, a girl leans on the desk next to me.
"My gym locker isn't big enough. Can I have the key to one of the end ones?" She asks and they respond so quickly. One of the ladies practically leaps from her chair and smiles at the young female.
"We're so sorry to hear that, Miss Melrose. I'll just go grab another key for you." The office lady smiles before zooming off through another door. I was staring at the girl who was lazily leant against the reception desk. She was dressed in a blue, white and gold volleyball training shirt and tiny white bikes shorts.
Her brown hair was pulled back into a high pony and she wore black knee pads on her knees. She was already training for volleyball on the first morning? It had just past eight o'clock. Wow, people at Briarwood do not waste time.
As if feeling my offended gaze on her, she side glances me and gives me a confused, disgusted look.
She shakes her head, "What?"
"I was waiting first." I explain to her as her lips tilt up in a cocky smirk and her eyes gaze down the length of me.
"And?" She scoffs while rolling her eyes. I try bite my tongue and sigh. Get use to this Kara, you're know a bottom feeder in this school.
"Nevermind. I was just wondering if they taught manners as a class here, but obviously not." I mumble under my breath while playing with the small orientation pamphlet I had squeezed to death in my hand. Dad was more worried for the pamphlet than I was when he saw it gripping it tightly in the passenger seat this morning.
Dad doesn't often drop me off at school but since this was a special occasion, he drove me the extra half-an-hour because it was a special occasion.
The girl frowns as her spine straightens up and she places a hand to her hip, "Excuse me—"
"Well aren't you a feisty one?" A familiar chuckle sounds from behind me and the both of us turn. Sebastian stood there like the god he is, hands tucked into the pockets of his dark grey slacks and a butterfly-inducing lopsided grin on his face.
"Oh, hey Sebastian." The girl beside me greets as she twirls a strand of her ponytail and smiles sweetly at him. Could she be any more obvious? Whatever happened to the classic hard-to-get kinda flirting?
"Those bike shorts just keep getting better and better, Cassandra." Sebastian smirks as he walks forward and stands on the opposite side of me. I felt extremely awkward standing between their flirting, also because they both towered over me.
"Really? Well, I have been doing more squats in the gym recently. You should come by sometime and watch." Cassandra explains with a heavy undertone of sex and hormones. I can't help the disgusted expression that passes my face as I stare down at the wood of the reception desk.
"I just might." Sebastian chuckles beside me and leans his crossed arms on top of the desk. He was standing a little too close to me. He smelt clean and fresh and like really expensive cologne. Of course.
I hesitantly glance up to see his blue eyes staring down at me, sparkling with so much mischief and self-entitlement. Those eyes cannot be real—or at least legal. Seriously, who is allowing him to walk around like this?
"How are you this morning, Kara?" Sebastian questions with a sly smirk as my eyes squint slightly in confusion and annoyance. Why was he acknowledging me? Can he not?
Cassandra butts in before I could speak, "Wait, you know her?"
"Yeah, we got arres—" Sebastian is suddenly cut off as I burst in embarrassment and slap both of my hands over his mouth. His eyes frown down at me and I could only stare at his navy blue tie.
"Ah! Here are your new locker key, Miss Melrose. Please return your old locker keys to the admissions office by the end of today." The office lady appears suddenly and places the key down in front of Cassandra.
She takes them slowly but her weirded out gaze was on us. She slowly steps away from the desk with her eyes still focused on Sebastian and us, "Well, I'll see you later Seb."
Sebastian hums against my mouth and gives her a short, little wave. Only when she had left the admissions office do I take my hands from his face and mindlessly wipe them on my plaid skirt.
"If you wanted to touch my lips, all you had to do was ask, Kara." Sebastian chuckles as I grumble under my breath and turn away. My morning was just going from worse to to fucking worse. Actually the past twenty-four hours have.
"I didn't want to touch your lips. I just don't want people knowing I got arrested." I shrug casually while straightening down my blazer. I was wearing the more official uniform of Briarwood today which consisted of a grey and blue plaid skirt, a blue blazer and a crisp white blouse with a long black string-bow instead of the ties that most of the guys adorned.
Briarwood, being the elite highschool it was, had numerous versions of the uniform. I was sent three types of uniform in the mail so I really had no choice. However, it seemed a lot of students were wearing their own specially designer outfits. As long as it followed the color code of navy blue, dark grey and gold, it was allowed.
"Aww, are you a little goody-too-shoes? Not wanting to set a bad first impression are we?" Sebastian teases with a little, child-like pout. I huff and roll my eyes while glancing away. He snorts as he takes one of my hands and lifts it, "You smell nice, what perfume do you use?"
I slap his hand off my wrist just as it was a few inches from his nose, "Don't smell me. That's weird."
"I'm just teasing, Kara." Sebastian chuckles slightly and I turn my face away. He leans forward slowly and questions, "Are you blushing?"
"I will punch you in the throat." I grumble, not being able to control my annoyance anymore. The corner of Sebastian's lips twitch in amusement as he gently lifts a strand of my brown hair and slides his fingers over it. "Do you have kink for touching people or something?"
"You touched me first, it's only fair." He retorts slyly out and drops my hair from his fingers. My eyes lock with his as I'm left breathless for a few seconds. His face was so close to mine and I realised this is probably the first time a girl has brushed off his advances.
"Oh, Sebastian I didn't see you there. How can I help you?" One of the office ladies greets as she stands in front of the desk. It was the same one I locked eyes with not so long ago and completely ignored me.
"I'm literally standing right here. I have been for the past twenty minutes." I say, my hands clenching into fists by my side. The ladies green eyes drift from Sebastian down to me and she looks at me, entirely confused, "You looked at me and then walked away."
"Did I?" She asks sheepishly with wide, almost innocent like eyes. This bitch—
"Amanda, this is my friend Kara. She's the recipient of the Richmond-Croft Music scholarship." Sebastian steps in as if feeling my anger levels hitting the goddamn roof. I glance at him, wondering how he knew the name of my scholarship.
"Oh, Kara Wynters! Yes—uh—I'll be right back." Amanda, the annoyance ass office lady, scurries off once again and I realise I was left alone with Sebastian Mercer.
I was trying so hard not to look at him but his gaze was burning my skin. I finally give in and glance up at him with a passive glance.
"Can I help you?" I question smoothly amazed that my voice didn't crack once. Handsome people are a threat to my anxiety. I don't just have an nervous system like everyone else. I just simply am a nervous system.
He only smiles at me as if finding something funny just as Amanda come rushing back.
"Usually, if you're a new entrance, you'll receive this package in your homeroom with the rest of your class. However, since your a transfer I'll give it to you know." She explains while placing a navy blue folder in front of me. It had a picture of smiling students on the front with the school's name and emblem.
I recognise one of the faces straight away.
Sebastian snorts next to me, once again standing a little too close for comfort, "Well, would you look at that, it's me."
"There's a letter from the Dean welcoming you to the school, your class timetable and a menu for the lunch cafeteria if you ever choose to eat at school. It'll also have a list of textbooks you need and instructions on how to buy items through the means of your scholarship." Amanda explains like she's done this before. I mean, of course she has, Briarwood offered many scholarship to other students.
"I was wondering about the music room? Would I be able to see it?" I question as I slide the folder towards me. Apparently, Briarwood Prep had one of the most remarkable music departments in the country. I was so excited to see it.
"You'll visit it on your tour." Amanda answers, seemingly eager to go back to her desk. I mean, I should let her since she probably had a lot to do but I was still curious.
I repeat, "Tour?"
"Yes, you will be joining all the new seventh graders on their orientation tour. Your attendance to your first, second and third period classes is not necessary." She continues as I could hear my subconscious groaning in the back of my mind. I have to spend my morning with seventh graders? "Sebastian, would you mind showing Miss Wynters to the auditorium? There is a little orientation assembly before your tour."
"It would be my pleasure." Sebastian grins sweetly as my eyes turn into angry slits while deeply hoping my glare was piercing enough. I probably looked like I had an eye infection or something.
I pull the folder into my arms, turn around and head to the door. Sebastian opens the door for me and I step out with a suspicious gaze.
"Why do you always look at me like that?" Sebastian chuckles as we walk past the row of waiting chairs and walk down the quite, empty hall.
"Because you weird me out." I answer simply as he scoffs loud and sharply, "Why did you even come into the admissions office?
"I was looking for you." Sebastian states and I start wondering if he was even hearing the words coming out of his mouth. What part of that doesn't scream "complete creepo-weirdo". But he was a very gorgeous creepo-werido, there was no doubt about that.
"Wow, what an accomplishment! Sebastian Mercer actually remembered me even though we only met once." I gasp in surprise and shock as I place my hand to my chest, "My life is truly complete."
"Really?" Sebastian's cocky grin makes a reappearance. Did...did my sarcasm just go straight over his beautiful head? What part of my sentence even sounded the least bit genuine?
I pause while squinting in disappointment at him, "...You worry me."
"Well, actually I came looking for you because Auggie asked me to." Sebastian explains as I nod while my heart flutters slightly at the mention of Auggie. "He gets really attached to things and it seems he's become quite fond of you."
I glance down at my shoes as Sebastian reaches for the door that leads out into the main traffic zone of Briarwood. I go to walk out, but Sebastian's swoops down and I almost bump into his face with in. His eyes scan my face for a bit before he smirks.
"Now you're blushing." He chuckles as I roll my eyes and shove past him. I was not blushing. I don't blush. I cover up my emotions with aggressive sarcasm and inappropriate jokes. It's my specialty.
As soon as we step out into the hall together, every pair of eyes are on us. Sebastian didn't seem to mind or even notice it at all while I felt like the last nacho-cheese Dorito in the bag that everyone seemed to want. It didn't take long before people started whispering.
I could hear most of them. They ranged from wondering who I was, to why I was with Sebastian, and then to why I was wearing one stocking sock inside out—wait, I was wearing one of my socks inside out?
I was too busy worrying about their stares that I completely bypassed the beautiful architecture of the school. White, intricately designed walls and dark wooden walls. It was so fancy that it felt forbidden to even step inside it.
"Ignore them, Kara. Just focus on me." Sebastian says and I glance up to see him smiling fondly at me. This guy really thinks every girl is in love with him, doesn't he? That's probably why the campus of Briarwood was so big—to make room for Sebastian Mercer's ego.
"I would rather focus on literally anything else, but thanks." I grumble as Sebastian chuckles while we continuing down the hall. He was smiling at other students too and greeting them with a few, light-hearted words. He looked like a celebrity which technically, he kinda was.
I couldn't just ignore the stares. I'm only use to people looking at me when I'm on stage and in that case, I'm too focused on the instrument in front of me to worry about it. I hate attention when I'm not playing because there's nothing to distract me or hide behind.
"What's wrong?" Sebastian asks, pulling me from my thoughts, as I look up at him. He had a slight frown on his face and for a moment, I believed he was genuinely worried for me.
"It's nothing." I shake my head as I brush it off, "I was just wondering if you were close with the guys we were...y'know."
"Arrested with?" Sebastian whispers as he nears my ear. I flinch away from the close proximity, "Quinn use to be my neighbour in the seventh grade and Auggie come into the picture freshman year. So I guess you could say we're close."
I bite my lip, trying to keep my curiosity at bay but ultimately failed. I then ask, "What about you and Scott?"
Sebastian's cool facade falters slightly and I could see that what I said hit a nerve. However, his slip-up was replaced with a classic smirk as he pulls his eyes from me and glances away.
"Ah, here we are! The Sullivan Auditorium." Sebastian explains while we come to a stop and he gestures to the large, wooden doors. There was a small little chalkboard outside with the word 'Orientation' written in beautiful cursive writing. "It was named in honour of our previous Dean."
"What happened to him?" I question as I glance around, noticing that people were still staring at us. It irked me that they were judging me for something I wasn't even doing—which was flirting with Sebastian.
"Uh, I think he became the headmaster of some reform school in Washington." Sebastian explains with a small shrug as he turns and faces me front on. "Well, I guess this is where I leave you. If you want, I can take you on my own personal tour of the campus."
"Nope, I'm good. See ya." I say quickly as I skirt past him, open the doors and enter the auditorium. My heart was beating so fast and I roll my eyes, feeling my cheeks slightly flush. I'm only reacting this way because he's good-looking and flirtatious.
I slowly glance around, noticing all the excited seventh-graders waiting in their seats for the assembly to start. I mentally pump my fists in the air as I realise something.
For the first time ever, I'm finally the tallest in the room.
ahhh! here's another one just because i'm so in love with this story at the moment!
sebastian is insanely flirtatious, but kara will learn about that all in due time.
and yes, i sprinkled in a bit of BBR at the end there and trust me, i'll try my best to work some sort of cross over into the story.
anyhow, tell me what you think about sebastian.