Adelina POV:
It's the first time time I'm sitting in front of the vanity the brothers had installed in my room not long ago. It's odd, I must admit.
The top drawers are filled with makeup. Makeup I know how to use only because of Phoenix. We were both young when she insisted I start sleeping at her house more often. I hadn't thought she noticed the bruises.
I couldn't look at them for a long time, so she took it upon herself to cover them for me. I remember sitting there, silent tears streaming down my face at nine or ten years old, while she patted the product into my skin with her fingers.
I'd cried. Cried myself to sleep sometimes with how much they'd make me sick. Phoenix was determined to take away at least a portion of the suffering. She learnt how to progress in makeup as the years went and I did with her.
We were both mediocre at best, but not clueless.
I feel the unnaturel need to make myself more presentable. As if I'm a mess and have to fix the outside to hide it.
Product lightly coats my face, I settle for nothing dramatic. There is no one to impress on this date, it is purely for fun.
Sebastian should be here within the hour and I am nothing but happy. The excursion with Valentino and Valerio the other day was fun in the moment but ruined in the end.
My brothers.
It's a weird thought. Accepting them as my blood wasn't expected and I still don't know how I feel about it now.
A text rolls in from Sebastian stating that he is five minutes away. Unprecedented feathery nerves errupt in my stomach. I still, not quite understanding the feeling- it had never happened before. I play it off as nothing and exit my room after giving my choice of clothing a once over.
I'll declare my departure to either Val or Valen. They'll be sure to refrain from asking the most questions humanly possible.
I think for a moment while standing between the two room, surely Valentino's lack of logic sometimes would work to my advantage.
I step into his room, not caring much to announce my presence by knocking. The boy I'm looking for sits by his bed, playing a video game I don't bother decipher. His head instantly whips around to greet me with the familiar smile of his.
Still grinning he says, "What's up little sis."
I don't find amusement in the nickname he's picked up recently. While he turns his gaze toward the game once again, I walk over to his bed and pick up a pillow. Wasting no time, I quickly knock him over the head with it, "Shut up."
He groans at the impact and grabs another pillow to swing it behind him.
I watch as it hits lamp in the far corner of his room, "You missed."
He shrugs me off and I take this moment to say that I'm leaving. He doesn't turn back, passively saying "Don't die," and swearing at his game. I roll my eyes.
I ignore everyone and everything I see walking down the stairs and head directly to the door. I slip on one of the two pairs of shoes that I've taken to wearing. I enjoyed the luxury of picking out and having my brothers buy me the various pairs of shoes I now own but now having them at my disposal, I don't find the need to try out a new pair each time I leave the house. It's unnaturel to me and I don't need anything else making me uncomfortable given the new developpements I've had recently.
My heart still aches at every thought of my mother. At every reminder of her, at the way she died. She was dead before she took her last breath, I realised not long ago, but but her lifeless eyes always brought as much comfort as she could.
Then I was shipped off, and no one asked me about her. Or Michael. They just... disapeared without leaving. My mind is still racked with memories of it all, even when my environment has changed so drastically. The bruises on my skin faded but the black and blue marks of my memories are still tender.
I don't sleep and become fast reliant on concealer. Conceale. It is what it is. I can't focus much most days, don't spend time with any of them. I don't have energy to formulate my fast quips as they now expect them of me. I become delirious from exhaustion sometimes and my solution is stuffing another laced candy into my mouth.
The brothers don't expect anything different of me. I eat dinner with them and everything is then fine and dandy. Just the way I want it to be.
Then I met Sebastian and well, it was new. He knows nothing of me and I know nothing of him. The idea never seemed as appealing as it does now.
Fresh air gently brushes against my arms as I step out of the house. The evening is setting in and the temperature is another example of it. I make it down the driveway and out of the estate before I think about the benefits bringing a jacket could have brung.
I walk up the street, the hair on my arms gradually raising from the cool air. I don't mind it, it reminds me I'm alive. A deep rumble of a car sneaks up on me and what I don't realize is that a smile accompanies it.
My pace slows and the car stops beside me. Sebastian's familiar messy hair catches my attention and I hop in. Warmth instantly welcomes me.
My eyes survey him. Looking handsome as ever, he greets me as he does every other time. My gaze starts at his hands, placed on the gear and and steering wheel respectively. Silver rings adorn his fingers. Then down again, to his lightwash jeans. He catches my look and moves his hand from the gear. A single finger is placed under my chin to draw my attention back to him.
His dark brown eyes meet mine, "Hey pretty girl," are his first words.
I roll my eyes and shove him to the side, he doesn't go far because of the seatbelt but a chuckle escapes him. I had told him, tens and hundreds of times, how stupid that name is but he never seems to catch on. He likes it, is what he replies.
The car resumes motion and a comfortable silence falls over us. I lean back, not caring much for conversation. He, apparently, shares my thoughts.
Seconds turn to minutes and finally twenty minutes passes before we arrive at our destination. The gold that lights up the sky soothes a small part of me unknowingly. The sunset, something that grounds me without whispering a word, now descends upon us. For a moment, I'm brought back to the first sunset of the Porter house. It seems like centuries ago.
I realize Sebastian brought us to a skatepark and I'm slightly confused. I turn in my seat to find him already looking at me. He recognizes the look on my face and softness takes over his features.
Silently, he exits the vehicule while telling me to stay put. He pops the trunk and I look towards the noise. He catches my gaze and pulls out a skateboard, sending me a wink when he closes it. A light smile brightens my face at the action and I instantly wipe it off.
He approaches the door, his soft footsteps building a sense of anticipation. He opens the door and lends me a hand in getting down.
Bright light streams through the fluff of his hair and illuminates his features. And a smile. A cute ass smile that had my breath slightly catching in my throat.
A forced exhale leaves my lips, "What's all this?"
His lips draw upwards and he moves to drag a hand through his hair, "Well, you told me that you wanted to learn how to skate. So I'm going to teach you." He boyishly grins.
I mentioned it once amidst a tidal wave of conversation, remembering how Will used to. A comment so small and he'd remembered. Maybe it's a small act, maybe it's less special than I make it out to be but his rememberance of an unimportant detail was something uncommon to me.
I smirk, looking up to him "So what are we waiting for?"
He grabs my hand and leads me to where we would be practicing.
He sets the board down between us and offers me his hands while I just stare, "First step is getting on the board."
"Yea yea shut up," I roll my eyes and think for a moment "which foot goes in front?" I mutter almost quietly.
A small chuckle escapes him and he stares with knowing eyes, "Whichever is most comfortable."
I try out both without feeling much of a difference. I grow fustrated and let out a huff of annoyance, "This is stupid."
"Just think of it like this," he replies "how would you do it if you were to run and slide on a sheet of ice?" and oddly, it made a lot of sense.
I practice getting on and off the board, as it is surprisingly more difficult than I thought. With every slip, he grabs my waist to steady me and even with the annoyance that not being able to perform the simple task brings, I find myself getting used to the small touches.
We practice as moonlight replaces the daylight, as stars appear instead of coloured clouds. He shows me how to place my feet when I push and IÂ eventually get the hang of it.
"I want to drop in the bowl." I announce, turning to him quite abruptly.
He doesn't seem suprised by my request, though not entirely enthusiastic. "I don't think that's a good idea," he tells me almost pleadingly "you could barely stand without losing balance. I don't want you to get hurt and shun it forever." he adds a little laugh.
"I'm going to drop in the bowl." I announce, my voice firmer as I pick up the board and saunter over to the area. Sebastian follows with a small grin and I could feel his underlining amusement.
I try setting up like I've seen Will do on numerous occasions, back when I had no interest of copying his actions, when I'm yanked back by the hips.
Seb pulls my back flush against his front, moving his hands from my hips to wrap his arms around my waist. I place my arms over his in attempts to steady myself after nearly tripping even if I knew he wouldn't let me fall.
His stature towered over mine so he dipped his head down, his body close to envelopping me. His breath tickles my ear as he whispers low and gruff, "You're stubborn, you know that?"
I move my head to look up at him and find his eyes dancing. An emotion I don't recognize swirls in them. Warmth trails up my arms at the mere sight of the darkness. "Only in the best ways." my voice comes out softer than I had intended.
Our lips are inches apart and he cocks his head to the side. His eyes rake over me, in no way leaving me shy, "Beautiful." he murmurs and the words fan over my lips. I don't blush nor shy away from his eyes, I relish in the words and his gaze. It's the first I feel seen.
I break from his hold and turn, his hands falling back to my hips to keep me close as my palms rest flat against his chest. I peer up at him, "You going to help me or what?"
His grin lights brighter than the stars above us, "Of course."
He holds both my hands as I prepare to drop. I listen to his tips and try to remember his advice. At the end of a count to three, I angle the board down and drop.
And almost instantly fall. Seb saw it went wrong as soon as it did and pulls me to him. I tumbled onto him, landing directly on top of his body.
A single breath leaves him as he pulls us back up. And we go again.
Nothing changes the second time, nor the third and forth. Until we are both tired out and unwilling to get back up. So we lay here, side by side, with nothing but solitude to keep us company.
But silence with him has never been uncomfortable and has always been shortlived.
"I think I'm pretty much and expert now." I say confidently. He chuckles and sits up, pulling me between his legs. He sits hunched and I lay the back of my head on the left of the crook of his neck. His arms rest on his bent knees and I take a moment to admire our postion.
He leans his head down, lips naturally finding my ear, "I'd say I'm a pretty good teacher." his breath raises goosebumps on my skin.
"Someone's a bit full of himself, hm?"
"I'd prefer to call it confident in my skill."
I laugh, hitting his arm in the process. Slowly, his left hand lifts to my face and he grazes his knuckles against my cheekbone in a repetitive motion. "You're something." I voice. To who, I'm not sure.
"Is that a compliment, Adelina?"
"I wouldn't quite say that, Sebastian."
"I think I'll take it as a compliment," his fingers still tracing my cheek. Until they stop and push my face to meet his. My eyes instantly land on his dark ones. "What would you say if I kissed you right now?" his eyes flitting between my eyes and lips.
"I'd call you stupid for not doing it sooner."
Within seconds, his lips met mine.
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Hello my loveliessssss
How has you month been?
I got stuck on so many parts while writing this, and am so relieved that I was finally able to finish it.
Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed!!
Comment your thoughts!
I'd like to welcome all my new readers and thank all my returning ones <3
See you soon!
Bye loveliesssssss