SEBASTIAN ALWAYS HAD THIS look about him like he just committed arson. It was visible in the careless smile on his face and the sparks in his eyes, like all he wanted to do was cause chaos. Honestly, that was all he was going to do. She narrowed her eyes in confusion at the sight of her brother in a tracksuit the colors of the Mexican flag, only recognizing the colors then. Her father's home country was a beautiful one, but with how fluorescent this Adidas tracksuit was - Ella wondered if the chance was still there to pretend like she didn't know Sebastian.
That idea was quickly abandoned though when he started to walk towards the center of the crowd, obviously up to no good. His smile faded into a stern expression, arms crossed behind his back as he stopped. Normally the students would have shouted or insulted him at least five times by now, but it didn't take a genius to recognize Sebastian and his reputation. That same cheeky smile of his was plastered right on front of all his boxing match posters after all, right before he scored a win again.
He parted his lips then and his voice boomed across the field as he started pacing, all of them staring at him with wide eyes.
''Listen up, you idiots," he said," I'm your new PE teacher. The name is Sebastian Martinez. That's sir Martinez for you all."
His low voice had quietened everyone, but Will and Alex were practically squealing in their enthusiasm. Ella had forgotten she hadn't told them about Sebastian's arrival yet, but even Levi seemed confused, though that was more by Sebastian's entrance than anything else.
"I was a trained army general," Sebastian continued," and I tolerate zero bullshit. So unless you want to get your ass handed to you, I suggest you listen."
Everyone held a collective breath then as he let his gaze wander over the students, eyes hard and lips pressed in a thin line. The suspense was heavy in the air, before dissolving all at once as he burst out into laughter. He stretched out leisurely, the serious expression he carried earlier completely gone now.
"I'm just kidding," he grinned," I'm your new substitute teacher for an undefined time period, but I had to honor my favorite teacher. Whoever can guess who I just imitated gets bonus points."
The students finally dared to say something now, all of them shouting at once, his smile widening at the answers.
"I bought this tracksuit especially for today," he said, proudly gesturing at it as if it wasn't an abomination of the earth," I know you all must be a bit starstruck by it and wondering where to buy it, but I have to disappoint you, this was custom-made."
"I don't think anyone is disappointed or starstruck for that matter," Ella replied with a shake of her head.
Not by the tracksuit, anyhow. It was easy to see however how they were all watching Sebastian with either a glittering admiration or a sharp intimidation. He was after all one of the few St Joseph alumni to really achieve something and to prove a living could be made by fighting. Most importantly, he was over six feet of trained muscles, so that sufficed on it's own. No matter what they felt though they all laughed, their constant boredom replaced by a newfound interest now, Sebastian's talent to hold a crowd's attention always strange to see in action.
"I see St Joseph has not made you nicer, Ella," Sebastian said with a chastising click of his tongue.
"It only made you worse," Ella countered.
"That's false," Sebastian said, holding up his hand," you better stop these defaming lies, little sis, because I'm America's sweetheart. Well, not really though, because I'm Hispanic, but as soon as we get the international internalized racism over with you'll see."
Rumors start up at once then, everyone who hadn't yet realized that he was her brother suddenly having let it click just now. Honestly, she'd rather have Clarkson at this point. Alex had been grinning the whole time during Sebastian's speech, Will starting to cheer and Levi simply nodding at him. Sam seemed awkward standing right behind him, but he didn't say anything. There was no need to, despite the fact that they weren't together anymore he never had had bad blood with Sebastian. It was hard to have that anyhow considering her brother was speaking nonsense ninety-five percent of the time.
"Anyhow, The first to guess which country this is can call me Sebastian," he said then," the other uncultured people out there will have to call me the Mighty Martinez or Holy Lord Sebastian, I haven't decided which one I prefer yet."
"Mighty Martinez is a nice fighting name," Alex called out amidst the shouts of other students.
"I don't need a nice fighting name when I have these babies," Sebastian grinned, holding up his fists before adding," but I do have one, because I love cool things. I wanted to wear a superhero suit to my first boxing match, but my mother said no, so alas, here I am."
He pointed at Levi then, causing her boyfriend to raise his eyebrows.
"You there," he said," guess the flag. I have to warn you though, if you get it wrong I will demote you in my list of favorite people, so take care."
"That's Mexico," Levi said slowly.
"I don't blame him for asking," Alex said with a shake of his head," you seem stupid."
Ella placed a hand on Levi's arm before he could jump Alex, Sebastian chuckling. He parted his lips to say something else, but was interrupted by a voice they knew all too well. Everyone turned around to the person who had spoken, standing behind Sebastian with a very confused look on his face.
"Why are you wearing a tracksuit?" Clarkson said.
"Clarkson!" Sebastian exclaimed, grabbing his collar and tugging at it," tell me, do I pull it off just as well as you?"
"I came to check in if you hadn't burned down anything yet," Clarkson said as he slowly moved to Sebastian," but this..." He stopped right in front of him, students holding in their breath as he moved his hand up. And then he beamed proudly at him, patting him on the shoulder. "You look very nice, Sebastian."
Even if her brother pretended he was tough, Ella could see that took him by surprise, his sentences stanmered as he tried to say something but failed. Finally he managed to say something, shyly smoothing out the wrinkles in his tracksuit.
"Thank you," he said," I thought so as well myself."
"The Mexican flag was a nice touch," Clarkson nodded at him," really adds to the authenticity."
"What authenticity?" Levi muttered.
"Watch out," Alex whispered back," he has the ears of a hawk, you'll be put in a tracksuit as well if you continue."
"I don't know if our love runs deep enough for me to overlook the tracksuit," Ella teased, mock disappointment coloring her voice as she looked at Levi," I suppose that's where our ways will have to part."
He raised his eyebrows, hand on the side of her head as he lifted her face up with his thumb, voice a low murmur against her skin.
"You act like you can get rid of me," he said," this is for life, Eleanora."
"How thrilling," she smiled, before she continued on, her voice so soft it was barely a whisper," I would tell you to kiss me, but I don't want my brother to kill you just yet."
"I can risk death a few times," he said, already leaning in.
She gently pushed him away with a chuckle, his sulking cute to her as he stared at her. Him wanting to die or not, she wasn't about to go kiss in front of her brother and her new principal, because that was a bit too much for her. Later tonight however... The day was still young.
Sebastian silenced the group with a clap of his hands then, gesturing for them to start running. He yelled after them to start with four laps, for some reason him and Clarkson joining in as well. Clarkson easily took first spot with Will and Alex, the latter seeming to become competitive and the first just happy to be there. Ella didn't put effort in, not wanting to catch up to Sebastian, but somehow he appeared right in between her and Levi, already smiling.
"Ella, Levi," he said," how have you two been? Tell me, how excited are you to have my radiant personality closeby?"
"I am excited," Levi said, without any change of expression or tone.
"I'll be happy as long as you can hold that overprotective part of yours in," Ella said.
"No can do," Sebastian said solemnly," that will only happen when I no longer have to protect you, lil sis."
Still, Sebastian had changed over the years. When they were younger his overprotectiveness was almost stiffling, the athletic talent he had already had even then easily allowing him to beat up whoever bothered her. She knew it was because he felt responsible for her now their father wasn't there anymore, but thankfully he had eased up on it after he had seen she had learned to protect herself. That didn't keep him from impulsively jumping in whenever she had a conflict to help her though.
"No one bothers me at St Joseph," Ella reassured him.
"They better not," Levi murmured.
"Right," Sebastian agreed, slapping Levi amicably on the back," we seem to have the same mentality here, Lavender."
Levi almost stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around to him. "What did you just call me?"
"Lavender?" Sebastian said, confused," what's wrong? Alex told me that was your full name."
"I am going to kill him," Levi whispered under his breath, already off to tackle Alex before the two of them could say anything else.
"By the way," Sebastian said, ignoring the revelation that Lavender was in fact not Levi's full name as he turned towards Ella," I have big news."
"Oh no," she said," what did you do?"
"It's not what I did," Sebastian said," it's what I'm going to do."
Ella glanced at him, raising her eyebrows in a silent question, but when she heard his reply, she had to keep herself from yelling.
"I'm going to ask Faiza to marry me."