dix-neuf

Hello fellow Wattpadians!

This next chapter is going to still be slightly filler-ish but I promise that the pace is going to pick up soon enough ;)

Also just a quick question: do you think that you might like a spinoff that focuses on Elise and Danny's story?

Have a wonderful weekend, beautiful people!

Percy

*

"This all seems very familiar," Sebastian drawled as Rebekah tightened the black velvet cloth around his eyes.

"Good. Then this shouldn't be too uncomfortable," Rebekah joked.

"May I ask where we're going?"

"Of course, you may ask, but that doesn't guarantee that I'll give you an answer." Rebekah pinched his cheek with an impish grin on her face.

Sebastian made a noise of disapproval but didn't press her further. Despite his verbal protests, his lips kept curling up into a smile. She'd texted Danny to tell him that Sebastian hadn't felt up to attending his own birthday party and Danny had been understanding, albeit a little disappointed.

I'll try to save you two some cake. BUT I can't make any promises that E won't eat it all if you come back too late.

Rebekah grinned and quickly sent a reply.

Thanks Danny. You're the real MVP.

She made sure that the message was sent before putting her phone away. She could feel her excitement bubbling away under her skin; she wasn't usually a risk taker, but she knew that Sebastian was different.

He was worth it.

A yellow moon watched over them silently she led him carefully across the field. The air was cold, but the chill only seemed to reinforce to heighten their senses.

Standing tall at the corner of the field, like an ancient guard, was a stone clock tower. Its peaked roof stretched up into the infinity of stars above, seeming to tear unflinchingly through the black velvet of sky. Vines crept up the walls, drowning the yellow rock in a sea of green.

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost." Rebekah released Sebastian's hand as they headed towards an abandoned entrance at a corner. She bent down to examine the door more closely before shaking her head. It was usually left slightly ajar, but tonight, its rusty lock was shut tight.

She sighed. She should've gone to see the janitor earlier to ask him to leave it unlocked.

Taking a deep breath, she braced her hands on the walls on either side of the door before throwing her entire body weight against it. The door crashed open, creaking on its hinges as Rebekah stumbled inside.

"What the fuck." Sebastian tore off his blindfold without a second thought. "Rebekah, are you okay?"

His dark blue eyes searched the room in a panic before they fell on Rebekah who was making a face.

"I'm fine, Seb. Although I should probably tell the janitor that I broke the lock on the door."

Sebastian stared at the door and then at his girlfriend in amazement.

"You're just as crazy as me."

Rebekah laughed. "Relax. The janitor's my friend. He usually leaves this place unlocked for me to come, but I didn't see him today so we have to do a little bit of breaking and entering. Don't worry," she added hurriedly when she saw the startled look on Sebastian's face. "If you don't want to keep going, we can leave right now."

A slow smile spread across Sebastian's face as she spoke.

"Don't be silly," he said. "I like this idea and this rebel side of you."

Rebekah snorted as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Uh-huh." She squinted at Sebastian before raising an eyebrow. "And I think I'd like you to be wearing your blindfold."

This time, it was Sebastian's turn to make a face.

"I feel like you have a blind fetish," he grumbled as he picked up the blindfold.

Rebekah grinned. "Don't you know? I'm only in a relationship with you for the blind jokes."

Sebastian didn't respond for a moment as he retied the blindfold around his eyes.

"Fucking tease," he mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?"

Sebastian raised his eyebrows innocently. "I said do you want to hear another blind joke?"

Rebekah smiled. "Sure. Why not?"

Sebastian cleared his throat louder than was necessary as he attempted to look serious.  "What did one eye say to the other?"

"I have no eye-deer."

He grinned. "That's pretty good, but not the right answer. He said, 'You look like my eye-dentical twin!'"

Rebekah tried not to react, but Sebastian's chuckles at his own joke made her crack a smile.

"Seb, that was absolutely terrible," she said.

"But it made you smile, didn't it?"

Rebekah didn't bother replying as she grabbed his hand and led him carefully towards a staircase that wound towards the top of the tower. Together, they trudged up in silence until Rebekah stopped.

"Are we there yet?" Sebastian asked softly, his voice bouncing off the stone walls in the empty space.

"No. We just need to climb up a ladder now."

She pressed his hands against the cold metal of a ladder descending from a hole in the ceiling.

"This feels slightly dangerous."

"I know. Just trust me, babe" Rebekah clamped her mouth shut after that. The term of endearment had rolled off her tongue without a second thought, and she was horrified.

Sebastian smirked. "Babe," he repeated. "I like you calling me that. Although I've decided that I want to call you 'love'. Seems more appropriate, don't you think?" His smirk melted into a genuine smile and Rebekah fought to urge to kiss him right then and there.

Not knowing what to respond, she smacked the back of his head lightly. "Just start climbing. There's around eight rungs so please climb carefully."

Sebastian laughed softly and acquiesced to her request. He gripped the ladder tightly before slowly inching up. Rebekah followed closely behind, afraid that he would slip and hurt himself.

When he reached the top, he pulled himself up and to the side of the hole. Rebekah emerged a few moments later, sucking in a quick breath as she took in the view.

"Can I take off my blindfold now or are there more ladders to climb?"

Rebekah didn't answer Sebastian's question immediately. Instead, she tiptoed around the hole in the roof and reached around Sebastian to untie the blindfold.

Rebekah felt her breath hitch as she leaned closer to him. They were so close that their breaths mingled, but they didn't touch. Instead, Rebekah let the blindfold fall to the ground as she stared up into his dark blue eyes.

"Take in the view," she whispered.

His gaze never wavered from hers.

"I am."

Rebekah smiled before reaching up and tilting his head so he could see why she'd wanted to bring him here.

She was rewarded with a gasp when Sebastian saw it- millions of silver stars twinkling against the endless oblivion of the black sky. At this height, the lights of the campus below seemed to disappear; their artificial beauty paled in comparison to the gorgeous lights above.

"Wow," Sebastian breathed.

"It's my secret spot," Rebekah whispered. "I came up a couple of months ago by accident and the janitor caught me lying on the roof, watching the skies. I thought he'd report me but he just told me that I should give him a warning the next time I want to come."

Sebastian looked back at her, eyes blazing. "Am I the first person that you've ever brought here?"

Rebekah nodded, tongue tied. The intensity in Sebastian's eyes was making a strange feeling build up in her stomach. It was like a craving, but she had no idea what for.

"No one has ever done such a thing for me," Sebastian murmured. He reached up and traced her jawline with the tips for his fingers. She shivered at his touch, goose bumps appearing wherever his skin touched hers.

"Well, there's a first for everything."

"You're right." Sebastian smiled. "And here's another first for me: I am in love with you."

Rebekah's mouth fell open, but no words came out.

"I've never told anyone besides my mum that I love them," Sebastian murmured. "But I am completely and hopelessly in love with you, Beck. I know this might sound scary to you, but when I close my eyes and I try to imagine my life without you, I feel sick to my stomach. And..." Sebastian's forehead furrowed. "And I know that we're so young still and that life is fraught with troubles and that this might not last forever, but whether you know it or not, you own my heart and... and I want you to keep it. And I don't care if you can't say it back to me right now, but I just want you to know how I feel. So... there."

The vulnerability was evident on his face as he watched Rebekah's face for her response.

And when she didn't respond for many seconds, his gaze faltered.

"Beck. Please, please just say something. Anything. Even if it's-"

She smiled and pressed a finger against his lips to stop him from talking further.

"Just stop talking and kiss me."