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« Sebastian Malheur! » Violet said pushing him on the arm.
He shook himself, coming back from his thoughts.
« What were you thinking about this time? »
« I was thinking… » he smiled, « about you, of course ».
She sighed. It was his favorite answer, he knew that it unsettled her a bit, not knowing for sure if he was joking around or being serious. That was why he kept nagging her with it. Maybe she should just stop asking this question, that way he would lose this little power over.
The problem was that she could not realistically do that. Why? Well Sebastian was constantly day dreaming and he could stay in that state for a long time. If she were to let him, their hours of tutoring would be spend with her working and him lost in his thoughts and that was not acceptable. When she told him that she could help him with studying genetics, he had been relieved. His brother was constantly nagging him about his grades. He was good enough but his brother wanted him to be the best at everything, so she just offered him to tutor him to shut him up. It didn’t really work though. Being an english major, Benedict had looked at her with disbelief and he had not been the only one. Her boyfriend had also tried to talk her out of it, complaining that she would not be able to spent as much time with him as she used to. She had not considered it at first but now she was glad she could escape him and his friends for a few hours. She always tried to save time for their little club but it was hard. She just didn’t want to be left behind. They did that too much already, not willingly but still. Sebastian was the only one who made sure to always include her in the group chat and outings.
All in all, that tutoring was a good thing for the both of them. In truth, Sebastian didn’t really need tutoring per say, he just needed someone to bring him back from his thoughts. In the end, she will keep being unsettled in order for him to find his focus back.
« You are such an idiot, Seb. Can you please focus for more than a minute? »
« Eh, that’s not nice. I was focused, just not on that chapter ».
She sent him a look that did not need any answer but his smile only grew with that.
« I bought some energy drinks the other day, do you want one? Benedict told me that it was just another way for me to cheat my way to the top, but truly these drinks only taste nasty… »
« Then why do you drink them? »
« It upsets him so much, it’s fun ». How could his smile still grow? Violet wondered how this boy could smile all the time. Every time she looked at him, he was about to smile, already smiling or having a laugh.
He left the room in search of his drink and she let herself look at the room. It was the first time he invited her over. They always met at the library or at her mom’s house but never in his room. She had teased him about it the last time and he had insisted that there was no secret. So here she was, in his room, all alone. Curiosity was a flaw but only in excess.
She rose and went to the wall where he had put so many polaroids of the Brother Sinisters. She had never thought about it but she was in so many of them. Alone or with Robert and Oliver. Only a few were of her and him together. She will have to ask Jane to fix that. She wanted them to be part of their memories together. She was close to the boys and he was very tight with them as well but Sebastian was the closest friend she had.
Between the photographs, he pinned some other memories, theater tickets or napkins where the Brothers have written down their crazy spontaneous ideas. Under a polaroid of her there was even a valentine card. A valentine card? Sebastian? She never saw him with a girl. What a surprising thought, was Sebastian dating? Who was the girl? She could wait and ask Minnie slater. Or she could just have a little pick inside.
For how long was Sebastian gone? A few minutes but if she was quick about it, she could have a glance and kill the mystery. She unpinned and opened the card…
« The rose is red,
the honey's sweet,
and so are you.
Will you be my valentine, Violet? »
What? What on earth? She read it again. Yes it was her name on it. Her name next to a question about Valentine. What was this card? She never received it. It was on his wall.
« Violet, pin it back, please » Sebastian said, giving her a fright.
« What is this? » She asked him, still holding a card.
« A joke Violet. A stupid joke. » He said not smiling. She was used to him mocking her gently, but he always smiled. He always smiled at her. What was wrong this time? Where was that smile? She could take being pushed around by him because it made him happy but he didn’t look happy right now. On the contrary, she never saw him with that gloom look.
« Why aren’t you smiling? It’s a joke, right? You can smile Seb ». She made herself smile. Just a bit. But the silence stayed between them. Their eyes were locked.
« Please just smile » she whispered.
And his lips lifted up. Just a bit.
« Everything for you, V. Everything. »
It was such a little smile, but it was enough.
« Here » he said, handing her a bottle.
« Oh, thank you », she beamed at him taking the bottle when she didn’t even asked for one. He always put her first in his thoughts. Her own smile brought back his and it distracted her enough for him to take his card back and pin it back on the wall.
« Shall we go back to studies or do you want to dig through the rest of my room? » he asked.
« I did not! i just looked at the pictures, Seb, i would never! »
« Sure, Violet » and he moved around her to bring her back on the desk without touching her.
She went that way but not without looking back at that card.
« I want that card Sebastian. I don’t care if it’s a joke. You wrote me a valentine card, you nerd! You better give it to me next February. ». She said that settling back at his desk.
« I’ll write you one as well, i promise. You’ll just have to keep it secret. » She nudged his elbow. « No need to create a drama with the boyfriend » she explained.
He smiled again. A real Sebastian Malheur’s smile.
She could see that his eyes were not smiling but she smiled back. He was her best friend. She didn’t lose him over that card. She had to process the meaning of it, but for another time. Right now, they were good.
« You’re the one starring now, V » he chuckled.
« Focus » she cuts him sharply with a smile.
And in a same movement they went back to their books.