1 | Defiance Discipline Dream Repeat

155 Bored brat M/F

The fabulous birthday party is over, and the gift cards Sebastian got are about to be consumed. He and I have driven nearly two hours to the only mall selling the specific jigsaw puzzle he wants. That's what we're doing now, admiring the puzzle shop. Well, mainly, Sebastian admires it. I'm starting to find it boring since we've been here forever.

''Can you just pick what puzzles you want already?'' I ask whiningly, prodding him with my hand. ''How hard can it be? You've already bought the one you planned on getting.''

"Soon. I can't just drive here any day,'' he says snappishly, scanning another shelf of puzzles.

''You can since it's summer break!''

''No, it takes time and costs money.''

I groan subtly, tailing him through the extensive labyrinth of puzzles. It's relatively peopleless at 10 am on a Tuesday, and I think Sebastian favours that and takes advantage of it.

Wandering between the tall, loaded shelves, I find a roll of puzzle-patterned gift wrap. An idea of how to spice up my tedious experience here pops up in my head.

I snatch it and tiptoe behind Sebastian to poke him with the plastic-covered roll of gift wrap. He instantly turns around, his brows furrowing when he sees my elvish smile.

''Stop that before you break something you haven't paid for,'' he admonishes me hushedly. 

''You better hurry up then because we've been here for like an hour.'' I sigh, grinding my black ballerinas over the multi-coloured puzzle-patterned floor as I follow him. I feel like; I'm in a children's toyshop for weird adults, particularly odd men like Sebastian.

In a minute, I bring the roll forward to prod him again. This time, he ignores me, though.

On the seventh poke, he finally spins around and tries to grab the gift wrap, glaring at me. ''Didn't I tell you to stop?! Civilised adults don't play in shops!'' he rebukes me quietly.

''No one's here,'' I point out brattily and goad his leg again.

He seizes for me again, but I spring the opposite way, holding the roll firmly.

I slow down a few shelves away, where two guys with the same nerdy, reserved appearance as Sebastian further down the aisle. I walk past them like; an ordinary person without breaking their deep obsession with a 3D globe puzzle to scurry into another entry of the maze of shelves. My goal is to find Sebastian again and poke him some more.

Several shelves in, I spot him, bewitched by a new puzzle box. I struggle to repress the playful giggles, bubbling up as I slink up behind him to tap his shoulder with the roll twice.

I earn the fiercest scowl from him but manage to dodge his attempt to capture me.

I can no longer stifle my giggles and become more daring. I sneak up behind Sebastian, over and over again, to prod him and confront his glare with my well-known naughty smile. I keep it up until he finally pays for the puzzles to leave.

--

''Are we going for a meal now?'' I prompt excitedly, skipping beside him.

''Yes, soon,'' he mumbles brusquely and marches onwards. ''Crack on.''

I scamper after him in the packed hallway until we reach the bathrooms, which are surprisingly relatively empty. Instead of going into the men's lavatory, he clasps my arm and steers me into the family bathroom.

This is when I develop a knot of unease in my hungry stomach.

After locking the door, he hangs his carrier's bag of puzzles on the wall. Proceeding, he stalks toward me, trapping me against the wall. A long bench; is located under me, and he propels me to sit down; while keeping my chin lifted with his fingers.

''Why are you being so bratty?'' he scolds.

''I'm not! I was bored!'' I argue hushedly, jerking my face without getting out of his hold.

''You can be bored without misbehaving like a brat."

''Why make it more boring than it is?'' I sass.

''I'm not sure about you, but I wouldn't want to get dragged to a public bathroom to get spanked,'' he enunciates.

Expeditiously, he anchors beside me, and I begin to fuss as forcefully yet quietly as I can when he tows me over. I will literally perish if someone outside hears this!

It's not easy when you have to dampen your battles, and I know he always wins, but I cannot accept that, especially not when we are in a bloody public bathroom.

''Your choice of outfit is very convenient,'' he says as he flips the skirt of my dress up.

''No! Not here, at least, you creep!'' I whisper pleadingly.

''Are you embarrassed already?'' he mocks.

The sound of his hand smacking me feels deafening to me, and it only gets louder and worse as he rapidly delivers smack after smack. It echoes, too!

''This isn't fair!'' I whine. ''I only poked you a few times!''

I know it's a pretty big understatement, but being poked with a roll of gift wrap when no one is around isn't comparable to this. No one would raise a brow at that, and it doesn't make a noise like his burny palm.

''I can't be in a shop with someone with a bratty attitude,'' he counters, persistently swatting me.

''I was just bored–"

I go on deaf ears, and I don't dare speak louder in case people hear. I won't make it home alive if someone stands outside when we leave. He saw me almost perishing that time on the patio, yet this vicious man does it again.

I think I miss the austere slipperings, even the draconian canings. Freedom is clearly not healthy for Sebastian's already unsound mind.

''Are you sweet again?'' he acknowledges my silence.

The whimper that slips out of me when his knuckles rub my singeing skin; is snickered at, and the urge to give him a mouthful is extreme. ''I don't want to be here for another minute,'' is why I refrain from giving him the scolding he very much deserves.

''We are going to have a meal, at least. Are you going to behave then even if you don't want to?''

''Yeah,'' I mumble pathetically.

''I'm sure the restaurant has a bathroom otherwise,'' he says before hauling me up. ''You finally got some colour on your pale face.''

''Stop it,'' I grumble, looking away.

''Be good now,'' he articulates in a voice that shivers through me.

My heart stops in suspense as Sebastian unlocks the door, opening it. I can't even look up and risk facing; the person who heard my mortifying agony.

I can't see any shoes or hear anyone, so maybe I was lucky. Or maybe, we scared them away? Either way, we quickly leave the bathrooms and stream into the hallways...

Sebastian smirks at me and crows under his breath about the evil deed when I sit down warily. I don't understand how a restaurant like this can be crowded with happy people when it only offers uncomfortable, unergonomic, ugly wooden chairs. The urge to snap at him is back, but I stifle it since I know how unhinged he is now.

''Such a nice little date,'' he chuckles, rifling through the menu.

''It's not a date,'' I declare, huffing.

''What do you want to eat, little Soph?''

I keep my arms folded over my chest, gaze fixed on the unsightly window decorations, yet prettier than my non-date. ''Anything cold with chicken,'' I mutter.