Eyes full of stars | ✔️

Chapter 26: For you

"Someone has changed me, something has saved me

Now this is who I am

Although I was blinded, my heart let me find that

Truth makes a better man"

-The Calling

*

Sebastian called me asking if I we could meet in Budleigh Salterton the following week before he left for Calais. At first, I said no, I had no intention to listen to him talking shit about Toby and begging me to be his girlfriend again. But he later convinced me to say yes. In spite of my disapproval of his behaviour, there was definitely something pushing me to care for him, maybe the feelings I once had for him.

He was about to arrive, I was waiting for him on the terrace, drinking ice tea and sketching on a pad. Felicity and Sherlock were at the beach, hopefully having fun in the water together.

"Hey, Lily" his voice came.

I turned around and when I saw him I found myself smiling. He looked as handsome as ever.

"Sebastian!"

I got up and gently wrapped my arms around his neck. He was surprised but, when he hugged me back, I felt his arms and hands touching me like I was the porcelain doll Mrs. Clara/Mrs. Jennings believed that I was. His grip was also strong and protective, saying "I love you" out loud.

"You look great!" he smiled, looking at me from head to toe.

"Thank you!" I made him sit down with me. "Would you like something to drink? It must have been a long trip from London!"

Sebastian nodded, stopped one of the waitresses and ordered a soda, that was served to him one minute later.

"It's nice here" he commented, then sighed, deciding that the time for small talk was up. "Lily, forgive me for my behaviour of last time we met. I was just very angry and upset--"

He couldn't prevent himself from apologizing all the time, it seemed.

I shook my head and touched his arm. "I understand, Sebastian. There's no need to apologize."

Sebastian glanced at me. "Your accident has literally turned my world upside down..."

"Yeah, I can see what you mean."

His hazel eyes widened, like he just realized he had said something wrong. "I don't mean that mine was a worse experience than yours, of course. It was a terrible accident for you and I still can't forgive myself for having let it happen."

"I don't remember the way you were before my accident, but I can tell that you have been the one affected the most by it. I partially lost my memory, but you lost me... all of me... it's so heartbreaking."

"Yeah, it's true." Sebastian briefly smiled and took a sip of his soda. "Have I ever told you that I changed when I met you?" he whispered. "I used to be so uncaring. All I could think about were my job, my cars and... my collection of beautiful women."

"Oh" I breathed, quite surprised. "So you were one of those guys..."

He nodded. "I was literally obsessed with my ambitions and women. My last girlfriend, Natalie, dumped me because I wouldn't marry her."

"Why wouldn't you?"

He shrugged. "I wasn't ready to commit myself to only one person. I just couldn't picture myself doing it. I was not anything like Toby, you know." Those words sent shivers down my spine, but I didn't comment or even blink. "And... I might have cheated on Natalie... and all my ex-girlfriends... once or twice." He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "Something that I'm not proud of at all."