Starting Over {S.S}

1

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"Sebastian?", I say in disbelief as I look at him. Without thinking, I place my hand on his hand, to make sure that he was actually real and in front of me, and that I wasn't going insane. I pull my hand back immediately and apologize as I turn to look at my glass. He clears his throat as I hear his chair turn around, "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

I look up, my eyes burning from exhaustion. I hesitate, wanting to say yes, that we had an entire life together, but none of it was real. "No, I don't think we have", I smile sadly as I play with my house keys. Our house keys. "Are you sure? You look really familiar"

"I don't think we have", I say again as I swallow harshly. My heart was racing and so was my mind, as I try to understand what is happening. "You know, not to pry or anything, but I think you're right", I say to him as I look up. I had said the same thing to him back in New York at that bar, but in reality I didn't actually say anything to him, it was all in my head.

"So you were eavesdropping?", he says tauntingly. I smile and shake my head, "It's kind of hard not to when you're sitting right next to me", I sass back. "I'm used to it", he sighs as he calls the waiter over. He places an order, his favorite drink: a coke and rum. What made no sense to me was how real everything was right now, and how every detail so far, matched those in my dream.

"Well you shouldn't have to. I mean isn't a relationship supposed to be about communicating, about honesty, and respect? A relationship is supposed to be double sided, not one sided", I say as I pay for my tab. I didn't want to overstep, but it was Sebastian, and I couldn't let him go through what he went through with Kara all over again. I knew what was going to happen, and if I was able to prevent it, I was going to do just that. "You sure know a lot about relationships", he laughs as his smile reaches his beautiful eyes. That laugh. That laugh that I had grown to love more than anything in this world. It was my favorite sound. "Are you some kind of therapist or relationship coach?", he asks me as he swirls his drink around.

For the first time in a month I let out a genuine laugh, and it felt good. "No—oh my god, no!", I smile at him. He looks at me, his eyes glimmering from the light above his head. He was about to speak, but Kara interrupts him. I shake my head in disappointment as I turn back around. "Can you believe this place?! The bathrooms are just god awful", she whines to him. And so it begins, I thought as I stand up, not wanting to be here anymore. I grab my sweater and move to slip it on as Sebastian spins around. "Hey?! You're leaving?", he asks me, and my heart skips a beat. Did he not want me to leave. "Uh, Yeah. I'm tired and I have work in the morning"

"Oh, well it was nice meeting you...", he drags on as he looks at me intently. "Daniella", I finish his sentence. He nods his head and smiles, "Daniella, right. It was nice meeting you", he extends his hand out for me to shake. I stare at it for a few seconds, momentarily freezing. I shakily extend my hand out to him and shake it, savouring every moment I had in holding his hand. He was actually real.

I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulder as I head for the door. The sun had gone down now, and the streetlights had turned on, shinning over the parking lot. I realized that my car was parked down the street, and that I'd have to walk to get to it. I didn't necessarily feel comfortable walking alone so late at night, but I knew that if I didn't, I wouldn't get home, so I sucked it up and pushed the door open, walking into the dark night. I pull my sweater closer to me as it got slightly colder. I pick up my pace as I try to look for my car in the dark. It seemed like a longer walk now that it was late, and I felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

A hand touches my shoulder and I flinch away as I ball up my hands into fists. I look closely at the person and realize it was an out of breath Sebastian. "Sebastian?", I ask. "You walk really fast, you know?", he laughs as he regains his composure. "Can I help you?"

"You forgot your keys inside the bar", he says as he hands me my house keys. "Oh, thank you so much. Wouldn't have gotten really far without these", I joke as I stare at my keys in my hands. He lets out a chuckle as he stuffs his hands into his pockets, "Well I better get going before Kara has a fit", he says as he rubs his face tiredly. I frown as I look at him, the bags under his eyes prominent. "Baby? What are you doing out here? Who is this?", a high pitched voice says from behind him. I roll my eyes as I look back at my car. "I should get going. Thanks again for my keys", I smile as I walk away.

I hear her piercing voice behind me, asking Sebastian who I was and why he was talking to me. Her voice slowly drowns out as I finally reach my car. I unlock it and get inside, sighing in relief as I lean my head against the headrest. I place my keys in the ignition and start the car as I drive off down the street, heading home. Once I get home I slip off my sweater and and throw my keys on the counter. The house was quiet, and it left me thinking about tonight and everything that happened.

As I replayed tonight's events I began to feel lightheaded. I rush down the hallway and into the bathroom as I slam the lid of the toilet seat up, throwing up everything I had in my system into the bowl. I had a knot in my stomach that wouldn't go away, and my hands were trembling as I reach for paper to wipe my mouth with. I lean against the wall, my eyes beginning to prickle with tears. I close my eyes as I let the tears fall down my face, and the sobs escape from my mouth.

My life had taken a complete turn for the worst in the past month, and my mind hadn't fully processed everything, and seeing Sebastian tonight, if I even actually saw him, made me take ten steps backwards. I felt sick to my stomach and I just wanted to go back to the time in which I was with Sebastian and we were happy, when I was happy.

I sniffle and pull myself up as I brush my teeth. I splash water on my face and dry it with the small face towel, before closing the bathroom light and walking into the living room. I grab a blanket and drape it over my body as I maneuver my pillow around so I can get comfortable. I stay up for a few hours, just staring at the wall and basking in the silence around me, as my mind stays focused on Sebastian and how he looked tonight. My mind had been tricking me so much lately, that I could hardly tell what was real and what was fake. Tonight felt so real. I held his hand, I spoke to him, I saw him. He was there and he was real.

I stayed up for another hour or so, waiting for the moment in which I'd wake up from this, and realize that tonight and meeting Sebastian was just another dream, and my mind playing games with me, but nothing happens. Soon enough I fall asleep, the only thing lingering on my mind is Sebastian. Would I ever see him again?

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After completing Unavailable, I asked you guys if you'd like a sequel (a second book) and you guys agreed to it, so I acted fast and decided to make one! Welcome to 'Starting Over'. I can't wait to have you guys come on this journey with me on yet another book. Thank you for the endless amount of support, I'm eternally grateful, so thank you, and I hope you enjoyed chapter one! ~Sabrina