"This story is about the boy I loved. This is about his suffering. This is about my suffering. All of it due to one thing. Affluenza."
TW : Key themes of suicide.
Sebastian Grey. Golden boy, trust fund baby, and Braylen Adams' mortal enemy. Braylen...
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HAYLEY FINISHES UP the last braid in the front of my hair. She sighs contentedly and pats the crown of my head, chuckling softly. "All done. Sebastian is going to lose it."
She turns me around in my bedroom chair to face the mirror; I almost didn't recognize myself. Strands of my hair and small braids framed my face. My hair hit my shoulders onto my navy blue sweater. I looked cleaner, more put together, like I was a Malibu boy born and raised and not trailer trash from Maine.
"Wow," I mumble as I chuckle surprisedly. "What are you doing studying engineering when you could be doing this? You're awesome."
Hayley's eyes sparkle. "Really? I've always wanted to go to beauty school but my grades weren't good enough. Plus, my parents insisted I get a practical degree. Whatever 'practical' means."
"You're amazing," I assure her. "I mean, look at your hair! It's gorgeous!"
Hayley blushes at my compliments and I grin. She really did look stunning in a sparkly gold dress and her hair in an intricate braided updo with long strands framing her face.
The door clicks open and Robyn appears, all smiles in her bright red lipstick and matching dress. "Okay, can we all agree to get seriously wasted tonight?" she asks as she spins around my bedroom.
"It's New Year's; thought that was a given," Hayley laughs, taking a seat on my bed across from me.
I scrunch my nose. "Can't. Sebastian and I are staying sober together."
"Ugh, you two are adorable," Robyn groans. "Can I ask you a totally personal question that I literally just thought of right now?"
I frown slightly. "Is this girl talk? I don't think I want to be apart of girl talk."
"One: that's super sexist," Robyn argues. "And two: have you and Ash slept together yet?"
Hayley leans forward onto her knees in anticipation. I sigh softly. "No, not yet. But it's all good."
"Wait, I'm sorry, are you serious? Ash 'can't keep it in my pants' Grey? Ash 'I invented BDE' Grey? Ash 'I have sex so much I'm probably a walking STD?'" Hayley exclaims, voice rising in disbelief.
I blush softly. "Wait, do you really think he has an STD?" I ask, crinkling my nose before shaking my head. "We're taking things slow. Making sure neither of us does anything the other isn't comfortable with. We're being mature."
"You have your entire life to be mature," Robyn argues. "That boy wants you, Braylen. Trust me, I know."
I open my mouth to argue when the door opens suddenly, Devin appearing. "Devin! What if we were naked?" Robyn yells, jumping up and tossing a throw pillow at him.
