Blood is thicker than water

Chapter 35

Adelina POV:

I could say my cheeks redden at the thought of him. I could say that one look from him is enough to do me in, enough to calm the constant storm or silence the entirety of the world. But then I would be lying, and I am not so addicted to mistruths that I feel the need to create them unnecessarily. 

An onslaught of questions is rained upon me as soon as I enter the car.  The first one and arguably the only important one being: where the actual fuck have I been?

And it is a valid question, a good one that warants an immediate answer. Something I do not know myself because the first spark of life I've felt in all the days I have not seen him is now.  With him once again.

And it is dulled, but then again I do not remember what it has ever felt like in full capacity.

The smell of citrus and honey hangs in the car, making heaviness weigh on my heart, and Sebastian's hand rests loosely near my knee. The look in his eye causes my anger to flare but I keep it under control, under wraps, using any rationality I have left. 

And yet strangely, tension seems to ease from my shoulders with each passing minute of being alone with him. 

It's safe to say the party was a bust, but how am I to explain that to him?

Sebastian's room is as I remember it. The floorboards creek under my feet as my gaze runs over the familiar pictures he has framed, a small smile plaguing my lips until his voice startles me "You have some explaining to do."

I  hum noncommittedly, "What position did you play?" I motion towards the image of a little boy kicking a soccer ball, not tearing my eyes from it.

In a second I am pushed into a gamer chair, comfortable enough not to complain about being seated, but too quick to avoid my flinch that he doesn't seem to notice. The motion is so fast the chair begins to roll away, but his arms dart quickly from his sides to stabilize it. 

"First you disapear," he starts, with both hands gripping the armrests on both sides of me "then you don't let me know you left, or even got home safe. Then, then, you don't return my texts and calls for days. For days, Adelina."

He looms over me with determination lining his features, "I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry" I say, my tone not as apologetic as it should be. 

"Do you know how worried I was when I couldn't find you?" he continues, his voice getting louder "And when you didn't text me back, do you understand the panic I felt?" 

My neck had been craned so I can see him standing over me while he speaks. Then with his chest slightly heaving and an awkward silence quickly descending onto us, I turn and begin to softly play with his rings, having nothing to say for my actions.

"I deserve an explanation!" again I give no response. He turns his back to me, his hand running through his hair, "I wanted to go to your house or to find you at your favorite spots but then I realized I don't know where any of that is. I've known you for weeks, you're my girlfriend I should know something about you, anything about you other than your age."

My heart does not beat faster, but instead slower in response to his words. Shocked at his outburst but not finding it in myself to argue with him, I calmly get to my feet and slowly walk towards him, giving him time to understand my mouvements. 

In front of him, I get on the tips of my toes and extend my arms to bring his face to mine, having him bend instead of me reach. With our foreheads together he finally leans into my touch instead of merely following the mouvement, "Please just take a breath, I'm sorry, ok? But I really need you to calm down to be able to talk to you."