11~ You Don't Say?

Rule 10: Never show your weak side

An hour had passed and nobody had come to save us, unfortunately for me. I was fine with sitting against the wall and playing temple run on my phone, but Sebastian kept pacing around and 'thinking' of plans to get us out of here. Then, I had the wonderful idea of trying to get cell reception in the deep freeze. We keep all our meats and fish in the deep freezer, and it's super cold in there... but it's positioned just under the satellite dish, and I may have at least one bar showing up.

Ten minutes passed by of me trying to move around and get reception, then I heard Sebastian shout for me.

"Hey Reese, did you get any reception yet?" he asked me. I stubbed my foot from the sudden break in the silence, then I went over to the door and stuck my head out.

"Long ago Hairgel, but I'm staying in here because I love the freezer. Moron," I finally gave up and stepped out of the freezer.

"No bars?" he asked.

"Not even wifi," I replied, then I started shivering.

"Geez, that dumb freezer is friggin' cold!" I growled and wrapped my arms around myself. Sebastian slipped off his blazer and handed it to me.

"Here," he said. I looked at the coat like it was a single leaf that people called a salad.

"I don't want to wear your robot coat," I said.

"Robot coat?" he asked.

"I can't tell any of you Dalton dweebs apart when you're wearing those," I replied.

"You picked me out pretty good," he said.

"Yeah, because of your slick hair," I replied. Sebastian just rolled his eyes.

"Just take the jacket," he said. I huffed and took the jacket from him, then slipped it on. I felt like a toddler trying on my mother's dresses. Sebastian just chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"It looks good on you," he replied, at least it wasn't insulting.

"Thanks, Lurch," I replied and sat down against the wall, then Sebastian came and sat down next to me.

"You know, this actually reminds me of when I was younger. I was fooling around in my dad's office and I messed up the subpeonas he was collecting, and he caught me and decided to lock me in the bathroom as punishment," he said, which made me gawk back.

"How long were you in there for?" I asked.

"About three or fours hours," he replied. I burst out laughing.

"Oh my God! What did you do in there?" I asked him.

"Well I found a bar of soap and tried using is like a rubber ball, instead it just got stuck to the wall," he replied.

"Oh no,"

"Yeah, I would've stayed in longer if my mom hadn't come in and pulled me out," he said.

"Your mom?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's a lot nicer than my dad," he replied.

"Well, at least you had a good cop to match your bad cop," I then realised what just slipped out of my mouth.

"What?" he asked.

"Slip of the tongue, I didn't say anything," I replied. He gave me a look.

"Don't give me the third degree look there, go bounce an apple against the door or something. Maybe it'll get attention," I suggested and stood up.

"Reese, did I step over a line?" he asked.

"No, it was my fault for letting you help me in the first place," I replied, my feet carrying me to the freezer. Sebastian stood up too and followed me.

"Did something happen to you?" he asked.

I just rolled my eyes, "Look, I don't mean to be a bitch -- well, actually I do -- but it's none of your business! So go gel your for an hour or something." I replied, then realising what I just said was totally pointless. He didn't have hairgel, but if he did, I really would've seen everything.

"You were abused weren't you?" those were the five magic words that I was hoping wouldn't come out of his big mouth. I slowly turned around to face him.

"You think you know what it means to be truly evil, you have no idea though. No idea what it's like to be raised by a father who can't stop hitting you, or a mother who watches and just keeps drinking and ignoring you. But that's okay, because your Sebastian Smythe and Sebastian Smythe doesn't care now, does he? Nobody cares, nobody ever has, and nobody ever will." those were my final words to him before I walked into the freezer and slammed the door behind me.

I could still remember clear as day, spending day after day, locking myself in my room after school, listening to my parents scream at each other, then my mother crying...

"Worthless little bitch,"

And when he was done with her, he would take it out on me...

"You're a disgrace for a child,"

"Ugly little thing you are,"

"Behave yourself Reeses Pieces and no harm will come to you..."

Famous words my father always said to me... he lied of course. So now you know, for the first nine years of my life, my father hit me... for reasons I did not know.

I didn't realise I was crying until I felt tears drop onto my hands, I guess it's just a trigger thing that happens. It takes a lot to make me cry about something, but my family is something I never like to talk about. I guess Hairgel out there knew about it though, it's like he can see right through me or something.

"Reese, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pryed in like that," he said.

"No, you know you shouldn't have, it seems like you shouldn't have done a lot of things," I replied.

"I'm sorry, alright-" I opened the door before he could finish and poked my head out again, giving him a flat look.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, that's all that I hear coming out of your mouth these days. I'm sorry. Say something else for once huh?" I slammed the door closed.

"Alright fine, I apologize-"

"Not better!" I shouted.

"Don't care! Listen to me, I get it. Alright? I know what it's like to be unloved by your father. I know he doesn't love me, he never told me he did," was he trying to make me feel better or something?

"Did he ever smack your around? I don't think so," I said.

"No he didn't, he did want to put me up for adoption when I was seven though," he replied. A father could want that? To his own kid? Well then again, my father did beat me... maybe people do abuse their children in different ways?

I finally decided to peak my head out from the freezer again. He stood there, tie loosened and glazed eyes.

"He never tucked me in bed at night, never took me to school, he obviously didn't support my bi-sexuality choice, he hardly ever talked to me..." Sebastian sighed and went to sit back down against the wall.

"He was always in his office, working, coming home late at night, he didn't even come to see me at my lacrosse games or singing competitions. And in all my seventeen years, I never understood why? Why didn't he love me?" tears were starting to prick in his eyes. This wasn't an act, he wasn't smirking his signature smirk or smug smile, his head was down to try and mask his sorrow, hand scratching the back of his neck. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in front of my eyes, Sebastian Smythe: two timing dog, smug bastard, and kniving jackass, was crying. And I didn't know why but it took to my heart.

I came out of the freezer and sat down with him, and I just watched him. Tears sliding down his face and teeth clenched, his shield had come down to show off his vulnerable state of mind... and he was showing it to me?

I didn't know why, I couldn't stop myself, I just decided to put my arm around him. Just little bit of comfort for broken souls, that what he was.

What we were.

"I get it. You know, we ask so many questions to so many people, and no matter how many times we ask they can never be answered. Sometimes I feel like making a trip upstate and finally getting the truth from my dad," I said. Sebastian sniffled and looked up at me.

"Then why don't you?" he asked.

"I'm scared. The last time I saw my father, he was being dragged off from a court room after his sentenceing," I replied.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, I still have the nightmares. I wake up in a cold sweat and I end up having to have a thirty minute shower just to scrape the imaginary filth that he left," I replied.

"What did he do?" he asked. I really didn't want to, to remember what happened, but he told me his faults, it's my turn now.

"You know, the usual throw-me-down-the-staircase or... or crown me on the head with a beer bottle, or-or here's my favorite: making me drink hotsauce until I threw up," I replied, then I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

"I looked at your parents file," he admitted.

"Yeah, I kind of figured," I said.

"They didn't deserve to be parents,"

"You figured that out, huh?" I sassed with a joking smile. Sebastian reached into his pocket and handed me a tissue, and I took it gratefully and whispered a 'thanks'.

"So, how did you wind up with the Laveks?" he asked.

"Um, I was put into the foster system for four years, and Charlotte and Ryan adopted me," I replied.

"You know, I think you and I are more alike then we realise, I didn't know there was someone out there who was hurting like I was," he said.

As soon as he said that, the nightmares I had been having suddenly came into play, and I backed away, "Aw, we going to braid each other's hair now?" I asked as I got up.

"Hey, what is it with you?" he asked.

"What?" I asked.

"It's like one minute you're hot as cocoa and the next your cold as ice. Why? I'm just trying to be nice to you." he said. I huffed.

"I'm sorry, it's foster kid thing. You learn how to fend for yourself, and my mood swings are a common side affect. I'm sorry," I replied and looked down. Sebastian stepped closer to me till he was two inches away, and placed two fingers under my chin to make me look up at him.

"Don't worry about it," he whispered. Before I could open my mouth, he leaned down and kissed me... again.