"Hey," Seb waved to me, once we were out of the dining room. "I'm… sorry about earlier."
"Dinners can get… intense," he went on, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Dad thinks forcing everyone into one room will fix things. It never does."
I nodded.
The moonlight spilled through tall windows as we walked. The house was quiet in the way rich houses always are.
"Drew can also be difficult," Seb continued. "He's not just like that with you. He's cold to everyone."
So he's just an asshole professionally.
"And Alex," Seb continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's loud because he doesn't know how to be scared quietly."
That made me look up.
Seb noticed. He smiled a little, like he hadn't expected that to land.
"He thinks if he pushes hard enough, people will leave on their own," he said. "Then it won't hurt when they do."
Something in my chest tightened. That sounded… familiar.
Everywhere was silent for a while, as we walked around.
"The house is stupidly big," he continued. "Dad hates empty space but keeps buying more of it."
The first stop was the pool.
I stood at the edge, staring down, wondering how easy it would be to sink and not come back up.
"You're free to use it anytime," Seb said. "Especially when you're having a bad day."
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Seb leaned against a chair. We both sat down, still staring at the pool.
"You okay?" he asked.
I hesitated, then nodded.
He exhaled quietly. "You're really quiet," he continued. "Not in a weird way. Just… like you're listening to something no one else can hear."
I turned my face away, embarrassed.
He smiled softly, showing the sharp edge of his canine. "I didn't expect you'd look this…soft and pretty." He awkwardly scratched the back of his hair.
"Not like I expected you to be ugly." He added quickly. "I should probably shut up. I'm bad at compliments."
That made me smile back.
If I could still talk, I would've told him 'he had a nice smile too.'
We walked on after that, past tall windows and long corridors, until framed glass began lining the walls.
The trophy room.
Most of seb's were academic trophies, while Drew's was sports.
Every photo felt like proof that I didn't fit into the frame. I never had one trophy.
Then we went to the garage.
It was colder than the rest of the house. The lights were bright, reflecting off polished cars lined up like they were on display.
Seb slowed. "Oh. He's here."
Before I could ask who, a pair of legs slid out from beneath a car. A torso followed, broad shoulders flexed as the man beneath rolled out completely.
Drew.
Grease streaked his arms. He sat up, wiped his hands on a rag, and froze when he saw us.
"What do you want?" he asked flatly.
Seb lifted a brow. "Wow. Good evening to you too."
"I didn't ask for company."
Seb gestured toward me. "Giving her the tour. Since you bailed."
Drew's eyes flicked to me.
"She doesn't need a tour of the garage," he said. "It's not a museum."
"Relax," Seb said. "She's not going to steal your precious car."
Drew stood slowly, walking closer to me.
Before I realized it, he was towering over me.
I tilted my head up, and my eyes were staring directly on his bare chest.
He leaned down slightly, just enough that his mouth was near my ear. And that dark stare in his eyes made me curious of what he was about to say next.
"You won't survive in Estrella if you stay this soft," he murmured.
My breath caught. My ears rang with his words.
Seb stiffened. "Drew!"
Drew straightened, pulling back like he hadn't just unsettled something deep in my chest.
"You should keep her out of my space," he said to Seb, sounding dismissive. "I don't want problems."
Seb scoffed. "You are the problem."
Something dangerous flashed in Drew's eyes. Then it vanished.
"Take the princess away," his voice echoed. "Get out."
Princess? Who the fuck does he think he is, calling me a princess.
I glared at him, as seb grabbed my arm.
"You don't have to listen to him," Seb said quickly. "We're leaving."
"Don't bring her in here again."
Whatever.
Seb scoffed. "You don't own the house."
Drew stepped back under the car, dismissing us entirely. "I own this space."
The metal creaked as he disappeared.
Seb exhaled slowly, rubbing his face. "I'm sorry," he said. "He didn't have to do that."
I nodded.
But my body hadn't caught up yet. My heart was still racing.
As we walked away, I glanced back again.
Drew still stayed hidden under there.
I wouldn't survive Estrella if stayed this soft. What was that supposed to mean?