Husband With Benefits
Chapter 436: Nostalgia

Chapter 436: Nostalgia

Seb sat on his couch, slumped, seemingly unaware of everything around him. He had no idea how he had even driven back to his house. A thousand different memories beat inside his head, making it ache. With a heavy sigh, he reached out and lifted the old and slightly weathered album from the coffee table.

His fingers trembled as he flipped through the pages, each faded photograph bringing fresh memories to his mind.

An involuntary chuckle graced his face as he looked at the picture of them all on Halloween. His fingers traced the cutest little witch he had ever seen... she could still remember her screams when he had caught a toad and ’gifted’ it to her to make a potion out of it.. He’d been ten...while Olivia had been all of eight..

As he turned the page, a nostalgic smile tugged at his lips, morphing into a full-blown grin at the next picture.. There they were- Erasmi, Demetri, Gabe, Ian, him and Lucien followed by Olivia, in order of their height, standing in the playground, their clothes soaked and their faces smeared with mud. All of them grinning happily while Olivia glared at him for suggesting that they stand according to their height.

She’d had a crush on Demetri at the time and wanted to stand next to him. But he’d forced her to stand next to a snot filled Lucy...The memory flooded back to him like a burst dam, the laughter and camaraderie of that day echoing in his mind.

Sigh! She’d been a fixture in his life for as long as he could remember. He felt a pang of overwhelming sadness at the thought and closed the album and leaned back his head, closing his eyes.

His fingers beat a stacatto on the leather bound album as he considered doing what his heart told him. They couldn’t go back to the past but maybe they could have a new beginning...

"No." His eyes snapped open. He’d gone crazy for thinking such thoughts. How did forgetting the past turn into a new beginning for them?

Gosh! All that nostalgia was going driving his brain cells away. She’d broken his trust when he’d needed her the most.. how was he to trust her now? He couldn’t bring himself to trust her even though he knew it was foolish of him. The hurt had never gone away. It seemed he needed sleep to replenish his lagging brain cells which were coming up with senseless indeas.

Gently, he placed the album on the coffee table. Tomorrow he would lock away the album along with the memories and continue as usual. The last month and a half had been a roller coaster with Demetri- Nora’s wedding, Ian’s proposal and then Mrs B’s passing away. A little time away from all these things would do him good.

As he stood up to go to his room, his knee bumped against the table, causing the album to fall. Grimacing at the pain that shot through his leg, he bent to pick up the album, his eyes falling on the picture it had opened to. He didn’t even know they had a picture of this day...

It was the day he had been the happiest....

"Happy birthday Livi!"

Olivia’s eyes sparkled with delight as she leaped into his arms, her laughter filling the air like a melody of pure joy as she wished him, "Happy birthday, Sebby!"

He held her close, twirling her around in a playful dance, the world fading away as he gloated, "I was first this time too, Livi."

She punched him on the arm and complained," You’re too quick in talking! At least this time you should have let me say it to you first!"

"Nah! I am going to be the one to wish you first always! Now come on." His long hair blew in the wind as he caught her wrist and pulled her outside.

"Where are we going?" Olivia asked him, as she hurriedly followed him along. " To take you out on a ride in my new car... Tada!"

As he held the car door open for her, she looked at him a bit suspiciously as she said," Do you know how to drive? You’re just sixteen! I don’t want to spend my fourteenth birthday in the hospital!"

"Trust me, Livi! Now come on. Hop in."

With a roar, the engine came to life and the car started to race down the driveway accompanied by Olivia shrieking as she caught the door handle, holding on for dear life.

It was at the end of the drive, that he’d looked at her and realized that she was the one who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. His lifelong companion. She’d been young and so had she...

She caught him staring at her, and looked at him hesitantly,"What?"

Gently, he caressed her cheek with his finger, smiling at the knowledge that he’d gained, "Livi, I’m going away... tomorrow. Back to the boarding school. Will you..."

"You’re going back so soon? Why? I... don’t want you to go. There are good schools here also, aren’t there? Why can’t Master Elijah let you all stay here."

Seb grimaced," I guess all of us are too much for him to handle. Anyway, its only a matter of time before I’ll be back for good. But there is something more important that I need to talk to you about."

Unknowingly, she leaned her face into his hand as he cupped her cheek and he smiled," You’re allowed to date when you turn sixteen, aren’t you?"

She nodded her head.

"Then, will you consider dating me when you are eligible? Hmm?"

She’d been shocked. He’d been able to see that even when he was sixteen. He smiled and started to drive back as she held the handle again. Someday she would trust him enough that she wouldn’t need to hold onto anything...

As they entered the estate and he turned the car to drop her off home and meet Mrs B, he stopped the car a bit further away. She’d looked at him with her doe like eyes. "Livi, you have two years to give me an answer, hmm? Until then, let me give you your birthday present... Close your eyes."

He’d watched as she quickly closed her eyes and he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. He wanted to kiss her lips but knew she was too young. However, even kissing her cheek, made his heart race and as her eyes snapped open and she blushed, he couldn’t help but turn red as well...

Then he’d driven her home and met Mrs B... who had probably taken this picture of him saying goodbye to her.

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