“Sebastian, a word in the other room please?” Dr. Jen taps him on the arm.
His gaze doesn’t move from mine. Not until he’s got his point across. I fucked up, and now he hates me for it. Tears spring to my eyes as he walks into the other room with Dr. Jen, and they argue in hushed voices.
I take the opportunity to gather the clothes that Dr. Jen brought me and slip into the bathroom. Sebastian Carter’s bathroom. I realize it when I shut the door, even though I knew I was in his house when I woke up. Now the scent that lingers in this space is undeniable. Cardamom and sandalwood.
My curiosity gets the best of me, and I start rifling through all his things. In the hamper, I find a damp tee shirt that smells like him, and if I had to guess, he was probably wearing it on his late-night run. Without giving it too much thought, I roll it up to take with me. Then I open his cabinet, seeking out the source of the delicious smell. When I find the dark bottle of cologne, I spray a little on my wrist and then bring it to my nose, closing my eyes as I inhale. Why I find his scent so oddly comforting when the man himself is anything but, I’ll never know. To make matters even worse, I spray it onto my chest and my neck too.
When I reach to put it back, something else catches my attention. A woman’s necklace. The chain is faded, and it looks like it was a well-worn piece at some point. I recognize the symbol from a yoga class I took with Sybil. The Om symbol. It seems odd to me that this would be sitting in Sebastian’s cabinet, and I can’t stop myself from picking it up to examine it. Who does this belong to? And more importantly, who is she to Sebastian?
A knock on the door startles me, and I quickly shove the necklace back into the cabinet, attempting to cleanse the guilty expression from my face even though they can’t see me.
“Yes?”
“We need to get you back to your dorm,” Sebastian says.
“Okay, I’m just changing. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Quickly, I throw on the sweatpants and tee shirt and smooth out the tangles in my hair, briefly pausing in horror at my reflection. I look like death warmed over. Mr. Carter saw me like this, and now I officially can’t deal.
God, this whole situation has been so humiliating. But if I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I’m proven wrong. Sebastian apparently chose to dismiss himself from the situation, and at his request, Dr. Jen walks me back across campus. The sun is out, and it’s the middle of the afternoon on Saturday, and the campus is full of students. Students who all seem to have their attention on me. I smooth my hair back and keep my head down, trying to walk faster.
“Ignore them,” Dr. Jen says.
“Does the school know what happened?” I ask.
“Not that I’m aware of,” she answers. “Officially, you were signed out by your aunt yesterday. AKA me. Sebastian didn’t want you to get into trouble.”
I give her a funny look, and she must notice.
“I know he comes off as harsh, but he has his reasons. Just don’t take anything he says too seriously, okay?”
I want to ask her more about it, but before I can think of anything else to say, we’re back at my dorm. “Thank you so much for your help. I’m so sorry if I inconvenienced you.”
“You didn’t.” She smiles, offering me a card with her phone number on it. “And I’m still available, if you do decide you need to speak with someone.”
“Thanks.” I shove the card into my pocket, and we say our goodbyes before I disappear into Lawrence Hall.
I can’t even make it past the common room before Louisa and her lion pack push their way into my path.
“Oh, look everyone, it’s the resident slut.” Louisa sneers.
“You’re overexposed, Louisa,” I respond flatly. “It’s not a good look for you.”
Amusement washes over her face, and both the girls at her side start laughing too. “Last I checked, I’m not the one splashed half naked all over the LA Underground app.”
I don’t know what she’s talking about, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like it. She knows I’m at a disadvantage, and she’s getting off on it. But before she can give me any more trouble, Sybil appears, pushing them aside as she pulls me down the hall into her room.
“Oh my God, Stella.” Tears well in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I am so, so sorry. You must think I’m such a horrible friend. Are you okay?”
“It’s not your fault,” I assure her. “I shouldn’t have taken a drink from anyone. I shouldn’t have even gone.”
A tear splashes against her cheek, and I feel awful that she feels so awful.
“I was so worried about you,” she gulps out. “Please tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m okay.” I sit down on her bed. “What is Louisa talking about, though?”
Sybil worries her lip between her teeth and sits down beside me. “Okay, well the first thing I think you should know is that Ethan was expelled last night.”