69| Restaurant and Girl

                                    

                                          
*Trigger warning: mention of fire*
The scandal was erased from the media. It's as if it never existed in the first place. It took two days for Sebastian's father to remove any dirt from his son's reputation.
Three days passed, and the world was silent on Seb's topic.
I sigh in relief, turn off my tabloid, and get up from my desk. Mave didn't come to the office today. He called in sick. I understood that he needed space, and both Jen and I left him alone, letting him sort out his feelings.
I was going to meet Jake and Liv today.
The setting sun was beaming through my window. I began preparing my belongings and planned to leave early. The atmosphere in the office was depressing because Luke was in the hospital, and the continual questions about Sebastian made everyone tense.
I reached the restaurant earlier than Jake and Liv. After texting them that I had reached. I ordered a glass of water and scrolled through my phone.
More particularly, I went through our pictures, Sebastian's and mine.
My heart ached, and tears gathered in the corner of my eyes, but I cleared my throat and reached for the water.
Sometimes I feel the universe gives me happiness just to take it away.
We don't understand the value of a person until that person leaves us. For me, it was Seb. I cannot believe how invested I was in him. How my days started with him and ended with him. How my mood matched his and how he had become the main reason for my happiness. I love him. So much so that I know it's not healthy anymore.
And that's exactly the main reason I am not going with him—both of us need to be alone. We both need to sort out our insecurities and issues.
But what if he doesn't return to me? What if he becomes someone else's?
Then life would be just too hard to bear knowing it was me. It was I who let him go.
I learned everything the hard way, and in my eyes, it was better for my heart before it was shattered into pieces once more. Because Luke was right, he was more like my best friend when we were dating, but with Seb, everything was different; he was just not my boyfriend; he was my lover, my comforter, the beat of my heart.
"Boo!" Someone exclaimed in my ears. I gasped, startled.
Olivia started laughing as she stood in front of me.
"Liv." I tried to pretend to be angry but failed when I saw her laughing. I got up and hugged her.
"How is the baby mama?" I held her lightly for a little longer before pulling away.
Liv smiled softly.
"I am fine, Ells. The baby is, too. But I feel like he's going to be out soon."
"Isn't that early? Have a seat." I motioned her to the chair.
"It is, but the doctor said that the last months are crucial, for which I need to be careful."
I nod.
"Where's my dumbass brother?"
She smiles and says, "He's parking the car; he should be on his way."
Before I could say anything, a loud bang resounds, and in a second, there are screams, cries, and loud noises echoing.
Liv was stunned, and all the colour from her face drowned.
"The kitchen caught on fire!" Someone exclaimed.