A week had passed since Sebastian reconciled with his friends. That same day, he honored Delilah’s request and spent a considerable amount of time at her house. She made sure to ask him a lot of questions and asked for his guidance on how to do certain things. She kept things vague because the thing she wanted to work on was meant to be something that showed her progress as an artist. Despite things getting rocky at times, she still made sure to practice as much as possible. She hadn’t shown him anything since he initially came over and started to help her so she was excited, yet nervous, to show him how much she had learned and improved.
For the rest of the week, she took Sebastian’s lessons to heart. She drew, erased, and even tore pages out of her sketchbook in frustration. At school, she didn’t allude to what she was doing but Sebastian did find it a bit odd that she didn’t invite him to go anywhere or do anything throughout the week. This ended up impacting him a bit when it came to an important decision that he wanted to make. Even though his mind wanted to fabricate a situation that wasn’t happening, he did his best to tell himself that nothing was wrong, especially since he knew that Delilah was, most likely, practicing her artwork. A part of him was happy that she was pouring so much effort into it, especially since he was the one who inspired her to do so.
In addition to the medicine that he had been taking, convincing himself that everything was okay and then thinking about why everything was okay was a new mental exercise that he began to do to help keep his mind in balance. He felt that he owed it to himself to try and find a way to help prevent himself from repeating the mistakes he made in the past… especially since those he had hurt had recently forgiven him. He didn’t want to lose them as friends for a second time.
Even though they had reconciled, spending time together was a bit sparse. It seemed as if they wanted to take it a bit more slowly, especially in Bryce’s case. Kayla was the most outgoing of the three of them.
While she didn’t hang out with Sebastian during lunch or after school, she would always say hello and ask how he was doing. Small chat was her way of testing the waters a bit. After all, it was a pretty rough experience for them all so even if they had agreed to bury the past between them, that initial awkwardness was still there. It was something that would fade over time but until it did, lingering questions remained. Questions such as ‘Is it okay to start hanging out or do we ease into it?’ or ‘Is it too soon to get everyone together? Maybe we should just chat first and take it from there?’
Shiloh was a bit more reserved. While she did talk to Sebastian, it usually wasn’t until Kayla spoke up and said something. Bryce, on the other hand, didn’t say much at all. While he would acknowledge Sebastian’s presence, he was still the one who had felt the most awkward. Out of the three of them, it would take him the most time to learn to trust again but deep down, he felt that if Sebastian could push himself through all of his mental struggles and find a way to trust others then he could eventually do so as well.
Friday came and, as per usual, he walked home with Delilah. Deep down, he wondered if she would ask him if he had any plans for the weekend but the entire walk home was much of the same… just random small talk. However, this time their departure was a little bit different. When it was time for them to go down their respective streets, Delilah turned to him and shot him a warm smile.
“Just a little longer,” she said.
“For what?”
“Until I unveil my masterpiece to you. Expect to see it soon! I’m going to finish it tonight!”
She gave him a wink and walked away. As she headed home, Sebastian couldn’t help but stare at her.
I have to admit, that wink was really cute. It’s a good thing I came to my decision. The only problem is finding the time to talk to her about it. I’ve wanted to pull her aside all week but I also didn’t want her to lose focus on what she’s been working on. I have to admit, I’m really curious to see what it is. It’s not every day someone tells you that you’re their inspiration and then works hard using the lessons you taught them to make something. The fact that she’s treating this as some huge reveal is cute, too. I just need to make sure I watch what I say when I see it. The last thing I want to do is say the wrong thing and break her heart. I did that once already. I don’t want to make that same mistake ever again.
The next day, Sebastian stayed in his room and played some more of The Zero Eclipse. After all, he wanted to finish the game so that he could return it to Delilah. He played it off and on throughout the week and as a result, he had gotten super close to the end. The final dungeon was no joke and he was just a tad under-leveled and under-geared for it. He had to go back and do some farming for experience and a new weapon just to stand a chance. All the while, he questioned the developers’ decision to invoke a steep power curve like that. It lured players into a false sense of security since they were able to tackle the previous content rather easily. It was a bit too jarring but this wasn’t the only game to pull something like this.
Despite his mental protests, he had gotten enough levels and a new sword that would allow him to tackle the final dungeon. Right when he was about to enter and mop the floor with everything, his phone rang. When he looked at the Caller ID, he saw that it was Delilah calling. The old him would have been rather angry that his gaming session had been interrupted; however, this time, his face lit up with joy when he saw her name. He wasted no time swiping the Accept Call button.
“Hey, Lilah!”
“Hey, Sebby! Whatcha doing?”
“About to destroy this final dungeon in The Zero Eclipse.”
“Holy crap! I had completely forgotten that I lent you that game! How are you liking it?”
“It’s really fun; however, I think I should warn you about the final dungeon. Don’t worry… it’s not a spoiler but make sure you’re at least level 80 and have level 80-equivalent gear. It’s one of those games that love to throw a big power curve at you for the final dungeon.”
“Oh, one of those. Thanks for the warning. Outside of playing the game, are you doing anything special today?”
“Not really. What’s up?”
“I wanted to know if you would like to go to the park?”
“Yeah. I can meet you there. What time?”
“Well, I’m kind of already there and was hoping that I didn’t waste the trip, haha.”
“OH! I’ll head right over there. Where are you in the park?”
“I would tell you but… it’s a bit embarrassing if you get my drift.”
“Heh. I’d imagine so. I’ll see you soon.”
Sebastian hung up the phone and saved his game. He put his shoes on and then let his Mom know that he was going to head to the park for a bit but he didn’t tell her why. He figured that if he was going there to meet Delilah then this might be the perfect opportunity to tell her about the decision that he made. He grabbed his coat and headed out. On the way there, his mind began to wander.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Could it be that she finished what she’s been working on and wants to show me? If so, why the park? She could have just brought it over to my house or even invited me over to hers. Is there something more to it than that? Either way, whatever it is, I’m sure it’s going to be good. I could even use it to segue into what I want to talk about. We’ll see how things go first, though. I want to make sure that the moment is perfect and not jump the gun. I guess I’ll figure all of that out once I get there.
About ten minutes later, Sebastian arrived at the park. Since she mentioned something about embarrassment, he knew that she would be by the large tree that he normally sat under… the same place where the infamous incident happened not all that long ago.
Sure enough, when he arrived, Delilah was there sitting underneath the tree. She had her sketchbook with her which confirmed that she, indeed, was finished with what she was working on. While that much was clear, there was still the lingering question of ‘why here?’ Sebastian figured that he would find out soon enough. She heard footsteps approaching and glanced over. When she saw him, she sprung up to her feet and hid the sketchbook behind her back as if it were supposed to be some closely guarded secret.
“Hey, Sebby!”
“Hey, Lilah. It’s a bit too late. I saw the sketchbook already. I take it you finished?”
“Yep, and I wasn’t trying to hide the sketchbook itself, though. More or less what’s inside of it. The last thing I needed was a gust of wind to blow it open and spoil the surprise. But, there’s a bit more to it than that. Come, have a seat.”
She sat back down and patted the ground next to her. Sebastian walked over and sat to her left. She leaned against him and held the sketchbook between them. She opened it up and the first thing Sebastian saw was a hideous drawing with no form or sense of artistic style to it. He remembered not to say anything and just kept quiet.
“This is the first thing I had ever drawn. As you can see, it’s quite terrible. Despite how bad it looks, this is still a very precious drawing to me. Not because it’s the first thing I drew but it’s the first thing I drew because you inspired me to start this journey. That’s why I’ll never get rid of it. It will always be a reminder of where I came from.”
She flipped to the next page and revealed another drawing that was a little better but still looked pretty hideous. Given how she explained the first, Sebastian quickly understood that it wasn’t just what she had been working on, she was showing her entire journey to him.
“This one was drawn on the same day. It’s still really bad but it’s also special to me because it showed that no matter how terrible I was, I didn’t want to give up. The slight, and I do mean slight, improvements were proof to me that I could get better, even if it was little by little. It encouraged me to keep going.”
She flipped to the next page and pointed out the small improvements. She did that for the next few pages until she got to the first one she did after Sebastian had given her some pointers. She smiled when she saw that one because it brought back some good memories.
“I’m sure you remember this one. This was the one we worked on together the first day you came over and taught me some things. I’ll always remember what you told me about being ahead of where you were when we were both at the same experience level. Hearing you say that ignited my passion for drawing and it made me want to keep going more than ever. With those words, I felt that I could push myself and improve… so, I kept practicing but… you won’t find any of those in the pages to follow. I took them out for a reason.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because the next page is where I am today. I wanted to show you the leap in quality from your first lesson to the results of the lessons you gave me last week. I put a lot of thought, heart, and soul into this one, so… I hope that you’re ready to see it.”
“I am,” he said with a smile.
Delilah was incredibly nervous. Thoughts of what he might think poured into her head. To her, this was more than just a culmination of practicing. This piece had a deeper meaning than all of them that came before it. Her hand shook and her bottom lip quivered as she turned the page. As soon as Sebastian saw the drawing, his face lit up in wonder. The artwork wasn’t exactly at the same level as his but it was incredibly close. He couldn’t believe how good it looked and how much she had improved in just that small amount of time.
When she saw the look on his face, she began to smile but she could tell that he didn’t quite understand the drawing as of yet. She continued to watch him and she saw the sense of wonder slowly slip away and get replaced with an inquisitive look. The drawing that he was looking at was that of a boy and a girl kissing one another but it was more than just two characters kissing. There was something peculiar about it.
“Delilah… these characters look a bit familiar…”
She took a deep breath as the tone in her voice changed from light and happy to one filled with meekness and nervousness.
“That’s because… it’s us… that is if you want it to be…”
Normally, this was where Sebastian’s mind would activate and he would go on a mental tirade but the truth is that his mind went completely blank. He had been searching for the perfect time to tell Delilah his decision… that he wanted her to be more than just a friend and a bigger part of his life but now, he couldn’t say it because she had just beaten him to it. He knew that she had a crush on him from the very beginning but to come up with a creative way like this to confess her feelings left him speechless.
However, even though he couldn’t say a word, he didn’t have to. Slowly, the look of shock was replaced by a smile that he couldn’t hide. When she saw that, she stood up and reached down for Sebastian’s hand. He took it and stood as she looked him in the eyes.
“Sebby… will you be my boyfriend?”
A moment passed that was filled with silence. Suddenly, he gave a reply, one that she wasn’t expecting.
“This isn’t fair…”
Suddenly, that look of hope faded from her face. She looked as if she were preparing herself to get stabbed in the heart. She looked at him with an expression as if to say “Please don’t do this to me” but before things could go any further, Sebastian continued.
“You stole my line. But it doesn’t matter. Your confession was way better than what mine was going to be. Of course, I’ll be your boyfriend!”
Delilah took a massive breath as her face lit up with pure joy. This time, she knew it was neither an impulse nor a mistake. She stepped in, wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a deep and passionate kiss. This time, Sebastian embraced her and kissed her back. It was a moment that they wished could last forever.
***
One month later.
Sebastian was busy running around the house grabbing whatever clothes he could find and throwing them into a duffle bag. He looked a bit frantic as if he were running short on time. That was made evident by the voice that called out to him from the living room.
“Sebby, they’re here!”
Sebastian quickly double-checked all of the bag’s pockets to make sure he had everything that he needed. He also made sure that his phone was completely charged. When he was satisfied with everything, he stuck his phone into his pocket and slung the bag over his shoulder. He made his way out to the living room where Delilah was standing there waiting for him.
“Let’s get going!”
“Have fun you guys,” said Sebastian’s mom. “Remember, if something happens, just give me a call, okay?”
“We’ll be fine, Mom.”
With that quick reassurance, Sebastian and Delilah headed out to an SUV that was waiting for them. In the passenger’s seat was Bryce, the backseat had Kayla and Shiloh. Sebastian and Delilah threw their things into the back and piled into the second row of backseats behind them. It was a bit of a tight squeeze to get in but they made it work. Bryce’s father was behind the wheel and he asked if they were all set. After they confirmed, they were off.
About an hour later, the car pulled up to a national park. They all got out and grabbed their belongings from the back. Before they headed into the woods, Bryce’s father asked if they had everything that they needed. When they said yes, he said that he would be back to pick them up at noon tomorrow. With that, he drove off.
“The first thing I’m doing is making some roasted marshmallows,” said Bryce.
“That’s what you did last time,” said Kayla.
“What can I say? They’re my favorite camping snack. What about you, Sebastian? What do you like the most?”
“Roasted hot dogs over a campfire. Nothing beats the taste of the char!”
“I’m with you there,” added Shiloh. “What about you, Delilah?”
“I don’t have a favorite but I’ll eat just about anything.”
“Confirmed! Delilah will eat a pinecone,” said Bryce.
“I WILL NOT!”
They all had a good laugh as they headed into the woods to set up camp. They brought along three different tents. One for Delilah and Sebastian to share, one for Kayla and Shiloh, and one for Bryce to spend the nights all by himself. Once everything was set up, they ignited a fire and got right to work making some food.
Meanwhile, Delilah sat down against a tree that was a little bit away from the site. She brought out her sketchbook and began to work on something. Everyone was so preoccupied with making food that they didn’t notice that she wasn’t near them at first. When they finally realized it, they looked around and spied her against the tree. Sebastian called her over and said that the food was ready. With the rough sketch done, she figured that she could just fill in the details later.
She tossed the sketchbook on top of her belongings and joined them by the campfire. The picture she had been sketching was a portrait of the five of them at the campsite. It was a moment she wanted to capture in her way.
While they ate and laughed, Sebastian looked up at the sky which was turning a lovely shade of dusk. The stars were just visible enough to adorn the sky. A smile came over his face which Delilah took notice of. She nudged him on the shoulder and quietly asked him what he was smiling about. He looked over at Kayla and Shiloh fighting over the last hotdog while Bryce laughed at them and got smacked for it. He then looked back at Delilah and gave her a quick kiss while no one was looking.
“Because this is the happiest I have been in my life.”
Delilah wrapped his arm around him and placed her head on his shoulder. Sebastian couldn’t believe that one girl walked into his life and changed everything. Before, everything was on a set routine and now, every day was a whole new adventure. He never thought the day would come when he could say goodbye to his regularly scheduled life. Now that it had, he wouldn’t want it any other way.