!WARNING! For people who haven't read "It Takes a Moment" there are spoilers. Heighten your fanfiction reading experience by reading these stories in order. Thank you.

The Moment After

Description:

Summer is over and school is starting. Everyone is ready for a brand new year, but some things never change. After trying all summer, Sebastian is unable shake the love bug flying around. It's also hard getting over the guy you like when he's having trouble with his boyfriend. Jeff and Nick come back to the real world, finding it's harder than they thought. Has this all been leading up to the real love affair? And will love die before it's even able to breathe?

Enjoy.

Author's Note:

Set List (Just one):

Oh My Goodness by Olly Murs

I was really down on myself how short this is because the last chapters I wrote for ITAM, but then I remembered the first chapter for that story was only two thousand and something and this chapter is twice that. Siiiiiiggghh, I feel better.

BUT, all together this fanfict will have less chapters. I believe.

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS COME BACK TO READ THE SEQUeal- *coughs* *hacks lung* My, my that was loud. I also want to thank Dominque (grantscockfarm on tumblr) who live blogged reading the last chapter. I can't begin to describe how wonderful you doing that made me feel. That was so nice and I really felt proud. I also want to thank MelAnderson and Shweirbones, who comments meant a lot to me.

Anyways, I really hope you all like it.

Enjoy

Chapter One: After It All

Nobody really thinks about how they're going to feel when every thing is said and done. No matter what, people just go with their gut and steam roll into something. Without a hint of concern for the future, they act. Sometimes, a problem comes up that they couldn't help. The moment wasn't in the victim's hands to control, it was in someone else's hands and they really had no regard for you.

You were the after thought.

At least, Sebastian thinks, that's how it feels…

xXx

Creeping up behind the young blonde student, a woman reaches her hand out. Her thin pale fingers move hesitantly through the air, until she hits her target.

"Mom," Jeff moans, forced to stand there as she tries brushing his bangs out of his face.

Flustered, his mother pouts and holds his hair in between her fingers, "We really should have gotten your hair cut before school started." His mother is a stout woman, someone who barely reaches his shoulders. Her hair is thick and wavy that always falls to one shoulder. She has a nervous habit of switching her hair to different sides.

"Would you quit it?" He gripes, escaping her hold quickly. He doesn't know whose arriving or has already arrived at the school yet, but there's a certain person he's still trying to act cool in front of. Jeff knows it's not exactly a secret he's a dork, but it's not like he has to put it on a billboard or wave his dork flag up high. Dorky people only like to be noticed when a Pokemon game hits stores.

He's dressed in his old Dalton Academy summer uniform, a white short sleeved collar shirt with the red and blue striped tie. He has the gray pants and ugly black dress shoes that feel just as tight as they did last year. By his side are his duffle bags filled with everything he needs until he either gets home sick or Thanksgiving break comes.

Staring at him, his mom holds her hands together against her chest, completely unfazed by his teenage snarkiness. All she can see is her little eight year old singing into a hair brush wearing nothing but his father's tie. Tearing up, she clenches up in order to keep it together, "I'm going to miss you…"

"Aw, Mom," Jeff begins to say, feeling a little emotional too. He doesn't want to spend their last few minutes together bickering and he feels guilty for almost making that happen.

"I mean," she begins blabbering, moving her hair to her other shoulder. She strokes it as if to calm herself down. "I-I didn't get to see all summer and now you're going back to school and I won't see you and I have to make you call."

"Mom that's not true, I'll," he stutters, feeling overwhelmed. He can't stand seeing his mother cry. Not only does it make him feel terrible, but he can't stop himself from crying too, "I'll call you."

"You always say that!"

And there it goes, the tears start rolling down her face, "Oh, Jeff!" She cries out and jumps up to her tippy toes to hug him. He hugs her tight around her waist, basically picking her up. He can't comfort her. IF he starts to speak, he'll end up crying too.

"I love you mom," is all he can say to her, choking up.

"I love you too sweetie," she tells him, stroking his hair and neck. As much as it hurts her, it does give her joy to see how happy he is. Since the day he got back from camp, nothing could knock the smile off his face, not even when his little sister accidentally hit him in the mouth with a pink golf club.

Concerned her mascara is running and apprehensive someone would see him cry, the two Sterlings waited out their tears. When they dried up, both felt comfortable about letting go. Jeff says goodbye to his mom one more time before she goes. He's always saying good bye to her. Whether it's when he goes off to camp or coming back to Dalton, they're saying goodbye.

"That," Thad's voice sneaks in, "was adorable." He sneaks around Jeff, resting his elbow on Jeff's shoulder. He's back in uniform too, but without his tie. Not finding this the least bit amusing, Jeff's jaw clenches as Thad sighs, happily, "Man, can I hug your mom that long? Is that a normal thing? Because I totally enforce it-"

"What do you want Thad?" Jeff asks him, certainly knowing he didn't ask for Thad's company.

"Your mom."

Deep from his chest an angry groan escapes Jeff and he makes for the dorms. Again, he's at a dorm. He's already home sick.

Straggling behind, Thad catches up to Jeff, explaining himself, "No man, seriously, I'm looking for Nick. We're rooming together now and I don't know which bed is his from last year."

"I'd like to know where Nick is too."

"What? You two didn't text a meet? Isn't that what people who dates do?"

"How would you know Thad? You're not dating anyone."

"Ouch," Thad winces with a smile, "Damn, Jeff, what's eating you?"

That doesn't begin to describe Jeff's feelings. He's being devoured viciously to the point he may not have insides anymore. His insides are a thing of the past. Dying a slow and painful death, Jeff stood by the curb and waved goodbye to his insides…

He's kind of upset.

Jeff hasn't seen Nick since they got back from camp. It's been horrible and especially since he can't complain to his parents about his fleeting homosexual relationship, he's been forcing a big happy grin around them, even if his evil little sister clocked him with a golf club.

And he can't get in touch with Nick because unlike a normal teenager Nick doesn't go on Facebook and doesn't ANSWER HIS GODDAMN PHONE-!

"Baby!" There's a yell Jeff's angry heart just isn't ready for. He's suddenly grabbed from behind and that makes him squeal like a frightened girl faced with a spider. He looks back to Nick, grinning like there's nothing to worry about. He extends himself to Jeff's height, kissing Jeff lightly on the cheek, "I've missed you."

Being Jeff is still too stunned to answer, Thad's groan comes first. His stomach clenches in discomforts he recognizes from camp. The feeling matches his words, "I just realized I'm going to be around you two and your gross couple-ness…" He turns away to find strength on his own and hopefully, eventually that will bring him to food, "I'm never going to be able to eat regularly again."

Remembering his inner rant only a moment ago, Jeff detaches from Nick. He looks closer into Nick's eyes, trying to search for the answers to his questions, because this is messed up. He makes his question audible, "Where have you been Nick?"

Strangely casual to Jeff's incapable ability to not over think a problem, Nick simply takes one of Jeff's bag (which is totally cheating because that's actually really sweet). Nick shrugs, "I've been busy. My parents had me visit like every relative I know, even the fake ones," He starts leading them towards the North dorms. He tells Jeff, "It was exhausting."

Attempting to stay firm, Jeff questions him, "You didn't even have time to text me back?" Oh god, he groans in his head, I sound like one of those bitchy girl friends from a really bad sitcom.

"My grandma hates cell phones so she took mine during my visit, which was fine… until she forgot where she put it."

"Oh, okay" is all Jeff can say. He still feels really pissed at Nick, but it's hard to keep that up when he has really good excuses.

Noticing the sudden silence, Nick glances at Jeff. He's learned to pay attention more. A great deal of things has gotten passed him and if he just paid attention more, he could have skipped over a lot of heart ache. And by the worried line buried between Jeff's eye brows, he can make the assumption there is a problem.

"You were really bothered by this, huh?" Nick infers, stepping in front of Jeff. He bends his head, having to work for a good look of his eyes from under all that blonde. Jeff, embarrassed, looks away.

Making a smile, Nick grabs the other bag out of Jeff's hand, surprising him further. Jeff bets Nick can't sleep at night until he's thoroughly shocked him.

"I get it," Nick announces, making a smooth turn around as he starts walking again. He holds his head up high, feeling very sure of himself, "I messed up and it's my bad. I should've known you'd miss me so much, you couldn't go on living-"

"Will you just!" Jeff huffs sharply, catching back up with him. He doesn't want Nick to hear his chuckling. He doesn't want him to have that pleasure. He snatches the bags back, which makes Nick chuckle now. Though, it has more to do with how red Jeff's has turned.

"I'll see you later," Jeff almost snaps, giving Nick a quick peck on the cheek, "Love you."

With a smile stretching from ear to ear, Nick watches in amusement as Jeff stomps away, ears blazing. He's never adored something so much in life. "Love you too!" Nick yells for everyone to hear on purpose. Jeff just ducks his head and moves faster.

xXx

Life has been good. Last few weeks on summer vacation, Sebastian has been living life to the fullest. If there's one thing he's learned all summer is that the second he lost himself, he was miserable. So, Sebastian looked for himself… and found himself inside other people. Cute people, cute guys to be exact.

Yeah, he remembers the advice he was given too, like "Love will only save your soul" and he can find love too and other shit like that. But if sex is so bad for you, why does it make him feel so good?

Besides, who were they kidding?

Did they forget who they were talking to?

He's Sebastian. He doesn't get sentimental. He doesn't like thinking about anyone else but himself. It's not his kind of thing. He just loves himself too much to fall in love with anybody else and there's no one out there that can change that-

"Sebastian!" The exact person who could definitely change that suddenly calls him out. Funny how life just loves to fuck with people this way.

Sebastian looks across the courtyard, pass the sea of navy blazers. Standing on a metal lunch table, Jeff waves at Sebastian with big smiles.

Suddenly, every second he spent with Jeff rushes through his head, down to every last short breath, every smile, every laugh, every moment of eye contact made, every blink, every touch, every blush, and to every kiss… Sebastian feels like he's in trouble.

"I can't talk now!" Jeff announces, forgetting there's a crowd there to stare. Though, Sebastian knows he'll notice soon and almost die of embarrassment from it. Still, for now, he shouts, "But I'm happy to see you! Come by my dorm later, West dorm, room 332, okay?"

"Okay," Sebastian's voice cracks. He clears his discouraging throat and speaks up, "I'll be there, don't you worry!"

Smiling that smile, that painfully sweet smile, Jeff looks down and does notice now. He visually crumbles inside as he back away, getting off the table… a poison, Sebastian decides, Jeff is a poison. He's the kind of person who secretly infects your insides. He breaks you down little by little viciously, until your heart can't function properly anymore.

The old Sebastian can't function properly anymore.

Before he completely absorbed into the crowd, Sebastian caught one last smile. He opens his mouth, unable to stop the words from spilling out:

"Oh my goodness, I can't hide it
You just smiled when you walked by me
Oh… my goodness
"

Every emotion he's bottled up feels jittery and uncomfortable in his skin. They've become too big to fit and don't want to be cooped up anymore.

Turning, Sebastian begins walking against the current. Dozens of the Dalton academy students rush by him, all of them headed one way, except for him. It feels good to be sure of something again, to be confident. He's gaining it all back:

"Warning signs that no one showed me
Lost control, but please don't hold me back"

Unconsciously, he begins to smile. He means every word, not as something symbolic or a threat. He's giving a warning:

"Gonna go for it, I hope you're ready for it
Oh"

Through that small window he's lived without Jeff, didn't feel like being without him at all. He thought about him in the spare quiet moments of his day. He thought about him when there was too much noise. He thought about him when no one was around. He thought about him when he was supposed to be paying attention to someone right in front of him. No person could distract him or came anywhere near replacing Jeff.

He starts rushing through the crowd, pushing through all the strangers. Arriving at the school, he hurries through the doors and runs up the stairs nearby:

"Cause I don't know if I can stop now
I'm going too fast, heart first
My head just can't slow me down
"

He comes to a long hallway, just where he wanted to be. To his side are large windows, overlooking everything the eye can see. Excitedly, he looks out the first window. His search doesn't take long, seeing Jeff in the crowd, lugging his two bags. He follows him, walking with him, even though they're very distant from each other:

"And I don't care if you don't break my fall
You got me dreaming of a life
That anybody else would die for
"

Before he's caught, Sebastian jumps back just as he noticed Jeff was glimpsing up. Sebastian stands against the wall as if the wind was knocked out of him. He does feel ridiculous. He never thought he'd be reduced to stalking a guy before. It's embarrassing. He hangs his head against the wall, feeling himself sink deeper into his own mess:

"I'm rolling downhill, no brakes
Can't go back now, it's too late, oh
"

Remembering, Sebastian jumps from the wall. He runs past the windows and back down the stairs. Outside, he quickly searches the crowd. There's no way he can't spot him. Sticking out like a sore thumb, Sebastian smirks, spotting Jeff's platinum blonde hair out from the crowd:

"It's too late to look away, and unfeel what I feel for you
Look away, and unsee what I see in you
I'm gonna go for it, I hope you're ready
"

He follows Jeff across the school, staying close behind. He hides behind hedges and dives behind trash can if Jeff's eyes wander a little too close for comfort. He watches Jeff until he has no where else to go, but inside his dorm:

"Cause I don't know if I can stop now
I'm going too fast, heart first
My head just can't slow me down
And I don't care if you don't break my fall
You got me dreaming of a life

Finding a nice tree, Sebastian leans against it. He glances down, quieting down. He still sings, "That anybody else would die for." Maybe it's stupid he still feels this way after being told time and time again he's lost. Sebastian guesses he has poor sportsmanship, "Oh baby, anybody else would die for…"

In order to calm down and find his composure again, Sebastian waits. He thinks of what he can do to get his foot back in the door again and it's a long list to go through. He'll do anything.

xXx

The dorms at Dalton are arranged by age and alphabetical order. The floor your assigned to is what year you're in and everything after that is purely on what your last name is. The room always changes, but the roommate doesn't normally, unless you make a request. It's why Jeff's roommate is always Mayer Stevens, who is probably there already.

Lugging his bags through the door first, Jeff fumbles around to get through the small threshold. Excited his assumption was right, "Mayer, I have something to tell you-"

"Wait!" Mayer lifts his hand. He stands before a wall of book shelves, all filled with what it's designed for. He doesn't look at Jeff, just talks at him, "Whatever you have to say is way less important than what I have to say."

Here we go, Jeff rolls his eyes affectionately for his roommate and tosses his bags on the bed. He listens to Mayer while he seriously explains to him as if he just fought the battle to end all wars. He's very serious about this, "I've spent all morning, all afternoon, reorganizing my library and it is so glorious. It would make mother Teresa shed tears that could cure crabs."

"You have such a way with words," Jeff chuckles, pretending to admire his work.

He honestly believes this is all Mayer has done today. Still in casual clothes, he's wearing a plaid thermal opened to a wrinkled Burger King shirt and to make it classier, he's got his gray sweat pants and two different socks on. He has on his thick black horned rimmed glasses that sit heavily on his slightly crooked nose. Like the rest of him, he doesn't know why it'd be any other way, his layered short black hair is messy and sticking up in the places he's been messing with it and when he's slicked his bangs back.

Still not looking at Jeff, Mayer informs him, making a point by pointing his finger. When the fingers are pointed, it's so hard to argue with the owner of that finger, "If you touch even one of these books, I will punch you in the mouth. If you as much as breath onto a single book's spine, I will punch you in the wenis."

"Are you done?" Jeff asks. He thinks he can make a good argument to say his news is way better than his.

"I think so." Finally acknowledging Jeff's existence, Mayer nods and sits in his old leather desk chair. He spins to face him and shrugs, "Shoot."

"Thanks," Jeff chuckles, feathering his hair. He's nervous all of a sudden. He never talks to Mayer about relationships or anything. He doesn't even know if Mayer even has sexual orientation. It's such good news though and that's something that should be shared, "Um, over the summer, at camp um," It's just so hard to talk when all Jeff wants to do is smile, "Nick and I started dating."

His neck tightens with his uneasy grin as Jeff waits for Mayer's reaction. Mayer blinks a count of three times before he remains dead pan, "I thought you two were already dating."

Throwing a groan back with his body, Jeff hits the bed. He bounces there, dropping his arms in complete defeat. He's at a loss. Slightly peeved, Jeff turns his head in order to look at Mayer. "You're not the first person to tell me that. Tell me, what made you think we were dating?"

"Oh, please," Mayer snorts, criss-crossing his legs, "I'd walk in and find you two giggling together and cuddling closely on the bed. What was I supposed to think?" He asks Jeff incredulously, "You two got into a friendly tickle fight?"

"Hey," Jeff pops back up, seriously, "you can't back down from a tickle fight."

Shaking his head, Mayer smiles, "You're ridiculous… Well," He sighs, "you might as well tell me all about it, now that we have to unpack."

"Okay, um," Jeff fumbles with the words. His brain quickly searches through its filing cabinet, trying to figure out where this really all began. "Well," He starts, thinking the very beginning couldn't hurt, "we were all singing Lollipop on the way over to camp-"

"No, I don't want the giant detailed version. Bullet point it."

"Should I just make a slide show?"

"You know I love snazzy power point transitions."

The boys laugh and Mayer swings his legs off the chair. "Seriously though, I'm happy for you-"

A few knocks on the door interrupts the congratulations. Tickled more, Mayer coos, "That wouldn't be Nick would it?" He cocks his head and bats his eyes behind those thick lenses.

"No, it's my friend," Jeff corrects him, ignoring his attempt to yank Jeff's chain. His chain is un-yank-able now that he's carrying it with Nick... but that only means Nick can yank his chain and he does.

Ridding himself of the though, Jeff opens the door and there stands Sebastian, smiling down at him. Jeff speaks first, "Hey, Sebastian, come in."

He motions to his room and Sebastian obliges. Stepping inside, his eyes instantly find Mayer, "Oh, hello. You must be Jeff's roommate."

Good looking people make Mayer feel like he's being challenged as if he needs to make a bigger effort to impress them. He doesn't mean to sound like such an asshole, but he does, "Yeah, you really put two and two together, huh?"

That flies right by Sebastian's head. Being a good looking people, stuff like that doesn't bother him at all because he knows he's good looking and that's all that really matters. "It's funny," Sebastian smiles, in a surprisingly friendly way in Jeff's opinion.

What he doesn't realize upon the sight of Jeff's roommate, an idea flickered into Sebastian's head. If he's nice to Jeff's friend, he'll remember that when Jeff asks for advice concerning his unavoidable feeling for Sebastian… yeah, that sounds plausible.

Sebastian goes on, "I've never seen you around school, but you're obviously a junior. That's weird."

Jeff snorts. This isn't the first time Mayer has been asked this by his Warbler friends. He explains to Sebastian as Mayer wears his biggest grimace he keeps for conversations such as this, "Mayer, here has never seen a Warbler performance. Not one."

"You're kidding," Sebastian snorts, not really understanding the joke.

"I'm not. He's never seen one. He hasn't even heard me sing."

"Okay, okay," Mayer speaks up, trying to defend himself. He stands up, walking over to Sebastian. Sebastian is thrown for a moment the way Mayer looks him directly in the eye without a hint of hesitation. "This is a private school. Academics are way more important. Dalton wasn't made so a bunch of guys could sing and dance around."

The two Warblers make glances at each other. They reconvene their stare at Mayer, Sebastian being completely serious, "No, I think you're wrong."

"Yeah," Jeff agrees without missing a beat, "I'm pretty sure that's all Dalton is for."

Over it, Mayer throws his hands up in defeat and turns away. He goes to his own green duffle bag and begins unloading it. With a smirk, Sebastian follows him and plops on the bed beside his stuff. The whole bed jitters, but Mayer remains unfazed. Sebastian infers, studying this guy. Most dorky guys he meets aren't as self assured as this guy. It's bothersome. "I bet you're just being modest. You should audition for the Warblers."

Wesley is training him to be the new leader of the club. If he makes friends with Mayer and gets him into the Warblers, that's just two birds with one stone.

Instantly, Mayer laughs. He laughs loudly and over the top, falling over himself until he topples into his stuff. His cackle lasts a while to where Sebastian's head gets this light irritation itch he's so desperately avoiding. Mayer's laughs eventually die hard and even then a few chuckles remain. He sighs, wiping away an invisible tear, "That was a good one. Thanks, I really needed that."

"Are you ever not sarcastic?" Sebastian accidentally lets his ego slip, but he pulls it right back. He pushes out a smile instead and suggests like a friendly person would, "Seriously, audition for the Warblers."

"No."

"Are you afraid?"

"No and no."

"But what about-"

"No."

Jeff covers his lips, hiding his laughter. They're like little kids. It's cute.

Coyly, Sebastian's eyes slide to Jeff. He notices the laugh. He waits for it, no, yearns to hear it.

Beside himself, Mayer doesn't have to move his eyes to see answers to questions he wasn't even asking. Life can be funny like this sometimes, when it surprises you. But, Mayer guesses, life wouldn't be all that interesting if it couldn't show me something every now and then.

To tease Sebastian without Jeff knowing, Mayer clears his throat casually and takes a few shirts to his dresser. Sebastian straightens up. He studies Mayer, knowing if he's not going to be a solution, this guy will definitely be a problem. He presses, a smirk emerging on his lips, "Mayer, just come by the Warbler room and I'll listen to you sing. Prove me wrong…"

There he goes, challenging Mayer again. "Fine," Mayer agrees, unafraid of Sebastian's piercing green eyes, "it's your ears."

xXx

In the distance, Nick is at his own dorm room in the East dorms. He has Thad's iphone, clicking away at the letters. He sends the text to Jeff:

"It's Nick and he loves you 3

I know this doesn't make up for my absence.

But If I could have I would've sent you a heart text everyday."

He waits on his bed patiently, trying to keep his gaze away from Thad who really wants his phone back. Not because he needs to text, but Thad is just nervous it's going to get infected by their gross overly adorable couple ways. The next times he goes to type, his keypad might give his fingers a rainbow pattern.

Finally, Jeff sends just one text:

"3"

xXx

Foot Note:

And so the sequel begins. I have nothing to really comment on, but how hard it was writing this. I'm still kind of blocked of inspiration right now. Oh, well, it still obviously got done :D

Though I will say I hope you guys sort of get why Sebastian was just thrown back into love with Jeff very sudden-like. This is why blocks suck because I totally think I could've written it better. Again:

Oh, well

They'll be more about it later, though so no worries.

Give me a C!

"C"

Give me a O!

"O"

Give me a-

Never mind, this joke takes too long to type. Comment please :)