Sebastian is sitting at the edge of the lake, east of his house, with a pack of cigarettes. This is not unusual. He's been leaving his room more often now that the temperature's starting to drop, and the lake is his favourite haunt.
What's unusual, is that this time, Abigail decides to join him. She stops at the top of the stone steps that lead back towards town, then turns left, and makes her way over to the lake instead. She's going to be home a little later than usual; her parents will just have to deal with it.
"Hey," she says, coming to a stop a few feet behind him.
"Hey." Sebastian doesn't turn to look at her, but he doesn't tell her to fuck off, either. Abigail takes a few more steps, until she's beside him.
"Do you mind if I join?"
"No. I'm just… thinking."
She plops herself down on the damp grass next to him. He shifts, slightly, but doesn't get up to leave. Abigail reaches for her boots, unlaces them one at a time, then discards them in a pile next to her.
"Water's pretty cold for that," he says, as she rolls up her leggings, and dips one of her bare feet into the lake.
Abigail shrugs, and sticks her other foot in the water. "It's nice."
For a few minutes, they sit in silence. Sebastian takes another drag of his cigarette, and Abigail watches as a few tiny, but brave fish swim up to her feet.
"Do you want to talk?" she asks.
There's a pause, and then he turns to meet her eyes. "Promise not to tell Sam?"
It's an odd request. Sam and Sebastian share almost everything; they have for about as long as Abigail can remember. Comic books, song lyrics, vulgar nicknames for their least favourite residents of Pelican Town, weed… they share most (emphasis on most) of these things with Abigail, too, but it's rare that they share something with just her, and not the other.
She hasn't answered him yet, and Sebastian's starting to look… a little scared, maybe? Abigail doesn't think she's ever seen him look scared before. "Something tells me this is more than an idea for a prank," she says, hoping it'll lighten the mood.
Sebastian snorts. "I wish it was a prank."
"You don't have to tell me, Seb. Not if you don't want to."
He sighs, and uncrosses his legs, pulling his knees up to his chest instead. "Have you ever," Sebastian begins, looking everywhere but her as he speaks, "um, ever had feelings… for another girl?"
"Yeah," Abigail says. She has a feeling she knows where this talk is going, but she waits for Sebastian to take it there.
"I think I'm gay," he admits.
"Cool." She doesn't say any of that cliché shit, like how she's always known (she hasn't), or how it won't change their friendship (shouldn't that obvious?). Abigail knows that's not what Sebastian wants to hear.
He pulls at the collar of his hoodie. "Robin probably wouldn't think so. She's always trying to talk about girls. Asking if I'm seeing any. Telling me how she's sure I'll find a nice girl to marry someday, if I just come out of my shell a little. Like all this anxiety's going to just, magically, fucking disappear." He lets out a shaky laugh. "I think she's trying to set me up with the fucking farmer."
Abigail laughs with him. "Could be worse. What if she tried to set you up with Haley?"
Sebastian makes a gagging noise. "Can you imagine? I'd throw myself off a fucking cliff." He wraps his arms around his legs. "She wants grandkids, Abby. How am I supposed to tell her I'm gay?" He exhales a puff of smoke. "I'm already enough of a disappointment."
"I think she'd understand, Seb," Abigail says. "She loves you, you know that? She just wants you to be happy. So what if guys make you happy?" Sebastian's silent, and Abigail decides to prod a little deeper. "So, who is it?"
"Who do you think?"
"Oh." The answer's obvious enough that Abigail doesn't bother to ask any further; it's Sam.
He snuffs out his cigarette on a nearby patch of dirt. "You should go." He stands up, and shoves his hands into his pockets. "It's getting dark."
"Yeah." Abigail pulls her feet out of the water, and grabs her boots by the laces as she stands up. "Gotta help with dinner. No man's going to want to marry me if I'm not the perfect little housewife, right?"
Sebastian smirks. "That'd be a tragedy."
She waves. "See you around." Abigail turns to leave, and then hesitates. "Seb? We can talk about this – any time – you know? I won't tell anybody."
"Thanks," he says, just loud enough for her to hear. She makes it about four steps before he calls after her again. "Hey Abigail?"
She glances back over her shoulder. "Yeah?"
"Are you going to walk home barefoot?"
Abigail grins. "Considering it."
AN: Inspired by this user's tumblr post, and written with their permission! To be continued.
(jay-pronounced-gay, post/146542781878)
