Author: KathrynMerteuil
Title: Cruel Beginnings Part 1
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I only own the characters I made up. No more. No less. The rest are from the movie Cruel Intentions a wonderful movie! Thanks to all the people who made the movie. I'm not stealing these characters nor do I own them. If I did, wouldn't I be shopping with Kathryn or sleeping with Sebastian?
Kathryn had just finished getting her nails done. Her mother's fiancé was about to come over with his son. *What fun.* she thought to herself sarcastically. Just then Mai- Lee comes and tells her that her mother, Mr. Valmont, and his son were there. "Show them in, Mai-Lee. They can come in here." She directs in Vietnamese. Mai-Lee does what Kathryn asks and all three come into the room where Kathryn is. She takes a good look at Sebastian. He was quite cute. He would be perfect for a few games. She bet she could anticipate his every move actually.
Mr. Valmont walks over to the Kathryn's hand and shakes it, "Nice to finally meet you Kathryn. I've heard so many wonderful things about you."
Kathryn smiles back and replies, "Nice to meet you too."
Sebastian walked over and after shaking her hand kissed it and smiled at her.
"The pleasure is all mine I'm sure." He whispers to her.
Tiffany says, "Great. Now that you have been introduced, Edward and I are
going to go have lunch. Kathryn, why don't you show Sebastian around the
house."
Kathryn tells her mother, "I would love to. You two have a good time. Nice
to meet you Mr. Valmont." When they leave Kathryn frowns to herself and rolls her eyes. She looks over at Sebastian, "Since you and your father will be moving
in I better show you around so you can know where to and not to go. There really are only two places you can't go. My bedroom and my bathroom."
Sebastian replies, "Wouldn't dream of it. Scout's honor." He holds up
the scout symbol.
Kathryn asks, "I bet you weren't even a scout."
"Touché. But it's true. I wasn't one. I hated that type of guys. All they
could think about were other guys. " Sebastian answers.
Kathryn doesn't reply. She gets up off the couch and takes off her jacket
revealing a silk Versace top and her cross.
Sebastian can't take his eyes of Kathryn. *She's a bitch. But she's so
beautiful.* "That's a pretty cross."
Kathryn smirks, "Are you sure that's what you meant?"
Sebastian thinks to himself, *It's like she can read my mind. Can't wait to get her in bed.* "So are you going to show me which room is to
be mine?"
Kathryn leads him to the room right across the hall from hers. "This is
it." She then starts to walk off.
"Where are you going?" He asks.
Kathryn snickers, "Just across the hall. To my room. If you need me I'll be
there." She walks to her room and leaves the door open knowing he'll
probably be over there in a second.
Sebastian strolled into his room and examined it briskly. Tasteful
furniture. Everything seemed brand new. Except for the furniture and a bed,
it was empty, and it was boring him already. He turned on his heel and
headed towards Kathryn's room--he knew she insisted it was uncharted
territory, but it had a two-faced meaning to it--she was practically inviting
him to her room. He knocked on the door twice. "Room service," he
called, the corners of his lips curving up into an innocent smile. Smiles could be
two-faced as well. Especially innocent ones, at that.
Kathryn stood with her back facing Sebastian. She wasn't wearing that
sexy ensemble she had had on earlier. She was wearing a matte silver silk
robe, and Sebastian highly doubted there was anything under it. He swallowed.
"Sebastian," Kathryn said, not even attempting to look surprised
he had showed up against her orders. "You kind of dropped in at a bad time...I
was just about to take a bath." She grinned at him.
"Well..." Sebastian approached her slowly, and methodically,
running his fingertips along the wood furnishings of her antique bureau, and flicking the
imaginary specks of dust away. "I just wanted to thank you for quite the
pleasant welcome wagon...I feel at home already..." He continued towards
her. *Wonder if she's easy* he thought, feeling a smirk creep on his face.
But he knew better than to think that. Kathryn seemed smart. Catty.
Bitchy, maybe. But smart. He knew that she probably was pleased by the
games they were playing--and on the very first day he had arrived. *Jesus*
Sebastian rolled his eyes. *I wonder how I could possibly live in the same
house as her and not try anything*. He knew his mother would never approve,
but to hell with what she thought.
"No," Kathryn replied abruptly tearing into his thoughts.
"That isn't what you came here for." Her grin widened. "You came here for
something else. Don't lie to me. You're about as transparent as tissue paper, and you
know, tissue paper isn't that thick."
Sebastian replies," No. It's true that's not why I didn't come here. Of course I didn't have a clue that this was who you were like. From what my father and your mother said you were this perfect angel."
"Well appearances can be deceiving. "Kathryn replies simply.
Sebastian tells her, "You can say that again. God, you're beautiful."
"So I've been told. " She replies. She doesn't move his hand which had made its way to her waist. "You're not so bad looking yourself." She tells him with a flirtatious smile. "It's a good thing our parents are out. I'm sure they wouldn't approve of this kind of thing going on." She then asks, "So are there any hobbies of yours you have?"
He smiles back, "I'm a photographer."
"You'll have to photograph me some time." Kathryn says as she walks into her bathroom. Her bubble bath is ready. She drops the robe and gets in before Sebastian comes in.
*God, this girl is something else* Sebastian thought. He followed
Kathryn to the bathroom. There was just something about her that intrigued
him, captivated him, beyond belief. She wasn't like most others girls he had
pursued. She seemed like she was experienced. Huh. Well. That was a new one. Sebastian smirked. He leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, and casually crossed one leg over the other.
"You want me to photograph you?" he asked Kathryn, who looked terribly
comfortable in the bathtub filled with bubbles. Sebastian could almost see
through the bubbles her---
"You heard me the first time," Kathryn replied, interrupting his
thoughts once again. "Are you asking me this for confirmation?" She splashed
a bit, sending a spray of bubbles in every which way. She flashed him a devious
smile.
Sebastian felt his breath catch.
"What I'm really trying to say is," he began, "nude
photographs are one of the best forms of art." He waited to see what kind of witty response
she'd come up with this time. He was definitely implying something. "I
have my camera in my suitcase..." he let his voice trail off. There was a silence for a few minutes. Sebastian stared at her, tracing her every feature, hoping she'd give in
and let him do bad things to her. He grinned at the thought.
"No," Kathryn answered, shattering the minutes of silence,
"What you're saying is that *pornography* is the best form of art." She grinned back at
him, as if to say "gotcha".
Sebastian had to hand it to her. The girl was good. "That, too..." Sebastian answered. "So are you up for
it?" No more beating around the bush. He knew they could probably go on and on with their
flirtatious games for hours.
Kathryn responds in an innocent tone, "Well I do have a reputation to
uphold. Can't have those kind of pictures going around. What would people
think?"
Sebastian thinks and then answers, "Probably that you have a really good
body and would want it."
"Hmm...Well if I was to get that type of photographs done I would have to
have a professional. Not some amateur. Of course, I bet that taking photographs
for you is some kind of foreplay." Kathryn tells him looking him straight
in the eye.
"Who's to say I'm not a professional? I've taken plenty of pictures. None
of them published since the public doesn't really approve of the subject
matter..."He says with a grin.
"Come here." Kathryn says seductively knowing exactly what she was
doing. She waited for him to be right next to the Jacuzzi bathtub. She brings
her face up to his and whispers, "If you're good...." She kisses him in
between the phrases, "I may just let you..."She looks at the look on
his face and then continues, "Photograph me..." She pauses before
giving him the final part. "Fully clothed." She then smiles
innocently at him.
Sebastian looked at Kathryn lustfully, and leaned closer, pressing his
body against hers, completely unaware that his Armani suit was getting soggy
from the bath water. "You mean, if I behave...?" Sebastian asked, in
a low voice.
Her face only inches away from his, she leaned closer as if she's about
to kiss him, and just as he moved forward to allow their lips to meet, she
pulled back, in a casual manner, and fluffed her hair up a bit.
Sebastian tried to suppress his utter disappointment and frustration, but
it was hard. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. *But
right now, I'm not getting diddly shit!* he thought rather bitterly.
"You know exactly what I mean," Kathryn said suggestively.
Sebastian stared at her, then leaned in again trying to kiss her.
Kathryn put his fingertips on his lips. "Uh-uh...down, boy," she
said, with a grin.
"And to think you were daddy's perfect little angel," Sebastian
said to her, shaking his head in mock disbelief.
"An angel?" Kathryn echoed, snorting in disdain. Then she smiled
a bit. "Angels believe in fucking after marriage or not at all. I beg to differ."
"I still think you're an angel," Sebastian murmured, leaning in
closer once again.
Kathryn leaned in as well, then pulled back again. Sebastian managed to
choke down a groan of impatience.
"I'm a fallen angel, Sebastian...now what do you think about that,
hmmm?" She grinned at him, then examined her delicate hands. "Damn. I'm getting
all pruny from sitting in this tub. Hand me a towel, would you?"
Sebastian nods. "No problem." He gets a towel and gives it to her. He waits for her to step out of the tub lust only in his mind.
Kathryn asks, "Aren't you going to turn around like a gentleman would?"
Sebastian slowly turns around and looks for a mirror.
Kathryn meanwhile steps out and wraps the towel around her. She puts her robe on around the towel and then drops the towel. She taps Sebastian on the shoulder. "You can turn around now. I'm somewhat dressed as you already know." She walks over to her closet and looks for something to wear that is mother approved.
"Looking for something?" He asks having followed her back into her room.
"Just something that mummy dearest would approve of." She replies while digging through her closet. She picks out a dangerously short denim skirt and a white tanktop. She shuts the closet door and gets changed into the outfit. She comes out after hanging up the robe and asks, "What do you think?"
Sebastian tries to imitate her cool manner, having never been one who tried to hard, and commented, "Nice."
Kathryn feigns hurt, "Just nice?" She walks over and runs her hand down his chest. She looks deep into his eyes. "I know that you and me are going to be very close and probably get along fantastically but if you ever think of trying anything I don't start, you will pay."
Sebastian pretended to look terrified. "I appreciate you setting rules
and the do's and don'ts and whatnot," he said, stepping closer to her,
close enough that with his every word, she felt his breath on her face, "but you
know what my philosophy is?"
Kathryn glared at him, but a startlingly devious grin creeped up on her
face, as if she didn't give a hoot what his philosophy may be. "What's
that?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.
"To hell with rules. I fuck rules sideways and spit on them,"
Sebastian answered. He couldn't wait to see what kind of retort she'd send back to him.
Kathryn had a hurt puppy-dog look on her face. "My God,
Sebastian..." she said, feigning astonishment.
Sebastian smirked.
"...I feel so...threatened!" she threw at him sarcastically. She
stepped forward, pushing him away from her, her hand on his chest. "Now listen,
dear...we play by my rules...or what you want...you'll never get..."
Sebastian stared at her pretending to be struck dumb. "And how would
you know what I want?" he shot back, a smile playing on his
lips.
Kathryn pushed him against the wall of her bedroom, pressing her body
against his. "I can see it in your eyes. You know you can't have me. And
I know it bothers the hell out of you."
Sebastian comments teasingly, "So I take it you like it rough..." He raises an eyebrow.
Kathryn replies using Sebastian's tone, "You took it the wrong way. I won't like it anyway with you because...." She lets the silence fill the air for a while. She then licks the side of his cheek and whispers, "I'm too good for you." She walks out of the room leaving Sebastian dumbstruck. She thought to herself, *This is too much fun.* She smiled and walked into the living room where she sprawled herself out over the sofa. Sebastian's father and her mother would be home soon. It had been awhile since she had someone like Sebastian in her life. She then found herself drifting to sleep.
Sebastian quietly walks in, this time with his camera. He makes sure to turn off the flash as to not wake Kathryn. He takes a few pictures and sits down on a chair. He opens his journal and starts to write about Kathryn.
Just then her mother and his father walked in. He quickly shut the journal and put it back in his jacket. Luckily for him, he had dried off by now. They see Kathryn asleep and they walk into another room gesturing for Sebastian to follow. "How was lunch?" Sebastian asks them.
"It was wonderful." Tiffany replies with a smile. "Now your father tells me that he has an important business meeting."
Sebastian tells Tiffany, "It was nice to meet you Ms. Merteuil and your daughter. Tell Kathryn I said goodbye."
Tiffany nods. Edward and Sebastian Valmont walk out. Tiffany then walks into the main room. She gently shakes her daughter, "Honey...Wake up." Kathryn stirs a little and then wakes up. She sits up and she looks at her watch. It was time for her to go visit Abigail.
---------Time------------
Kathryn arrives home from Abigail's and walks into her room. She picks up the phone and says, "Hello."
It's Sebastian. He's calling from his apartment. "Hi Kathryn. It's Sebastian. I take it you heard the news about our parents. Seems like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other.
"Oh, I know. A while back actually. How sweet is that," Kathryn said dryly, "I can
just picture your father all over my mother. Charming." She smirked. "Anyway,
when do you move in, my dearest brother?"
Sebastian felt himself grin. "I knew you wanted me, as much as you
deny it," he teased her, although there was a certain seriousness in his tone.
"Don't flatter yourself, Sebastian," Kathryn said, with a smirk.
"But if we're going to have to live together, I have some ground rules to set."
Sebastian sighed in exasperation. "Damn, does your list of rules ever
end?"
Kathryn was silent for a moment, then she replied bluntly, "No. If you
have a problem with it..."
Sebastian figured she was going to apologize for her controlling
behavior, but then again, he knew that day would come the same day hell froze
over.
"...Then deal with it and be the tough-ass you certainly aren't,"
Kathryn finished her sentence. He could almost see her grinning deviously on the
other end of the line.
"Dear God, I think your comment has scarred me for life, woman,"
Sebastian retorted. "But proceed with your proposition of ground rules, and if I
agree to them, then--"
"Like hell that's gonna fly. I don't need anyone to approve of
anything, never have and never will, do you understand that?" Kathryn interrupted
him.
"I--"
"Remember our deal, Sebastian. You fuck with my authority then you
don't get to fuck me at all," she said. "You think you can live with
that..."
Sebastian felt pure hatred towards Kathryn, but at the same time, he was
completely head-over-heels for this vicious excuse for a perfect angel. He
thought for a moment as to what his sharp response should be...
"I think I can handle anything that you throw at me, "Sebastian says with a cocky grin even though she couldn't see him.
Kathryn asks, "Is that so?"
"My father tells me I am to move in as soon as possible. " Sebastian tells her.
Kathryn translates, "Meaning that he can get his hands on my mother as soon as possible."
"Guess there most be some thing that makes you Merteuil girls irresistible to men." Sebastian replies teasingly.
Kathryn smirks, "Must be something that makes all men completely dumb when they talk to women. Oh yeah, that's called hormones."
"Ouch. That hurt like a fist." Sebastian says feigning hurt.
"Good." Kathryn replies. If Sebastian had been there he would have seen the smile on her face.
"I think we should meet to equally split the living quarters,"
Sebastian said.
"Oh please. That's a lame-ass excuse to see little old me, isn't
it?" Kathryn said, feeling a smile curl up on the corner of her lips.
"Don't flatter yourself, Kathryn," Sebastian teased, using the
insult she had thrown at him earlier against her. "Well, I just want the claims to a
nice room with a view. Or we could share a room..." He was half-joking
about that suggestion.
Kathryn had to restrain from laughing. "Yeah, couldn't you just see
our parents jumping all over that idea," she replied. "Actually, I didn't
have any plans. Any suggestions as to where we should meet?"
"Well, there is always Starbucks. A non-date type of place. Our parent's wouldn't be too concerned." Sebastian answers.
Kathryn thinks a while and then says, "That'll be fine. Think you can come pick me up? I'm curious as to what kind of car you have."
"That wouldn't just be you not having a car?" Sebastian teases.
Kathryn replies, "I have a car. A black Mazda miata in fact. Not that it matters. As I said, I'm curious about what type you have. It's probably some brand new sports car isn't it?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." Sebastian tells her. "I'll be over in 15 minutes." He then clicks the phone off and gets into his car to head over there.
Kathryn hangs up the phone and tells her mom, "Sebastian and I are going to Starbucks. I'll be home later."
"That's so nice that you and your new step-brother are getting along so well. Have fun sweetie." Tiffany tells her daughter with a smile.
Kathryn thinks to herself with a smile, *if only she knew how well we were getting along...* She then says, "Bye mom." She goes to her bathroom and brushes her hair. She then fixes her makeup with the excuse that she was going out so she had to look good. She hears the speaker in their apartment announcing Sebastian was there and she walks out and goes downstairs to go outside and sees Sebastian's car. She sees the 1956 Jaguar Roadster and is taken aback. "Wow. Nice car."
"Isn't it?" Sebastian replied, climbing out of the driver's seat
and coming around the car to open the passenger door for her. "It's a classic.
I love that thing to death."
"Is that so?" Kathryn answered, running her fingertips along the
smooth black exterior. "It isn't too shabby considering what kind of occupation
you have." She raised her eyebrows.
Sebastian smirked and opened the passenger door. "Funny. Your sharp,
almost bitchy humor is one of the most endearing features about you," he
joked.
Kathryn climbed in, returning an ironic smile. "I'm glad you think so,
Sebastian. That's exactly the kind of image I was aiming for," she
volleyed back.
Sebastian climbed back into the driver's seat and started the engine. He
sped out of the driveway, obviously cruising over the speed limit. He didn't
seem to care, or notice, as the wind blew against their faces.
"You must have a lot of speeding tickets," Kathryn remarked,
slipping on a pair of tortoise-shell Donna Karan shades. "You know, there's something
called a speed limit."
Sebastian peered at her from behind his Ray Bans. "Wow. You abide by
the law? That's a shock," he said.
"How droll," Kathryn answered, "What I'm saying is I prefer
to get to places without any delays. And you know, being pulled over by overweight,
donut-consuming, self-proclaimed authoritative figures wearing polyester isn't
something I really want to tolerate."
"I see your point. "Sebastian tells her as he pulls to a stop when they reach Starbucks .He gets out and then opens the door for Kathryn on the other side.
"I didn't see you as the type to be a gentleman." Kathryn comments.
Sebastian retorts, "And I didn't see you as the type to be a fallen angel."
Kathryn frowns and walks toward the door. "So about these living arrangements...."
Just then Abigail walks up. "So this is that cutie who's moving in with you that you told me about...."
Kathryn pales. She hadn't expected Abigail to use her words in front of Sebastian. "Abigail, meet my stepbrother Sebastian. Sebastian, this is Abigail."
Abigail knew by Kathryn's use of her full name instead of Abby meant that Kathryn was pissed. "Pleasure to meet you Sebastian. I look forward to seeing you more often."
Sebastian extended his hand towards Abigail, amused by all of this. "Hey, is she moving in with us, too?" he joked to Kathryn, since
Abigail had mentioned seeing him more often.
Kathryn forced a laugh, then abruptly snapped, "Ha ha--I think
not."
Sebastian laughed, apparently finding Kathryn's grouchy behavior funny.
Abigail wondered what had gotten into Kathryn, but she shook it off and
focused her full attention on Sebastian. He *was* a cutie. She felt a
sudden wave of pleasure come over here.
Kathryn nudges Abigail,"Come on Abby. Let's go inside." All three of them walk in. Kathryn is glaring at Abigail.
Sebastian notices the tension between the two. *Wonder what's going on.* He thinks to himself. He shrugs it off and says,"We should probably find a table."
Kathryn walks over to a table with a couch and a chair. She was going to show Abby who rightfully had claims to Sebastian. It wasn't that she wanted Sebastian, it was just that no one stole what was hers.
Sebastian sits down on the couch and figures one of the two girls would sit by him.
Kathryn tells Abigail,"Abby, would you go get our orders? I want a tall Mocha frappucino and Sebastian will have...."
"Plain black coffee." Sebastian replies.
Abigail nods seeing she had no choice and went to go order. When they had made the order, Abigail returned to see Kathryn on Sebastian's lap holding his hands in hers.
Abigail nearly drops the cups of coffee she's managed to juggle back
towards the table. She quickly recovers, wondering why Kathryn is throwing
herself all over Sebastian. She frowns a bit.
"You okay, Abby? You look confused," Kathryn said. She smirked.
*Wonder why she's throwing herself all over me* thought Sebastian *Well,
of course I am irresistable, so maybe she just gave in*. Although that
sounded pretty great, it didn't sound like something Kathryn would do.
"I'm fine," Abigail answered, forcing a smile. "Here."
She handed Sebastian his black coffee and Kathryn her tall mocha Frappucino.
"Thank you," Kathryn said curtly.
Sebastian inhaled the aroma of his coffee. "Mmmm."
Abigail realized the couch wasn't exactly a three-person seat, so she sat
down across from Sebastian and Kathryn, feeling like a third wheel. She
sighed.
"So Abigail, how long have you known devilish little Kathryn?"
Sebastian joked.
Abigail looked genuinely surprised. "'Devilish' Kathryn?" she
asked.
Kathryn elbows him. "Sebastian." She scolds. She explains,"I have no idea what he meant by that comment. Care to explain, Sebastian?" She looks him straight in the eyes.
Taking the hint Sebastian replied,"Nothing. It was a joke. "
Abigail's somewhat confused. "Oh okay. So when did you two meet? I mean you guys look really close. "
Sebastian replies,"Actually, we met earlier today. I take it you and Kathryn know each other pretty well. But we've seen each other around school before."
"Yeah. We've known each other forever. " Abigail replies.
Sebastian thinks to himself,*I wonder how come Abigail doesn't know so much about Kathryn and I do.*
Abigail gets up and says,"I'll be right back." She was going to the bathroom and was expecting Kathryn to follow her.
Kathryn waits until Abigail is out of sight and then she tells Sebastian,"Come on let's go." She walks out of the Starbucks and goes to Sebastian's car with a confused Sebastian following her. "Think of the most secluded spot you can think of and then drive there. We need to be alone to talk and I don't feel like having any of my friends interrupting us. " She looks him in the eyes so he'll know she means it.
Bewildered, Sebastian starts up his car, not really caring for the
whereabouts of Abigail. He drives up to a lush green hill overlooking the
city. "You sure all you wanted to do was talk?" he asked Kathryn
suggestively, tossing her a flirtatious glance.
But much to his disappointment, Kathryn was all business. She looked
rather serious. "So. The living arrangement. You don't come into my room
unless I invite you, which will be, close to never, since I am not a
wandering hooker much like one of my friends."
"'Much like one of your friends'? Am I acquainted with this
'friend'?" Sebastian inquired, with a smirk. He wondered if she could possibly be
referring to Abigail. If that was the case, he also wondered how the hell
those two could be best friends.Anyway, it's not like he cared. Whatever.
"That's besides the point, Sebastian dear," Kathryn replied, a
grin appearing on her face. The first one in an hour if he could recall.
"Ground rules are, when Mother dearest and Father dearest are around, no horseplay,
we are strictly siblings."
"Yeah wouldn't want 'em thinking we were incest," Sebastian joked.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Childish."
"Speaking of which," Sebastian said, "Your friend is pretty
hot." He was sort of playing with Kathryn's head, curious as to what her response would
be. He wanted to see if Abigail was the "wandering hooker" friend.
"Abigail? That reminds me. I have another rule..."Kathryn starts.
Sebastian interrupts,"Another? You might as well write them all down I won't remember."
Kathryn rolls her eyes and continues," You stay away from my friends and I stay away from yours, presuming you have any."
Sebastian feigns hurt,"I guess that means I won't be able to show off my new stepsister to them?"
"That's exactly what it means. It has to be that way." Kathryn says. "Oh I hope you didn't think that whole thing in Starbucks was for real. Because it was just to piss Abigail off."
Sebastian laughs and teases,"And hear I thought you actually cared about me."
"Oh, I wouldn't call my feelings for you caring. Or loving for that matter. It can be summed up in only one word: lust." Kathryn smiles.
Sebastian felt himself grin. Kathryn definitely was a challenge for him. "So, since we have concluded our little chit-chat, what shall we do now?
If I recall, your wandering hooker friend we left sitting on the porcelain
throne is probably waiting for us."
Kathryn peers at him from behind her sunglasses, trying to think of some
excuse not to encounter Abigail again. "I don't care. The girl can hitch
a cab. Or get hitched, if you catch my drift." She smirked at her own pun.
"Dear God, you're just the best friend ever bestowed upon that
girl," Sebastian remarked, with a grin.
"Well, she's done some pretty shitty things to me and I really don't consider anyone my best friend. The sad thing is, you're the closet to a friend that I've actually had."Kathryn admits, glad she had her sunglasses on so he wouldn't see her reaction.
Sebastian senses the honesty of her statement but doesn't comment on it. "Well, since we don't have to get back for a while is there anything you want to do?" he asks with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Kathryn lets her lips curve into a teasing smile. "Only one thing I can think of."She takes off her sunglasses and puts them in her purse. She takes off her seatbelt which she had been wearing since she didn't trust Sebastian's driving and got out of her seat and placed herself on Sebastian's lap for the second time that day. She started to kiss him passionately on the lips knowing what it would do to him.
Sebastian not minding one bit, even though he knew it was part of her game, joined in and kissed her back.
They made out for a while and then Kathryn as quickly as she had started, finished and got off his lap. She went back into her seat, put her sunglasses on, and opened up her purse. She took out her silver compact of powder and made sure that none of her makeup was out of place. She also took out a tube of lipstick and reapplied the color. She put her makeup away and tells Sebastian,"Alright. We can go home now."
Sebastian tried to hide his disappointment as their little makeout session ended. Trying to mask any emotion, he replied in a steady voice, "Yes, ma'am." He threw a grin at her, and started up the engine. Within seconds--almost--they were speeding down the highway, Sebastian going at least over 80 miles per hour.
Kathryn's face began to sting from the pressure of the wind whipping against her face. "Goddamn it, Sebastian, what's your hurry?" she finally blurted, not really wanting to take any more of this harsh wind. "You drive like you're in dire need to take a piss."
Sebastian tossed his head back and savored the taste of the air. "C'mon, I expected more out of you. It isn't any fun abiding by the law, on the highway or off." He tossed another lopsided grin in her direction.
"God!" Kathryn snorted in disdain. "Okay. Okay. Whatever. But if bits and pieces of my skin begin to peel off, you're paying for my cosmetic surgery, got it, Slick?" She returned his grin.
Sebastian laughed. "Suuure." He then adds teasingly,"Now a touchup on that plastic surgery right?"
"Excuse me but there is not one part of me that is fake."Kathryn replies defensively.
Sebastian has on a devilish grin and asks,"Maybe I should check and make sure you aren't lying."
"If you want that I'll take a lie-detector test. Plus I would have thought you would have gotten that kind of thing out of your head after back there." Kathryn responds.
Sebastian shoots back,"Just left me wanting more."
"Well too bad for you then because you won't be getting anymore."Kathryn informs him in a direct tone of voice. They reach her apartment and she gets out. "Are you coming in or what?"
"Is that how you invite people into your home?" Sebastian commented. "If so, I can see why you don't have too many visitors," he joked. He got out of his car and followed Kathryn into her apartment.
"Ha ha, you're so witty, Sebastian," Kathryn responded, rolling her eyes. "I don't just let any dirty little body off the streets into my home." She unlocked the front door and pushed it open to reveal a posh penthouse apartment, with tasteful furniture. "Would you like anything, Sebastian?" Kathryn asked, a sly grin curling up the corners of her lips. She tossed her black leather Gucci handbag onto a cream-colored love seat sitting on a Persian rug.
"Only you," Sebastian said, with a grin.
Kathryn smiled, and didn't say anything. She pressed the "play" button on her answering machine, and while it spewed out messages, she poured herself and Sebastian martinis. "Kathryn? Hey. It's Abby," blared a voice from the answering machine, "I'm calling from the Starbucks..." Sebastian laughed loudly.
"Shut up, I'm trying to listen," Kathryn commanded, in a sweet voice.
She wanted to hear what Abby had to say. "I don't know why you just blew me off like that, but I think we need to talk. Call me back or something, okay? Thanks. Bye." Bleeeep....
"I don't know what that incessant whore-of-a-friend wants," Kathryn said rather bitterly. She handed Sebastian his martini.
"How the hell could you two have been friends in the first place?" Sebastian asked, rather curiously.
"She was a follower. I was the leader. And when she starts asking questions, or demanding to know things that sure as hell aren't any of her business, it pisses me off," Kathryn replied simply. She sprawled herself down on the loveseat, and looked at Sebastian.
"And it's not good to piss someone like you off."Sebastian finishes for her.
"What do you mean someone like me?"Kathryn questions.
Sebastian replies,"I mean that you could do some damage to the girl."
Kathryn smiles. "That I could. I'll call her back later. You know, when she gets home from the Starbucks. She's probably asked some cashier guy to take her home." Kathryn then notices Sebastian's journal. "What's that?"
"My journal." He replies. "Time for me to set up some rules. The first one would be that you never read what's in here. It would be hard to get into it without me noticing so it should be easy for you to follow it.
"I'll find a way."Kathryn informs him. She snickers to herself. "A journal...Gee, could you be anymore queer? Let me guess, you've kept a written record of all your conquests. An extended form of a little black book."
Sebastian comments,"Good way of putting it. Could you be anymore desperate to read it?" He lights up a cigarrette.
Kathryn stops him. "Uh-uh. No way. No smoking in this home. Wouldn't want anything to burn down. However, you can smoke in your room. No one will be in there to check on you or even notice you so it should be fine in there. I bet that I'll always be invited in there...right?"
"But of course..." Sebastian lets his voice trail off. He grins.
"Now extinguish that shit if you would," Kathryn replies, snatching the cigarette hastily from between Sebastian's fingers and putting it out. "My mother would throw an absolute fit if the stench of smoke hung in the air."
Sebastian rolled his eyes, not really caring about whatever dumb rules the Merteuil family had, and downed the rest of his martini. "Well. What now?"
Just then, the phone rang. Kathryn ignored Sebastian's question and snatched it up, secretly hoping it wasn't Abby again. "Hello..."
"Kathryn, dearest."
"Mother. Hello," Kathryn said, and raised her eyebrow at Sebastian.
"Edward and I just came up with a splendid idea. Since we'll all be living together, we thought it would be best if the children got acquainted with the new parent."
"Your point being..." Kathryn said, trying to hide her lack of enthusiasm. She knew exactly what her mother's point was, but she didn't exactly jump for joy over the idea.
"I'll spend the day with Sebastian, get to know him better," Tiffany Merteuil explained, "and you'll spend the day with Edward. Doesn't that sound just lovely?"
"Fantastic," Kathryn muttered under her breath. She feigned perkiness just for her mother. "I'm so excited, Mother! And when would this little rendevouz with the new parental unit be?"
"I was thinking tomorrow afternoon, perhaps."
"Wonderful. I'll inform Sebastian."
"Alright, dear. I'll talk to you later."
Kathryn hung up the phone, then turned to Sebastian. "That was mummy dearest."
Sebastian chuckled. "Oh? And what did she want?"
"Your father and her have just concocted this wonderful idea where we spend the day with the other parent. In other words, you spend the day with my mother and I spend the day with your father. What were they thinking?"Kathryn asked more of to herself than to Sebastian. She then adds teasingly,"Since we're family-ish now, try and keep your hands off my mother."
Sebastian grins and replies,"It's not her I'm after. It's you."
"Well, bully for me. I take even though you are a blonde, you prefer brunnettes?"Kathryn asks with a half-smile.
Sebastian thinks aloud,"Hmmm....I wonder how you and my father are going to ever agree on something to do. Same with your mother. She seems like all she cares about is shopping and upholding a reputation. None of which seem to bother me."
"I'm sure you'll think of something, what with you being so clever and all. What could I ever do with your father? I mean he strikes me to be the boring type. Wonder if I could just have lunch with him and then go shopping by myself. I mean, he can't possibly want to get to know me that well." Kathryn ponders. "Any suggestions?"
"My father is boring," Sebastian replied, "but you're clever, you'll come up with something. I'm not sure I could bond with your mother though."
Kathryn smirked, and shrugged. "You're on your own there, pal."
Sebastian paused, and rubbed his temples to appease the sudden headache that was attacking his brain. He leaned back, and rolled his eyes in utter disgust. "Is it me, or do our parents come up with possibly the most stupid-ass ideas?"
"It's not you," Kathryn answered, with a terrible lack of enthusiasm. She sighed and sat down behind Sebastian and rubbed his temples. "You know, there is more than one way to cure a headache."
----The Next Day----
Kathryn wakes up the next morning safe and sound in her bed. She looks at the clock. It's noon. *Oh great. I get to spend this whole day bonding with Sebastian's father.* She gets out of bed and starts to get ready. She takes a bath and then after putting on a robe does her hair and makeup. She looks in her closet. She picks out a long black skirt with Chinese print and a black twin-set shirt. She gets dressed and then walks into the main room where Sebastian is, along with their parents.
Sebastian is sitting on a chair reading a book. He comments teasingly,"Looks like sleeping beauty is finally up."
Kathryn laughs just to show her mother she wasn't taking it personally. She asks,"So what's on the itinerary for today?"
Tiffany replies,"Well Sebastian and I are going to go to the museum of art, then to the Olive Garden where we'll meet you and Mr. Valmont for an early dinner. We'll probably leave at one. Edward, what are you and Kathryn going to be doing?"
Edward replies,"I was thinking about taking Kathryn to the symphony. Sebastian told me about her appreciation of classical music. Does that sound good to you Kathryn?"
Kathryn nods and smiles.
"Good." Edward responds.
Tiffany looks at the clock. "Oh we better go."
Sebastian gets up and follows Tiffany outside to her car. She gets into her car and starts to drive to the Museum. "So what's your favorite kind of art?"
***
Kathryn says,"I guess we should go too. "
Edward agrees and walks out to his car. He opens the door for Kathryn and then shuts it behind her.
She puts her seatbelt on. Kathryn so doesn't want to die in an automobile accident with Mr. Valmont and if he was anything like his son she had to buckle up. She asks,"So what are we going to do after the symphony? I mean I know my mother could look in a museum for a long time and we're meeting for dinner at 5 and I know the symphony doesn't last four hours."
Edward glances at Kathryn. For some reason, his look gives her chills down her spine, and definitely *not* the good kind that she got when she was around Sebastian. She shook it off. It was probably nothing.
"Well, we'll think of something after the symphony is over, now won't we?" Edward responds, with a smile. "No point in worrying about that right now."
Kathryn nods slowly, and forces a smile. "Um...right." She pauses, and puts on her angel act. "Thank you *so* very much for taking me out, Mr. Valmont."
"Please. It's Edward," Edward replies, "And the pleasure's all mine."
* * *
Meanwhile, Sebastian and Tiffany were being chauffered down Times Square in Manhattan in a long, sleek limo. "What kind of art do you appreciate, Sebastian?" Tiffany inquires.
Sebastian had been picking on the leather upholstery so long, the fabric was beginning to peel off. He quickly snapps back into reality. "Ma'am?" he asks. He absolutely *hated* this being-polite shit. He wondered how Kathryn was handling his father.
***
They arrive at the place where the symphony is being held. Kathryn goes and takes her seat, after following Mr. Valmont since he has the tickets.Edward sits down and waits for Kathryn to sit down. The lights dim and the symphony begins to play.Kathryn is ultimately bored. She can't believe that Sebastian told his father that she liked classical music.Edward looks at Kathryn, admiring her beauty. He could see why his son liked her so much. Edward takes her hand in his.Kathryn quickly removes her hand from his grasp and moves her hand. Edward thinks,*Oh well, We'll get a lot closer after the symphony.* Kathryn tries as much as she can to pay attention to the symphony. Soon, it's done. She quickly gets up and walks to the car. Edward follows her and gets in the car as well.
Kathryn asks,"Now what?"
***
Tiffany repeats herself,"I asked what kind of art you appreciated most."
"Oh, I prefer portraits. I'm a photographer."Sebastian explains. He then adds,"You know, if it's alright with you, I'd like to have permission to photograph your daughter sometime. She's beautiful and could be a model."
Tiffany smiles and nods. "That would be wonderful. You two really are getting along, aren't you?"
"Best friends. Like brother and sister."Sebastian replies.
"That's nice. I'm glad. Oh look we're here."Tiffany comments. They get out and she walks to the entrance of the museum. Sebastian gets out as well.
They walk into the museum and Sebastian immediately heads to the paintings with people in it, thinking *Who wants to see a bunch of flowers, grass, or animals? People are much more interesting. * Sebastian looks over at one of the people who was also looking at art. It was a girl he knew. Or rather, slept with. Her name was Christine. He quickly looks the other way, hoping Christine wouldn't come over or notice him.
***
Edward looks at Kathryn. He gives her that lingering gaze that sent shivers down her spine.
Kathryn shuddered a bit, and looked away, avoiding any eye contact. *I have to talk to Sebastian about his weird-ass father* she thought, with a slight smirk.
"I was thinking maybe we could head back to my place, have some coffee or tea, perhaps watch a foreign art film," Edward replied, starting the car up.
*Jesus! Could this man get any *less* interesting?* Kathryn thought, trying to hide her look of disgust. "Oh, that'd be great, Mr. Val--Edward," she replied as enthusiastically and pleasantly as possible.
Edward returned her smile. "Excellent."
* * *
"Sebastian? Are you all right?" Sebastian had been dodging Christine for a good hour and a half, and hadn't heard a word Tiffany had said to him the whole time.
He pretended to be intrigued by a Picasso. "Ma'am?"
"You seem distracted," Tiffany said.
"Oh I'm terribly sorry, ma'am...art does that to me..it has that impact on me...I'm like in a whole other world," Sebastian lied. "I'm sorry."
Tiffany looked impressed. "Wow...that's so wonderful, Sebastian. Most young adults your age aren't as interested in art...but I must say, you are quite different...wow."
Sebastian nodded. "Well--"
Suddenly, a voice tore through the museum. It was actually a screech. Sebastian recognized the voice almost immediatly. He tried to hide his mortification. "SEBASTIAN VALMONT!" Christine screamed.
***
Kathryn and Edward arrive at the Valmont home a little while later and Kathryn walks in after the door is opened. She puts her purse on her lap and sits down on a chair. "So what film did you have in mind?"Kathryn asks out of polite curiousity.
"Actually there was no film I had in mind. No coffee or tea either. Some wine perhaps. But I mostly wanted to do this..."Edward says as he makes a move to kiss her.
Kathryn pulls away and says, "Stop. I'm not interested. Besides isn't this what my mother is for?"
"I like them younger."Edward replies as he roughly grabs her and kisses her. He makes a move for his pants and her skirt. One thing leads to another and we all know what happens next. After what Edward does to Kathryn, Kathryn quickly gets her skirt back on.
Kathryn asks,"Do you have a bathroom? Edward points to it and Kathryn goes in. She immediately goes to the toilet and throws up. "We should probably go to the restaurant now."
Edward nods. They walk out and drive to the restaurant waiting for Tiffany and Sebastian to arrive.
***
"Why didn't you ever call me?"Christine asks.
Sebastian looks at his watch and whispers to Tiffany,"We need to go." Tiffany nods. "Christine, I do have your number. I'll call you later. My mother and I want to spend some time together. You understand, right?"
"I guess so."Christine replies lamely.
Sebastian comments,"Good." He then walks to the exit with Tiffany and they drive to the restaurant where Kathryn and Edward are waiting.
Kathryn tells Sebastian and her mother,"I'm not feeling so good, so if one of you could take me home it would be best."
Sebastian looks to Tiffany and then back to Kathryn,"I could do it. I've driven my father's car plenty of times. This way, you two could have some alone time..."
Tiffany smiles,"What a wonderful idea. Feel better Kathryn."
Kathryn walks out with Sebastian, innocently but as soon as they get in the car she hugs him and starts to cry.
Sebastian asks,"What's wrong?"
Kathryn sobs hysterically. She manages to recover, and pulls away from Sebastian, wiping her tears. She says, trembling,"Your father..."
"You uh, you didn't have a good time, I take it?" Sebastian jokes, but then realizes now is definitely not the right time to joke around. Kathryn didn't seem like her usual self at least. He knew something had to be very, very wrong. "Sorry...what about my father?"
Kathryn pauses, inhaling deeply, then exhaling. "He fucked me."
Sebastian felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut. He leans back in the seat of his car, stunned. "What?" he manages to choke out, after a long period of silence.
"Your father fucking raped me!" Kathryn spats out angrily.
Sebastian starts the car up, all the color drained from his face, his heart pounding against his chest; he could feel the blood pulsating in his ears. He had no idea what to say. He half-expected Kathryn to snap, "Well?! Why don't you say something?!" which is something she normally would've said, but Kathryn was practically glued to the passenger seat, her eyes glazed, her face expressionless. Sebastian looks at her, his face full of concern. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault that your father is a perverted fu--" Kathryn begins, then she inhales sharply, not finishing her sentence. "Sorry."
"No, no," Sebastian says quickly. "That's okay...God...I have to talk to him about it."
"NO!" Kathryn practically shrieks. "You can't, Sebastian, you can't. Swear to me you won't."
Sebastian looks at her. She's so un-Kathryn like right now, it's startling him. "Why? This is serious shit, Kathryn."
"Because if you do, all he'll do is blame it on me or deny it, I know it."Kathryn replies. She then mutters to herself, not expecting Sebastian to hear it,"What did I do to deserve this?"
Sebastian heard what she said. "You didn't do anything. It was obviously not your fault.He has to pay."
"But still..."She trails off. "Can you take me home? As I said earlier, I don't feel good. I mean right after it happened, I threw up and I still don't feel good. You'll stay with me right?"
Sebastian nods. "Of course. I'm not going to leave you alone. And for sure, never with him." He tries to think of something to help her. She obviously needed help for this kind of thing. Anyone would. "God, how he could even try this. We've known you, what two days."
Kathryn agrees,"That's what worries me. I mean was it just a one-time thing or what if he wants more? And like what if no one is home?"
"I'm going to protect you Kathryn. You have to trust me. I'll make sure you're never left alone with him. If that happens, you just have to call me and I'll come right over. Okay?" Sebastian tells her.
Kathryn nods through her tears."Okay." She rests her head up against Sebastian's shoulder, feeling as if he is the only one she can ever trust. They reach her home. Sebastian gets out and opens the door for Kathryn. He takes her hand in his and walks with her inside. She immediately goes and lays down in Sebastian's room thinking *He'll never think to get me here.* She asks Sebastian,"Will you lay here with me? I don't want to be alone."
Sebastian nods. This was a side he hadn't ever expected to see of Kathryn. She used to be so strong, full of life, courageous. He lays down next to her and wraps his arms around her. Kathryn snuggles up against him and falls asleep in his arms. Sebastian finds himself drifting to sleep a little while later after Kathryn.
Just then Tiffany and Edward walk in. They call out,"Hello?" After hearing no response they start to check each room. They walk into Sebastian's room and find Kathryn and Sebastian sleeping together.
Tiffany is completely taken aback. "Oh my God!" she shrieks.
Kathryn snaps up immediatly, nearly giving herself whiplash.
Sebastian does the same.
"Mother! It's not what you think, I swear," Kathryn insists, but she knows the damage has already been done.
Edward doesn't say anything, but Tiffany remains seething at the door, the color drained completely from her face. Sebastian merely sputters, for once in his life, at loss for any lame fib or explanation. "I-I--"
"Shut up!" Tiffany snaps.
"It's not what you think," Kathryn repeats, her voice quivering at the sight of Edward. She shudders.
"What do you think it is that I think?" Tiffany demands. Kathryn and Sebastian stare at her blankly. Tiffany inhales, then sharply exhales. "Let me re-phrase...what in the hell are you doing sleeping with my daughter?" she screams at Sebastian, jumping him and smacking him furiously.
"Tiffany," Edward says, in an abnormally calm manner considering the seriousness of the situation before them. He manages to pull Tiffany off of Sebastian.
Tiffany ignores Edward' way of trying to calm her down. "You said that you two were close, but this close is just sick." She accuses, easily talking to either one of them.
Kathryn is about to scream but tries to calmly explain.Her voice, although quiet, is full of anger. "You have no idea what you are dealing with. I didn't feel good and he was just helping me. If we had known how much trouble this would have caused we would have just locked the door. Sebastian and I aren't close in the way you are thinking of. We have this deep bond that we can't explain and he was just trying to help me out. If you can't deal with that, then too bad."
Sebastian is stunned at what Kathryn said. He didn't know she thought they had a bond. He looks over at Kathryn and then back to Tiffany. "Mrs. Merteuil, I would never, and I mean never, lay a hand on your daughter in the way you are speaking of. I respect her too much to do that."
"Locking the door?" Tiffany asks still reflecting on Kathryn's statement. "You two are keeping secrets I can tell. That sort of thing won't be permitted in this household. Neither will you two be sleeping in the same bed. Do you understand?"
Sebastian replies with a glare towards his father,"If we were keeping secrets, there would be a good reason behind it. Isn't that right, father?"
"What exactly do you mean by that?"Edward asks.
Sebastian responds,"You know exactly what I mean. If you want a further explanation, ask Kathryn. You are the reason she didn't feel good."
Edward immediately pales. Tiffany asks,"What the hell are you talking about?" She looks at Sebastian, then to Edward, then to Kathryn, and then again to Sebastian where she rests her glare.
Kathryn is put on the spot. She doesn't know whether to rat out on Edward. Her mouth begins to dry; it feels like sandpaper. She swallows. *Oh my God...what if Tiffany doesn't believe me...I mean, this is the man she's about to marry* Kathryn thinks, mortified.
Edward looks at Kathryn, his eyes penetrating her.
Tiffany is confused now...less angry, more flustered. "What? What's going on? Edward?" Edward looks at Tiffany. He doesn't say anything. Tiffany feels sort of creeped. *Why isn't anyone saying anything?* she wonders.
"Edward raped her," Sebastian blurts out.
Tiffany is shocked. She doesn't believe what she heard. "That's not funny. Stop joking around. What is it really?"
Kathryn says in a whisper, barely audible,"It's true."
"I don't believe it. At all. Come on Edward, we're leaving." Tiffany says as she storms out of the room with Edward.
Kathryn starts to cry again, sobbing loudly. "My own mother doesn't believe me. What am I going to do? I mean, she's going to marry him and she doesn't even believe me."
"Fuck my dad, to hell with him," Sebastian replies.
Kathryn stares at him, disgusted. "Could you re-phrase your words please?" she snaps rather bitterly.
"Oh sorry...forget about him. Forget about your mom. I'll be here for you. It'll be just the two of us," Sebastian says. "We don't need them. Hell, I never needed parents, they were just always there." He smirks.
Kathryn looks at him, grateful although her eyes are cold. "Thank you, Sebastian," she says, almost in a whisper. She hugs him.
Just then, the phone rings. Sebastian rolls his eyes, and snatches it up. "Hello," he says, in an exasperated tone. "Sebastian?"
Sebastian recognizes the voice. It's Kathryn's non-pal Abigail. "Yeah."
"What are you doing at--nevermind...is Kathryn there?"
Sebastian looks at Kathryn and replies,"Yeah I think so. Hold on let me see if I can find her." He presses the mute button on the phone and asks Kathryn,"Do you want to speak to Abigail?"
Kathryn frowns. "Not really but then she'll be all whiny next time we talk so I better."
Sebastian unpresses the mute button and tells Abigail,"Yeah she's here. Hold on." He hands the phone to Kathryn.
Kathryn takes the phone and says,"Hey."
"Wow, you're like actually speaking to me. I mean ditching me at Starbucks that was real nice." Abigail comments sarcastically.
Kathryn rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"
"What do I want? God, rude much. That's not a way to speak to your best friend." Abigail responds.
Kathryn states," One, you're not my best friend. Two, get to the fucking point."
"Oh, who is your best friend then? Sebastian?" Abigail laughs. "What's up your ass today?"
Kathryn replies in a tone full of malice,"Yeah he is because for one he is a whole lot more caring than you can ever be. Let's just say I had a bad day. And if you mess with me, you'll understand how bad it was."
Abigail is stunned. She doesn't know what to say to this, but she feels her angriness slowly melting. "Kathryn? Are you ok?" she asks quietly. "I'm sorry..."
*It's just like Abby to start apologizing like a fucking nitwit* Kathryn thinks. She begins to feel a headache coming on, and doesn't really want to talk to anyone except for Sebastian at the moment. "Look, Abby, I have to go," Kathryn says, practically mumbles. She hangs up without waiting for a response, and viciously yanks the phone cord out of the wall.
"Woah there horsey," Sebastian exclaims, jumping back a bit as sparks fly from the wall. "I take it the conversation didn't go well?"
"That would be an understatement."Kathryn replies. "She's just so annoying. I couldn't talk to her." She groans in pain from her headache. "Could you go get me some aspirin or something?"
Sebastian nods. He walks into the bathroom and gets some out of the medicine cabinet. Kathryn lays back down on Sebastian's bed. She just wanted to sleep forever but knew that she couldn't do that. She got up just as Sebastian was coming back. "Where are you going?"He asks as he hands her two aspirins.
"To go take a shower."She says in a trancelike tone. She feels really dirty and doesn't know how to feel clean again.She takes the aspirin.
Sebastian nods again. "Don't drown."He warns jokingly.
Kathryn lets a half-smile form. "I won't." She walks over to her room and gets into the shower. She just stands in the water, feeling numb.
Sebastian notices its taking her a long time but doesn't do anything about it. He just sits on his bed thinking. He looks over at the clock and notices Kathryn had been in the shower for over an hour. He walks into her room and doesn't see her in there so he headed into her bathroom where he sees her not moving and bruises all over her. "Oh shit."He comments to himself. He gets a white fluffy towel out for Kathryn. He opens the shower door, turns off the water, and then wraps the towel around Kathryn. He didn't even once pay attention to what she looked like without clothes. Kathryn was still in her trance-like state. He picks her up and carries her to her bed. He gets out a nightgown for her to put on and tells her,"Here. Put this on." He turns his back while she changes. He tucks her into the bed and after kissing her on her forehead says,"Sweet dreams." Kathryn quickly falls asleep. Sebastian walks out of the room when he sees she is asleep and heads off to go look for his father. He had some talking to do with him.
Sebastian realizes Tiffany must be asleep as well, for the house is eerily quiet. He figures his father must be at home. He willed himself not to get carried away...he willed himself *not* to kill the damn guy... Sebastian headed downstairs and climbs into his vintage Roadster. As he heads for his house, his cell phone rings. "'Ello?" he says, exhausted by this whole crappy day.
"Sebastian."
Sebastian feels himself stiffen. "Dad."
"I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be going out tonight."
"Where?"
"Is that any of your business, son? I'm just going to go out...loosen up a little...it's practically one of my last nights as a free single man," Edward says.
Sebastian feels sick to his stomach. "Listen, Dad, I don't care to know about your erotic after-night sex escapades, alright?" he snaps, irritated. "Frankly, I don't know how you could possibly think of such things after what you inflicted upon Kathryn."
Edward snorts. "Listen to yourself talk, Sebastian! I didn't do anything to the girl. You should know better than to think that. Whatever she says, it's probably delusional or a figment of her imagination. Her sick imagination at that---"
"Don't start with me!" Sebastian explodes into the cell phone. He's now driving like a mad man on a mission across the Brooklyn Bridge, going well over the speed limit. "Don't--"
"Sebastian, Sebastian...calm down...look whatever you think I did to your stepsister isn't true at all. Ok? I have to go now. Good night, son."
"No--" Too late. Dial tone. "Dammit!" Sebastian mutters hastily under his breath. He slams the cell phone shut and tosses it into the backseat of his car. He turns into the nearest gas station after seeing his car was on empty. "Could this day get any better?" he mutters sarcastically to himself. He fills the car up with gas and then heads to his house hoping to catch his father. He reaches the house and sees his father's car there. He walks in the house after unlocking the door. He heads to his father's room where he sees Edward getting ready. He asks sarcastically,"Getting ready for your hot night out? Is this where you fucked her?"
Edward glares at him,"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Well then, what did you do after going to the symphony? I can't imagine you two just sat in this house and talked and somehow got some bruises." Sebastian retorts.
Edward admits,"Fine. I admit it. I slept with her. I didn't rape her. She was asking for it and obviously wanted to. I mean with the outfit she was wearing, she was just begging for it. What part makes you madder? That you didn't get to sleep with her or that I got to her first?"
Sebastian can't hold his anger in any longer and punches Edward in the face. He could no longer call this man father. He should have done this a long time ago.
"What was that for?"Edward asks.
Sebastian glares at Edward and replies,"Giving you what you've been asking for, for a long time." He punches him again.
"Well, if that's the way you're going to be then I'll just have to fight back, now won't I?" Edward states as he kicks Sebastian in the stomach. He then proceeds to beat Sebastian into a bloody pulp. After he finishes, he looks at his watch. "Well, I have to go now. Wouldn't want to keep the boys waiting." He then adds menacingly,"I wouldn't tell anyone about this or you'll get something worse."
"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Sebastian asks.
Edward shakes his head. "How did you get so morbid? Oh well. It doesn't matter to me." He then walks out the door and heads to his hot night out.
Sebastian walks into the kitchen and gets a cold piece of meat and puts it on his face. A little while later he looks in the mirror. He has two black eyes and cuts and bruises all over his face. The phone rings. He asks himself,"Who is it now?" He picks up the phone and says,"Hello?"
Kathryn had just woken up from her sleep that had been filled with nightmares. "Sebastian? This is Kathryn. Can you come over?"
"Yeah. Are you alright?" Sebastian asks full of concern.
"I'm not sure."Kathryn replies feeling her eyes tear up again.
Sebastian can tell by her voice that she's about to cry and tells her,"I'll be right over." He hangs the phone up and drives over to her home not paying any attention to the speed limit as usual. He arrives at her house quickly since they didn't really live that far apart. He uses the key he had been given by Kathryn and entered the magnificent apartment. He immediately walks to Kathryn's room. "Are you alright?"
Kathryn sees his black eyes after looking at him and asks, "Oh my God. What the hell happened to you? Are you alright?"
Sebastian realizes the blood on his face is still raw and some of it is actually dripping, which was a sight that he could tell repulsed Kathryn. "Oh--uh," he said, waving his hand, as if swatting flies. "Just uh, got into a fight."
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Tell me something I don't know. With whom?" She stood up and pulled out a towel from her bathroom, running it under cold water, then gently dabbing it against Sebastian's head.
"My father," Sebastian answered. "That bastard."
Kathryn sighed. "Sebastian, although your father is a bastard, I didn't mean to come between you two or break apart your relationship or anything--"
"Hey, let's get one thing straight," Sebastian interrupted sharply, "I never had a relationship with that man. I should've kicked the shit out of him earlier, or at least attempted to." He sighed, feeling defeated. "I'm such a wuss. I couldn't even do that old man in."
Kathryn shook her head. "Don't you DARE even think about killing him, Sebastian Valmont. I mean, I know I'm not exactly some sort of perfect little angel, but don't even *consider* murdering anyone out of anger, okay?" she said seriously. Sebastian looks at her, and for the first time, sees all the reason and intelligence behind Kathryn's otherwise bitchy exterior. He nodded. "Alright." He sighed. "So what'd you call me over here for? You okay?"
"Better now that you're here,anyways."Kathryn replies. She stops cleaning Sebastian's face to explain,"Everytime I try to sleep, I get these dreams, nightmares really, and its like everything is happening over again. And over again. It doesn't stop. I try to wake up and I can't.I don't know what to do. I don't want to even close my eyes because all I'll see is him." She sits on her bed and holds her knees as she rocks back and forth.
Sebastian sits on her bed and wraps his arms around her."Sssshh. It's going to be okay. I'm here."
Kathryn leans back into Sebastian's arms. She wipes a tear from her eyes. "What am I going to do?"
"I'll stay with you," Sebastian replied, "It'll take time to get over it, but I'll be right here if you need anything." He looked at her reassuringly.
Kathryn nods, grateful. "Thank you. I don't have an extra bed in here or anything..."
Sebastian sat down on the leather sofa in the corner. "This will do just fine," he insisted. "Now get some sleep." He cracked her a half smile, and sprawled out on the leather sofa, closing his eyes. Within seconds, he was asleep.
Kathryn, on the other hand, couldn't sleep, even with Sebastian there. She was afraid she would get another nightmare. Sitting up in her bed, she looked out of the window at the moon, when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. A light knock. Kathryn climbed out of bed, thinking it's her mother, probably. She opened the door, and comes face to face with Edward. She opened her mouth to scream or gasp or something--
Edward slapped his hand over Kathryn's mouth and drags her to the guest bedroom. "You bitch!" he hisses at her. "You got my son on my case because you opened your fucking mouth. That wasn't our deal."
Kathryn trembled, Edward's hand still over her mouth.
"You open your mouth to *anyone* else again, and I swear you'll be dead before you know it. Understood?"
Kathryn weakly nods, scared out of her head.
"Good."Edward says menacingly. "If you run and tell Sebastian about this, I'll kill him as well as you. You'd like that I bet, a romantic death for the two of you, huh?"
Kathryn shakes her head and replies in a whisper,"I don't know what you mean..."
"You know exactly what I mean. I've seen the way you two look at each other. You're in love, or lusting after, him and it's the same way with him. It's disgusting." Edward comments.
Kathryn glares at him and shoots back,"No. You're what's disgusting."
Edward slaps her, immediately after hearing this. "Don't you ever say something like that again. " He then informs her with the same tone of malice,"You are so lucky that your mother believes me and not you. The two of us are getting married whether or not you like it." He kisses her roughly and then orders,"Now go back to your sleeping Sebastian. Wouldn't want him to wake up and find you missing."
"Too late."Sebastian says from the doorway where he had heard most of the conversation.
Title: Cruel Beginnings Part 1
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I only own the characters I made up. No more. No less. The rest are from the movie Cruel Intentions a wonderful movie! Thanks to all the people who made the movie. I'm not stealing these characters nor do I own them. If I did, wouldn't I be shopping with Kathryn or sleeping with Sebastian?
Kathryn had just finished getting her nails done. Her mother's fiancé was about to come over with his son. *What fun.* she thought to herself sarcastically. Just then Mai- Lee comes and tells her that her mother, Mr. Valmont, and his son were there. "Show them in, Mai-Lee. They can come in here." She directs in Vietnamese. Mai-Lee does what Kathryn asks and all three come into the room where Kathryn is. She takes a good look at Sebastian. He was quite cute. He would be perfect for a few games. She bet she could anticipate his every move actually.
Mr. Valmont walks over to the Kathryn's hand and shakes it, "Nice to finally meet you Kathryn. I've heard so many wonderful things about you."
Kathryn smiles back and replies, "Nice to meet you too."
Sebastian walked over and after shaking her hand kissed it and smiled at her.
"The pleasure is all mine I'm sure." He whispers to her.
Tiffany says, "Great. Now that you have been introduced, Edward and I are
going to go have lunch. Kathryn, why don't you show Sebastian around the
house."
Kathryn tells her mother, "I would love to. You two have a good time. Nice
to meet you Mr. Valmont." When they leave Kathryn frowns to herself and rolls her eyes. She looks over at Sebastian, "Since you and your father will be moving
in I better show you around so you can know where to and not to go. There really are only two places you can't go. My bedroom and my bathroom."
Sebastian replies, "Wouldn't dream of it. Scout's honor." He holds up
the scout symbol.
Kathryn asks, "I bet you weren't even a scout."
"Touché. But it's true. I wasn't one. I hated that type of guys. All they
could think about were other guys. " Sebastian answers.
Kathryn doesn't reply. She gets up off the couch and takes off her jacket
revealing a silk Versace top and her cross.
Sebastian can't take his eyes of Kathryn. *She's a bitch. But she's so
beautiful.* "That's a pretty cross."
Kathryn smirks, "Are you sure that's what you meant?"
Sebastian thinks to himself, *It's like she can read my mind. Can't wait to get her in bed.* "So are you going to show me which room is to
be mine?"
Kathryn leads him to the room right across the hall from hers. "This is
it." She then starts to walk off.
"Where are you going?" He asks.
Kathryn snickers, "Just across the hall. To my room. If you need me I'll be
there." She walks to her room and leaves the door open knowing he'll
probably be over there in a second.
Sebastian strolled into his room and examined it briskly. Tasteful
furniture. Everything seemed brand new. Except for the furniture and a bed,
it was empty, and it was boring him already. He turned on his heel and
headed towards Kathryn's room--he knew she insisted it was uncharted
territory, but it had a two-faced meaning to it--she was practically inviting
him to her room. He knocked on the door twice. "Room service," he
called, the corners of his lips curving up into an innocent smile. Smiles could be
two-faced as well. Especially innocent ones, at that.
Kathryn stood with her back facing Sebastian. She wasn't wearing that
sexy ensemble she had had on earlier. She was wearing a matte silver silk
robe, and Sebastian highly doubted there was anything under it. He swallowed.
"Sebastian," Kathryn said, not even attempting to look surprised
he had showed up against her orders. "You kind of dropped in at a bad time...I
was just about to take a bath." She grinned at him.
"Well..." Sebastian approached her slowly, and methodically,
running his fingertips along the wood furnishings of her antique bureau, and flicking the
imaginary specks of dust away. "I just wanted to thank you for quite the
pleasant welcome wagon...I feel at home already..." He continued towards
her. *Wonder if she's easy* he thought, feeling a smirk creep on his face.
But he knew better than to think that. Kathryn seemed smart. Catty.
Bitchy, maybe. But smart. He knew that she probably was pleased by the
games they were playing--and on the very first day he had arrived. *Jesus*
Sebastian rolled his eyes. *I wonder how I could possibly live in the same
house as her and not try anything*. He knew his mother would never approve,
but to hell with what she thought.
"No," Kathryn replied abruptly tearing into his thoughts.
"That isn't what you came here for." Her grin widened. "You came here for
something else. Don't lie to me. You're about as transparent as tissue paper, and you
know, tissue paper isn't that thick."
Sebastian replies," No. It's true that's not why I didn't come here. Of course I didn't have a clue that this was who you were like. From what my father and your mother said you were this perfect angel."
"Well appearances can be deceiving. "Kathryn replies simply.
Sebastian tells her, "You can say that again. God, you're beautiful."
"So I've been told. " She replies. She doesn't move his hand which had made its way to her waist. "You're not so bad looking yourself." She tells him with a flirtatious smile. "It's a good thing our parents are out. I'm sure they wouldn't approve of this kind of thing going on." She then asks, "So are there any hobbies of yours you have?"
He smiles back, "I'm a photographer."
"You'll have to photograph me some time." Kathryn says as she walks into her bathroom. Her bubble bath is ready. She drops the robe and gets in before Sebastian comes in.
*God, this girl is something else* Sebastian thought. He followed
Kathryn to the bathroom. There was just something about her that intrigued
him, captivated him, beyond belief. She wasn't like most others girls he had
pursued. She seemed like she was experienced. Huh. Well. That was a new one. Sebastian smirked. He leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, and casually crossed one leg over the other.
"You want me to photograph you?" he asked Kathryn, who looked terribly
comfortable in the bathtub filled with bubbles. Sebastian could almost see
through the bubbles her---
"You heard me the first time," Kathryn replied, interrupting his
thoughts once again. "Are you asking me this for confirmation?" She splashed
a bit, sending a spray of bubbles in every which way. She flashed him a devious
smile.
Sebastian felt his breath catch.
"What I'm really trying to say is," he began, "nude
photographs are one of the best forms of art." He waited to see what kind of witty response
she'd come up with this time. He was definitely implying something. "I
have my camera in my suitcase..." he let his voice trail off. There was a silence for a few minutes. Sebastian stared at her, tracing her every feature, hoping she'd give in
and let him do bad things to her. He grinned at the thought.
"No," Kathryn answered, shattering the minutes of silence,
"What you're saying is that *pornography* is the best form of art." She grinned back at
him, as if to say "gotcha".
Sebastian had to hand it to her. The girl was good. "That, too..." Sebastian answered. "So are you up for
it?" No more beating around the bush. He knew they could probably go on and on with their
flirtatious games for hours.
Kathryn responds in an innocent tone, "Well I do have a reputation to
uphold. Can't have those kind of pictures going around. What would people
think?"
Sebastian thinks and then answers, "Probably that you have a really good
body and would want it."
"Hmm...Well if I was to get that type of photographs done I would have to
have a professional. Not some amateur. Of course, I bet that taking photographs
for you is some kind of foreplay." Kathryn tells him looking him straight
in the eye.
"Who's to say I'm not a professional? I've taken plenty of pictures. None
of them published since the public doesn't really approve of the subject
matter..."He says with a grin.
"Come here." Kathryn says seductively knowing exactly what she was
doing. She waited for him to be right next to the Jacuzzi bathtub. She brings
her face up to his and whispers, "If you're good...." She kisses him in
between the phrases, "I may just let you..."She looks at the look on
his face and then continues, "Photograph me..." She pauses before
giving him the final part. "Fully clothed." She then smiles
innocently at him.
Sebastian looked at Kathryn lustfully, and leaned closer, pressing his
body against hers, completely unaware that his Armani suit was getting soggy
from the bath water. "You mean, if I behave...?" Sebastian asked, in
a low voice.
Her face only inches away from his, she leaned closer as if she's about
to kiss him, and just as he moved forward to allow their lips to meet, she
pulled back, in a casual manner, and fluffed her hair up a bit.
Sebastian tried to suppress his utter disappointment and frustration, but
it was hard. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. *But
right now, I'm not getting diddly shit!* he thought rather bitterly.
"You know exactly what I mean," Kathryn said suggestively.
Sebastian stared at her, then leaned in again trying to kiss her.
Kathryn put his fingertips on his lips. "Uh-uh...down, boy," she
said, with a grin.
"And to think you were daddy's perfect little angel," Sebastian
said to her, shaking his head in mock disbelief.
"An angel?" Kathryn echoed, snorting in disdain. Then she smiled
a bit. "Angels believe in fucking after marriage or not at all. I beg to differ."
"I still think you're an angel," Sebastian murmured, leaning in
closer once again.
Kathryn leaned in as well, then pulled back again. Sebastian managed to
choke down a groan of impatience.
"I'm a fallen angel, Sebastian...now what do you think about that,
hmmm?" She grinned at him, then examined her delicate hands. "Damn. I'm getting
all pruny from sitting in this tub. Hand me a towel, would you?"
Sebastian nods. "No problem." He gets a towel and gives it to her. He waits for her to step out of the tub lust only in his mind.
Kathryn asks, "Aren't you going to turn around like a gentleman would?"
Sebastian slowly turns around and looks for a mirror.
Kathryn meanwhile steps out and wraps the towel around her. She puts her robe on around the towel and then drops the towel. She taps Sebastian on the shoulder. "You can turn around now. I'm somewhat dressed as you already know." She walks over to her closet and looks for something to wear that is mother approved.
"Looking for something?" He asks having followed her back into her room.
"Just something that mummy dearest would approve of." She replies while digging through her closet. She picks out a dangerously short denim skirt and a white tanktop. She shuts the closet door and gets changed into the outfit. She comes out after hanging up the robe and asks, "What do you think?"
Sebastian tries to imitate her cool manner, having never been one who tried to hard, and commented, "Nice."
Kathryn feigns hurt, "Just nice?" She walks over and runs her hand down his chest. She looks deep into his eyes. "I know that you and me are going to be very close and probably get along fantastically but if you ever think of trying anything I don't start, you will pay."
Sebastian pretended to look terrified. "I appreciate you setting rules
and the do's and don'ts and whatnot," he said, stepping closer to her,
close enough that with his every word, she felt his breath on her face, "but you
know what my philosophy is?"
Kathryn glared at him, but a startlingly devious grin creeped up on her
face, as if she didn't give a hoot what his philosophy may be. "What's
that?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.
"To hell with rules. I fuck rules sideways and spit on them,"
Sebastian answered. He couldn't wait to see what kind of retort she'd send back to him.
Kathryn had a hurt puppy-dog look on her face. "My God,
Sebastian..." she said, feigning astonishment.
Sebastian smirked.
"...I feel so...threatened!" she threw at him sarcastically. She
stepped forward, pushing him away from her, her hand on his chest. "Now listen,
dear...we play by my rules...or what you want...you'll never get..."
Sebastian stared at her pretending to be struck dumb. "And how would
you know what I want?" he shot back, a smile playing on his
lips.
Kathryn pushed him against the wall of her bedroom, pressing her body
against his. "I can see it in your eyes. You know you can't have me. And
I know it bothers the hell out of you."
Sebastian comments teasingly, "So I take it you like it rough..." He raises an eyebrow.
Kathryn replies using Sebastian's tone, "You took it the wrong way. I won't like it anyway with you because...." She lets the silence fill the air for a while. She then licks the side of his cheek and whispers, "I'm too good for you." She walks out of the room leaving Sebastian dumbstruck. She thought to herself, *This is too much fun.* She smiled and walked into the living room where she sprawled herself out over the sofa. Sebastian's father and her mother would be home soon. It had been awhile since she had someone like Sebastian in her life. She then found herself drifting to sleep.
Sebastian quietly walks in, this time with his camera. He makes sure to turn off the flash as to not wake Kathryn. He takes a few pictures and sits down on a chair. He opens his journal and starts to write about Kathryn.
Just then her mother and his father walked in. He quickly shut the journal and put it back in his jacket. Luckily for him, he had dried off by now. They see Kathryn asleep and they walk into another room gesturing for Sebastian to follow. "How was lunch?" Sebastian asks them.
"It was wonderful." Tiffany replies with a smile. "Now your father tells me that he has an important business meeting."
Sebastian tells Tiffany, "It was nice to meet you Ms. Merteuil and your daughter. Tell Kathryn I said goodbye."
Tiffany nods. Edward and Sebastian Valmont walk out. Tiffany then walks into the main room. She gently shakes her daughter, "Honey...Wake up." Kathryn stirs a little and then wakes up. She sits up and she looks at her watch. It was time for her to go visit Abigail.
---------Time------------
Kathryn arrives home from Abigail's and walks into her room. She picks up the phone and says, "Hello."
It's Sebastian. He's calling from his apartment. "Hi Kathryn. It's Sebastian. I take it you heard the news about our parents. Seems like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other.
"Oh, I know. A while back actually. How sweet is that," Kathryn said dryly, "I can
just picture your father all over my mother. Charming." She smirked. "Anyway,
when do you move in, my dearest brother?"
Sebastian felt himself grin. "I knew you wanted me, as much as you
deny it," he teased her, although there was a certain seriousness in his tone.
"Don't flatter yourself, Sebastian," Kathryn said, with a smirk.
"But if we're going to have to live together, I have some ground rules to set."
Sebastian sighed in exasperation. "Damn, does your list of rules ever
end?"
Kathryn was silent for a moment, then she replied bluntly, "No. If you
have a problem with it..."
Sebastian figured she was going to apologize for her controlling
behavior, but then again, he knew that day would come the same day hell froze
over.
"...Then deal with it and be the tough-ass you certainly aren't,"
Kathryn finished her sentence. He could almost see her grinning deviously on the
other end of the line.
"Dear God, I think your comment has scarred me for life, woman,"
Sebastian retorted. "But proceed with your proposition of ground rules, and if I
agree to them, then--"
"Like hell that's gonna fly. I don't need anyone to approve of
anything, never have and never will, do you understand that?" Kathryn interrupted
him.
"I--"
"Remember our deal, Sebastian. You fuck with my authority then you
don't get to fuck me at all," she said. "You think you can live with
that..."
Sebastian felt pure hatred towards Kathryn, but at the same time, he was
completely head-over-heels for this vicious excuse for a perfect angel. He
thought for a moment as to what his sharp response should be...
"I think I can handle anything that you throw at me, "Sebastian says with a cocky grin even though she couldn't see him.
Kathryn asks, "Is that so?"
"My father tells me I am to move in as soon as possible. " Sebastian tells her.
Kathryn translates, "Meaning that he can get his hands on my mother as soon as possible."
"Guess there most be some thing that makes you Merteuil girls irresistible to men." Sebastian replies teasingly.
Kathryn smirks, "Must be something that makes all men completely dumb when they talk to women. Oh yeah, that's called hormones."
"Ouch. That hurt like a fist." Sebastian says feigning hurt.
"Good." Kathryn replies. If Sebastian had been there he would have seen the smile on her face.
"I think we should meet to equally split the living quarters,"
Sebastian said.
"Oh please. That's a lame-ass excuse to see little old me, isn't
it?" Kathryn said, feeling a smile curl up on the corner of her lips.
"Don't flatter yourself, Kathryn," Sebastian teased, using the
insult she had thrown at him earlier against her. "Well, I just want the claims to a
nice room with a view. Or we could share a room..." He was half-joking
about that suggestion.
Kathryn had to restrain from laughing. "Yeah, couldn't you just see
our parents jumping all over that idea," she replied. "Actually, I didn't
have any plans. Any suggestions as to where we should meet?"
"Well, there is always Starbucks. A non-date type of place. Our parent's wouldn't be too concerned." Sebastian answers.
Kathryn thinks a while and then says, "That'll be fine. Think you can come pick me up? I'm curious as to what kind of car you have."
"That wouldn't just be you not having a car?" Sebastian teases.
Kathryn replies, "I have a car. A black Mazda miata in fact. Not that it matters. As I said, I'm curious about what type you have. It's probably some brand new sports car isn't it?"
"You'll just have to wait and see." Sebastian tells her. "I'll be over in 15 minutes." He then clicks the phone off and gets into his car to head over there.
Kathryn hangs up the phone and tells her mom, "Sebastian and I are going to Starbucks. I'll be home later."
"That's so nice that you and your new step-brother are getting along so well. Have fun sweetie." Tiffany tells her daughter with a smile.
Kathryn thinks to herself with a smile, *if only she knew how well we were getting along...* She then says, "Bye mom." She goes to her bathroom and brushes her hair. She then fixes her makeup with the excuse that she was going out so she had to look good. She hears the speaker in their apartment announcing Sebastian was there and she walks out and goes downstairs to go outside and sees Sebastian's car. She sees the 1956 Jaguar Roadster and is taken aback. "Wow. Nice car."
"Isn't it?" Sebastian replied, climbing out of the driver's seat
and coming around the car to open the passenger door for her. "It's a classic.
I love that thing to death."
"Is that so?" Kathryn answered, running her fingertips along the
smooth black exterior. "It isn't too shabby considering what kind of occupation
you have." She raised her eyebrows.
Sebastian smirked and opened the passenger door. "Funny. Your sharp,
almost bitchy humor is one of the most endearing features about you," he
joked.
Kathryn climbed in, returning an ironic smile. "I'm glad you think so,
Sebastian. That's exactly the kind of image I was aiming for," she
volleyed back.
Sebastian climbed back into the driver's seat and started the engine. He
sped out of the driveway, obviously cruising over the speed limit. He didn't
seem to care, or notice, as the wind blew against their faces.
"You must have a lot of speeding tickets," Kathryn remarked,
slipping on a pair of tortoise-shell Donna Karan shades. "You know, there's something
called a speed limit."
Sebastian peered at her from behind his Ray Bans. "Wow. You abide by
the law? That's a shock," he said.
"How droll," Kathryn answered, "What I'm saying is I prefer
to get to places without any delays. And you know, being pulled over by overweight,
donut-consuming, self-proclaimed authoritative figures wearing polyester isn't
something I really want to tolerate."
"I see your point. "Sebastian tells her as he pulls to a stop when they reach Starbucks .He gets out and then opens the door for Kathryn on the other side.
"I didn't see you as the type to be a gentleman." Kathryn comments.
Sebastian retorts, "And I didn't see you as the type to be a fallen angel."
Kathryn frowns and walks toward the door. "So about these living arrangements...."
Just then Abigail walks up. "So this is that cutie who's moving in with you that you told me about...."
Kathryn pales. She hadn't expected Abigail to use her words in front of Sebastian. "Abigail, meet my stepbrother Sebastian. Sebastian, this is Abigail."
Abigail knew by Kathryn's use of her full name instead of Abby meant that Kathryn was pissed. "Pleasure to meet you Sebastian. I look forward to seeing you more often."
Sebastian extended his hand towards Abigail, amused by all of this. "Hey, is she moving in with us, too?" he joked to Kathryn, since
Abigail had mentioned seeing him more often.
Kathryn forced a laugh, then abruptly snapped, "Ha ha--I think
not."
Sebastian laughed, apparently finding Kathryn's grouchy behavior funny.
Abigail wondered what had gotten into Kathryn, but she shook it off and
focused her full attention on Sebastian. He *was* a cutie. She felt a
sudden wave of pleasure come over here.
Kathryn nudges Abigail,"Come on Abby. Let's go inside." All three of them walk in. Kathryn is glaring at Abigail.
Sebastian notices the tension between the two. *Wonder what's going on.* He thinks to himself. He shrugs it off and says,"We should probably find a table."
Kathryn walks over to a table with a couch and a chair. She was going to show Abby who rightfully had claims to Sebastian. It wasn't that she wanted Sebastian, it was just that no one stole what was hers.
Sebastian sits down on the couch and figures one of the two girls would sit by him.
Kathryn tells Abigail,"Abby, would you go get our orders? I want a tall Mocha frappucino and Sebastian will have...."
"Plain black coffee." Sebastian replies.
Abigail nods seeing she had no choice and went to go order. When they had made the order, Abigail returned to see Kathryn on Sebastian's lap holding his hands in hers.
Abigail nearly drops the cups of coffee she's managed to juggle back
towards the table. She quickly recovers, wondering why Kathryn is throwing
herself all over Sebastian. She frowns a bit.
"You okay, Abby? You look confused," Kathryn said. She smirked.
*Wonder why she's throwing herself all over me* thought Sebastian *Well,
of course I am irresistable, so maybe she just gave in*. Although that
sounded pretty great, it didn't sound like something Kathryn would do.
"I'm fine," Abigail answered, forcing a smile. "Here."
She handed Sebastian his black coffee and Kathryn her tall mocha Frappucino.
"Thank you," Kathryn said curtly.
Sebastian inhaled the aroma of his coffee. "Mmmm."
Abigail realized the couch wasn't exactly a three-person seat, so she sat
down across from Sebastian and Kathryn, feeling like a third wheel. She
sighed.
"So Abigail, how long have you known devilish little Kathryn?"
Sebastian joked.
Abigail looked genuinely surprised. "'Devilish' Kathryn?" she
asked.
Kathryn elbows him. "Sebastian." She scolds. She explains,"I have no idea what he meant by that comment. Care to explain, Sebastian?" She looks him straight in the eyes.
Taking the hint Sebastian replied,"Nothing. It was a joke. "
Abigail's somewhat confused. "Oh okay. So when did you two meet? I mean you guys look really close. "
Sebastian replies,"Actually, we met earlier today. I take it you and Kathryn know each other pretty well. But we've seen each other around school before."
"Yeah. We've known each other forever. " Abigail replies.
Sebastian thinks to himself,*I wonder how come Abigail doesn't know so much about Kathryn and I do.*
Abigail gets up and says,"I'll be right back." She was going to the bathroom and was expecting Kathryn to follow her.
Kathryn waits until Abigail is out of sight and then she tells Sebastian,"Come on let's go." She walks out of the Starbucks and goes to Sebastian's car with a confused Sebastian following her. "Think of the most secluded spot you can think of and then drive there. We need to be alone to talk and I don't feel like having any of my friends interrupting us. " She looks him in the eyes so he'll know she means it.
Bewildered, Sebastian starts up his car, not really caring for the
whereabouts of Abigail. He drives up to a lush green hill overlooking the
city. "You sure all you wanted to do was talk?" he asked Kathryn
suggestively, tossing her a flirtatious glance.
But much to his disappointment, Kathryn was all business. She looked
rather serious. "So. The living arrangement. You don't come into my room
unless I invite you, which will be, close to never, since I am not a
wandering hooker much like one of my friends."
"'Much like one of your friends'? Am I acquainted with this
'friend'?" Sebastian inquired, with a smirk. He wondered if she could possibly be
referring to Abigail. If that was the case, he also wondered how the hell
those two could be best friends.Anyway, it's not like he cared. Whatever.
"That's besides the point, Sebastian dear," Kathryn replied, a
grin appearing on her face. The first one in an hour if he could recall.
"Ground rules are, when Mother dearest and Father dearest are around, no horseplay,
we are strictly siblings."
"Yeah wouldn't want 'em thinking we were incest," Sebastian joked.
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Childish."
"Speaking of which," Sebastian said, "Your friend is pretty
hot." He was sort of playing with Kathryn's head, curious as to what her response would
be. He wanted to see if Abigail was the "wandering hooker" friend.
"Abigail? That reminds me. I have another rule..."Kathryn starts.
Sebastian interrupts,"Another? You might as well write them all down I won't remember."
Kathryn rolls her eyes and continues," You stay away from my friends and I stay away from yours, presuming you have any."
Sebastian feigns hurt,"I guess that means I won't be able to show off my new stepsister to them?"
"That's exactly what it means. It has to be that way." Kathryn says. "Oh I hope you didn't think that whole thing in Starbucks was for real. Because it was just to piss Abigail off."
Sebastian laughs and teases,"And hear I thought you actually cared about me."
"Oh, I wouldn't call my feelings for you caring. Or loving for that matter. It can be summed up in only one word: lust." Kathryn smiles.
Sebastian felt himself grin. Kathryn definitely was a challenge for him. "So, since we have concluded our little chit-chat, what shall we do now?
If I recall, your wandering hooker friend we left sitting on the porcelain
throne is probably waiting for us."
Kathryn peers at him from behind her sunglasses, trying to think of some
excuse not to encounter Abigail again. "I don't care. The girl can hitch
a cab. Or get hitched, if you catch my drift." She smirked at her own pun.
"Dear God, you're just the best friend ever bestowed upon that
girl," Sebastian remarked, with a grin.
"Well, she's done some pretty shitty things to me and I really don't consider anyone my best friend. The sad thing is, you're the closet to a friend that I've actually had."Kathryn admits, glad she had her sunglasses on so he wouldn't see her reaction.
Sebastian senses the honesty of her statement but doesn't comment on it. "Well, since we don't have to get back for a while is there anything you want to do?" he asks with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Kathryn lets her lips curve into a teasing smile. "Only one thing I can think of."She takes off her sunglasses and puts them in her purse. She takes off her seatbelt which she had been wearing since she didn't trust Sebastian's driving and got out of her seat and placed herself on Sebastian's lap for the second time that day. She started to kiss him passionately on the lips knowing what it would do to him.
Sebastian not minding one bit, even though he knew it was part of her game, joined in and kissed her back.
They made out for a while and then Kathryn as quickly as she had started, finished and got off his lap. She went back into her seat, put her sunglasses on, and opened up her purse. She took out her silver compact of powder and made sure that none of her makeup was out of place. She also took out a tube of lipstick and reapplied the color. She put her makeup away and tells Sebastian,"Alright. We can go home now."
Sebastian tried to hide his disappointment as their little makeout session ended. Trying to mask any emotion, he replied in a steady voice, "Yes, ma'am." He threw a grin at her, and started up the engine. Within seconds--almost--they were speeding down the highway, Sebastian going at least over 80 miles per hour.
Kathryn's face began to sting from the pressure of the wind whipping against her face. "Goddamn it, Sebastian, what's your hurry?" she finally blurted, not really wanting to take any more of this harsh wind. "You drive like you're in dire need to take a piss."
Sebastian tossed his head back and savored the taste of the air. "C'mon, I expected more out of you. It isn't any fun abiding by the law, on the highway or off." He tossed another lopsided grin in her direction.
"God!" Kathryn snorted in disdain. "Okay. Okay. Whatever. But if bits and pieces of my skin begin to peel off, you're paying for my cosmetic surgery, got it, Slick?" She returned his grin.
Sebastian laughed. "Suuure." He then adds teasingly,"Now a touchup on that plastic surgery right?"
"Excuse me but there is not one part of me that is fake."Kathryn replies defensively.
Sebastian has on a devilish grin and asks,"Maybe I should check and make sure you aren't lying."
"If you want that I'll take a lie-detector test. Plus I would have thought you would have gotten that kind of thing out of your head after back there." Kathryn responds.
Sebastian shoots back,"Just left me wanting more."
"Well too bad for you then because you won't be getting anymore."Kathryn informs him in a direct tone of voice. They reach her apartment and she gets out. "Are you coming in or what?"
"Is that how you invite people into your home?" Sebastian commented. "If so, I can see why you don't have too many visitors," he joked. He got out of his car and followed Kathryn into her apartment.
"Ha ha, you're so witty, Sebastian," Kathryn responded, rolling her eyes. "I don't just let any dirty little body off the streets into my home." She unlocked the front door and pushed it open to reveal a posh penthouse apartment, with tasteful furniture. "Would you like anything, Sebastian?" Kathryn asked, a sly grin curling up the corners of her lips. She tossed her black leather Gucci handbag onto a cream-colored love seat sitting on a Persian rug.
"Only you," Sebastian said, with a grin.
Kathryn smiled, and didn't say anything. She pressed the "play" button on her answering machine, and while it spewed out messages, she poured herself and Sebastian martinis. "Kathryn? Hey. It's Abby," blared a voice from the answering machine, "I'm calling from the Starbucks..." Sebastian laughed loudly.
"Shut up, I'm trying to listen," Kathryn commanded, in a sweet voice.
She wanted to hear what Abby had to say. "I don't know why you just blew me off like that, but I think we need to talk. Call me back or something, okay? Thanks. Bye." Bleeeep....
"I don't know what that incessant whore-of-a-friend wants," Kathryn said rather bitterly. She handed Sebastian his martini.
"How the hell could you two have been friends in the first place?" Sebastian asked, rather curiously.
"She was a follower. I was the leader. And when she starts asking questions, or demanding to know things that sure as hell aren't any of her business, it pisses me off," Kathryn replied simply. She sprawled herself down on the loveseat, and looked at Sebastian.
"And it's not good to piss someone like you off."Sebastian finishes for her.
"What do you mean someone like me?"Kathryn questions.
Sebastian replies,"I mean that you could do some damage to the girl."
Kathryn smiles. "That I could. I'll call her back later. You know, when she gets home from the Starbucks. She's probably asked some cashier guy to take her home." Kathryn then notices Sebastian's journal. "What's that?"
"My journal." He replies. "Time for me to set up some rules. The first one would be that you never read what's in here. It would be hard to get into it without me noticing so it should be easy for you to follow it.
"I'll find a way."Kathryn informs him. She snickers to herself. "A journal...Gee, could you be anymore queer? Let me guess, you've kept a written record of all your conquests. An extended form of a little black book."
Sebastian comments,"Good way of putting it. Could you be anymore desperate to read it?" He lights up a cigarrette.
Kathryn stops him. "Uh-uh. No way. No smoking in this home. Wouldn't want anything to burn down. However, you can smoke in your room. No one will be in there to check on you or even notice you so it should be fine in there. I bet that I'll always be invited in there...right?"
"But of course..." Sebastian lets his voice trail off. He grins.
"Now extinguish that shit if you would," Kathryn replies, snatching the cigarette hastily from between Sebastian's fingers and putting it out. "My mother would throw an absolute fit if the stench of smoke hung in the air."
Sebastian rolled his eyes, not really caring about whatever dumb rules the Merteuil family had, and downed the rest of his martini. "Well. What now?"
Just then, the phone rang. Kathryn ignored Sebastian's question and snatched it up, secretly hoping it wasn't Abby again. "Hello..."
"Kathryn, dearest."
"Mother. Hello," Kathryn said, and raised her eyebrow at Sebastian.
"Edward and I just came up with a splendid idea. Since we'll all be living together, we thought it would be best if the children got acquainted with the new parent."
"Your point being..." Kathryn said, trying to hide her lack of enthusiasm. She knew exactly what her mother's point was, but she didn't exactly jump for joy over the idea.
"I'll spend the day with Sebastian, get to know him better," Tiffany Merteuil explained, "and you'll spend the day with Edward. Doesn't that sound just lovely?"
"Fantastic," Kathryn muttered under her breath. She feigned perkiness just for her mother. "I'm so excited, Mother! And when would this little rendevouz with the new parental unit be?"
"I was thinking tomorrow afternoon, perhaps."
"Wonderful. I'll inform Sebastian."
"Alright, dear. I'll talk to you later."
Kathryn hung up the phone, then turned to Sebastian. "That was mummy dearest."
Sebastian chuckled. "Oh? And what did she want?"
"Your father and her have just concocted this wonderful idea where we spend the day with the other parent. In other words, you spend the day with my mother and I spend the day with your father. What were they thinking?"Kathryn asked more of to herself than to Sebastian. She then adds teasingly,"Since we're family-ish now, try and keep your hands off my mother."
Sebastian grins and replies,"It's not her I'm after. It's you."
"Well, bully for me. I take even though you are a blonde, you prefer brunnettes?"Kathryn asks with a half-smile.
Sebastian thinks aloud,"Hmmm....I wonder how you and my father are going to ever agree on something to do. Same with your mother. She seems like all she cares about is shopping and upholding a reputation. None of which seem to bother me."
"I'm sure you'll think of something, what with you being so clever and all. What could I ever do with your father? I mean he strikes me to be the boring type. Wonder if I could just have lunch with him and then go shopping by myself. I mean, he can't possibly want to get to know me that well." Kathryn ponders. "Any suggestions?"
"My father is boring," Sebastian replied, "but you're clever, you'll come up with something. I'm not sure I could bond with your mother though."
Kathryn smirked, and shrugged. "You're on your own there, pal."
Sebastian paused, and rubbed his temples to appease the sudden headache that was attacking his brain. He leaned back, and rolled his eyes in utter disgust. "Is it me, or do our parents come up with possibly the most stupid-ass ideas?"
"It's not you," Kathryn answered, with a terrible lack of enthusiasm. She sighed and sat down behind Sebastian and rubbed his temples. "You know, there is more than one way to cure a headache."
----The Next Day----
Kathryn wakes up the next morning safe and sound in her bed. She looks at the clock. It's noon. *Oh great. I get to spend this whole day bonding with Sebastian's father.* She gets out of bed and starts to get ready. She takes a bath and then after putting on a robe does her hair and makeup. She looks in her closet. She picks out a long black skirt with Chinese print and a black twin-set shirt. She gets dressed and then walks into the main room where Sebastian is, along with their parents.
Sebastian is sitting on a chair reading a book. He comments teasingly,"Looks like sleeping beauty is finally up."
Kathryn laughs just to show her mother she wasn't taking it personally. She asks,"So what's on the itinerary for today?"
Tiffany replies,"Well Sebastian and I are going to go to the museum of art, then to the Olive Garden where we'll meet you and Mr. Valmont for an early dinner. We'll probably leave at one. Edward, what are you and Kathryn going to be doing?"
Edward replies,"I was thinking about taking Kathryn to the symphony. Sebastian told me about her appreciation of classical music. Does that sound good to you Kathryn?"
Kathryn nods and smiles.
"Good." Edward responds.
Tiffany looks at the clock. "Oh we better go."
Sebastian gets up and follows Tiffany outside to her car. She gets into her car and starts to drive to the Museum. "So what's your favorite kind of art?"
***
Kathryn says,"I guess we should go too. "
Edward agrees and walks out to his car. He opens the door for Kathryn and then shuts it behind her.
She puts her seatbelt on. Kathryn so doesn't want to die in an automobile accident with Mr. Valmont and if he was anything like his son she had to buckle up. She asks,"So what are we going to do after the symphony? I mean I know my mother could look in a museum for a long time and we're meeting for dinner at 5 and I know the symphony doesn't last four hours."
Edward glances at Kathryn. For some reason, his look gives her chills down her spine, and definitely *not* the good kind that she got when she was around Sebastian. She shook it off. It was probably nothing.
"Well, we'll think of something after the symphony is over, now won't we?" Edward responds, with a smile. "No point in worrying about that right now."
Kathryn nods slowly, and forces a smile. "Um...right." She pauses, and puts on her angel act. "Thank you *so* very much for taking me out, Mr. Valmont."
"Please. It's Edward," Edward replies, "And the pleasure's all mine."
* * *
Meanwhile, Sebastian and Tiffany were being chauffered down Times Square in Manhattan in a long, sleek limo. "What kind of art do you appreciate, Sebastian?" Tiffany inquires.
Sebastian had been picking on the leather upholstery so long, the fabric was beginning to peel off. He quickly snapps back into reality. "Ma'am?" he asks. He absolutely *hated* this being-polite shit. He wondered how Kathryn was handling his father.
***
They arrive at the place where the symphony is being held. Kathryn goes and takes her seat, after following Mr. Valmont since he has the tickets.Edward sits down and waits for Kathryn to sit down. The lights dim and the symphony begins to play.Kathryn is ultimately bored. She can't believe that Sebastian told his father that she liked classical music.Edward looks at Kathryn, admiring her beauty. He could see why his son liked her so much. Edward takes her hand in his.Kathryn quickly removes her hand from his grasp and moves her hand. Edward thinks,*Oh well, We'll get a lot closer after the symphony.* Kathryn tries as much as she can to pay attention to the symphony. Soon, it's done. She quickly gets up and walks to the car. Edward follows her and gets in the car as well.
Kathryn asks,"Now what?"
***
Tiffany repeats herself,"I asked what kind of art you appreciated most."
"Oh, I prefer portraits. I'm a photographer."Sebastian explains. He then adds,"You know, if it's alright with you, I'd like to have permission to photograph your daughter sometime. She's beautiful and could be a model."
Tiffany smiles and nods. "That would be wonderful. You two really are getting along, aren't you?"
"Best friends. Like brother and sister."Sebastian replies.
"That's nice. I'm glad. Oh look we're here."Tiffany comments. They get out and she walks to the entrance of the museum. Sebastian gets out as well.
They walk into the museum and Sebastian immediately heads to the paintings with people in it, thinking *Who wants to see a bunch of flowers, grass, or animals? People are much more interesting. * Sebastian looks over at one of the people who was also looking at art. It was a girl he knew. Or rather, slept with. Her name was Christine. He quickly looks the other way, hoping Christine wouldn't come over or notice him.
***
Edward looks at Kathryn. He gives her that lingering gaze that sent shivers down her spine.
Kathryn shuddered a bit, and looked away, avoiding any eye contact. *I have to talk to Sebastian about his weird-ass father* she thought, with a slight smirk.
"I was thinking maybe we could head back to my place, have some coffee or tea, perhaps watch a foreign art film," Edward replied, starting the car up.
*Jesus! Could this man get any *less* interesting?* Kathryn thought, trying to hide her look of disgust. "Oh, that'd be great, Mr. Val--Edward," she replied as enthusiastically and pleasantly as possible.
Edward returned her smile. "Excellent."
* * *
"Sebastian? Are you all right?" Sebastian had been dodging Christine for a good hour and a half, and hadn't heard a word Tiffany had said to him the whole time.
He pretended to be intrigued by a Picasso. "Ma'am?"
"You seem distracted," Tiffany said.
"Oh I'm terribly sorry, ma'am...art does that to me..it has that impact on me...I'm like in a whole other world," Sebastian lied. "I'm sorry."
Tiffany looked impressed. "Wow...that's so wonderful, Sebastian. Most young adults your age aren't as interested in art...but I must say, you are quite different...wow."
Sebastian nodded. "Well--"
Suddenly, a voice tore through the museum. It was actually a screech. Sebastian recognized the voice almost immediatly. He tried to hide his mortification. "SEBASTIAN VALMONT!" Christine screamed.
***
Kathryn and Edward arrive at the Valmont home a little while later and Kathryn walks in after the door is opened. She puts her purse on her lap and sits down on a chair. "So what film did you have in mind?"Kathryn asks out of polite curiousity.
"Actually there was no film I had in mind. No coffee or tea either. Some wine perhaps. But I mostly wanted to do this..."Edward says as he makes a move to kiss her.
Kathryn pulls away and says, "Stop. I'm not interested. Besides isn't this what my mother is for?"
"I like them younger."Edward replies as he roughly grabs her and kisses her. He makes a move for his pants and her skirt. One thing leads to another and we all know what happens next. After what Edward does to Kathryn, Kathryn quickly gets her skirt back on.
Kathryn asks,"Do you have a bathroom? Edward points to it and Kathryn goes in. She immediately goes to the toilet and throws up. "We should probably go to the restaurant now."
Edward nods. They walk out and drive to the restaurant waiting for Tiffany and Sebastian to arrive.
***
"Why didn't you ever call me?"Christine asks.
Sebastian looks at his watch and whispers to Tiffany,"We need to go." Tiffany nods. "Christine, I do have your number. I'll call you later. My mother and I want to spend some time together. You understand, right?"
"I guess so."Christine replies lamely.
Sebastian comments,"Good." He then walks to the exit with Tiffany and they drive to the restaurant where Kathryn and Edward are waiting.
Kathryn tells Sebastian and her mother,"I'm not feeling so good, so if one of you could take me home it would be best."
Sebastian looks to Tiffany and then back to Kathryn,"I could do it. I've driven my father's car plenty of times. This way, you two could have some alone time..."
Tiffany smiles,"What a wonderful idea. Feel better Kathryn."
Kathryn walks out with Sebastian, innocently but as soon as they get in the car she hugs him and starts to cry.
Sebastian asks,"What's wrong?"
Kathryn sobs hysterically. She manages to recover, and pulls away from Sebastian, wiping her tears. She says, trembling,"Your father..."
"You uh, you didn't have a good time, I take it?" Sebastian jokes, but then realizes now is definitely not the right time to joke around. Kathryn didn't seem like her usual self at least. He knew something had to be very, very wrong. "Sorry...what about my father?"
Kathryn pauses, inhaling deeply, then exhaling. "He fucked me."
Sebastian felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut. He leans back in the seat of his car, stunned. "What?" he manages to choke out, after a long period of silence.
"Your father fucking raped me!" Kathryn spats out angrily.
Sebastian starts the car up, all the color drained from his face, his heart pounding against his chest; he could feel the blood pulsating in his ears. He had no idea what to say. He half-expected Kathryn to snap, "Well?! Why don't you say something?!" which is something she normally would've said, but Kathryn was practically glued to the passenger seat, her eyes glazed, her face expressionless. Sebastian looks at her, his face full of concern. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault that your father is a perverted fu--" Kathryn begins, then she inhales sharply, not finishing her sentence. "Sorry."
"No, no," Sebastian says quickly. "That's okay...God...I have to talk to him about it."
"NO!" Kathryn practically shrieks. "You can't, Sebastian, you can't. Swear to me you won't."
Sebastian looks at her. She's so un-Kathryn like right now, it's startling him. "Why? This is serious shit, Kathryn."
"Because if you do, all he'll do is blame it on me or deny it, I know it."Kathryn replies. She then mutters to herself, not expecting Sebastian to hear it,"What did I do to deserve this?"
Sebastian heard what she said. "You didn't do anything. It was obviously not your fault.He has to pay."
"But still..."She trails off. "Can you take me home? As I said earlier, I don't feel good. I mean right after it happened, I threw up and I still don't feel good. You'll stay with me right?"
Sebastian nods. "Of course. I'm not going to leave you alone. And for sure, never with him." He tries to think of something to help her. She obviously needed help for this kind of thing. Anyone would. "God, how he could even try this. We've known you, what two days."
Kathryn agrees,"That's what worries me. I mean was it just a one-time thing or what if he wants more? And like what if no one is home?"
"I'm going to protect you Kathryn. You have to trust me. I'll make sure you're never left alone with him. If that happens, you just have to call me and I'll come right over. Okay?" Sebastian tells her.
Kathryn nods through her tears."Okay." She rests her head up against Sebastian's shoulder, feeling as if he is the only one she can ever trust. They reach her home. Sebastian gets out and opens the door for Kathryn. He takes her hand in his and walks with her inside. She immediately goes and lays down in Sebastian's room thinking *He'll never think to get me here.* She asks Sebastian,"Will you lay here with me? I don't want to be alone."
Sebastian nods. This was a side he hadn't ever expected to see of Kathryn. She used to be so strong, full of life, courageous. He lays down next to her and wraps his arms around her. Kathryn snuggles up against him and falls asleep in his arms. Sebastian finds himself drifting to sleep a little while later after Kathryn.
Just then Tiffany and Edward walk in. They call out,"Hello?" After hearing no response they start to check each room. They walk into Sebastian's room and find Kathryn and Sebastian sleeping together.
Tiffany is completely taken aback. "Oh my God!" she shrieks.
Kathryn snaps up immediatly, nearly giving herself whiplash.
Sebastian does the same.
"Mother! It's not what you think, I swear," Kathryn insists, but she knows the damage has already been done.
Edward doesn't say anything, but Tiffany remains seething at the door, the color drained completely from her face. Sebastian merely sputters, for once in his life, at loss for any lame fib or explanation. "I-I--"
"Shut up!" Tiffany snaps.
"It's not what you think," Kathryn repeats, her voice quivering at the sight of Edward. She shudders.
"What do you think it is that I think?" Tiffany demands. Kathryn and Sebastian stare at her blankly. Tiffany inhales, then sharply exhales. "Let me re-phrase...what in the hell are you doing sleeping with my daughter?" she screams at Sebastian, jumping him and smacking him furiously.
"Tiffany," Edward says, in an abnormally calm manner considering the seriousness of the situation before them. He manages to pull Tiffany off of Sebastian.
Tiffany ignores Edward' way of trying to calm her down. "You said that you two were close, but this close is just sick." She accuses, easily talking to either one of them.
Kathryn is about to scream but tries to calmly explain.Her voice, although quiet, is full of anger. "You have no idea what you are dealing with. I didn't feel good and he was just helping me. If we had known how much trouble this would have caused we would have just locked the door. Sebastian and I aren't close in the way you are thinking of. We have this deep bond that we can't explain and he was just trying to help me out. If you can't deal with that, then too bad."
Sebastian is stunned at what Kathryn said. He didn't know she thought they had a bond. He looks over at Kathryn and then back to Tiffany. "Mrs. Merteuil, I would never, and I mean never, lay a hand on your daughter in the way you are speaking of. I respect her too much to do that."
"Locking the door?" Tiffany asks still reflecting on Kathryn's statement. "You two are keeping secrets I can tell. That sort of thing won't be permitted in this household. Neither will you two be sleeping in the same bed. Do you understand?"
Sebastian replies with a glare towards his father,"If we were keeping secrets, there would be a good reason behind it. Isn't that right, father?"
"What exactly do you mean by that?"Edward asks.
Sebastian responds,"You know exactly what I mean. If you want a further explanation, ask Kathryn. You are the reason she didn't feel good."
Edward immediately pales. Tiffany asks,"What the hell are you talking about?" She looks at Sebastian, then to Edward, then to Kathryn, and then again to Sebastian where she rests her glare.
Kathryn is put on the spot. She doesn't know whether to rat out on Edward. Her mouth begins to dry; it feels like sandpaper. She swallows. *Oh my God...what if Tiffany doesn't believe me...I mean, this is the man she's about to marry* Kathryn thinks, mortified.
Edward looks at Kathryn, his eyes penetrating her.
Tiffany is confused now...less angry, more flustered. "What? What's going on? Edward?" Edward looks at Tiffany. He doesn't say anything. Tiffany feels sort of creeped. *Why isn't anyone saying anything?* she wonders.
"Edward raped her," Sebastian blurts out.
Tiffany is shocked. She doesn't believe what she heard. "That's not funny. Stop joking around. What is it really?"
Kathryn says in a whisper, barely audible,"It's true."
"I don't believe it. At all. Come on Edward, we're leaving." Tiffany says as she storms out of the room with Edward.
Kathryn starts to cry again, sobbing loudly. "My own mother doesn't believe me. What am I going to do? I mean, she's going to marry him and she doesn't even believe me."
"Fuck my dad, to hell with him," Sebastian replies.
Kathryn stares at him, disgusted. "Could you re-phrase your words please?" she snaps rather bitterly.
"Oh sorry...forget about him. Forget about your mom. I'll be here for you. It'll be just the two of us," Sebastian says. "We don't need them. Hell, I never needed parents, they were just always there." He smirks.
Kathryn looks at him, grateful although her eyes are cold. "Thank you, Sebastian," she says, almost in a whisper. She hugs him.
Just then, the phone rings. Sebastian rolls his eyes, and snatches it up. "Hello," he says, in an exasperated tone. "Sebastian?"
Sebastian recognizes the voice. It's Kathryn's non-pal Abigail. "Yeah."
"What are you doing at--nevermind...is Kathryn there?"
Sebastian looks at Kathryn and replies,"Yeah I think so. Hold on let me see if I can find her." He presses the mute button on the phone and asks Kathryn,"Do you want to speak to Abigail?"
Kathryn frowns. "Not really but then she'll be all whiny next time we talk so I better."
Sebastian unpresses the mute button and tells Abigail,"Yeah she's here. Hold on." He hands the phone to Kathryn.
Kathryn takes the phone and says,"Hey."
"Wow, you're like actually speaking to me. I mean ditching me at Starbucks that was real nice." Abigail comments sarcastically.
Kathryn rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"
"What do I want? God, rude much. That's not a way to speak to your best friend." Abigail responds.
Kathryn states," One, you're not my best friend. Two, get to the fucking point."
"Oh, who is your best friend then? Sebastian?" Abigail laughs. "What's up your ass today?"
Kathryn replies in a tone full of malice,"Yeah he is because for one he is a whole lot more caring than you can ever be. Let's just say I had a bad day. And if you mess with me, you'll understand how bad it was."
Abigail is stunned. She doesn't know what to say to this, but she feels her angriness slowly melting. "Kathryn? Are you ok?" she asks quietly. "I'm sorry..."
*It's just like Abby to start apologizing like a fucking nitwit* Kathryn thinks. She begins to feel a headache coming on, and doesn't really want to talk to anyone except for Sebastian at the moment. "Look, Abby, I have to go," Kathryn says, practically mumbles. She hangs up without waiting for a response, and viciously yanks the phone cord out of the wall.
"Woah there horsey," Sebastian exclaims, jumping back a bit as sparks fly from the wall. "I take it the conversation didn't go well?"
"That would be an understatement."Kathryn replies. "She's just so annoying. I couldn't talk to her." She groans in pain from her headache. "Could you go get me some aspirin or something?"
Sebastian nods. He walks into the bathroom and gets some out of the medicine cabinet. Kathryn lays back down on Sebastian's bed. She just wanted to sleep forever but knew that she couldn't do that. She got up just as Sebastian was coming back. "Where are you going?"He asks as he hands her two aspirins.
"To go take a shower."She says in a trancelike tone. She feels really dirty and doesn't know how to feel clean again.She takes the aspirin.
Sebastian nods again. "Don't drown."He warns jokingly.
Kathryn lets a half-smile form. "I won't." She walks over to her room and gets into the shower. She just stands in the water, feeling numb.
Sebastian notices its taking her a long time but doesn't do anything about it. He just sits on his bed thinking. He looks over at the clock and notices Kathryn had been in the shower for over an hour. He walks into her room and doesn't see her in there so he headed into her bathroom where he sees her not moving and bruises all over her. "Oh shit."He comments to himself. He gets a white fluffy towel out for Kathryn. He opens the shower door, turns off the water, and then wraps the towel around Kathryn. He didn't even once pay attention to what she looked like without clothes. Kathryn was still in her trance-like state. He picks her up and carries her to her bed. He gets out a nightgown for her to put on and tells her,"Here. Put this on." He turns his back while she changes. He tucks her into the bed and after kissing her on her forehead says,"Sweet dreams." Kathryn quickly falls asleep. Sebastian walks out of the room when he sees she is asleep and heads off to go look for his father. He had some talking to do with him.
Sebastian realizes Tiffany must be asleep as well, for the house is eerily quiet. He figures his father must be at home. He willed himself not to get carried away...he willed himself *not* to kill the damn guy... Sebastian headed downstairs and climbs into his vintage Roadster. As he heads for his house, his cell phone rings. "'Ello?" he says, exhausted by this whole crappy day.
"Sebastian."
Sebastian feels himself stiffen. "Dad."
"I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be going out tonight."
"Where?"
"Is that any of your business, son? I'm just going to go out...loosen up a little...it's practically one of my last nights as a free single man," Edward says.
Sebastian feels sick to his stomach. "Listen, Dad, I don't care to know about your erotic after-night sex escapades, alright?" he snaps, irritated. "Frankly, I don't know how you could possibly think of such things after what you inflicted upon Kathryn."
Edward snorts. "Listen to yourself talk, Sebastian! I didn't do anything to the girl. You should know better than to think that. Whatever she says, it's probably delusional or a figment of her imagination. Her sick imagination at that---"
"Don't start with me!" Sebastian explodes into the cell phone. He's now driving like a mad man on a mission across the Brooklyn Bridge, going well over the speed limit. "Don't--"
"Sebastian, Sebastian...calm down...look whatever you think I did to your stepsister isn't true at all. Ok? I have to go now. Good night, son."
"No--" Too late. Dial tone. "Dammit!" Sebastian mutters hastily under his breath. He slams the cell phone shut and tosses it into the backseat of his car. He turns into the nearest gas station after seeing his car was on empty. "Could this day get any better?" he mutters sarcastically to himself. He fills the car up with gas and then heads to his house hoping to catch his father. He reaches the house and sees his father's car there. He walks in the house after unlocking the door. He heads to his father's room where he sees Edward getting ready. He asks sarcastically,"Getting ready for your hot night out? Is this where you fucked her?"
Edward glares at him,"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Well then, what did you do after going to the symphony? I can't imagine you two just sat in this house and talked and somehow got some bruises." Sebastian retorts.
Edward admits,"Fine. I admit it. I slept with her. I didn't rape her. She was asking for it and obviously wanted to. I mean with the outfit she was wearing, she was just begging for it. What part makes you madder? That you didn't get to sleep with her or that I got to her first?"
Sebastian can't hold his anger in any longer and punches Edward in the face. He could no longer call this man father. He should have done this a long time ago.
"What was that for?"Edward asks.
Sebastian glares at Edward and replies,"Giving you what you've been asking for, for a long time." He punches him again.
"Well, if that's the way you're going to be then I'll just have to fight back, now won't I?" Edward states as he kicks Sebastian in the stomach. He then proceeds to beat Sebastian into a bloody pulp. After he finishes, he looks at his watch. "Well, I have to go now. Wouldn't want to keep the boys waiting." He then adds menacingly,"I wouldn't tell anyone about this or you'll get something worse."
"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Sebastian asks.
Edward shakes his head. "How did you get so morbid? Oh well. It doesn't matter to me." He then walks out the door and heads to his hot night out.
Sebastian walks into the kitchen and gets a cold piece of meat and puts it on his face. A little while later he looks in the mirror. He has two black eyes and cuts and bruises all over his face. The phone rings. He asks himself,"Who is it now?" He picks up the phone and says,"Hello?"
Kathryn had just woken up from her sleep that had been filled with nightmares. "Sebastian? This is Kathryn. Can you come over?"
"Yeah. Are you alright?" Sebastian asks full of concern.
"I'm not sure."Kathryn replies feeling her eyes tear up again.
Sebastian can tell by her voice that she's about to cry and tells her,"I'll be right over." He hangs the phone up and drives over to her home not paying any attention to the speed limit as usual. He arrives at her house quickly since they didn't really live that far apart. He uses the key he had been given by Kathryn and entered the magnificent apartment. He immediately walks to Kathryn's room. "Are you alright?"
Kathryn sees his black eyes after looking at him and asks, "Oh my God. What the hell happened to you? Are you alright?"
Sebastian realizes the blood on his face is still raw and some of it is actually dripping, which was a sight that he could tell repulsed Kathryn. "Oh--uh," he said, waving his hand, as if swatting flies. "Just uh, got into a fight."
Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Tell me something I don't know. With whom?" She stood up and pulled out a towel from her bathroom, running it under cold water, then gently dabbing it against Sebastian's head.
"My father," Sebastian answered. "That bastard."
Kathryn sighed. "Sebastian, although your father is a bastard, I didn't mean to come between you two or break apart your relationship or anything--"
"Hey, let's get one thing straight," Sebastian interrupted sharply, "I never had a relationship with that man. I should've kicked the shit out of him earlier, or at least attempted to." He sighed, feeling defeated. "I'm such a wuss. I couldn't even do that old man in."
Kathryn shook her head. "Don't you DARE even think about killing him, Sebastian Valmont. I mean, I know I'm not exactly some sort of perfect little angel, but don't even *consider* murdering anyone out of anger, okay?" she said seriously. Sebastian looks at her, and for the first time, sees all the reason and intelligence behind Kathryn's otherwise bitchy exterior. He nodded. "Alright." He sighed. "So what'd you call me over here for? You okay?"
"Better now that you're here,anyways."Kathryn replies. She stops cleaning Sebastian's face to explain,"Everytime I try to sleep, I get these dreams, nightmares really, and its like everything is happening over again. And over again. It doesn't stop. I try to wake up and I can't.I don't know what to do. I don't want to even close my eyes because all I'll see is him." She sits on her bed and holds her knees as she rocks back and forth.
Sebastian sits on her bed and wraps his arms around her."Sssshh. It's going to be okay. I'm here."
Kathryn leans back into Sebastian's arms. She wipes a tear from her eyes. "What am I going to do?"
"I'll stay with you," Sebastian replied, "It'll take time to get over it, but I'll be right here if you need anything." He looked at her reassuringly.
Kathryn nods, grateful. "Thank you. I don't have an extra bed in here or anything..."
Sebastian sat down on the leather sofa in the corner. "This will do just fine," he insisted. "Now get some sleep." He cracked her a half smile, and sprawled out on the leather sofa, closing his eyes. Within seconds, he was asleep.
Kathryn, on the other hand, couldn't sleep, even with Sebastian there. She was afraid she would get another nightmare. Sitting up in her bed, she looked out of the window at the moon, when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. A light knock. Kathryn climbed out of bed, thinking it's her mother, probably. She opened the door, and comes face to face with Edward. She opened her mouth to scream or gasp or something--
Edward slapped his hand over Kathryn's mouth and drags her to the guest bedroom. "You bitch!" he hisses at her. "You got my son on my case because you opened your fucking mouth. That wasn't our deal."
Kathryn trembled, Edward's hand still over her mouth.
"You open your mouth to *anyone* else again, and I swear you'll be dead before you know it. Understood?"
Kathryn weakly nods, scared out of her head.
"Good."Edward says menacingly. "If you run and tell Sebastian about this, I'll kill him as well as you. You'd like that I bet, a romantic death for the two of you, huh?"
Kathryn shakes her head and replies in a whisper,"I don't know what you mean..."
"You know exactly what I mean. I've seen the way you two look at each other. You're in love, or lusting after, him and it's the same way with him. It's disgusting." Edward comments.
Kathryn glares at him and shoots back,"No. You're what's disgusting."
Edward slaps her, immediately after hearing this. "Don't you ever say something like that again. " He then informs her with the same tone of malice,"You are so lucky that your mother believes me and not you. The two of us are getting married whether or not you like it." He kisses her roughly and then orders,"Now go back to your sleeping Sebastian. Wouldn't want him to wake up and find you missing."
"Too late."Sebastian says from the doorway where he had heard most of the conversation.