SEBASTIAN
After a short ride on the packed London Tube, I’m nearly there.
I make my way through the Theatre District, dragging my suitcase behind me, taking in the hum of the city as it starts to come alive for the evening.
I stop to grab a bottle of water, then head towards my final destination: Shaftesbury Avenue, right in the heart of the West End.
I’ve got to hand it to Maddie; she’s always had great taste and big dreams. If she’s managed to find a place around here, she must be doing really well for herself. Then again, I always thought she would.
Even when we were kids, there was something about her, like she was meant for something bold and brilliant.
Landing a job at Sotheby’s just after uni is huge, and I imagine the salary’s not bad either. But still, a flat in this area can’t come cheap.
Remi, her boyfriend, must be doing well too.
From the way she talks about him, he sounds... impressive.
Apparently, he’s working on a PhD in quantum physics.
Not exactly the kind of thing you read for fun.
I just hope he’s not one of those brilliant minds who turn every conversation into a lecture. But knowing Maddie, she wouldn’t be with someone who couldn’t make her laugh.
That said, if I’m honest, I don’t really know the Maddie of today.
Assuming she’s still the same girl I remember is probably na?ve.
Since I left, our friendship has been long-distance, and for a while, it stayed pretty surface-level. It wasn’t until I finally started to repair the damage I caused by leaving that things between us began to move forward again.
When she started seeing Remi, something shifted.
There was more warmth, more trust. We both knew we were trying to rebuild something we’d almost lost for good.
Still, even with the best intentions, we never really talked about our love lives. I kept things vague, understandably, and, truthfully, there wasn’t much to say.
Aside from the fact that I like men, something I wasn’t planning to blurt out over the phone, my romantic life has been... fairly quiet. I’ve had a handful of flings with attractive guys and thrown myself into music. That’s about it.
I’ve made a few friends, mostly from the conservatoire, but it’s hard to form real connections in a world where everyone’s constantly competing. Between classes, rehearsals, and performances, there’s barely time for anything else, let alone a proper relationship.
Just the occasional hook-up to take the edge off. Nothing more.
Maddie, on the other hand, kept me fairly well updated on her time at Saint Martins and the new friends she’d made.
She started mentioning this guy, Remi, more and more. Said he was a bit blunt, but funny.
From the way she spoke about him, their friendship gradually turned into something more. A proper relationship.
Even then, she never shared too much, just the basics. Kept it low-key.
That was fine by me. All I really cared about was that she was moving on from the mess I’d left behind. That she was happy again.
Still, from the little she told me, I never got a clear picture of Remi. The guy I’m about to meet? Total mystery.
She’s always said how proud she is to be with someone so smart, kind, and good-looking. Then again, she used to say the same things about me, so maybe her judgements not the most reliable.
Truth is, I’ve never thought of myself as anything special.
My parents have spent most of my life reminding me that I could always do better, no matter what I achieved.
They’ve never really been proud of me. And because of that, I’ve never quite managed to be proud of myself either.
Anyway, I’ll find out soon enough if Maddie’s been exaggerating.
I’ve just arrived at number 7 Shaftesbury Avenue.
A tall, narrow grey building squeezed between two smaller ones, right next to Chinatown. Even at this time of day, the smell from the restaurants is strong, spicy, and oily, and it hits my stomach all at once.
I feel a little sick.
The heavy wooden door is painted a bright, glossy red that stands out against the grey walls. I press the buzzer for flat 4, Maddie Clarke and Remi Elliott.
Before I can completely give in to the nerves, I force out an awkward greeting into the intercom. “Hi. Uh… Remi? It’s… It’s Sebastian Arnette.”
Brilliant. I sound like a complete idiot.
I try to get a grip, breathing in and out slowly, willing my heart to stop racing.
No reply, but then the door buzzes open with a metallic click that startles me slightly. I drag my suitcase into the narrow entrance, glance up, and let out a quiet, defeated sigh.
A steep spiral staircase coils above me. No lift.
Of course, there’s no lift.
I mutter something under my breath, but there’s no use complaining.
So I take a breath, square my shoulders, and start climbing, lugging my suitcase behind me, step by step.