Chapter 30
Lily
I settle into Sebastian’s bed, happy to finally be able to catch up with the girls.
Each takes their turn telling us all the latest developments with their project.
Luckily, Mira is doing better with her team, and she’s on her way back to schedule and ready for our trip.
She’s been able to collect more data and should be ready to meet up at college as planned.
Wendy, like me, hasn’t met too many challenges and is soon headed back from Brazil.
Then we have Kait and her dreaded sailor.
“I might just have to kick him overboard. Do you think I can change my project to be about stuck-up athletes who don’t seem interested in improving their performance?”
She tells us that even though she’s managed to collect a lot of data around the sport and how it works, the core of our assignment should be linked to the athlete or athletes we’re researching.
It’s too late for her to pick another sport.
So now, she’s contemplating how she can find another sailor—preferably close by.
“I’ll probably try to meet up with you later, hopefully in the Caribbean when the sailor is lost at sea for good.”
We all chuckle at her dramatics.
Kait could never hurt anyone.
When it’s time for me to catch them up, I’m feeling torn.
Part of me is excited for our trip and some well-needed time in the sun.
The other part of me is dreading leaving London, Sebastian, and the routine I’ve grown to love over the last month.
I feel better knowing we’re exclusive and will do long-distance, but again, it just doesn’t feel right.
“I actually went ahead and became the girlfriend of my athlete,” I tell them, which sends the girls on the other end into hysterics.
Mira knows about my crush on Sebastian, but being the famous athlete he is, I never dared to tell the others.
Even though I hoped he felt the same as I did, the insecurities were there when I came here.
Therefore, I kept my crush a secret from most of my friends.
“Is that even allowed?” Wendy asks, and Mira rolls her eyes.
“It’s not like she’ll write that, ‘he told me he performs best after we’ve fucked the night before’ in her assignment.”
I snort. Leave it to Mira to be blunt.
Before coming here, I had already decided to keep Sebastian anonymised in the final paper.
He’s always been a good friend, and I would never want anyone to take advantage of the things he’s told me.
“Will we get to meet this man any time soon?” Kait asks me.
“Honestly, I don’t know. His life is here in London, and I’m still getting used to the thought of doing long-distance when we’re practically living together now,” I tell them.
“I’m sure you’ll make it work,” Wendy says.
We move on to other things and decide to book our tickets before they get too expensive. Kait will hopefully meet us there when she’s sorted out the mess with her athlete.
It’s a mix of excitement and dread I feel when we’ve hung up, and I look at my calendar.
When I go back to Seattle, I’ll first be there for one week to meet with my supervisors.
Then, we’ll leave for our trip, which we’ve set for around four weeks. We haven’t booked our return flights, so the possibility of cutting it short is there, but I don’t know how the girls would feel if I left them early for my man.
That means five whole weeks without Sebastian.
Gosh, I’m pathetic.
I’ve gone months—hell, years—with a crush on this man and managed just fine without seeing him for long.
Now, though, this is much more than a silly crush.
I sigh, contemplating how I’ll leave this perfect bubble.
～
“Have you looked in my diary, Sebastian James?”
I rest my hands on my hips because this is starting to get ridiculous.
All week, Sebastian has “randomly” checked off several of the boxes on my London-adventure list.
When I look back, it’s become quite obvious he knows of my list, considering all the things we’ve done together.
Now, I’m starting to get suspicious.
It’s way too many coincidences for this to be random suggestions from him.
It all started with my trip to the cathedral, which he suggested we do together.
Our night out in the city when I got to sing my heart out on the dance floor.
I’m starting to think that the choice of club wasn’t that accidental, and that he chose that, knowing I’d get to check off another point on my list.
Then, the trip to the Sky Garden, together with his family.
This week, though, he’s ramped up the efforts, taking me to every single restaurant on my list—even taking a freaking London cab with me, although I know he prefers driving himself.
He gives me his most innocent smile.
“Maybe.”
I’m touched by his actions, but for every checked mark, I’m reminded of how this is all coming to an end in a few short days.
I press down the emotion in my throat, overwhelmed by the feelings he evokes in me.
Not knowing what to say, I go straight into his arms, hugging him tightly as I feel my eyes watering.
Get a grip, Lily.
It’s just a couple of weeks.
We’ll be fine.
“Thank you.”
I sniffle into his shirt, and Sebastian leans back, taking in my expression.
He rests his hands gently on my cheeks, wiping away the single tear that runs down.
“Baby, you deserve to see the whole world. The least I could do is show you London.”
His words don’t lessen the emotions inside me.
～
It’s our last night together, and we’re spending it in perfect Lily and Sebastian style: cuddled up on the couch after a wonderful dinner together with Harriet.
My flight is at noon tomorrow, and I’m trying to enjoy my time with Sebastian, but it all feels heavy because I don’t know when I’ll see him next.
“Babe, I really need for us to plan when we’ll see each other next, because I feel like I might be sick from the feeling of saying goodbye tomorrow and not knowing.”
I sit up on the couch, needing to have a plan.
Something I can cling to when it all gets too much.
“We’ve talked about this. You’ll come back here when you get back from your trip with the girls,” Sebastian says, putting a lock of hair behind my ear.
This is true.
We had planned that, but he told me he’ll send a jet, so I don’t have a ticket—which may be why I’m panicking.
Gosh.
I might be going crazy over this man.
It certainly feels that way.
That is still five weeks away, which right now feels like a lifetime.
“Lily, we’ll be fine. It’s just a couple of weeks. We’ll talk every day,” he soothes me.
He’s made it clear that we’ll handle this.
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry for panicking. I’m just feeling emotional knowing we’ll have to say goodbye tomorrow.”
Sebastian pulls me on top of him, giving me a deep kiss.
“It’s not goodbye, babe. It’s a see you later.”
I snort, but he brings out a smile on my face nevertheless.
“Yeah, a see you in five weeks later.”