Doubt by Twenty One Pilots.

★ ★ ★ ★

The car ride was awkwardly silent. Sebastian didn't give me the aux cord this time, which was slightly disappointing. And to think I was going to introduce him to some Dean (AKA more K Pop).

"I'm sorry I threw up on your shoes," I told him, wincing at how embarrassing that was.

Yep, it's true everyone, I threw up on the great Sebastian Snow. Murder me now. While everyone else was getting New Year's kisses, I was spilling my guts out on shoes that were more expensive than my soul.

"It's all good," he lied. I could tell he was still a bit ticked off. "Those shoes were ugly anyways."

They really weren't.

There was another awkward lull in the conversation.

"I'm sorry too," he spoke up.

"For what?"

"For being a jerk. I was terrible to you and to your friends, so I'm sorry," he apologized genuinely.

I paused for a moment, letting that sink in. "It's alright, just apologize to them in person, okay? Especially Will."

His eye twitched when I said Will's name, but nevertheless he obliged.

"Why did you act the way you did anyways?" I couldn't help but ask. His behavior puzzled me.

He hesitated, trying to come up with an answer.

"Because I brought you here, meaning I had to look after you."

Bull. Shit.

"So you were looking after me by almost beating the crap out of your step brother?" I challenged.

I could tell I ticked him off again.

"You don't understand, Danielle!" he shouted.

"Don't fucking call me, Danielle!" I shouted back.

Ian took my name, the name my mother gave me, and tainted it. No one called me Danielle. No one except Ian. And now I could only think of him when I heard it.

Sebastian looked caught off guard by my outburst. I could see him take several deep breaths, probably trying to get his anger under control.

"Sorry, Dani," he corrected himself. "I have some anger issues I'm working on. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Yeah, I noticed," I remarked, thinking about his behavior tonight. Realizing that I was being a bit too snarky to someone who sincerely apologized to me, I sighed.

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have yelled either. Especially about something so stupid."

"Come on," he replied. "It can't be stupid if you got that worked up over it. Why did-"

"Nope," I shut him down. "We are not talking about it."

Sebastian took another deep breath before nodding his head. "Fine," he responded. "Going back to what we were talking about earlier, just stay away from Robin, okay?"

"Why?" I pried. I honestly didn't care if I saw his step brother again or not, but I was curious about why he hated him so much.

"Because," he growled, getting angry again.

"'Because' isn't a valid response."

"Would you have slept with him?" Sebastian asked abruptly, turning to me with his intense eyes. They seemed to be glowing in the darkness, almost like a cat's, and it was absolutely enchanting.

"No," I answered. At least I hoped I wouldn't have. I still wasn't completely sober, but I was much more alert than I was before I spewed my guts out. I told myself that I wouldn't possibly do that, but I was a little unsure. I was really drunk at the party.

The idea of me drunkenly losing my virginity made me cringe.

"Robin wouldn't have liked that answer."

"What are you insinuating?" I asked, glaring at him.

"That he wouldn't have taken no as an answer!" Sebastian shouted again. "If I wasn't there, who knows what could have happened to you. Oh, wait, I know--you would've become another statistic."

"Shut up!" I screamed, covering my ears. "Shut up!"

Sebastian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry I keep yelling, I just need you to understand that he's not a good guy. So please, stay away from him"

"Has he raped any one before?" I asked bluntly.

"Not that I know of-"

"Hah-"

"But I wouldn't put it past him, okay? I'm just looking out for you."

"Why?" I questioned. "You don't treat girls with respect, so why do you care if your brother does?"

That elicited a really big deep breath from Mr. Sunshine.

"Why can't you accept the fact that I'm just trying to protect you?"

"Protect me?" I sputtered. "Huh, I can't comprehend the concept of a guy actually being concerned about my safety, sorry."

I wasn't sorry.

"What has happened to you?" Sebastian asked, slightly horrified. "What has happened to you to make you distrust all guys?"

What's it to him?

"I don't know, what happened to you, Mister 'girls are all the same?'"

Sebastian pressed his lips together and didn't respond.

Great, we were back to the awkward silence again. At least we weren't fighting anymore.

Once we reached a red light, Sebastian pulled out the 'ol aux cord and plugged it into his phone, playing Doubt by Twenty One Pilots.

As the song went on, I tried so hard to suppress myself from singing. But once it reached the chorus, I could no longer help myself.

This was my jam.

"God, you're terrible," Sebastian snickered. I ignored him. I knew I was possibly the worst singer in the world, but that didn't stop Dani Stevens. Oh no, it just encouraged me to sing louder.

"I thought you listened to K Pop," he asked me. I shrugged. I had a very eclectic music taste.

"Yeah, and alternative, and grunge, and indie, and 80s pop, and J pop, and Swedish pop, and 20s and 30s jams, as well as the entire Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack. Ooh, and-"

"I get it, kitten" Sebastian laughed. "You are one strange girl." I shrugged again. This is why it was hard for me to make friends. It's difficult for me to connect with other people.

But then there was Elena and Will--people I connected it with instantly. I smiled to myself. Tonight may have been a trainwreck, but at least I made friends.

Eep, I had friends!

"What are you smiling about?" Sebastian asked me curiously.

I debated on whether or not to tell him. I figured there was no harm to it. "I finally made friends tonight," I gushed.

"Wait, what do you mean by finally?" he questioned. "I've seen you around. Everyone seems to like you. You're always talking to someone."

"Well, there's a difference between being friendly with people, and being friends with people. I haven't really 'vibed' with anyone here yet, if that makes sense. Not until Elena and Will."

Sebastian's eye twitched again when I mentioned Will. What was his problem?

"I say we vibe pretty well," Sebastian smiled. I snorted.

"If you call arguing every five seconds 'vibing.'" I muttered loud enough for him to hear me.

I was so relieved when I finally reached home. Until I realized that a demon was hiding within those four walls.

"I don't want to go home," I whimpered.

"I don't want you to go home, either."

I looked at Sebastian. I really looked at him. His mesmerizing eyes boring into mine with an emotion I had never seen before. It scared me, but it also drew me in.

He cast a spell on me.

You're upset and need a distraction. I need a distraction too. You're not the only one having a shitty night, his voice echoed in my mind.

I wondered what made his night so terrible, but I didn't question him. Instead, I let him hold my hand as he lead me into his bedroom.

I spent the entire night jerking away from his touch, but now I craved it, so when he offered to let me sleep in my bed, I obliged. I watched earnestly as he took his shirt off, his tan muscles causing drool to form in my mouth. I didn't let him catch me staring though. I didn't want to feed his already insanely large ego.

He climbed into bed with me, our limbs instantly tangling around each other's bodies. He was so warm, and despite my tall stature, I felt so tiny in his arms.

What are you doing, my mind screamed at me, but I ignored it.

Sebastian was a womanizer. He was cruel and explosive. I knew he was on a self destructive path, but somehow despite that, I felt safer in his arms than I did anywhere else.

His kissed my forehead, and I felt my lips curl into a smile.

I let the dream world steal me away, knowing that no harm would come to me as long as his arms were wrapped around me.

That last thing I heard before I drifted off was Sebastian whispering my name.

★ ★ ★ ★

It was three a.m. when I jerked awake, my eyes widening when I came face to face with a sleeping Sebastian.

What the hell happened last night.

Bits in pieces came back to me.

Elena and Will, my make out session with Robin, Sebastian almost beating the crap out of his step brother, throwing up on Sebastian's shoes, me and Sebastian screaming in the car, me willingly climbing into Sebastian's bed...

Sebastian, Sebastian, and more Sebastian.

Oh god, I am never getting drunk again.

It was hard to untangle myself from his grasp, but I was able to do it without waking the beast. Tiptoeing downstairs, I fled his house and entered mine. Only to find my worst nightmare sitting on the couch, calmly reading a book.

Ian.

"Oh, so you finally decided to come home?" Ian asked politely. I couldn't read him. I hated that I couldn't read him.

Why was he acting so calm?

He came close to me, his face finally twisting into an expression of disgust.

"Is that alcohol I smell?" he tsked. Ian grabbed my arm and I tried to pull myself out of his grasp, but he was too strong. "Like you needed the extra calories."

That was what he cared about? My calorie intake? A normal stepfather would be pissed that I snuck out and got drunk. Not get angry over the amount of calories I had.

"Come on," he ushered me. This couldn't be good.

He lead me into the bathroom and got a razor out. He handed it to me. I stared up at him in confusion.

"Take your dress off," he told me. I just stared at him blankly.

"Take your dress off," he ordered, his voice louder and more commanding, and I did what he told me to fearfully, wondering what was going to happen next.

"Good girl," he said, petting my head. "Now take the razor and run it down your stomach."

I stared at him for a moment, horrified. "You- you want me to cut myself!"

He rolled his eyes. "Did I stutter? It's punishment for the extra calorie intake. Now do what I say slave."

What was with him calling me slave? Don't tell me he had a thing for BDSM?

The thought made me shiver.

I took the blade and sliced my stomach, just like he wanted me to. I thought of my mother, and how Ian better not hurt her.

I watched as blood surfaced. I didn't cut too deep. But I guess it was deep enough to please Ian.

He smirked, telling me to thank him. And I did.

I guess I really was a slave.

Once he left, I fell to the ground in a heap of pathetic tears. The tile was cold, and I suddenly missed the warmth of Sebastian's arms.

Eventually I fell asleep on my bathroom floor, naked, cold, and bloody, reflecting on what I had been reduced to in the past twenty four hours.

I didn't even feel human anymore.

★ ★ ★ ★

I'm sorry this was shorter. Please comment and vote if you liked it--I honestly don't know how I feel about this chapter.

Thanks for reading,
Mae