I cried.

Despite not being an idiot, I cried throughout the shameful walk from the inside of the library to the cold steps outside. My face was pink and puffy, and my eyes gorging red. I wanted to be alone but Sebastian followed behind me like my shadow.

“Can’t you leave me alone?” I said, tired and annoyed.

Instead of leaving me alone, he decided to walk beside me. He put his hands in his pockets and quietly walked next to me, probably contemplating what to say to me. After one full minute of silence, he decided to speak.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” said Sebastian, remorsefully. “You seemed tougher than most girls – not many girls or even men have the courage to shout in a library or go head to head with an authoritarian librarian.”

I tried my upmost not to smile but ended grinning at his light hearted joke. He was funny and witty even through his incessant ramblings. “Be warned, I’m as courageous as they come, filled with tears and snot,” I said, humorously.

“That’s the best kind of courage,” said Sebastian, then he was silent for another moment. “You know, I really didn’t mean to make you cry. I usually don’t stop girls by grabbing them as they try to crawl away from me and shove my self-righteous persuasion down their throats. I sincerely apologise.”

I accepted his apology with a laugh. “Your actions were a little bizarre,” I said.

“You can be honest. It wasn’t just a bit bizarre – it was seriously deranged. I should be strapped in a straitjacket and locked up,” said Sebastian, volunteering to be chastised.

“Yeah, it was deranged,” I admitted, “especially the part where you were trying to convince me that you were the epitome of integrity through your family tree. I was afraid you might start drawing pie graphs or diagrams of your family tree to sway me.”

“If the authoritarian librarian didn’t stop me, I might have. If I ever do that again, please stop me. Throw a book at my head,” said Sebastian, with his quirky smile which I started to find charming. “Make sure it hits me.”

“You have my word,” I said, smiling back.

“What do you say we start over?” suggested Sebastian, “with proper non-violent persuasion?”

“I’d like that,” I replied.

We both stopped on the pavement and faced each other. I noticed that Sebastian had wavy dark brown hair, it was tousled and fit perfectly on his handsome rugged-boyish face.

“I’m Sebastian Grey, Sophomore, majoring in Business,” said Sebastian, holding his hand out for a proper greeting.

“Mackenzie Reed, freshman, majoring in Economics,” I said, and shook his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mackenzie,” said Sebastian, “and please call me Seb.”

“Nice to meet you too, Seb,” I said, feeling something strange in my chest. Was that my heart beating faster? The feeling was soon cut off by the realisation that Sebastian was caught in some dirty drama with Dean Harris.

I let go of Sebastian’s hand and bit my lip, fretting over if I should break this odd yet splendid feeling in my chest. Was it worth knowing the truth?

“What exactly is your deal with Dean Harris?” I blurted, acknowledging that the truth would always have to be more important than any pleasurable feeling.

Sebastian was caught off guard by the question. “Err...well...” he stumbled on his words but his brain finally caught up, “I’m kind of her assistant – more like a slave who makes sure she is aware of her weekly meetings and I do simpleton tasks like keep her secrets and protect her with my life and integrity.”

I gave him a doubtful look and ignored his humorous banter. I bit my lip harder, thinking that Sebastian Grey was not a guy I should associate myself with. He might be funny, witty and smart but there was just something off about him. I should say goodnight and not get involved with him – as a friend or potential love interest. It was my number one rule to surround myself with loyal and reliable people and for some reason I knew Sebastian Grey was not.

“But she’s a married woman having sex with Professor Patterson,” I exclaimed, unable to control the words overflowing from my mouth and knowing full well I was going to regret the next ones, “why are you working and protecting Dean Harris who is having a sordid affair?”

“Actually, she’s having two affairs,” said Sebastian, in a sorrowful sigh, “it’s not what you –“

“What the hell?” I interrupted, determined to leave Sebastian alone on the pavement but my feet were grounded and my treacherous insides were actually concerned about his welfare. “I don’t understand… you need to report her to the university’s ethical committee! She can’t use you as a slave to cover up all her misdeeds.”

“I think she can,” said Sebastian, using another sorrow-filled sigh.

“Not if we report her,” I said, adamantly, “she’ll get fired and you won’t be ruining your family’s moral standing tree by protecting her sordid lustful binges.”

“It isn’t so easy,” explained Sebastian as he ran his fingers through his brown hair. “It’s complicated – too many factors to consider and none of which can be controlled.”

“Stop thinking like a Business Major, if you want out, all you have to do is report her and everything will be fine,” I said, searching for some rationale in Sebastian’s eyes. “How complicated can it be?”

“So much more complicated as the fact I would lose my scholarship,” said Sebastian, flatly, “and my parents, grandparents and ancient forefathers would disown me.”

“You’re not making any sense. You can’t be disowned or lose your scholarship when you didn’t do anything wrong,” I said with sound logic.

“Remember when I told you, I was a one girl type of guy,” said Sebastian, breaking down his complication into simple facts I could understand, “it is all true except it was for the wrong girl. I’m the other guy she’s having an affair with. Well, technically, I was the first guy she was having an affair with and Professor Patterson would be the second.”

“What?” I said, stunned, ignoring Sebastian’s technicalities. “You are having an affair with Dean Harris?”

“I was – I’m not sure now… she hasn’t seen me much ever since she started with Patterson,” said Sebastian, rather gloomy. “She just gives me normal assistant instructions so…I’ve been secretly following her.”

“You mean, you’ve been stalking your lover who is married and having an affair with my professor,” I said aloud, summing up Sebastian’s ridiculous complication. “I knew I should have left you alone on the pavement!”

I began to stomp off in a huff as my insides were overwhelmed with humiliation. There was a bona fide reason I had rule number one –it was to avoid people like Sebastian Grey!

Sebastian briskly walked next to me like we were the best of friends. “I know it’s a lot to take in but you won’t report her or tell anyone… will you?” questioned Sebastian, genuinely concerned.

“Of course, I will report her! I will also report you and Professor Patterson,” I screamed, furiously, raising my hand for a taxi. “Then the three of you can have a threesome –in jail!”

The taxi stopped and I quickly entered before Sebastian could make up some corny roundabout speech. I left him on the pavement where I should have earlier. I let out a frustrated breath and dialled Eden… who cared about being an exemplary student when I could party and drink vodka lemonades to erase my humiliation and maybe restore my faith in humanity.