"Look me in the face and tell me you donโt feel anything, and Iโll believe you,โ Sebastian said. He figured theyโd spent enough time together that she had to feel something. Even if he wasnโt using his other identity, there should be some connection between them.
Abigail looked away. โYouโre definitely very handsome. Looking at your face, I guess I do feel something.โ
Abigail had been into celebrities before, after all. Even though Daniella had been the one who started following them and sheโd just copied her, sheโd genuinely liked a few stars over the years.
Sebastianโs face was undeniably attractive, and when she really looked at him, she could feel that flutter. It was the kind of attraction anyone would feel toward a good-looking person. No one could resist a handsome man.
Sebastian didnโt feel happy about her answer. She was basically telling him that any good-looking guy could catch her attention, at least temporarily. โI heard you used to like Ralph,โ he said.
โWhat about it?โ Abigail blinked at him. She couldnโt even remember why sheโd liked Ralph in the first place. The whole thing was a complete blank now.
Sebastian leaned back against the couch, his expression still casual, but he pressed on. โWhat did you see in him anyway? That guyโs nothing special.โ
โI was blind,โ Abigail said flatly. Looking back, Ralph really didnโt have any redeeming qualities. He definitely wasnโt worth all the time sheโd wasted chasing after him.
Sebastian went quiet for a moment, then suddenly started laughing. โBeing young and stupid once or twice is pretty normal. Want to go out and walk around after we eat?โ
โNot really. I hardly ever stayed up late in prison, and I kept regular hours. Last night almost killed me. I felt awful.โ
Abigailโs routine in prison had been very structured, and sheโd kept the same schedule after getting out. Staying up most of the night had really taken it out of her. She just wanted to eat and then sleep for a while.
โYou just laid there in bed suffering through it?โ Sebastian thought she was pretty tough.
Abigail shook her head. โNo, I played Candy Crush until it was time to get up.โ
โHow many levels did you beat?โ Sebastian asked.
โYou play too?โ Abigail immediately asked.
Seeing that she seemed interested, Sebastian nodded. โI play it sometimes to kill time. The game has over nine thousand levels now, but Iโve only made it to around three thousand. Iโm usually too busy to play much.โ
โIโm somewhere around three thousand too, but I hit that level before I went to prison.โ Abigail found talking with Sebastian really relaxing.
She didnโt have to worry about mentioning her time in jail around him, and she didnโt feel like she had to act ashamed or inferior because of it.
โThatโs too bad. The top players now are probably around five or six thousand levels,โ Sebastian said with genuine regret in his voice.
โItโs just a way to pass time anyway. No big deal,โ Abigail said casually. โWe should add each other as friends.โ
โSounds good.โ Sebastian immediately pulled out his phone. But when Abigail tried to add him as a friend, she got a message saying he was already on her friends list.
โHuh? I already have you as a friend.โ Abigail looked confused.
Back when Abigail used to play regularly, sheโd added tons of friends. She was competitive then and loved climbing the rankings, so naturally, sheโd connected with other skilled players.
Abigail had added so many people that she never paid attention to individual names. She had absolutely no memory of how Sebastian had ended up on her friends list.
โReally? I donโt remember adding you either. Well, I guess we donโt need to add each other then.โ Sebastianโs tone stayed calm and even.
Abigail had never been the type to add people as friends firstโothers always added her. So she was pretty sure she hadnโt been the one to add Sebastian. โWhy did you add me as a friend back then?โ she asked him.
Sebastian looked up at her. โWhat makes you so sure I added you and not the other way around?โ
โI donโt like adding people. Everyone else always adds me first,โ Abigail answered honestly.
โI honestly donโt remember. Maybe one of my relativesโ kids was playing with my phone and saw your high ranking, so they added you,โ Sebastian said this completely seriously.
Abigail wasnโt sure whether to believe him or not. It sounded pretty ridiculous, but her ranking had been really high back then, so it was possible.
โWant to play a round?โ Abigail was getting bored waiting for their food.
โSure, Iโll play with you. But Iโm at a low level, so I might finish faster than you.โ Sebastian was already opening the game.
Abigail smiled, โWeโll see about that.โ
Sebastian saw the relaxed smile on her face and didnโt say anything more.
Within minutes, Abigail had lost.
โI havenโt played much these past few years, but Iโve still got it,โ Sebastian said, leaning over to watch Abigail still trying to clear her level. He had a lazy grin on his face.
Abigailโs expression was serious. When they finally finished the game, she took a deep breath. โIf you had time to practice, youโd probably rank higher than me. Your reflexes are faster.โ
โYou use this to work on your reaction time?โ Sebastian asked.
โYeah, I was locked up for so long that Iโm worried Iโve gotten slow and dull.โ Abigail nodded, her face showing genuine, innocent concern.