Page 42 of Until the Ribbon Breaks

“Does that ever get you into trouble?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

My ears perk because, until this moment, I’ve had no idea why Sebastian landed in this facility, and I’m obviously curious to find out.

“Well, let’s talk about that.” Dr. Benson crosses one leg over the other and gets his pencil ready to take notes. “How did you wind up here?”

He gives another careless shrug. “I got arrested.”

I stare at him from the corner of my eye, but he keeps his attention on the doctor.

“What for?”

“Drinking and driving.”

“Dude,” Wes remarks, “that isn’t cool.”

“Whatever.”

Dr. Benson scribbles something in his file. “That’s a pretty reckless choice. What led you to get behind the wheel?”

“Just in the mood for a drive, I guess.” His arrogance isn’t surprising, but it’s still irritating.

“You could’ve killed someone,” a girl comments.

“Could’ve, but I didn’t.”

“You’re lucky,” Dr. Benson says.

“I wouldn’t consider this lucky.”

“No?”

He scoffs. “Hell, no.”

He reads something in Sebastian’s file. “It appears you were suspended from school last semester for drinking at a school function, which leads me to believe that this behavior is a common occurrence. Would my assumption be correct?”

“Everyone drinks. We were just having a good time. Ask Cricket, she was there too.”

All eyes skitter around the room, unsure of who he’s talking about, but when they notice him staring right at me, everyone’s attention comes my way. My face scorches.

“Cricket?” Wes questions.

I glare over at Sebastian. “Stop calling me that.”

He chuckles beneath his breath.

“The two of you are friends?” Dr. Benson asks, and I quickly respond, “No. He’s not my friend.”

“But you two were partying together,” Wes says as he tucks a lock of his blue hair behind his ear.

“We weren’t partying. I was photographing the state championships for the school newspaper. We were just hanging out at the hotel afterward,” I explain. “It wasn’t a party, and no one else was drinking.”

The doctor nods and turns to Sebastian. “Let’s assume that what you’re telling me is the truth and the others were drinking as well. Why is it that you were the only one who got suspended?”

“Don’t know,” he says flippantly.

“Sometimes people use substances as a way to cope. It provides an escape to help alleviate emotions tied to a particular event or situation they’re struggling with.”

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