The Education of Sebastian & the Education of Caroline(291)

“So, that’s your Mrs. Wilson, huh?” said Ches, leering at me as he jogged my elbow. “She’s freakin’ hot.”

“Heh heh! I bet Seb’s wishing she was a cougar,” said Fido. “I wouldn’t say no.”

I slapped him upside the head, and he kept his mouth shut after that, but Ches kept throwing me these cheesy looks.

I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the way she looked at me. It was a miracle I didn’t drown when I went back out to surf.

Then at the party, later. She talked to me again … she looked so beautiful, and she was so sweet and funny. The way she talked to me: it sounded like she really cared, like she was really interested in me.

And then my fucking father had to turn up and humiliate me in front of her. I really wanted to fucking kill him.

But thanks to Mrs. Vorstadt’s barbecue, I knew that Caro would be at home the next morning. I could offer again to help her finish her unpacking—and get to talk to her alone.

I set the alarm to wake up early, making sure I didn’t bump into her bastard husband as he left for work. Mom would be asleep till lunchtime, so I didn’t have to worry about her.

Walking over to Caroline’s was one of the scariest fucking things I’d ever done. I didn’t know what I’d say to her. Well, offer to help with her moving-in stuff, obviously. It was fucking irritating to be so nervous: I’d been fine when I’d talked to her last night. Maybe that was because I didn’t know she was going to be there—I hadn’t had time to turn into a fucking pussy.

I took a deep breath and knocked on her door.

Her expression was faintly irritated when she answered. Fuck! That didn’t look good.

I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop them shaking, and stuck on a fake smile.

“Hi, Mrs. Wilson.”

“Oh, hello! It’s nice to see you again, Sebastian. What can I do for you?”

“You said you had to unpack crates; I thought I could help.” And I wanted to see you alone.

She didn’t look very happy and my nerve began to falter, wither, and fucking die a humiliating death.

“That’s very sweet of you, Sebastian, but I don’t think your parents would be happy if they knew you were here instead of studying.”

“I’m taking a break,” I lied.

“I’m sure they won’t object to Sebastian helping a neighbor.”

Fuck! Mrs. Vorstadt. Damn. I’d thought Caroline would be alone.

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Sebastian,” she continued, in a tone that sounded like she knew exactly why I was standing on the doorstep.

“Well, I could certainly use some help.” Caroline sounded flustered, but she hadn’t said ‘no’ either.

“Great! I’ll go get started.”

I practically ran to her garage, hoping Mrs. Vorstadt wouldn’t put two and two together.

I faintly heard Caroline mutter “thank you”, but I didn’t want to hear what else they might say about me, so I started hauling stuff out of crates like my life depended on it.

When Mrs. Vorstadt drove away, Caroline walked into the garage, shaking her head.

“You really don’t have to do this, you know.”

“I want to help.”

It wasn’t a lie exactly: I did want to help her. But more than anything, I just wanted to talk to her, spend time with her.

I pulled out a box full of paperbacks.

“Where do you want this?”

“Oh, could you take that into the living room? There’s a cabinet with a bookshelf—they can be tucked away in there.”

I carried it inside and unpacked her books. Most of them were by authors I’d never heard of. I tried to memorize some of the titles so I could read them, then talk to her about them.

Yeah, I know, but being near this woman was driving me fucking insane.

For one thing, I could smell the shampoo that she’d used, and for another, she was wearing this cute little sundress, and when she stood in the doorway to the garage, I could see right through it. I was going to spend the whole fucking morning as hard as fucking rock. I just hoped she wouldn’t notice.

Adjusting myself carefully, I wandered back out to the garage. She was struggling with a huge box, and I had to brush past her to take it out of her hands. I nearly came in my jeans when she backed her fucking amazing ass into me.

“Oh, sorry!” she laughed. “I’m so clumsy!”

“Nah, it was my fault. Where do you want this?”

That box had to go in her bedroom. Jeez, I really wanted to see that room, but when I got there, his fucking dress uniform was lying on the bed, reminding me that she was married.

I hated everything about her husband: he was an arrogant fucker and he treated her like shit.