Previously on "The Otherworlders": Ava, Fiona, and Inez are back from their mission and settling down into academy life. As classes resume, Headmaster Pierce, still worried about the possible unknown side effects from growing the Longan Tree in the middle of the Academy courtyard, works with Master Achebe and Master Liu to prepare for the next mission and choose the students who will make up the team.

Also, Sebastian and Farid are back spending time together, but the tensions that arose right before Farid's mission, unfortunately, still linger between them.

***

Sebastian and Farid stand next to the main gate of the Academy, stretching and preparing for a morning run.

Suddenly, Sebastian turns to Farid and asks, "Hey. What do you think I should do if Headmaster Pierce doesn't choose me for this next mission? Should I, like, talk to him?"

Farid shakes his head. "Nah, don't do that. Just wait for the next mission announcement and see what happens. I mean we've got how many artifacts yet to find?" He looks down and sets the timer on his smartwatch. "Don't worry about it, Bash. You'll get your turn. Seriously, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Because..." Sebastian murmurs. "I want my shot."

"At what?" Farid gives him a side-glance.

"At... at..." Sebastian sputters. "Ugh! Never mind! You wouldn't understand." He says with a sulk. "Anyway, what do you care? You've already had your turn."

Leaning against the stone post of the gate, his right leg jack-knifed behind him in a stretch, Farid pushes off of it and lets his foot drop to the ground. His frown deepens as he props his fists on his hips. "This is not a competition, Bash. Why do you always do this?"

"Do what?!" Sebastian scoffs.

"Make everything about you and your ego?"

"That's not what this is about!" Sebastian snaps back. Then, he takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Believe it or not, Farid," he says. "I'd actually like a chance to carry my weight, for once... you know, contribute." He looks away, across the Academy lawn, and swallows hard. "Otherwise, what the hell am I doing here?" he mutters under his breath.

Farid studies his brother for a long time before reaching out and resting a hand on Sebastian's shoulder. "Okay, I get it," he says. "I understand."

Sebastian's lips purse and he shakes Farid's hand off of him. "No. I don't think you do," he says quietly. "But, you know... whatever..." His voice trails off.

Ignoring his brother's petulance, Farid pops his earbuds into his ears and fiddles with the volume on his phone. After a moment, he yanks them out. "Crap!" he grumbles. "My earphones aren't working." 

Sebastian shrugs nonchalantly. "Okay, so? Whadda 'ya want me to do about it, sing to you while we run?"

"Don't be such a smartass," Farid retorts. "You know I can't run without my music. Give me five minutes. I'm gonna go back to my room and get another pair."

"Seriously?!" Sebastian scowls at his brother.

"Yes, seriously!" Farid shoots a pointed glare at Sebastian in return.

Sebastian rolls his eyes.

And as Farid heads back to his room, he turns and walking backwards, spreads his arms in exasperation. "Five minutes, Bash! Geez! Cool your jets, okay? I'll be right back!"

Leaning back against the stone post of the Academy gate, Sebastian crosses his arms over his chest and grunts out his annoyance.

He's not sure why, but suddenly, he doesn't want to run with Farid anymore.

As much as he loves his brother, it's not easy being around him 24/7 when they're away from home. And it's not fun being eclipsed and upstaged at every turn.

He'd thought maybe the Academy would be a place for him to finally shine. But it's not looking like that's ever gonna happen. Certainly, not with his perfect, "can do no wrong" half-brother around all the time.

Sebastian hears a noise and looks up to see a taxi cab coming up the road. He stands back as the gates slowly swing open of their own accord.

Curious, he watches as the cab drives past him, through the Academy gates, and onto the circular drive, pulling up in front of the main steps of the school.

A tall, willowy blonde girl gets out of the back seat. She pays the driver, then wrestles a carry-on sized suitcase out of the back seat of the car.

She turns around and gazes up at the imposing stone walls of the Academy, then not seeing Sebastian, scans the front of the building as if looking for someone, or something, in particular.

She makes a 180-degree turn and her gaze sweeps the front lawn of the school until it meets with Sebastian's, and she smiles.

Sebastian straightens, struck by the girl's unusual looks and her natural beauty.

She's about five feet six inches tall, with long, wavy, blonde hair and steely blue eyes from what he can tell at this distance.

But it's her dark, brown prominent eyebrows and her pouty lips that really set her apart. And while her tall stature, prep school uniform, and serious countenance give her a dignified upper-class air, by the way she smiles at the cabbie, she doesn't come across as standoffish at all.

Sebastian hesitates, then jogs over. And once in front of her, he clears his throat and shoots out his hand. "Hi, I'm Sebastian! Um... are you looking for someone?"

"Hi..." The girl takes his hand and gives it a brief, firm shake. "I'm Ella. I was, um, looking for Crick, actually. I thought perhaps he would be here to greet me," she says as she turns in a slow circle. "But of course, I'm early. I was supposed to call before I left, so I'm not entirely surprised he's not here."

"I see. Are you a new student then?" Sebastian asks.

"No, just visiting," Ella replies.

"Ah, okay. Well, Crick is usually lurking in the East Wing at this time of day. If you want, I could show you to the student lounge and then go find him for you if you'd like?"

Ella's smile widens, revealing the dimples in her cheeks and igniting a light, fluttering sensation deep in Sebastian's belly.

"No, that's all right," Ella says. "I know where the lounge is." She looks at her watch. "I'm actually here for Headmaster Pierce. I know he's got a Potions class right about now, and it doesn't end for another ninety minutes so, I'll just wait for him in the lounge."

Sebastian stares at Ella quizzically. How the hell does she know where the student lounge is? And how does she know about Pierce's Potions class if she's not a student?

In response to Sebastian's dumbfounded look, Ella adds, "Honestly, I don't mind waiting on my own. I'll be fine." She nods towards Sebastian's attire and arches a brow. "Plus, it looks like you were about to go for a run."

Sebastian peers down at his ripped t-shirt and tatty running shorts. "Oh, yeah." He chuckles awkwardly. "I was waiting for my brother." A heavy breath escapes him, laden with resignation. "But honestly, at this point, he can just go running without me." He sighs again. "I'm not really in the mood anymore."

"Oh no, you should go," Ella encourages him. "Running releases endorphins which can really help to elevate your mood."

Sebastian tilts his head and looks at her, bewildered. "My mood?"

"Yes. You seem awfully down," she says, her voice soft, self-assured, and as comforting as a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds.

Sebastian smiles, but his forehead creases in confusion. "What... Um... What would make you say that?"

He didn't think it possible, but Ella's smile widens even further. "Because when I first saw you coming in through the gate, you had a frown etched on your face that communicated a sense of, oh, I don't know, hopelessness? Frustration? It was kind of heartbreaking, to be honest. And, I must say..." She tilts her head and looks at him intensely. "I think you might have the saddest eyes I've ever seen."

Sebastian blinks as his jaw slowly drops open. Whoa! Where did that come from! And how did she know?!

Needless to say, he's beyond weirded out right now — not only because he just met this chick and she's already making a whole mess of assumptions about him but also because, for the most part, she's right.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" he asks, his voice cracking involuntarily.

Ella smiles as if this isn't the first time she's found herself in this awkward situation.

"Oh, just consider me a friend," she says. And with that, she turns, and lugging her suitcase behind her up the stone steps of the Academy, she disappears inside.

***

Later, Sebastian is waiting outside of Headmaster Pierce's potions class, trying to catch up with him before the headmaster meets with that mysterious girl he'd encountered earlier that morning.

He sidles up next to the Headmaster just as Pierce is walking out the door.

"Hello, sir," Sebastian says. "Can I speak with you for a second?"

Headmaster Pierce slides Sebastian a glance. "Certainly," he says after a moment. "But I'm late for a meeting, so you'll have to walk with me to my office if you want to chat." Pierce tucks his copy of Clearance McNally's Peculiar Potions underneath one arm and closes the classroom door behind him with the other. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that I'm being considered for upcoming missions," Sebastian says.

Headmaster Pierce frowns. "Sebastian, we make the assignments after careful consideration and assemble the teams based on complementary skills and the needs of the mission at hand."

"Yes, I understand that," Sebastian concedes. "But I was just getting worried that perhaps you might not think I'm—"

Headmaster Pierce stops cold in the hall. He turns to Sebastian and says softly, "Sebastian, this whole endeavor, well... It's not about proving oneself or showing off your skills or even testing your bravery. Each member of the Academy was chosen for a very specific reason, and you'll all have an opportunity to contribute... in due time." Headmaster Pierce makes sure that he catches Sebastian's eye. "This is not a game, all right. Please, don't ever forget that."

Sebastian hangs his head, ashamed that he let his insecurities get the better of him. "Of course not, sir. I do understand the gravity of the situation we're dealing with. I do. And I'm sorry. I'm... I'm really sorry I brought it up."

Headmaster Pierce smiles and rests a gentle hand on Sebastian's shoulder. He gives it a reassuring squeeze. "No harm done, son. No harm done. And I'll go ahead and alleviate your fears. You're on the team going out on the next mission tomorrow."

"Yes!" Sebastian whispers underneath his breath. He does all he can to refrain from giving Headmaster Pierce a high five. Instead, he gives the headmaster the biggest grin he can muster.

Pierce smiles back, and they walk, side by side, down the hall when suddenly Headmaster Pierce's face lights up in a way Sebastians never seen before.

When he follows the Headmaster's gaze, it leads straight to the girl he'd met earlier on the steps of the Academy — Ella.

Sebastian finds himself smiling, almost as enthusiastically as Headmaster Pierce is, and he's surprised to find he's so happy to see her again... and so soon!

Still holding his book of potions, Headmaster Pierce throws his arms open wide. "Eloise! I thought you weren't due for another hour!" he says, his voice booming heartly off the stone walls of the academy corridor.

Ella trots over to him. She gives Sebastian a quick side-glance as she rises up onto her toes, leans in, and kisses Headmaster Pierce on the cheek.

"I thought it might be a nice change of pace to surprise you for once, Father," Ella says in greeting.

Wait, what! Sebastian's eyes go wide. Did she just say Father?!

He shakes his head as if shaking off an incomprehensible thought.

He didn't know that Pierce had a daughter! Why did the headmaster never mention that he had a family?!

As Ella and Headmaster Pierce fall into easy conversation, Sebastian closes his eyes and sighs inwardly. He really took a liking to this girl and was sort of feeling an attraction he hadn't felt in a long time.

His head falls back and looks up at the heavens, quietly laughing at his fate.

Of course the only girl that he's found himself deeply attracted to, in a little over two years, just has to be the headmaster's daughter!

**********

A/N - Well, there you go! The end of season one!! 🥳😊🥳

I usually make a bigger deal about the end of the season, but then I also typically take a few weeks off before starting the next season.

However... since I took a little time off last week, I'm just gonna roll on into Season 2!

I hope you're still enjoying the story. 😁

See y'all next week!

~ Paula ❤️

since I took a