One of the Bullied | ✔

Chapter 47 - Risk

Somehow - I'm still not quite sure how - Seth has persuaded me to go out with him again. Well, not exactly on a date. He's hungry, and there's nothing good in the house, so he wants to go get Starbucks. And he wants me to come with him.

In the same place I got caught by the Three only days after I met him in the forest.

At first I shook my head and stood my ground, but there really was nothing edible in the house, and after twenty minutes my growling stomach gave me away.

"Okay, fine, but we literally go, get food and come back, right?" I asked before we leave the house. He nods. Half an hour later, we're making out in one of the booths in Starbucks.

I pull away, glancing nervously at the door. We're out of sight, but I'm still nervous. I'm definitely way more comfortable about being out with Seth after the other day. We've talked things out and I understand that he was only trying to protect me.

"Zoe?" He says suddenly, sitting back. I immediately glare at him, anxious that someone will overhear us. Two people know already: two people too many.

"You seriously need to find like a code name for me when we're out." I reply.

"Fine, Vanessa." He replies. I burst out laughing, sitting back into my seat.

"Why Vanessa?" I giggle.

"First name that came to my head." He replies. "You like it?"

"Not really, it makes me sound like an old lady."

"Fine, then, uh, Mary." He scratches the back of his neck, laughing.

"How about Laura?"

"Sure, Laura." He replies. "Anyway, Laura-" He breaks off laughing. "I won't be able to do this." I laugh too, and it's at least five minutes before we both sober up. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"Well, we'd kind of been talking about going out and stuff for a while..." He breaks off nervously. "I know that after what happened the other day you're probably still mad at me-"

"We already talked about that, Seth."

"But I was wondering if you do want to go out with me. Like, on more dates. Preferably ones where we don't meet the others again. And... I've been thinking. I think I know a way we could, like, come out."

I laugh, and he goes red.

"A way that would shock people enough that they would... Like, accept it. You know?" He cocks his head and I nod slowly. "I'll just tell you what I've been thinking-"

I put my hand over his, squeezing gently. "Maybe let's talk about this privately."

"But... I just wanted to quickly say." He starts again. I nod encouragingly. "Like, would you come with me to the dance?"

"The start of school dance?" I repeat after him. "You're joking, right? We'd be fucking eaten alive." I bite my lip. "I would, anyway."

"If we planned it well..." He breaks off. "It could work, Zoe."

"Seth..." I trail off. "I don't know. I don't see how anything could work."

"Yeah, but you saw how Nate reacted!" He exclaims, a little too loud. I nudge him gently and he looks around guiltily, turning back to me with a hushed voice. "He was kind of mad but he seems okay with it. So why can't we tell everyone? It would end everything you're going through, Zoe."