Flowers for Lilah (Seth Clearwater)

chapter seven

"We're here," Seth calls out, as he leads me through the door of his house. I expected his house to be dark and quiet, as it was nearly a quarter to three in the morning, but I'm surprised to find all the lights on. And as we make our way in the house, I nervous to see that his house is very active, people running around, but the first person who stops us is Seth's mom, Sue.

"Seth? Is that you?" She makes her way to where we are by the front door, and gasps when she sees me., smiling like it's not at all out of the ordinary that I"m standing in her house in the middle of the night with no idea why. "Lilah! What a pleasant surprise! I've been telling Seth to bring you to visit for days!"

"Mom," Seth grunts out, a low warning.

"H-hi," I murmur shyly, "Really?"

"Yes!" Her eyes trail to my soaking wet clothes and her face scrunches up. Seth mysteriously had showed up at my house without a car, meaning we had to sprint over to his home in the thunderstorm. Though he lived just a street over, my pajamas were now soaking wet, as well as my dark hair. Seth, who was just wearing a pair of shorts, seemed unfazed by the rain, and was already drying off. "Seth Clearwater! You made this poor girl walk over in the freezing rain?"

"I didn't have my car- it was the only way mom," Seth explains.

"Well go let her dry up! She's going to get sick!" She scolds, angrily, shaking her head at her son.

"I'm fine, really-" I explain, not wanting to be the cause of a family argument.

"No, she's right. You're shivering. C'mon." Seth takes off down a hallway and I follow behind, shooting his mom an awkward goodbye waves. We end up in a small bedroom that I realize is Seth's, where Embry and Embry's friend I always see around school are lying on the ground lazily, seemingly just woken up by us.

"What the hell, Seth?" One mutters, rubbing his eyes.

"Aren't you two supposed to be helping?" Seth asks, rummaging through his closet.

"We have fifteen minutes before we have to help," Embry explains, and as soon as he says that, all three of them perk up at some unknown noise I don't hear. "Scratch that- five minutes. Lovely to see you again Lilah," He winks at me.

The first guy looks up from his spot on the floor, just noticing me and grinning wildly. "Lilah! Seth has spoken about you so much... Nice to finally meet you, I'm Paul."

"Oh." I huff, unsure how to perceive his comment. "Uh- nice to meet you."

"Say goodnight to Lilah, guys," Seth tells them, "And get out."

"Goodnight Lilah," Embry makes his way out of the room.

"Make good choices," Paul winks at Seth, hoisting himself off the ground and slamming the door behind him.

"Ignore them." Seth instructs, he takes a towel and dry's off his shinning chest before turning to me, "I have some things you can borrow, but they're going to be pretty big." He digs into some wooden drawers and pulls out a hoodie and sweatpants, handing them to me.

"You really don't have to, I'm fine," I try to be polite, despite the fact that I'm shivering.

"You're shivering." Seth says, like that explains it, then turns around. I stand there stupidly for a second before I understand that he is turning around so I can change. I fling off my wet T-Shirt and throw on the hoodie, then take off my wet pajama bottoms in favor for his pants. I roll the pants three times at the waist so I don't trip over them, but you can't see because the sweatshirt practically hangs to my knees.

"I'm decent," I clear my throat, and Seth turns around, his eyes widening slightly as he takes in my appearance, his eyes scanning up and down shamelessly. I blush, and cross my arms over my chest.

"So... you're probably really confused. I'm going to try to answer you as best as I can-" Seth begins.

I shake my head, "Seth, I'm not an intrusive person. I understand everyone has their secrets. You don't need to explain anything to me tonight. Will I be safe to go home to my house tomorrow?"

Seth stares at me in wonder, "You'll be fine tomorrow, Sam and my friends are taking care of it all right now. How can you say that? Don't you want to know the reason why-"

"I trust you. I don't mind being on a need to know basis." I shrug, his sweater falling on my shoulder, and I fix it.

"That's so... I don't know." Seth shakes his head in amazement, "You're so different Liliah. All the other girls l I know would be demanding answers and screaming in my ear. Hell, even jumping off cliffs to figure out what's going on."

I think his comment is meant to be a compliment but the only thing I can focus on is the 'all the other girls', my heart drops into my stomach. With no reason, Seth has given me no inclination that he's interested in me. He's called me "normal" to my face.

My face must have fallen at his words, and my eyes betray what I"m feeling, because Seth immediately looks worried. "Oh no, what did I say?"

"All the other girls?" I stammer out.

"Damnit." Seth groans, rolling his head back and squinting his eyes shut. "This happens every time. I just get so nervous around you and I put my foot in my mouth! I didn't mean all the other girls."

"You don't owe me any explanation, that's unfair of me to say." I try to mollify him.

Seth looks at him, "No, it's unfair that you even felt the need to ask me. You shouldn't have to even wonder, Lilah, I don't talk to other girls besides you. And the guy's girlfriends, but I don't even see them."

"I don't need-" I begin but he cuts me off again, "You're the only girl I talk to, besides my family. That's not even up for question."

"I am?" I can't help the warmth that pools in my stomach, and the smile that spreads on my face with the red flush.

"Well, try to talk to," Seth grumbles, frustrated. "I never seem able to say what I want to when I'm talking to you."

"I-I-i don't know what to say." I stutter, embarrassed by the turn of events this conversation has taken.

"Are you still cold?" Seth asks, eyeing my outfit again and pulling the comforter from his bed and wrapping it around me, before pushing me gently onto his bed.

"No." I shake my head, lying down across his bed, even though I'm still shivering.

"I can hear your teeth chattering." Seth states, crawling in next to me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders, attempting to rub some warmth into me. And I can't deny, he's warm to the touch against my chilled skin. It feels wonderful, in more ways than one.

"I'll move to the couch, if you want." Seth offers. "Otherwise, I can stay to keep you warm."

"You can stay," I say too quickly and try to amend, "In the interest of keeping warm and all."

We're silent, for the first time not awkwardly, just enjoying being in Seth's embrace, my face pressed to his chest, I'm grateful he can't see my inhale his woodsy scent, or how I listen to every beat of his heart. His arms continued to rub my arms, and I think we're going to fall asleep, until Seth speaks up.

"How long did it take after your parents died to stop missing them?" Seth asks so quietly, I think he's worried I might be asleep.

I let the question hang in the air for a minute, not sure how to answer. "I can't answer that. I still miss them."

"I'm sorry." Seth answers, "I guess that was-"

"It's not bad. I miss them in a different way now. At first I missed having them there everyday, and when I got home from school. I just felt... sad. Now it's not so sad. I'm used to them not being here, and having my grandparents there instead. Now when I look back on the memories or see old photos, I smile, not cry." I explain.

"Really?"

"Sometimes I get lonely." I confess. "I haven't really made any friends in La Push."

Seth let's my thought sit for a second before squeezing my shoulder, "I'm your friend, you can't feel lonely."

"Well, I don't see you very often. And I didn't really start talking to you until a week ago. I don't even think you knew my name a week ago." I chuckle at the end, then hear how I sound. "Not that you were supposed to! I'm not trying to make you feel bad or anything."

"Maybe we can fix that, I tried asking you earlier today, but your grandpa interrupted, maybe we can do something tomorrow? Or whenever you're free. I don't want you to feel pressured, or feel like you have to, I'll understand if you don't-" Seth stumbles out nervously.

"Seth!" I stop his rambling with a smile, "I would love to do something with you."

I feel him let out a breath, "Good."

I feel my eyes get heavy and close them, "I don't know why you get so nervous, it's just me."

Seth laughs, "And I don't know why you get so nervous. It's just your good old friend Seth." I barely hear his tease as I drift off, warm. The sound of his heart is like a lullaby pulling me into my dreams. The last thing I hear is Seth moving his hand to my hair, "Goodnight, Lilah."