Crazy, Sweet

Chapter Fourteen

The next day, I dragged myself out of the room in a loose black tunic, jeans and dark sunglasses. I sat at the opposite end of the table from Seth for breakfast and we both barely spoke.

Everybody else was quiet and tense. They knew but they were being polite about it.

I hated ruining everyone else’s weekend but there was not much neither me nor Seth can do about it.

When we boarded up the RV, I sat the back and Vivi sat close to me so we can casually talk every now and then. I think she worried I won’t utter a single word throughout the entire trip back home. 

I barely glanced Seth’s way as we drove home. I busied myself with a book. The other girls chattered like usual and I could tell Amanda was satisfied with herself. I didn’t want her to win but I didn’t want to be Seth’s toy either. 

Five and a half hours later, we arrived at Patrick’s house. 

“Hey, Ali. We can drop you off,” Patrick offered as I hauled my bags off of the RV. 

“We can too,” Vivi said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Or if you’re not too tired, we can go out for coffee.”

I smiled and shook my head. “It’s okay. I’ve already called for a cab. I think I’m going to call it a day.”

Vivi pouted but nodded in understanding. “Alrighty then. I’ll call you, okay? We’ll hang out some time.”

I could tell them there was no point in trying to be nice to me. Seth and I were no longer dating and they didn’t have to trouble themselves but Vivi can only be sincere and Patrick truly looked concerned so I just smiled and shrugged. “Sure.”

Ten minutes later, after my awkward yet quick goodbye to everybody, I made my way to the front gate after my cab driver called to say he was on his way. I had just put my bags down on the ground when I heard footsteps behind me.

“Ali.”

I turned around and saw Seth walking down the front steps, his expression still grim.

“I’ll drive you home,” he said, fishing for his keys from his pocket. “I told your family I was going to bring you home myself. I don’t want to disappoint them.”

I barely smiled. “It’s too late for that now so don’t even bother. I’m a big girl, Seth. I can get home on my own.”

He seemed undeterred. “I insist.”

“And I don’t care,” I answered wearily, craning my neck around for any sign of the cab that now seem to be taking forever to get there.

“What do you want from me, Ali?” he asked in a voice soft with emotion, a first since he went stone cold on me during the fight last night.

I looked up to him and all I could see were his green eyes, darker than I’ve ever seen them before.