Safe With You || Seth Cohen

||62||

I stood in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee when Sandy walked in, holding a tie in each hand. "Hey, babe, have you seen my lucky tie?"

Kirsten held up a tie and smiled. 

"I got it dry cleaned."

"Oh, you're an angel." Sandy told her, taking the tie. 

"Big day?" Ryan asked as he read the paper at the table. 

"Well, I gotta sign some papers, make a few calls, build a hospital." Sandy stated nonchalantly as he put on his lucky tie. 

"Building a hospital, that's impressive." I stated and Sandy glanced at me. 

"Caleb deserves most of the credit, I just inherited the project."

"So who's paying for it?" Ryan asked him. 

"The board of the Newport Laguna Medical Center. They commissioned a proposal from us and from a firm in Brea and today we're both presenting."

"And they are gonna pick you." Kirsten told him confidently. 

"Well, now that I got my lucky tie...." Sandy stated, wiggling his tie. 

Seth walked into the kitchen, wearing a robe and looking dazed. 

"Hey."

"Hello, hi." Seth greeted distractedly walking over to me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, peering at him closely. 

"Uh, yeah I'm fine."

Sandy, Kirsten, Ryan and I exchanged a look. 

"Yeah, I don't think that convinced anyone." Sandy stated. 

"I was leaving school yesterday and Mrs. Rushfield said that some Brown rep called and wants to interview me on Sunday."

"Seth, that's great! Why didn't you tell me?" I said excitedly. 

"I don't know, I guess I needed it to sink in." 

"Well, did you get an interview Ally?" Ryan asked me and I shook my head, feeling a little disappointed. 

"I'm sure you will." Kirsten told me. 

"Listen, Matt's waiting on me, but when I get back, let's talk. We'll practice, whatever you need." Sandy told Seth, who nodded. 

"I better go too. Julie and I have a meeting with a new client. I am so proud of you." Kirsten stated, touching Seth's arm before her and Sandy left the kitchen. 

"Are you sure you're alright, Seth? For someone who just got an interview with their dream college, you don't look so thrilled." I asked him. 

"Yeah, it's just kinda weird. It's like there I am and I'm all ready to go and I got my watch set to East Coast time, but then I get this interview and it just hit me that I'm leaving Newport."

"So you're having second thoughts?" I asked him.

"I planned my first escape on an etch-a-sketch. This is my dream, I just don't know... Now that it's real.."

"I understand, Seth. Whether you've enjoyed them or not, you've spent so many years of your life here. It's hard to let that go."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll get over it, though. I'll be fine. It's just my process." Seth told me. 

"Whatever you say, man, you're pouring your coffee in your cereal." Ryan stated and i glanced to see that Seth was in fact, doing just that. 

Seth sighed and put down the coffee pot, looking out the window.