The Roots Beneath

Chapter 8: Unexpected Weekend

Seren wandered through the narrow aisles of the small bookstore in town, flipping absentmindedly through the pages of a random novel. It was supposed to be her weekend plans with Emily—coffee, shopping, and maybe a movie night—but those plans had quickly fallen apart when Emily called her that morning with a stuffy nose and a raspy voice.

"Seren, I love you, but I don't want to risk giving you this plague," Emily had croaked through the phone. "Raincheck?"

So, instead of wallowing at home with her parents, Seren had decided to make the most of the free day by coming into town, though without Emily, it was proving to be a quiet afternoon.

The bell above the shop's door jingled, and Seren glanced up briefly, her attention returning to the book in her hands before a voice made her freeze.

"Seren?"

She looked up, blinking in surprise at the sight of Elijah standing a few feet away. He was dressed more casually than she usually saw him—dark jeans and a hoodie that looked surprisingly soft—and his usual brooding expression was nowhere to be found. Instead, he wore an almost sheepish grin, as if he hadn't expected to bump into her either.

"Elijah," she said, tucking the book back onto the shelf. "I didn't expect to see you here."

He shrugged, taking a few steps closer. "Yeah, I come here sometimes. It's quiet, you know? Good place to think."

Seren smiled. "That's why I'm here, too. Plus, I needed to get out of the house."

"Where's Emily? Thought you two were attached at the hip."

"She's sick," Seren said, pulling a face. "So I'm on my own today."

"Well," Elijah said, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "you're not alone now."

Seren laughed softly, appreciating the easy humor in his voice. There was something different about him today—more relaxed, less guarded—and it was a refreshing change from the usual intense, almost mysterious version of Elijah she was used to.

"What are you doing after this?" Elijah asked, leaning against one of the bookshelves.

"Nothing really," Seren admitted. "I was going to just head home, but I haven't figured out what I'm doing with the rest of my day."

Elijah's grin widened. "How about I save you from boredom? We could grab coffee or something."

Seren's eyebrows shot up. Elijah, who usually kept to himself or gave off strong loner vibes, was offering to hang out? This was new.

"Are you sure?" she asked, teasing. "I mean, I wouldn't want to mess with your brooding routine."

He laughed, a real, carefree sound that made Seren's heart skip a beat. "I can take a break from brooding. Besides, I think I could use a change of pace. What do you say?"

Seren smiled. "Coffee sounds good."

They left the bookstore together, and within minutes, they were seated at a small café just down the street. The cozy atmosphere, combined with the aroma of fresh coffee and pastries, made it feel like a perfect escape from the usual small-town monotony.

"So," Seren said after they'd settled in with their drinks, "what do you usually do on weekends? You're kind of a mystery."

Elijah raised an eyebrow, his mouth quirking up into a playful smirk. "Oh, I'm a mystery, huh?"

"You kind of are," Seren admitted. "You're the new guy in town, and no one really knows anything about you. You're quiet in class, and you disappear when school's over."

Elijah chuckled, sipping his coffee. "Maybe I just like keeping things interesting."

Seren rolled her eyes but grinned. "Or maybe you're secretly a superhero with a double life."

"Who says I'm not?" Elijah leaned forward, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "Maybe I have powers and I'm hiding them from everyone."

She laughed, enjoying the playful banter. It was easy being around him like this, and the usual tension she felt when they were together seemed to fade away. For once, he wasn't so guarded, and it felt like she was finally getting to know the real Elijah.

"Well, superhero or not," she said, "I'm glad you decided to spend your Saturday saving me from boredom."

"Happy to help," Elijah said, leaning back in his chair. "Besides, it's not every day I get to hang out with someone who doesn't ask me a million questions about where I came from or why I moved here."

Seren tilted her head, curious. "People do that a lot?"

"More than you'd think," he said with a shrug. "Small towns, I guess. Everyone wants to know everyone's business."

"True," Seren agreed. "But I've never been one to pry."

"I've noticed," Elijah said, his voice softer now, as if he genuinely appreciated that about her. "That's probably why I like being around you."

Seren felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. There was something about the way he said it—so casual yet sincere—that made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she was starting to break through the walls he kept around himself.

They spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing—favorite movies, music, what it was like growing up in Pine Hollow—and Seren found herself laughing more than she had in a long time. Elijah was surprisingly funny when he let his guard down, quick with sarcastic comebacks and witty remarks.

As they left the café, Elijah turned to her, his hands shoved into his pockets. "This was fun. We should do it again sometime."

"Yeah," Seren agreed, smiling up at him. "I'd like that."

Elijah grinned, a playful glint in his eyes. "Next time, maybe I'll show you some of my superhero moves."

Seren laughed, shaking her head. "I'll hold you to that."

They parted ways at the corner, but as Seren walked home, she couldn't help but feel like something had shifted between them. Elijah had shown her a side of himself she hadn't seen before—playful, open, even a little vulnerable—and it made her wonder what else was hiding beneath the surface.

Whatever it was, Seren knew one thing for sure: she was looking forward to finding out.