Gold Rush

Chapter 1

I hadn't seen Seth in two weeks, well other than at school and I really couldn't blame him. He avoided me at all costs, if he saw me in the hall he would walk the other way, if he saw me at lunch he would leave and go sit outside, if he had a class with me he would ignore me all together. I was shocked when he went to school the day after the news about his dad but everyone copes differently.

That's why when he knocked on my door one day after school and he asked to talk to me I was shocked and asked him to come inside almost too quickly.

I shut the door behind me and put my hand on his arm as he walked past, he flinched away from my touch, his skin was so warm, he had to have a fever. "Seth? Are you sick?" I asked, walking to the kitchen, him trailing behind me.

He looked tired. Really really tired like he hadn't slept in days. "No, I'm not sick." He said, his voice deeper than normal.

"Then where were you for almost two weeks... I saw you at school but you avoided me like I had the plague, what the fuck was that Seth?"

He clears his throat, sitting down on a chair in the kitchen, "are your parents home?"

"Why would that matter?" I lean against the counter, wanting to hit my head on the wall.

"Just answer the question Lily."

I sigh, "My parents and brother aren't here, it's just me and Vivi." She was upstairs, taking a nap in her crib.

He had a look on his face that I couldn't read, which was unusual for us. We were always able to read each other like books that we had seen hundreds of times, but not this time. "Please don't freak out?"

"Now why would I do that? I've known you forever, nothing you say will change that."

He chuckled, "I wouldn't say that just yet..."

I move to sit on the counter, waiting for him to speak up. Why would he be stalling? What could possibly be this bad?

"How much do you know about the Quileute tribe?" He asked, picking at a small hole in his jeans.

"I've been to a few of the bonfires, you know that. I've heard the legends too." I looked down at my hands, giving him a chance to look up. I could tell he was scared to look me in the eyes.

"So you know the legends that the people of the tribe turn into wolves?"

I nod slowly, scared of what's going to come out of his mouth next. I took a deep breath, staring at him, waiting for him to continue.

"It's not just a legend, it's true and it happened to me. And on top of all that I also imprinted on you, I'm sorry."

I start laughing, this has to be a fucking joke, "Seth your fucking with me right?"

"I wouldn't joke about something this serious Lil's, you know that." He looks me in the eyes for the first time and he looks upset.
"Okay, so what does that mean for us? Are you just like forced to be in love with me now or something?" My voice sounds more upset than it should, it's not like I haven't been waiting for him to tell me he loves me or anything.

"No, not necessarily, we can still just be friends, but if you want to start dating I definitely would not be against it." He said with that classic Seth smile that I had grown more in love with every day.

"Okay, that's it Seth Clearwater, next week you are taking me out on a proper date and that is that. Deal?"

He stood up and walked over to me, holding his hand out for me to shake, and I shook it, bringing it up to my lips to kiss before letting it fall to his side. I still couldn't get over how warm he was, I guess it was just something that came with being a wolf, along with the tattoo on his arm.

******

Seth hadn't left my house, I had assumed because he felt empty without his dad there but I knew better than to assume with Seth. Vivi was in the living room with Seth while I put a tray of brownies in the oven. Beauty and the Beast was playing in the background, Seth had picked it out of the tons of DVD's my family had collected over the years.

"Are they almost done?" Seth asked.

I turned around to face the living room, "No, I just put them in the oven."

Seth groaned, "But I want one."

I rolled my eyes, "Well you have to wait."

Seth laid Vivianne down on her tummy down on the soft brown carpet. She reached out for her toy and squealed.

"Oh happy girl!" Seth said, rubbing her back gently.

He had always been good with kids and babies in a way I didn't understand, he didn't have any other siblings other than Leah and she was older than him by two years. Babies always gravitated towards him and when he held them they were always content even if they had just been screaming moments prior. He was a baby whisperer or some other magic bullshit.

She squealed back in response, throwing her toy at Seth's leg, he gently nudged it back towards her before she started to giggle.

"She's the cutest thing, aren't you Vivi?" I said.

She gave me a gummy smile and I kissed her head. Even if she was a surprise baby I still loved her all the same.

Moments passed and the timer went off so I went back to the kitchen to carefully take the brownies out of the oven, they looked perfect as always.

Seth speed walked to the kitchen carrying the baby and sat at the table, waiting to be given a plate. I cut him a square and handed it to him before he took a bite.

"Mmmmm, it's still warm in the middle."

I laughed at him again, classic Seth with the major sweet tooth who was always willing to try anything I made no matter how crazy it sounded.