The Valentine's Note

Chapter 29

Being the perfect gentleman that he was, Seth forced me to leave his house an hour early just so that we'd be at my place on time.

"We don't need you get you in any more trouble than you already are," he said as he dragged me across his living room, his hand pressed firmly in mine. "Plus I can't tarnish the reputation I worked so hard on."

I rolled my eyes behind him but chose to not say anything.

"Seth? Ava?" Amanda called out from the kitchen. "You're leaving already?"

I shrugged and pointed at the back of her son's head. He only stopped speed walking when his mom approached us.

"Make sure you drive safe," she said, looking at Seth. "I don't trust you on that bike."

I suppressed my smile as Seth rolled his eyes at her. She turned to face me with a warm smile on her face.

"It was lovely to meet you," she said, pulling me in a hug. "Come by often. Don't wait for Seth to invite you over."

I grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you for tonight. Dinner was delicious."

She brushed me off with the wave of her hand.

"Okay, goodbyes done. We're leaving," Seth announced, bursting our little bubble.

He was dragging me towards the door again. I turned around and waved at Amanda as she stood there chuckling. Seth only let go of my hand once we were near his bike.

"You know," I spoke up as he sat on his bike and put his helmet on. "My dad isn't going to kill you if we are late by a minute."

He didn't answer but simply pointed at the back of his bike with his thumb.

I shook my head as I got on and said, "You're so bossy."

I wrapped my arms around his torso as we rode off into the night. We were on a familiar path on the way to home when I remembered something.

"Seth, take the next right," I called out to him.

"Why?" he yelled back over the breeze.

"It's a shortcut," I lied which seemed to make him happier and relax even more.

He followed my instructions and turned right. We were on a not-so-developed concrete road which was dimly lit by the streetlights. He was riding slowly because of the narrow road.

"Are you sure this is a shortcut?" he questioned.

"Just keep going straight," I instructed and he followed reluctantly.

"I should've never listened to you," he mumbled.

"Sorry, what'd you say?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Nothing! I love you!" he exclaimed while I tried not to smile.

"Okay, stop here," I said loudly causing him to jerk to a stop.

"What is going on?" he asked once I got off the bike.

"Just come with me," I said, outstretching my hand to him.

Instead, he removed his helmet and turned off the ignition of his bike as he continued staring at me, waiting for me to explain.

My shoulders sagged as I explained, "Fine, I lied to you."

"What?" he said. "Ava, I need to get you home on time. This isn't helping."

"Come on, we still have a lot of time left," I insisted. "You were the one saying that we don't get to spend a lot of time together. I'm just trying to make most of the time we have."