Metamorphosis

Confrontations

Chapter 66

Confrontations

"Seth," Mira exclaimed in distress. She gripped the arm of the sofa and tried to stand herself up. Adam quickly rose and helped his daughter to her feet. Seth just stood there, shaking with cold, anger, and sadness.

"How could you?" he hissed. "How could you tell them? I thought I could trust you!"

"Seth please, I had to tell them," she pleaded, walking toward him slowly. He took a step back and she saw his eyes darken. Like a caged animal, he shifted his gaze in the direction of every possible escape route.

"Why?" he rasped out, "I told you I didn't want anyone to know! I told you that!" when she came within a foot of him, he leaned himself back against the nearest wall and cringed.

He wasn't sure what had woken him up, but it did the trick. He had stumbled out of Mira's room looking for her when he heard them talking at the bottom of the stairs. The boy was still pretty drowsy, but he heard exactly what they were saying. When he heard Audrey mention getting the police involved, he woke up and intervened.

Now he stared into Mira's trusting face and felt nothing but anger and betrayal. Audrey and Adam loved their daughter more than anything, and now they would see him for who he really was. Mira may have been supportive when she heard the truth, but her parents would probably be different.

"Sweetheart," Audrey addressed him, "We are not going to judge you; we are going to help you."

He scoffed and turned his face away, "Yeah right!" he yelled, not caring about his behavior or that he probably woke up the whole neighborhood.

Adam took a step forward to tell the boy to calm down, but his wife touched his arm, silently telling him that it was a bad idea. The older woman saw that Seth's shoulders were heaving and he looked absolutely exhausted.

His blue-green eyes flickered to the three Pascals, and he huffed. "I'm outta here." He mumbled, turning and running up the stairs to get his shoes and dog. He nearly knocked over Marli, who stood at the top of the stairs wondering what was going on.

Mira wanted to go after Seth and comfort him, but Audrey placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered "I'll handle this."

Audrey walked up the stairs after the boy as Marli walked down the stairs to her father and sister.

"What's going on?" she asked, innocently rubbing her eye with the back of her hand. Mira tried to smile, but was too tired and overwhelmed.

"Nothing, sis. Go back to sleep," she said gently.

"Don't have to tell me twice. 'Night," Marli began back up the stairs to her bedroom.

Audrey walked into Mira's bedroom to see Seth sitting on the bed trying to yank his sneakers on his foot. He didn't look up when she came in, but she knew he saw her.

"Seth," she cooed while slowly approaching him. He refused to look up, so she sat at the foot of the bed, as far away from him as she could. "Honey, there is no reason to be ashamed."

"I'm not," he snapped angrily. Cujo and Carrie watched the interaction in sleepy boredom from the dog bed.

"Okay," she held her hands up in defense, "Then will you please listen to what I have to say?"

Seth glanced at her for a millisecond, "Make it quick," he didn't care if it was rude, didn't feel like being polite. He just wanted to get back to his house.

"Mira loves you," Audrey stated. Seth paused in putting on his shoes to look at her briefly. "You don't know how hard it must have been for her to decide to tell us, but she did. That girl has been through a lot –not that I'm blaming you- and I think you should cut her some slack."