Sterling Silver (Sterling Hunter Series Book 1)

Chapter 22

"And now, I don't know what to do. Derrick's coming over tonight too so it's not even like you can come over and help me figure out what I am doing with my life," Tabitha said, throwing her hands in the air. Chelsea leaned against the locker next to hers, a look of shock on her face. She'd sat there for the last twenty minutes, slack-jawed as Tabitha described her evening. Minus the vampires and the vampire talk and well anything that may be supernatural.

She clutched her latest romance novel to her chest. "Well... I think you just need to figure out how you really feel. The whole no labels thing never works out. Either you like him, love him or you don't. Either you guys are together or your just friends. You can't just be 'Tabitha and Sebastian.' That's kind of weird."

Tabitha grimaced. Chelsea had a point. She was deluding herself if she thought they could live outside of society's norms. And she was deluding herself even more if she didn't admit to herself that she had feelings for Sebastian. Maybe more than feelings. More than "like."

Maybe...

But after their night out and the kissing and the hunting and the killing and then how he made her feel so accepted and so... wholly herself without any shame? Tabitha couldn't pretend she didn't feel something towards him.

He wasn't scared of her or concerned for her mental wellbeing because he understood her urges. Understood how she worked, and maybe Tabitha just needed someone in her life like him. To validate her and make her not feel so much like a freak.

A small smile spread across Tabitha's face and she shut her locker, gripping her book in hand. She knew what she needed to do. It wouldn't be easy with her siblings in town, but she would find a way to make it work. She and Sebastian needed some time alone so she could figure out what to do with him.

"Your sort of amazing Chelse. Thanks for the advice," she said as they walked side by side through the halls.

Chelsea grinned, her cheeks blushing pink from the compliment. "What are friends for?"

Tabitha flashed her a thankful smile, muttered something about seeing her at lunch and headed down the opposite hallway toward her Biology class.

***

In the cafeteria at lunchtime Tabitha found Sebastian and Chelsea talking at their usual table and when she slid into the seat between them they both fell silent.

"What are you two talking about?" she asked, giving Chelsea a suspicious look.

Chelsea shrugged and grinned sheepishly, turning back to her book and biting into her apple. "Nothing..."

Tabitha glanced at Sebastian who just shrugged too and propped an elbow on the table, leaning his chin against his hand.

"So... you want to know what I found out from Emmy and Keller or do you want to grab me and kiss me again?" he whispered, cocking an eyebrow suggestively.

Tabitha rolled her eyes at him, unpacking her food. "Tell about what your sister said," she said, unwrapping her sandwich.

He smirked as if he'd won some sort of battle and scooted his chair a little closer so they could talk without Chelsea or anyone else overhearing them. His green eyes became intense and dark as he recalled what his sister told him. Tabitha leaned forward, taking a bite of her sandwich. "I was late to school this morning because I was busy interrogating Keller. He didn't know much... Not as much as Emmy. She said Alistair knew about the families that live here... the hunter families and about the Carter Inn."

Tabitha almost spat out her sandwich. How in the hell did he know about the Carter Inn? "How? That's one of the best-kept secrets I know of."

Sebastian nodded. "Well he does. And... Alistair knows about their position in the Moirai."