The Time Capsule (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-One

My parents spent the rest of the afternoon with me which was great, we went for dinner and a walk along the marina before they had to get home and get ready for their night shifts. For the first time in a long time I felt lighter and at ease with myself. I was happy.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the movies?" Carla asked again as I walked through the house with my phone tucked under my chin, my arms filled with books and my laptop.

"I'm sure, I'm already in my pyjamas, I'm going to chill at home and try to get some studying done." I said as I flopped down on the sofa.

"Okay, fine." I could practically hear Carla pouting. "But you ring me the second you change your mind."

"I won't change my mind." I assured her.

"I give it ten minutes." She rebutted.

"Bye Carla." I laughed before hanging up the phone. I fired up my laptop and cringed at the open text book in front of me. The lure of the movies was so tempting but I'd been slacking off for way too long, and NYU was on the horizon.

Almost ten minutes after my phone call with Carla a knock on the front door startled me, checking the time I laughed at the cheek of my best friend before running to answer the door.

"You just won't take no for an answer will you?" I laughed as I opened the door to let her in.

"I suppose that depends on the question." Seth replied, he stood in the doorway dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, his once tame hair was now longer and a little more wild. I couldn't help reaching out and pushing his shoulder lightly just to make sure he was real. He chuckled in response. "Hi Frankie."

"What are you doing here?" I managed to stutter.

"I came here to see you." He replied a little anxiously.

"Why?" I couldn't help my bluntness, it was almost a knee jerk reaction to avoid more pain.

"Because I missed you." He stated matter of factly. "Can I come in?"

"Okay." I moved aside and allowed him in, he walked into the lounge and stood awkwardly.

"Frankie." He began. "I'm so sorry that I left so abruptly, but I had to get away from everything and everyone. I was hurt and angry, I think I may have made things worse if I'd stayed." I noticed his hand tremble beside him slightly.

"Do you want to sit down?" I offered, he nodded and quickly moved to a sofa, I sat opposite him.

"Sorry, I'm nervous, I've been planning this speech for weeks." He rubbed his hands together and exhaled deeply. "I'm not angry anymore, well not at you at least, I just wish I'd known."

"Seth, I'm sorry." I started.

"No please Frankie, let me finish." I nodded and quietened down again. "Amongst all the pain and anger I felt there was another emotion lingering, a sense of loss and at first I thought it was for my dad, Todd I mean, but I came to realise it wasn't for him, it was for you. I was so sure I'd lost you and I'm still not sure I haven't but I want you to know Frankie that I was falling for you." My heart skipped a beat at this revelation, he'd been falling for me, and I knew the sense of loss he'd felt because I'd felt it too. "And I want to fall for you completely, if you'll let me." He finally listed his eyes from his trembling hands and met mine, they were full of hope and anxiety.

"I was falling for you too." I admitted, his lips lifted slightly into a smile.

"I'm sensing a but."

"But-"

"There it is." He said looking dejected.

"When you disappeared without a trace, when you ignored my calls and messages you tore me to pieces. I was lost and I've just managed to pull myself together, so I'm scared. I'm scared that I'll fall so deeply this time that I'll never be able to find myself again if you leave me." Seth stood and closed the gap between us taking my hands in his.

"I will never leave you again." He kissed my hands tenderly. "I will never hurt you again, I never meant to hurt you before Frankie. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too." I said honestly as my tears began to spill over. "I'm sorry I wasn't honest." He shook his head at my apology.

"Can we just try again?" He pleaded. "Please, I don't want to live my life with another 'what if', please try for me." I could barely see through my teary eyes, I shook my head lightly and wiped my eyes, his shoulders sagged with defeat.

"I want to try again for both of us." I replied. Seth raised his head and my glassy eyes met his before his face broke out in a huge grun, and he leapt forward to wrap me in his arms, his arms locked tightly around my torso and I smiled with relief too.

"I missed you so much." He said before planting a kiss on my forehead. "So much." I gently run my hand along his stubble covered cheekbone before pulling his lips to mine. Seth broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed.

A few moments later his eyes sprung open and he hopped up to his feet.

"I've got a surprise for you." He told me rushing to the front door.

"Another one." I could feel my excitement bubbling up in my chest, I fidgeted anxiously as he headed out the door and disappeared for a minute. His heavy footsteps announced his return and I jumped up eagerly to meet him.

He walked in with what appeared to be a bundled up hoody, something wriggled amongst the mound of material.

"So I want you to meet someone." Seth tried to coax me over to him.

"Oh my god Seth, is that a baby?" I almost cried out, a wave of nausea rushing over me.

"Kind of." Seth laughed moving closer and parting the material, a bundle of brown fur appeared before my eyes.

"A puppy?" I asked confused.

"Your puppy." He corrected me and gently handed over the small sleeping creature, I stood with my mouth hung open.

"What? Why?" I tried to form a coherent sentence.

"Blossom had puppies, and the stud's owner usually gets first pick of the litter, I thought you wouldn't mind if I picked."

"This is Blossom and-" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Barley's puppy?" Seth nodded and a sob escaped my lips, I held the puppy up and examined it, before burying my face into it's soft fur. "You have no idea what this means Seth." I sobbed and he wrapped his arms around me again.

"A second chance with something you thought you'd lost? I think I know how much that means." He replied earnestly before our lips met again.