Flowers for Lilah (Seth Clearwater)

chapter eight

 When I wake up the next morning, I am alone in Seth's bed, the room still dim from the dark, stormy clouds that continued to pour outside. Where had Seth gone? Why hadn't he said goodbye? I was positive he had spent the night in this bed, as I almost rolled onto him when I had stirred in my sleep earlier.

I stretch and get out of bed, finger combing my hair to look semi-presentable in the mirror, and readjust Seth's gigantic clothes on me, before deciding to join the quiet house to see what was going on. I pad quietly down the hallway, following the soft murmur of voices I heard, until I reach the kitchen. Leah Clearwater is lazily slouching at a small breakfast nook, while Sue Clearwater nurses a mug of coffee while leaning against the stove. Both stop talking and turn their eyes towards me as I enter the room, and I blush. This is going to be uncomfortable...

"Lilah! Goodmorning!" Sue Clearwater greets me with a genuine smile. If she's angry at all about me emerging from her teenage sons bedroom the morning after in his clothes, I cannot tell at all.

"Uh, hi." I give a shy smile, joining Leah at the breakfast nook. "Where's Seth?"

"He had to go run some errands for Sam, he should be back soon." Leah explains to me, taking a bite of her toast. "I think he was hoping to be back before you woke up."

"Oh." I shrug, feeling really awkward. "That's okay, I was probably going to head home-"

"Nonsense!" Sue stops me, her face incredulous. "Seth would be crushed if you left before he could say goodbye, and there is no way you are walking in that rain!"

"Um... Okay, I'll wait for him." I shift in my seat, before clearing my throat. "Uh, Mrs. Clearwater, I'm sorry if it looks... bad. I mean- me spending the night at your house, with Seth. Not like that! Not in that sense! But I don't mean to be disrespectful to you or your rules at all-"

My rambling is cut off by Leah snorting, and dissolving into laughter. "Mom, I like this one, we're keeping her."

Sue shoots me a smile, "You didn't disrespect my rules in the slightest. I know you're a good girl, and I trust you and my son." She thinks over her words for a second, "Well, I trust you around my son. Maybe not the other way around."

"Oh, no!" I hurry to correct her, "Seth's a complete gentleman-"

Leah snorts again and dissolves to even greater laughter, Sue joining, but we're cut off by the front door slamming shut, and a few seconds later the man of the hour is entering the bemused kitchen- shirtless, of course. "What's going on?" He asks.

"We were just having some girl talk," Sue says, winking at me and turning back to her mug of coffee. "I'm going to go take a shower. I think you three have some talking to do between the three of you." She shoots her kids a very serious stare before stalking about of the room.

"What is she talking about, Seth?" I look up towards him, amazed at how perfect his body looks. I shake my head at the thought, my cheeks burning red again.

He smiles, "I'd be easier if I showed you. You want to come to Sam's house with me?"

"Uh, s-sure." Was this a date or something. "Only if you want me to, I don't want to bother you-"

Leah laughs, "Trust me, Lily, you are not a bother to my brother. He practically worships the ground you walk on."

"Shut up Leah!" Seth exclaims, but I can't help but feel a flush at his words, my eyes run down his chest again and I feel heat pool in my stomach. "She's shy, you can't just say stuff like that."

"Whatever." Leah rolls her eyes and stalks out of the room, "Let me brush my teeth and then we can go."

I watch her go in silence, before Seth's words sink in, and I realize that I'm offended. "I'm not shy!" I cry out, turning to him and knitting my eyebrows.

His eyes fall on me as he understands that he hurt my feelings, "I'm sorry, that wasn't cool of me to say."

"It wasn't." I agree, pouting slightly.

"But to be honest, you are a little shy. But I like it." He amends.

"I'm not shy, though," I defend myself, I didn't want to be labeled as shy, even though I knew I was. I didn't want Seth to think I was some boring, shy, loser.

"You're not?" His lips smirk up in amusement, and I find myself smiling back, and taking a step closer towards him.

"Nope." I pop the P.

"Then prove it to me," He takes another step towards me and raises his eyebrows, and I can feel his familiar body heat envelope me.

"I-I don't know how to do that," I stammer, I finally take my eyes off the floor and meet his. It's like I'm caught in a trance, the two of us, just staring at eachother in awe, unable to look away. He's so close to me, but I like it. I'm not a person of many words, but with Seth, I feel like we say so much without saying anything at all. I could just stare at him for hours in silence and still feel this crazy connection to him.

"You were gone this morning, I missed you." I say softly, then my eyes widen in surprise. I so did not give my mouth permission to say that! I feel my face blush.

"It was hard to leave you this morning," Seth admits, "Sleeping next to you just felt... right."

"It did." I agree, his words putting me on cloud nine. And we're staring at eachother for another immeasurable moment of time, both of us content not saying anything. I'm pulled out of my reverie by the kitchen door opening with force, and Leah calling in.

"Cmon you two! Stop staring at eachother and let's go!"