Onwards and upwards I say. Chapter 2 is here. Let us get going :)

DISCLAIMER: All Steph's characters are hers, mine are mine. So is the plotline.

Chapter Two - Cerriden

Seth POV

I hardly noticed that I was still standing in the middle of the hallway staring at her. I just wanted to take her in, every detail of her. Her overwhelming smell, the shine of her long, creamy legs and most importantly, the ways her eyes burned into mine with every glance I could afford to hold. I wanted to embed her image into my brain and never forget what she looked like in the first moments I saw her.

She stood in the doorway, standing at about 5' 5". She was pretty pale, but she had a slight flush on her cheeks. She looked warm, inviting. I couldn't see her whole face, and I found myself desperately longing to see it. Her hair was long, falling down her back in loose curls, hanging closer to her waist than her shoulders. It was a warm brown, and I bet it had a reddish tint in the sun… I wondered what it would smell like. I desperately longed to touch it; to run my fingers through its stunning length. She was small and slender, but I tried not to let myself focus too much on her body. She was wearing a plain white dress that reached to just above her knees and hugged her curves in ways that played havoc with my heart and imagination… She was perfect.

I felt hot – overheated – and it wasn't because I ran a temperature of 104 degrees. It felt like there was a warmth in my stomach that was floating into my bloodstream and spreading heat to every part of me. I felt tingly. It was an incredible feeling. Never mind butterflies, I had fireflies raging inside of me.

I had to know this girl. I wanted to know every detail of her life, I knew she wasn't from here or anywhere close by, I would have met her at some point, and I would have remembered her. I wanted to know where she was from, what kind of person she was, what she liked… What was her name?

I was suddenly dragged out of my stupor by a hard jab in the ribs. "Seth? What's wrong with you?" I heard Leah ask, I didn't even know she had followed me out of the kitchen. I must have made my gazing too obvious, if Leah had noticed; she had to be rather uncomfortable by now. Reluctantly, I dragged my eyes away from the girl and looked at Leah.

"Nothing's wrong Leah." I replied, my voice sounded strange, I think it was shaking. But nothing was wrong; in fact it was the complete opposite. Everything was perfect. It was like the girl had suddenly made everything right in the world.

"Are you sure?" I heard Leah ask, but I didn't reply.

I had returned my gaze back to the girl in the doorway, and I was suddenly caught in the incredibly green depths that were her eyes. She was looking up at me with a weird look on her face. It was as if her eyes were saying "I know something you don't know" not in a childish way, but a way that was calling to me, like she had a million secrets bottled up in her mind that she hadn't told a soul. I wanted to know those secrets. I wanted her to tell me these secrets. I tried to decide the exact green of her eyes, were they emerald, leafy green, or an olive tone? But I couldn't decide on just one, it was as if there were a million different shades swirling around in those stunning orbs. Her eyes were incredible. And then there was her face. Those incredible eyes were set in a heart shaped face, surrounded by long, dark eyelashes; she had small, pink lips. They looked so soft… I wondered what it would be like to kiss her. I brought my gaze back up to her eyes, and they were wide, like a deer caught in headlights. It was adorable. Her eyes were now, even more of a contrast to her face, being accentuated by her surprise. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, I was sure I looked ridiculous – too happy – Charlie was probably worried I was on drugs. Suddenly, I realised I didn't care what Charlie thought, or what anyone else thought, because the girl's face unexpectedly relaxed, and those lips curved into a glorious smile. In that split second, I decided that I would devote the rest of my life to see her smile like that again and be the one to make her smile. I could spend my whole life like this, just looking at her smiling at me.

"Seth?" My mom asked, dragging me out of my daze like Leah had. I abruptly realised how rude I must have seemed to the girl, leering at her like I was. I looked away from her and turned my gaze to my mom. She was looking at me intently, probably trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

What did just happen?

It seemed unreal, it was just too good to be true. Was it possible that I could have just this moment, imprinted on this mysterious girl? It was too sudden, too surreal… Could she possibly feel the same way about me?

"Well, the phone is just through here…" Mom said, turning back to the girl. "Oh, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Cerriden." She replied.

Cerriden. Unusual name. Unusual girl. It fitted her perfectly. Woodsy, magical, pretty…perfect.

"Well Cerriden, I'm Sue. This is my daughter Leah, my son Seth and this is Charlie." She gestured towards us as she said our names.

"Sorry for interrupting your evening." Cerriden said. I could listen to her voice forever…

"That's alright sweetheart." Mom told her, then she took her arm and led her away from us, into the kitchen to get the phone, Charlie went with her – probably wary of the strange newcomer. Obviously, I went to follow them, but I was jolted back when Leah grabbed my arm.

"Seth, what just happened?" She demanded, her voice was sharp.

I just looked at her, how could I explain it? Did I even need to? I was pretty sure Leah new exactly what was going on. She wasn't stupid, and I was certain that how Cerriden had affected me was written all over my face. I met her gaze. I suspected that she could tell everything from the look that I gave her, because she said a small "Oh" and dropped my arm, freeing me to follow Cerriden into the kitchen. I could hear her talking on the phone.

"…okay thanks. No, that's okay… Alright, thank you again. Goodbye." She said. I heard the line go dead and the click of the phone as she put it back on the hook. "They said they can come by tomorrow to look at it." She told my mom.

"And you're planning on sleeping in your car tonight?" She asked Cerriden, a noticeable tone of worry in her voice. I was worried too, I know nothing ever happened in these small towns, but it couldn't be safe to sleep in her car. I rounded the corner into the kitchen, and I saw her standing next to the kitchen table, by my discarded bag of Doritos. It seemed hilarious that less than 5 minutes ago, the most I had been concerned about was my food.

"Where were you headed?" Charlie asked her, "Is it far enough that you can't get there tonight?"

Unexpectedly, I was dragged out of my high, the ridiculously good mood I had been in. She would have to leave at some point. She could even leave me tomorrow. Panic gripped me. No, she couldn't leave. Not yet. I didn't even know anything about her, just her name whereas I wanted to know everything, I had to. Where was she headed? I prayed that it wasn't far, somewhere I could get to easily. What if she was going to another city? Another state? What if she was on a road trip that took a wrong turn into La Push, and now that I'd found her, she was going to leave me forever?

"It's not far." She said, the panic lessened a little. "Not even 3 miles… I think. It's just been a long day, and I don't think I have the energy to walk there."

3 miles. The panic was gone now, replaced with happiness again. She was probably still in town then. I could see her everyday if I wanted to… But first, I had to build a relationship with this girl. I had to make her want to see me as much as I wanted to see her.

"One of us could drive you there, if you wanted." Mom told her.

"I think I've caused you enough trouble already…" She replied.

"I'll drive you." I said quickly, before anyone else could steal the chance to be with her. It would be perfect, I could speak with her alone for a little while at least, if she wanted to go with me. Both Charlie and Sue gave me a quizzical look, probably wondering why I was so hasty to help her.

"Are you sure?" Cerriden asked me.

"Positive." I told her. "What's the address?"

"7 Alder Street. Do you know where it is?"

"Sure. Do you want to go now?" I was eager to get her alone, I had so many questions to ask her, and I didn't want anyone else around to listen in.

"Okay." She gave me a smile, then turned to my mother. "Thank you for letting me use the phone, Sue. Maybe I'll see you around town?"

"It was no problem at all." Mom answered her, "We'd love to see you here again sometime." Mom gave me a pointed glance. I could tell she knew I especially would love to see her here at anytime.

"Sounds cool," Cerriden answered. "Goodbye Sue, Charlie." She turned to me, and I lead her to the front door. Leah had left the hallway at some point, I could hear her playing music in her room.

"Do you mind if I get something from my car before we go?" Cerriden asked me, while I grabbed the car keys.

"Not at all." I replied, opening the front door for her. "Lead the way." She smiled at me and walked ahead of me. She headed towards a car on the side of the road and opened the trunk and reached inside, grabbing a bag out of the back. The green car looked a bit beat up, but nothing unmanageable for a girl her size.

"Seth...?" She asked. It was the first time she had said my name, my heartbeat sped up a little.

"Yes?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice even.

"Are you allergic to cats?" My face turned into a frown. What a weird question.

"No…" She walked over to the front door of the car and opened it.

"Do you like cats?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Good." She reached in and pulled out a black cat with weirdly bright blue eyes. "This is Rorie."

"She's nice." I couldn't think of anything else to say, and I took a guess that the cat was female.

"I know. So, where's your car?"

"Just over here." I gestured towards the driveway beside my house and we walked up the street in silence. When we got to the car, I chivalrously opened the door for her – it seemed like the gentlemanly thing to do.

"Thanks." She said shyly.

"Anytime." I answered in a deep voice, as she climbed in, holding her little cat in her lap. I shut the door behind her and climbed in on my own side, starting the car and pulling out of the drive.

"So…" I started, deciding which question to ask her first. "Why are you in this little town anyway? I haven't seen you around before."

"I'm moving in with a family friend." She said. Moving in. That meant she was staying. I couldn't stop the happiness that swelled in my chest and I fought to keep the smile off my face, certain it would creep her out, but I wanted to know more.

"And the rest of your family?"

She hesitated for a short while. "They're dead." She leant forward and hid her face in Rorie's fur.

The lifeless tone of her voice frightened me, and the pain that surrounded her words struck a chord in my heart. I remembered what it felt like when I lost my dad, and I swallowed around the lump in my throat. The silence was filled with too much emotion right now, and I wanted to comfort her somehow.

"I'm sorry. I know how you feel."

She looked up, I could feel her staring at my face. I tried to keep my eyes on the road.

"You've lost someone." She stated, I could hear her heart beating quickly.

"My dad." I answered her.

"I never knew my father." She said quietly. "He left my mom before I was born." She hesitated; I could only guess she was unsure about continuing, but she took a deep breath and carried on. "My mom was all I ever really needed, and I don't have any brothers or sisters."

I didn't know what to say to that. Even after I lost my dad, I still had Leah and my mom. I had no idea how I'd be now without them. "I guess I still have Rorie though, and I have a lot of friends who are there to look after me." It pleased me that she had the confidence to trust me, already, and tell me this little fragment of her past.

"That's good." I said, unsure of what else to say.

"Yeah. I stayed with some friends in New York City, but I don't like how… dead it is there."

"Dead? I thought New York was supposed to be lively, you know… the city that never sleeps?"

"Well sure, it's alive in that way- but there's hardly anything growing there…you know? I mean it's all building and streets. We didn't even have a back yard. I used to go to Central Park as often as I could, but I really missed all the trees there were back at home."

"So you moved here for the forests?"

"Just the natural stuff, it's kind of hard to explain actually." I wanted to talk to her some more; and I wanted her to explain her thing about nature, but we were pulling down Alder Street now. I pulled into number 7's drive.

"Here you go." I said, I noticed my tone sounded a little sad and resigned. I was sad, I wondered if she wanted to see me again. I hoped she would, and I didn't think I would take no for an answer.

"Thank you so much, Seth." She said, opening the door. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, when the mechanics come to check out my car?"

I realised in my haste to be alone with her I forgot about offering to fix her car, but more importantly she had said tomorrow. Which meant I would see her again. Soon.

"Sure." I was sure that sounded a little too enthusiastic. "Come knock on the door so you don't have to sit outside waiting for them."

"I will." She said. "Thanks so-" She was interrupted by a loud female voice.
"Cerriden? Is that you?" The voice asked, it sounded like it was coming from the house. Cerriden smiled at me, and climbed out of the car.

"Yeah! It's me Lissa!" She called back; she poked her head back in the car. "That's the woman I'm staying with, Melissa. Thanks so much for bringing me Seth, I'll see you tomorrow. Have a safe trip home."

"Bye Cerriden." I said back. She smiled and shut the door, and I ignored the strange sadness I felt as she walked away from me and over to Melissa, who I could now see standing in the door way. I waited until she was safely standing next to her, as if anything could happen to her during the walk to the doorway. Cerriden gave me a small wave as I pulled away, and I let the smile I'd been holding back from being with her erupt. I was distracted the whole way home, thinking of Cerriden's green eyes, and her beautiful smile, and her beautiful face, the sound of her voice… If I knew this is what imprinting was like, I would have gone to New York and found Cerriden long before today.

When I got home; I headed to my room before mom or Leah could bombard me with their questions. I'd deal with them tomorrow, before Cerriden got here.

Cerriden…

I didn't know what to do with myself, and it was pretty late, so going out didn't seem like an option without mom asking questions, and leaving this room meant Leah would come asking me what the hell had happened.

So I stripped off my jeans and shirt and clambered into bed. My mind was racing with a million thoughts, but eventually I drifted off to sleep.

I dreamt about the girl who had now become my everything.

Cerriden.

Hmmm. Love it, hate it? Yeah...

In case you wanted to know, Cerriden is pronounced Serr-ee-den :) Weird name, but it is like that for a reason ;)

~Elise