Chapter 14, Double Date

At first, it seemed like such a good idea. Jake and Leah were making plans to see Phantom of the Opera in Seattle, so they invited Seth and Paris to go with them. It was near enough to Seth's birthday to call the tickets a birthday present. Seth couldn't really afford them, so it seemed like an uncharacteristically warm and fuzzy gesture on Leah's part.

Seth was turning 17, a little young (in his mother's view) to be going away with his girlfriend for a weekend, but Leah and Jake would be there to "chaperone." Yeah, right.

Leah opened her trunk and threw her small bag in. Meanwhile, Seth was securing Paris' suitcase in his truck. "Seth, what are you doing? We're not all riding in that thing!" Leah sneered.

"Fine, but if we're going in the Leahmobile I'm driving," Seth argued. "You'll get us all killed before we get to..." A deep voice behind him interrupted "I'll be driving – any objections to that?" There were none.

They all piled in Leah's Chrysler. It was a beautiful day, atypically bright and clear. Sue and Charlie waved from the porch as they drove away, delighted to have the Clearwater house to themselves for the weekend.

They arrived at the hotel about 3, just in time to check in. Fortunately for Paris, the hotel had a parking garage with artificial lighting. The girls had a room on the 15th floor, and the guys had a double on the 14th, directly below. It probably would have been a good idea to discuss it ahead of time, but the two couples had vastly different ideas about sleeping arrangements.

When all was said and done, Jake and Leah were ensconced in one room and Seth and Paris in the other. Seth and Paris got the room with two double beds, and the others chose the single king-size. Even that might be a little crowded, with Jake towering at 6'8 and Leah close behind. She had continued to grow after she started phasing and was secretly relieved to stop just shy of six feet. They agreed to meet for dinner at 6:30, before the play.

Seth, ever the gentleman, let Paris shower first. She modestly took her robe into the huge bathroom and emerged with her dark hair swathed in a fluffy towel. While Seth showered and shaved, Paris dried her hair, applied her makeup, and dressed. She was stunning in a red strapless cocktail dress that set off her dark hair, and she wore strappy high heeled sandals. Seth was darkly handsome, dressed in a dark suit and a crisp white shirt, and heads turned admiringly as they stepped off the elevator.

Seth knocked tentatively on Leah's door. She burst out laughing when she got a look at the well-dressed pair. Jake and Leah were clad in dress jeans, button-down shirts, and blazers. Even so, they were striking with their dark, chiseled features, and with Leah's heels they towered over the other couple.

Leah grinned at Paris. "Good thing I never liked being inconspicuous!"

Paris groaned inwardly. One of the things Seth loved about her was her shy, quiet nature, and she hated being the center of attention. Of course, as a vampire it was never a good idea. She had a feeling that the foursome would be drawing attention wherever they went tonight.

The restaurant was crowded. Paris was convinced a hush fell over the room when they walked in, but it was indisputable that every eye turned their way. Paris was grateful, not for the first time, that it was physically impossible for her to blush. The Quileute segment of the foursome had no such inclination. They had a reservation and were seated within minutes, a little too close to the kitchen door.

Leah glared down at the stocky waiter. "This is not acceptable," she stated, pleasantly enough. He might have summoned up the courage to argue with her if he hadn't picked up on a low growl that escaped her throat. That convinced him that, whatever these people were, he didn't want them to be unhappy. He quickly found them another table more to their liking. Paris would have been perfectly happy to be seated on the floor, under it, as long as Seth was there with her. Of course Paris didn't eat, so (to keep up appearances) she ordered a second meal for Seth, who could put away food like…well, like a hungry wolf.

The rest of the meal passed uneventfully, and the four young people laughed and chatted, enjoying each other's company. Under the pristine white linen tablecloth, Paris and Seth held hands. Leah had kicked her shoe off, and Jake grinned as he repeatedly swatted her exploring toes from the leg of his jeans.

The theater glowed, with crystal chandeliers reflecting off the multi-colored jewels worn by the patrons. Jacob and Leah might have been slightly underdressed for the venue, but no one thought to challenge them. They were amused by the surreptitious stares and whispered comments of theater-goers who were convinced they must be someone.

Again looking back, it was probably not the best idea to seat Leah and Seth side by side. The first fight was over their common armrest. The only one of the four who was structurally compatible with the small seats and skimpy legroom was Paris. Jacob became aware of the struggle at the same time as most of the other people in their section, when the growling started, and he tactfully put his arm around Leah, clamping his oversized hand on the armrest and effectively ending that battle. "Umm…how old are you?" he whispered to Leah with a smirk.

Then, when the chandelier came crashing down during the play, Seth tried to jab Leah in the ribs, forgetting that Jacob's arm was in the way. As Jake glared at Seth, Leah got a fit of the giggles, which set Seth off, and they very nearly got thrown out of the theater.

Back at the hotel, they parted company. Seth and Paris cuddled on the couch in their room. Seth told Paris, for the umpteenth time, how beautiful she was and how happy he was to be spending the weekend with her. They kissed tenderly, and Seth finally fell asleep with his head in Paris' lap. She lifted him easily and carried him to the bed, where she covered him with a blanket and lovingly brushed the dark hair from his forehead.

Paris, who didn't sleep, lay down beside Seth, enchanted by his even breathing. She smiled as she waited for the morning, and she wondered if the chandelier in their room would come crashing down like the one in the play, with all the commotion from the room above.

On the ride home, Seth and Leah argued about choosing a radio station, what kind of food they'd have for lunch, football teams, political candidates, and even the weather. Jacob and Paris smiled and exchanged conspiratorial glances that said "let's keep these two as far apart as possible in the future!"

Altogether, they all actually enjoyed what would affectionately become known as "the weekend from hell."