Disclaimer: Not Mine.
A/N: A little bit more that's a little bit longer to make up for the tragic shortness of the last chapter. Y'all are still rockin' with the reviews. :)
Hope you enjoy it!
-S
Miss Imprint
Chapter 7: Crush
School was the same as it always was. I trailed my fingers along the lockers next to me as I paced, my stomach exploding with butterflies.
But I couldn't explain it.
I think it was just nerves.
But, it was lunch and Seth was still not here. He said he would meet me, and I'd tried his cell phone and his home phone like thirty times.
But nothing.
I looked up at the north end of the hall, which led directly to the front gates.
Nothing.
Where was he?
This was ridiculous.
I tugged my fleece out of my backpack, hastily, shoving it over my head and then I was off.
I tried to keep my head down as I ran passed the teacher's lounge.
My car was in the parking lot, parked to the side as it always was, just slightly over the line. Dropping my bag into the seat next to me, I whirled out of the lot and pulled onto the main road.
If Seth wasn't going to pick up his phone or keep me posted on where he was-well I had to know.
What if he got hurt-or if he got in an accident? Bruce wasn't exactly safe.
I squealed to a stop at the only traffic light in town and waited, impatient as the light stayed that petulant shade long past it was necessary.
The other road that made up this four-way junction was vacant, not a car in sight and I was stuck.
I shoved my hands against the steering wheel in frustration.
"Come on! I'm on a deadline here!" I cried, angrily at the light and then finally, it reluctantly switched to green.
I was gone before the color finished appearing.
Pulling up outside his house, I crept around to the back, knowing if he was home, and not picking up his phone then I'd have to resort to more…interesting tactics.
The window was open and I cringed as I heard raised voices.
Seth. He was okay. The relief I felt at that was peculiar. It was too intense. I'd been too worried.
Anyway.
He wasn't alone.
From what it sounded like, he was teeing off against, a very, very pissed off Leah.
"I can't believe you, Seth!"
"Leah, come on, be reasonable."
"Seth, you know how this ends, don't do this!"
"Imprinting isn't the end, Leah, not for everyone. Besides, we haven't even done anything yet!"
I felt my cheeks darken. Could it, was this was about me? And what the hell was this imprinting business?
"How could you, after what happened to me?"
"This might be hard to understand, Leah, but not fucking everything's about you!"
His voice was growing hoarse; they must have been at this for a while.
A chocked sob, cut through the silence, punctuated by heavy breaths.
And then I heard her, angry-furious-raging-god, there wasn't even a word for what she sounded like.
"You do this, and I'll-I'll tell her. I'll tell her what sick mind game your about pull."
"You wouldn't dare." He practically growled at her, his voice dropping to a menacing baritone.
"Watch me." She spat those out and even though I knew I was supposed to be on Seth's side, I couldn't help but side with his sibling. Leah was being fierce right now. I couldn't let a sister down, you know?
Female power and all that.
I crept closer to the window.
The voices were dropping and my hearing was just not good enough.
"Leah, come on." His voice was quieter, more calm and I think he was standing, I could hear footsteps.
An aggravated sigh came from my left and I plastered myself more firmly against the house.
"Seth I love you but you're not giving me a choice. She has a right to know. You can't just keep her in the dark."
"Leah, it doesn't change anything, not really. You know that." His voice was richer now, placating, and it was sinful.
"Seth it changes everything. Imprinting is huge, it's-" And then she stopped and I almost cried out in protest.
Imprinting was what?
"What is it?" Seth now. He sounded alert.
"Nothing, I just think-" She paused and then I heard whispering but I couldn't make it out.
It was easy enough to guess though because not a moment later, Seth popped his head out the open window, his cheeks a brilliant shade of red.
"Cassie?" He squinted down and I got up sheepishly.
"Yup." I wrung my hands together; uncomfortable didn't even begin to cover this.
"What're you doing here?"
"Oh you know, I though your backyard looked a little weedy, thought I'd do some, er weeding." I smiled at him as innocently as I could but he wasn't buying it.
"You're supposed to be in school." He said flatly.
"So are you." I pointed out, refusing to feel the least bit guilty. If he didn't want to be overheard, he should have shut the damn window.
"Ah." He paused, before smirking at me.
"Good point."
I nodded back before exaggeratedly looking around and kicking the dirt below me.
"Would you like to come in?" He asked, rolling his eyes.
"I'd be delighted." I laughed, patting his head as I walked by to the back door that Leah was opening for me.
"Hey." I said, trying to cool my rapidly heating cheeks.
"Hey Cassie." She sounded tired, her eyes were begging for sleep. Begging.
"You okay?" I asked, my voice quiet,
"Yeah, I'm fine." She gave me an odd look. It was almost-but it couldn't be. But for a moment, I'd swear on my paintbrushes she was jealous.
"Okay, I'm going to-" I motioned my thumb inside the house and I was just stepping in when a steel hand wrapped around my wrist.
"Wait." She hesitated. Her eyes darting nervously back to the house, but I just shifted in front of her.
"What's up?" Was this more about imprinting? I placed a hand over hers and rubbed in what I hoped was a soothing manner, and it seemed to be a success because she gradually loosened her grip, as if convinced that I would stay.
"Just-" Her eyes drew up to the doorway again and I looked behind me. And there he was.
Seth. His eyes were drawn tight and one hand was gripping the wall next to him.
"I'll be in, in a moment, Seth. We're just catching up." I smiled up at him, and he relaxed slightly and disappeared into the house.
"Go on." I said, encouragingly.
"Cassie, be careful. Okay?" I looked at her in surprise and then I realized.
This must be about the wolf from last night.
Of course.
"I will." I smiled and she looked like she was going to say something else.
And then shook her head, and then let me go and walked off stoutly.
"Leah!" I called. She looked back instantly.
"Where are you going? It's freezing out."
"Just need to clear my head. Go inside, Cassie." I waved and then headed inside.
Seth was in his bedroom, sprawled out on his bed.
I kicked his side with my foot before sitting down on the edge.
"So, what was the big blow out about?" I asked. Subtlety was never my strong point.
"It was nothing." He covered his face with this palm.
"Seth, I know you've never been a particularly good liar, but even for you, that was poor."
"Shut up." I smacked him lightly on the hand and he reluctantly drew back.
"Leah's being all crotchety because I-" He stopped then, going slightly red.
"You, what?" I probed gently, but I had a feeling where this was going.
"I have a thing-" He broke off again and I quelled the urge to strangle him.
"Seth we discovered that when you hit puberty, will you please spit it out?"
"I have a crush." He let out a breath. And then looked at me through his glasses, eyes focused on my face.
"And?" He liked me? God this was awesome, because I had a feeling all that crap-
"And that's it." He finished suddenly and then he got up and shoved me lightly before walking to his closet.
"I'm sorry, did you think I was patient? Hello, frustrating impatient, pleased to meet you."
He chuckled lightly before turning back to me.
"What are you yapping on about?"
"Um, hello, who's the lucky lady?"
"Like I'd tell you." His eyes were soft, and a rare smile grazed his face. He just watched me for a second and it went off in my head, like a light bulb-hey, I'm an artist, okay? Similes aren't really my thing.
I grinned back at him. He didn't need to tell me; I knew who it was.
It was me.
Seth Clearwater had a thing, for yours truly.
Life didn't get any better than this.
