Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: So another chapter and so soon, once again, avoiding my latin homework! But after this I really do need to work on it because it's due tomorrow. :P Glad you guys are enjoying the story so far, hopefully you'll enjoy this next little bit as well.
You're amazing with the reviews, I absolutely love, love, love reading them.
And they make me write faster! ;)
Enjoy!
-Savanasi
Miss Imprint
Chapter 11: Understanding
"Get away from him!" An angry voice struck through us, and Seth tensed against me before grudgingly slipping me to the ground and backing away. He stepped slightly in front of me, his stance protective. I wrapped my hands around my waist to prevent them from gripping onto him. Now wasn't the time. I leaned back against the tree behind me, taking comfort in its solidarity.
It was Leah, a furious, heaving Leah whose eyes were narrowed almost to the point of slits.
"Leah?" She looked at me, her face almost surprised, as if she had forgotten I was there.
"Are you guys okay?" She had returned her angry gaze to Seth who was rubbing his neck, quite clearly frustrated. The red on his cheeks was vibrant.
"Fine, what's up?" She ignored me completely this time, seemingly waiting for Seth to start talking.
"She ran into a wolf-I think, I got here in time to scare it away. Nothing happened." He glared at her, but if anything she only got more angry.
She stepped towards him before pulling his head down to whisper in his ear. Whatever she said only got him more tense and finally he just shoved her away.
"Stop it." His voice was low and dangerous and I never, in a million, years would have guessed that sweet, goofy Seth could procure such a sound.
"I warned you."
"And I haven't done anything wrong." He bit back the words. I stayed quiet, I had a feeling neither of them remembered I was here.
Let's see how much they'd let me hear.
"How can you say that? You were about to maul her against that tree. You call that nothing."
I glanced at Seth at this.
Please don't shrug it off, please say it meant the same thing to you.
But he just fixed her with a steady glare.
And stayed silent.
"Well?" She was so close to him now, her eyes sparkling with tears looking impossibly beautiful in a raggedy sundress.
"Nothing. It was nothing."
I felt my heart break, just splinter right there into a million pieces, and I felt my knees bending.
I couldn't stay here any longer.
Not after what he'd said.
I could barely recognize him, his form almost vibrating with rage, and his shorts dipped low under abs that weren't there just a month ago.
Who was this boy, this gorgeous, seductive boy who claimed to be my best friend?
I slipped back but they were still yelling, Leah berating him for lying to her, saying there was no way it was nothing but he was just taking it.
And I couldn't take it any longer.
"I'm right here." I said softly and both of them turned towards me, and Seth, his face, it dropped so fast and I could see the apology forming on his lips but I cut him off.
"Leah, can we have a moment?" She nodded, leaving with only a quick parting glance at Seth.
He ignored her.
He moved closer to me before she had even disappeared behind the tree line, and picked up my hand, turning it over in his own.
"Seth?"
"I didn't mean it." I wanted to believe him, so much. But there was no reason for him not to lie earlier.
"Then why'd you lie to your sister?"
He let out a breath, still avoiding my eyes.
"It's complicated. I can't really get into it right now." He raised his eyes, dark with desperation.
"You have to believe me Cass, you know this isn't nothing." I pursed my lips. He was avoiding, and he was backtracking and he was doing everything but telling me the truth.
"Why?"
"She's just being annoying, I didn't want her to butt her head into this."
He looked at me, willing me to believe him, his eyes so decadent and purposeful and I felt myself submit. It was so much easier than considering the alternative. Besides, this was Seth.
I could trust him.
"Okay." I smiled.
He let out a breath before returning it. His hand dropped and he wrapped his fingers around mine and squeezed before tugging me in the direction of the house.
"Wait." He paused, turning back.
"What were you doing?"
"Huh?"
"What happened to all your clothes?"
"I-"He faltered and I saw the disbelief etch across his face as he stumbled for a reason.
"Seth?"
I waited and he rubbed his neck, frustrated.
"I was-I was skinny dipping." He finished, haphazardly.
But I was miles ahead of him. I ran my fingers through his hair, and I felt my hope evaporate with the water that wasn't in his hair.
"Your hair is dry." I dropped his hand. And I took a step back.
"What were you doing out here?"
He ran his fingers through his hair in aggravation, and I felt the pieces fall together.
He was always there, right after the wolf, never during. He would show up just as it disappeared. And he was always hastily dressed.
He was huge, so much bigger than he had been.
And now, he was here, watching me, his eyes narrowing and I remembered Leah's words.
Be careful.
You were about to maul her against a tree.
She hadn't meant our near-miss kiss, she had meant the wolf. It wasn't inneuendo, it was literal. I had been against a tree when the wolf had been about to attack me.
I have to go.
I'll just run over.
I have to do something.
I can't tell you.
His excuses were as flimsy as his shorts and I felt like an idiot for not seeing through them earlier. Why else would Leah warn me away from him? Why else would she try to keep us apart?
Everything made sense now but I still had to keep myself safe and Seth-from Seth. I wasn't sure which it was right now.
Something had happened to him, he couldn't tell me but someone had made him into this- this monster.
He was shaking earlier, when he was talking to Leah, he was vibrating like he couldn't control himself, like if he got too angry, he'd turn, he would become that thing. Whatever it was. But it wasn't possible, was it?
God, everything made so much sense, and at the same time it was all so bogus. I mean people didn't just burst into fur, they just didn't. But right now, it seemed like the only plausible explanation.
Better safe than sorry.
"Just drop it, okay?" His voice was strained and I could see his eyes pleading with me.
"Okay. I'm sorry." I took a small step back, so small, it was almost insignificant but it drew his attention.
I felt my heart pick up but it wasn't in the same way as it did earlier when he had me pressed oh-so-deliciously against- whoa; focus Cass. I had to almost remind myself to stay wary of him. It was so easy to forget what he was.
"Cassie?" He took a step towards me and I matched him taking one back.
"I just, I want to go home, and just think. Is that okay?" I shot him a casual smile trying to keep his attention on my face and not my steps back.
"Okay, lets go." He was watching me, his eyes almost predatory. But his brows were narrowed, but I couldn't tell if it was in confusion or in understanding.
"Alone. I need to think alone."
"Oh." He dropped back at that, and he gripped the edge of his shorts and I felt my resolve waver. There he was, there was my Seth.
I almost stayed but I knew, I knew he wasn't really the boy I'd known my whole life. Not entirely.
Not anymore.
Something had happened to him and I needed to figure out what but right now, right now I wasn't entirely sure if I was safe, if he could control the thing that made him different.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I tried to make my voice as soothing as possible as I took another step back.
"Okay."
He let me go and I walked backwards until I excited the clearing and then ran as fast as I could, my legs breaking through the high grasses.
I ignored the sting of the wind on my cheeks as I rushed up the hill and into the house, bolting the doors and locking the windows.
I sat down in my room and pulled my computer towards me, settling it in my lap.
It was time to do some research.
On werewolves.
