That Boy Next Door

Chapter 17

A/N Dedicated to @purplesky172 for her comment, gonna try to dedicate each chapter to a reader :)

As Lucas stepped closer to the pair who stood clustered together near the railing, he stopped and scrutinized both their faces.

"Well?" he asked.

"We couldn't sleep," Dannie said, telling only half of the truth.

"Why are you here?" Seth asked crossing his arms over his body.

"I was looking for Dannie."

"Lucas, you're not my guardian.  You don't have to constantly hover over me, especially not after you left me last year," Dannie said accusingly, still peeved that Lucas interrupted her moment with Seth.

"Yeah, you don't own her.  It's not like she needs your help anyways," Seth said.

"What, so both of you guys are against me now?" Lucas asked incredulously.  "I'm out."

Lucas turned his back and walked back out the way he came, stubborn and proud as always.  An inkling of guilt crept into Dannie's mind as she realized that she had spoken rather harshly.  Lucas was never one to put up with other's bullshit and he wouldn't come around until she had apologized.

"I have to go get him," Dannie said hurriedly to Seth.  She turned around to chase down her best friend but a hand caught her wrist.

"What about me?" 

"What about you?" Dannie repeated, confused.

"Can't you open up and tell me what the deal is between you and him?" Seth asked.  There was no sign of begging or desperation in his voice.

"I don't have time for this.  Why do you want to know anyways?" Dannie asked exasperated.  

"I care about you too, Dannie.  I think I deserve to know," Seth reasoned.  

Dannie's stomach clenched and she looked everywhere but at him.  He cared for her, but not the way she wanted him to.  His purchase on her wrist suddenly felt ten times more noticable, as the area around her skin heated up from the contact.

Dannie withdrew her hand gently from his grip and looked him in the eye.

"I'll tell you later," she promised, running back down the corridor, away from Seth.  And she meant it.  Maybe it was time she told him and he'd stop bothering her.  It wasn't like the news could damage their rocky relationship even more.

Seth watched her disappear into the cruise ship, going after Lucas.  And leaving him standing alone.  Something inside him burst right then and he couldn't control it.

A white hot emotion coursed through him, and spinning around to face the railing, he struck the metal with his fist.  The numbing feeling spread slowly into his left fist and then he threw a punch with his right hand.  

Leaning up against the railing and looking at his bruised knuckles, Seth welcomed the pain.  It was much easier to deal with than the agony within him.  

As his fists swelled and turned a purple color, Seth questioned what exactly he was doing.  Was this what people did before they lost their minds?  

Seth threw his head back and let out a bubble of hysterical laughter just as the rain began falling onto his face.  If this was what it felt like before people fell off the deep end, it sure didn't feel nice.

"Lucas!" Dannie called chasing after a lean figure.

The figure stopped and a puzzled Lucas turned around.