Moving On

Chapter 14 - "Your Shoulder to Cry On"

(Seb's POV)

Kevin and I rush out of work after our shifts and he willingly drops me off at the hotel where Mariah's staying. How did I know where they're at? Well, Kristen told me after the game.

"Hit me up when you're done," he calls out as I get out of his car.

"Aight. Thanks bro."

"No worries man and goodluck," Kevi adds before driving off.

I head to the pool area where the twins are. Ian set me a text about half an hour ago telling me that they would be there for most of the night but Mariah apparently refuses to swim. Perfect.

I see her sitting at a poolside chair with a book in hand. She's so into whatever she is reading that she doesn't even notice me slide in beside her. "Hey," I purposely greet with a husky voice. I can hear Ian snickering not too far behind me as she lowers the book. Her eyes widen once they land on me. "Hi again," I state.

"How-"

"I have connections," I say cutting her off. "Do you care for some sight seeing and star gazing?"

She frowns slightly. "It's late...I don't feel like goint out right now," she responds as she pushes her eyeglasses up the bridge of her nose.

I pull out my phone to check the time. "Well I didn't know eight o'clock is late for a  state champ."

"Fine," she smiles, "I lied but I'm just nor feeling it Seb. Sorry."

'Well freak....'

"Okay but," I try not to sound disappointed, "do you at least wanna tell me what's bothering you?"

"Huh," she questions before placing the book on her lap.

"Oh  come on Mariah, you're bothered by something I know. What's up?" I concernly asks. She deeply breathes in before letting out a huge sigh. "Iah tell me."

"I should be celebrating right but somehow I can't. I dreamt of this day, a bunch of times and it happened but...but why does nothing come...free." Tears begin to fill her eyes and trickle down her face. I cup her right cheek to wipe some of them.

"Let's take a walk," I suggest knowing that she'll be really conscious if people see her crying.

We end up going to their room. She's sharing the room with her brother for the night. I close the door behind me before following her and taking the spot beside her on the bed. Her head rests against the head board and her legs are crossed under a pillow.

"Have you-uh...have you ever wanted something so bad that it crushed you when one day you woke up realizing that it is slowly fading away?" Her gaze remainst still on her hands until I take hold of her trembling hands. Finally she looks up, meeting my eyes. "It's fading away....Oregon...it's fading away."

Unsure of what to say, I move closer and tighten my grip on her hands in an attempt to comfort her.

* * * * *

After comforting her and calming her down, we stayed in their room and looked through the pictures Ian took at the game.

"Seb," she calls quietly, "do you-uh have any plans of settling in LA?"

"Why, are you gonna miss me," I smirk. "Ouch!"

She lets go of my skin, "seriously though."

While reaching for the tv remote, I sigh, "I don't know Iah." I continuously scan through the channels in order to eliminate the nerve-bracking silence brought by this conversation.