Flowers for Lilah (Seth Clearwater)

chapter four

"Hello? Anyone home?" I bang on the small, blue door that was attached the the Black's wooden cottage. I can't believe my imprint lived just a few streets over for me, yet I'd never talked to her before today. Lilah. Her name kept echoing in my mind until I said it out loud, loving the way her name put a smile on my face. 

"Come in!" I hear my soulmate call, and I entered through the house, looking around. It was obviously her grandparent's cottage, with old wooden floors, hand knit blankets draped everywhere, the house was very cozy. I look for the beautful face that belonged to the voice I had just heard, only to find each table in the small living room was covered in beautiful pots with ornate flowers. Each a bright color, obviously taken very well care of. Was her grandmother a florist? I couldn't remember.

"Oh," I look up at Lilah, who pauses in the doorway, unsure of how to greet me. She was wearing the same creme colored sweater as before, that made her cheeks seem as crimson as the roses in the vase next to the TV. I listen as her heartbeat sped up to a hummingbird's speed, she's flustered. Was she nervous? She seemed to be at a loss for words, waiting for me to say something.

"You're Lilah, right?" I faked like I didn't know her name. She nodded, her eyes falling to the floor when I said her name, how I longed to look into her dark eyes again, they were so much more than just dark eyes. They held so much emotion- timidness, even sadness. She was so quiet, but I knew there was so much more behind her.

"Uh- wow. Uh, so what are you doing here?" I ask casually. Smart, Seth. Did I really just ask her what she was doing in her own house? I feel my face flush, "Wait, you live here, that was a stupid question. I was just coming to return your brownie pan." I hold out the glass pan to her, willing her to step closer to me to grab it.

She cracks a smile at my blunder, "M-me too." She stumbles out, then frowns at herself adorably. "I mean, thank you. W-what was your name, uh, again? S-sorry for ask-"

"Seth." I squeak, sounding stupid yet again. I clear my throat and try to speak a little lower, "My name is Seth."

She finally looks up from the floor and directly into my eyes, and I find myself completely lost for words. Could anyone ever consider her face to be plain? Though I'd barely heard her talk above a whisper, or stumble out more than a few words, I knew that behind her eyes there was an entire world to be discovered. An entire girl in there begging to be heard. Her beautiful heart shaped face, rosy red cheeks that flushed every time I looked at her, to her furrowed eyebrows that gave her the look as if she was worrying about something.

We sit in silence for an immeasurable amount of time, neither of us saying anything. I can tell she is completely out of her element- awkward and uncomfortable.

"Lilah! Who is your guest?" I hear light steps descend into the room, and our silence is interrupted by a short, stocky old lady, with graying hair flopped up on top of her head. She gives me a knowing smile when she sees me, she seems the complete opposite of Lilah: feisty, outspoken, intrusive.

Lilah stares at her grandmother for a long second, before her face clouds over with embarrassment. Lilah lightly steps forward to snatch the empty brownie glass out of my hand and retreats into a different room with it, disappearing.

"I'm Seth." I say to her grandmother, staring after the door Lilah just stormed through.

She smiles amusingly at me, "I know a Clearwater when I see one, Seth. I remember when you were just a little baby and Leah was treating you like her own barbie doll. I apologize for my little Lilah running off, she's terribly shy. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure where she gets it from. I was always a loud rambunctious thing. So was her mom." She rambles, chuckling, then turning back to me. "What was it you needed, boy?"

"Uh- I was just stopping by to return your brownie plate and say hi." I say awkwardly, now is not the time to bring up that I plan on marrying her granddaughter some day.

She nods with that knowing look in her eye again and smirks, "Let me tell you something Seth, I've been meaning to get your mom a cookie recipe."

"Oh. I can bring it to her now." I shrug, shoving my hands in my pocket.

She clucks, outraged, "Why would you offer that! I like you boy, don't be dim witted. I'll send my Lilah over later to deliver the recipe to you." She winks, and I finally catch on. She's helping me win over her granddaughter? "Maybe leave that nice plant from your front porch in the house, Lilah loves flowers."

"Uh... Okay. I can definitely do that. Thank you, so much."