Flowers for Lilah (Seth Clearwater)

chapter eleven

  I clear my throat in the car as Seth drives down the road, nervously fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. Our whole ride had been silence. I wanted to speak up, to make myself more interesting, but I was too afraid my throat would lock up and crack. So I stay silent.

What did this mean? He had said date, when he asked my grandparents for permission to take me out. Though my grandpa tried to weasel his way into joining up, but Nana had scolded him. He had opened the car door for me, did that mean date-date? Like he was as interested in me as I was interested in him? It couldn't be, I was the boring, painfully shy girl who lived with her grandparents, most people thought I was weird. I was too shy to introduce myself and show them I wasn't. Should I say something, make small talk?

We drive another ten minutes in silence, until Seth pulls up to a beat-up looking warehouse. I eye the place warily as Seth opens the door for me and he laughs at my sketched out face, grabbing my hand, "Cmon, Lilah, trust me, I'll keep you safe,"

I'd trust anything he said if he said my name the way he just did; like it was a caress. It was hard to disagree with anything he said when he held my hand like this, sending warmth through my entire frigid body.

"O-okay," I nodded, following him though the snow covered parking lot and to the front door. He stops me, taking in a shaky breath.

"Please be honest with me, I hope you'll like it, But if you don't, I can take you somewhere else, no worries at all. Or take you home, if at any point-" He rambles and I cut him off with a shy smile.

"Why would I go home?" I say demurely, finally meeting his panicked eyes, "I want to be here, with you,"

Shit, that was too forward. I blush and look down, kicking a piece of the snow with my boot. Seth grins widely at my words, his chest puffing out proudly a bit, and I'm glad he's comfortable. Even though he's adorable when he's nervous.

He reaches forward and opens the door, I step through into the bright lights, and my jaw drops. In front of me, in the mid-sized warehouse, and rows upon rows of potted flowers. I gasp at the bright colors surrounding me as I walk a few hesitant steps further. Vivid greens, soft pinks, dazzling blues. Glistening beautifully in the light, I realize that this place has to be a nursery. Seth took me to a nursery?

I flip around, my jaw still open, and see Seth watching my starstruck face intently. He's broken out into a wide grin, which I return. "A nursery?" I ask.

He nods, "I thought you might like it."

"It's beautiful." I smile, then frown, "But we don't have to stay here if you think it's boring-"

He breaks me off, "Lilah, don't worry about me at all. Tonight is about you."

"About me?" I squeak.

He shakes his head, "Tonight is about me trying to impress you."

My cheeks blush again, and I step further into the long rows of plants, "I'm very impressed. Thank you, Seth."

Boldly, I reach forward and grab his hand to hold it. Seth shoots me a sly smile, then leads me further down a row of Marigolds, until we reach the end of the tables, where a small pink loveseat sits, along with a few lanterns. It's perfect, it's beautiful. I want to ask Seth how he planned this, but I don't want to ruin this.

"Here," He leads me to the loveseat, sitting down next to me and pulling out a blanket from behind, "I brought this here earlier in case you got cold. I wrap up, inviting him to the other half and jumping when I feel his leg pressed up against mind. Suddenly I'm reminded again that this is a date with Seth Clearwater, and the uncertainty hits me again. I look down, going mute, I can't think of a single thing to say. My boldness is gone, and I'm a nervous wreck.

"You're heartbeat is racing," Seth murmurs, and I feel his eyes on my face, but I refuse to look up.

I blush. "How can you hear it?"

"I'm a wolf, remember?" He teases, "I can hear you're blood rush every time I make you blush.

To my extreme mortification, I blush again. He questions, "Is it me?"

"Kind of, I'm nervous," I admit, and just doing so releases a pound of bricks off my chest.

He sighs, "Me too. I could barely sit still on that drive over here. We have to stop getting so nervous around eachother."

"We?" I finally meet his eyes, incredulous, "Why would you get nervous around me? You're so sweet, and charming, and practically immortal! You're a wolf, for crying out loud! You have these amazing powers and this exciting secret life and-and I'm just this boring girl who lives with her grandparents and likes to read and-"

"Lilah," Seth cuts me off again, "I don't see it that way at all, how could I? Lilah, it's me who's completely undeserving of you. I guess the werewolf thing is pretty cool, but other than that... you are everything new to me, I've never met anyone even remotely like you. You're so warm, and poised, and so out of any league I could dream of being in. I feel like I'm just trying to reel you in,"

I stare at him wordlessly, my mouth agape. I can't think of anything to say at that declaration. But it feels like a piece of me is slowly coming together. I never even knew that I felt incomplete, or that I needed Seth in my life. But having him around just feels so right. It feels like he should always be around.

"Shoot," He shakes his head, "That was too strong. Now I'm dying to know what you're thinking,"

He's nervous again, so I put my hand on my cheek, making him look at me. "Seth, look at me."

"Lilah," He says softly, as we're caught gazing at each other, and I'm aware of how close we are to one another. "How about we start with something easier? What's your favorite color?"

A shy smile creeps onto my face, "Blue."

We continue that way, getting out our nerves by sticking with easy questions: favorite foods, birthdates, favorite genre of music, favorite books, middle names... we progress deeper; siblings, what our parents were like. I find myself confessing what life is like as an orphan, and Seth confides to me about how his father really passed. Everything just comes so naturally, I don't even feel nervous as our conversation progresses. I've forgotten about all of that.

"There's no way that's your favorite movie," Seth laughs, as our conversation grows lighter, and we laugh more. I don't even notice how close together we're cuddled now under the blanket, our legs completely touching.

"What?" I giggle, "How can you not like the Titanic?"

"It's so sad! And soooo long," He complains.

"But it's beautiful! I always cry at the end, and the way that Rose throws the necklace in the water at the end-" I'm cut off by Seth moving his head in suddenly, his hands now grabbing my face, one of each of side. I let out an airy laugh, "Seth what are you-"

"Lilah," He whispers, seeming dazed, he opens his mouth to say more, but shuts it suddenly, and before I can quip a "What" his soft lips are pressed against mine.

Two halves becoming a whole.