The Girl in the Shadows

Chapter 12

Tuesday Afternoon

October 27, 2019

The week passes at breakneck speed after that making it near impossible to keep up with. Something happened with Steven and Peter on Monday, though the King of the school refused to talk to anyone about it. It worried me sick, and Gwen isn't any better. While I know of her family situation and we've talked about it she's chosen to keep more bottled up than anything else making me wonder if I was just an unreliable person to her and Steven now.

"Maybe they think I'm too unstable for them to tell their problems too," I speak the words aloud to Seth in the science lab Tuesday afternoon. We'd decided to meet up to continue work on the project.

"Hmmm." Seth hums as he works on his part. I had tried to concentrate on solidifying more of the storyline, but my thoughts are too preoccupied with my friends to give it any good amount of attention. "Do you think I'm unstable too?" I ask with complete innocence and sincerity. Seth's head whips up, his eyes clashing with mine.

"No, you're not unstable. What would give you that idea?"

I roll my eyes and lean my elbows on the lab table, resting my chin on my hands. "You didn't listen to a thing I said, did you, Seth?" I pout and a corner of his mouth quirks up in a lopsided smirk. He reaches over and tugs on my messy braid causing me to blush.

"I don't need to know what you were talking about to be able to answer with complete certainty that you are not unstable buttercup." Seth lets go of my braid and looks back down at his work.

"I just wished they'd talk to me more."

"Maybe they just don't want to burden you with their problems."

"But it's not a burden at all."

"Maybe they just want to work things out on their own."

"But I want to help them."

Seth sighs and closes his computer and notebook before zeroing his gaze on me. "Okay, you're clearly in no shape to be working on this project right now."

I bow my head at the statement and get a sheepish look as I murmur out an apology. Seth waves it off his signature smile still on his features. The look relaxes me. "We can work on it tomorrow, during lunch," I said hoping to make up for the inability to work on it today.

"Actually, I can't tomorrow. I'm eating with my friends."

"Oh, then Friday in the library."

Seth shakes his head. "Family night. Mandatory attendance."

"Saturday?" This time it's Seth's turn to get the sheepish look and I huff in exasperation. "Well, when then?" I watch as Seth begins fidgeting in his seat, his eyes traveling from his hands to me and then back again.

"I was actually hoping to invite you to my house. We can work on the project tomorrow night and probably even finish it up too. We're so close to the end and then we can just focus on cleaning it up for smooth play."

I sit in complete silence as I process what Seth had just spoken.

His house? Going to his house?

"Is the silence a no?"

"Yes!" I blurt out.

"Yes as in no or..." He trails off waiting for me to elaborate and I just nod my head.

"Yes, I'll go. I'll definitely go." I cringe at how eager I sound but Seth doesn't seem to mind in the least. In fact, his face splits into a wide grin and my heart stutters in my chest.

"Great!" He said and gives me the details of his address. My heart hammers away in my chest as I look down at the neatly written letters and numbers my excitement growing by the second. The day just got a whole lot better.

A/N: Shorter Chapter today with some light-hearted dialogue between Seth and Carmen to relieve some of the heavy convos from the last couple of chapters. Tomorrow's update will be longer, I promise! If you enjoyed don't forget to vote and drop a comment below! I love hearing from you.