His Gold ✓

20| Hiking buddies

      My golden hair blows in the icy winter wind, as I follow behind Seth. He wears blue flannels and big hiking boots. I put my mittened hands into my puffer jacket pockets, catching his stride.

    We walk a mulch trail; stopping occasionally, we watch ruby red cardinals perch on wood branches.

    My breath billows in clouds ahead of me. "I'm not really the outdoorsy type."

    "You're not?"Seth raises a brow, "you could have fooled me."

    I shrug happily, feeling the burn in my glutes as we take the sharp incline ahead.

   "So-" my breathing is ragged, "how many girls have you convinced to hike with you, before?"

    He makes a face, "none, technically. You didn't have to be convinced."

    I huff a warm breath against my palm. "You're right."

   "You know," Seth sighs, "I'm really glad you said yes to this." His blue eyes fixate on the sky.

     "I'm glad you asked." My voice is honest, "I don't have too many friends, if I'm honest."

   He chuckles, "you already have more than I do. I mean- Bryce Brown? What's the story, there?"

    My heart skips a beat. I wasn't aware Seth knew Bryce and I were friends.

     "Oh, him?" My words sound far away, "we've got classes."

    "Really?" Seth chuckles, "I assumed there was something more."

    "More?" I almost choke on cold air.

Oh lord help me.

    "Yeah- if you don't mind- I thought there was like, chemistry, between you two."

   I stop walking for a millisecond. Shaking my head, I mumble, "Chemistry, with Bryce?"

    Seth shrugs. "I mean, when we met he saved your brother. And then, at the next party I felt like there was electricity when I walked up."

     Is he crazy? Was he in the same room as me that night?

    "Problem is, Bryce is with Meghan." I inform him, "so I wouldn't think about him like that- even if there was chemistry."

    "So you've got morals." Seth's voice is low.

    I roll my eyes. The tall boy focuses on the path ahead, nodding forward. I see after a second that we're looking over a valley. The trees are all bare, so I can see all the way to the bottom. Seth's crystal gaze is on the side of my face.

      It feels like I'm on top of the world.

  "Maybe we can do this again sometime?" Seth says.

    My head bobs excitedly. "I'd love that."

    I feel free, up here, looking over the vast expanse of my new home, for the first time.

   "Thank you, Seth." I say to my new friend. "I needed this."

*****

      On Monday morning, my tune is certainly less upbeat. Ace and I walk exhaustedly to the caf for breakfast, as usual. He yawns, and I wish I could ignore why.

    He had another nightmare, last night. It was one of his worst ones. My chest hurts to think of it.

   He bounds away to his booth. Alone, I make my way to the unsteady one in the back of the cafeteria. Indie and I sit there in the mornings, now.