Evelyn
"Can you believe the summer's over?" Seth asked me from my bed as I stuffed my clothes in my suitcase.
"No, I can't." I answered quietly. "I'll really miss this place. But… but maybe I'll come back next year."
"I hope you do."
"Me too."
Isn't it funny how we wait and wait for Summer Vacation to start, and when it finally does it goes by way too fast? I don't think it's very funny. But that was what it was like, ever since that vampire left. No, they never found him, but Alice saw him heading north, so we all had a feeling he wouldn't be back for awhile. And if he did, we'd be ready.
Some of you might think I'd be scared, but not really. Either I was having a sleepover at the Cullens' house with Nessie, or Seth would be lounging on my bedroom floor. My dad had no clue of course, but it was completely harmless. Seth was like my best… friend.
Why did I say that before? When we were talking after he woke up at the Cullens' house I had meant to say something completely different. What did I mean to say? That I loved him. I had said it to myself and in my head so many times, but I had yet to say it out loud to his face. And now that I was leaving, I had a feeling it was too late.
Renesmee's words from before rang through my head suddenly,: It's just that I made a deal with Seth that if no one got hurt in the middle of all of this, then he'd have to tell you something that's been bugging me.
Could it possibly be that he felt the same way? Oh please, get real Evy. Friends, we were just friends. He had said that before.
"Maybe next time I can visit California." Seth said, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"Not sure if you'd like it there." I said, putting together my second carryon bag. "Cramped cities, overwhelming populations, and the ever bearing sun. It's nicer here. There's the forest, the beach, you-"
I stopped short and looked down, blushing like a fool. From the corner of my eye I saw Seth smile sadly and then focus very hard on the ground. When he looked up, his eyes were determined.
"Evy, how much of the legends from the beginning of the summer do you remember?"
"Almost all of it. Why?"
"Because… do you remember the story of the imprints?"
"Yeah, that one was my favorite. Like love at first site, only different. And then I asked you who had imprinted, and you said it was just Jacob, Sam, Jared, Paul, and Quil."
"Well…" he started, "that may not be entirely true. Someone else has…"
"Really? Who?"
"It's…" he sighed and swallowed, then spoke again, spoke words that changed my life forever, "me. I did… with you, Evy. Ever since I first saw you I've had this crazy feeling about you. There's this connection and I know you feel it too. But it's not just the fact that you're my imprint. I really love you Evy, with or without it."
I froze when he said I really love you. My heart skipped a beat and butterflies flew around in my stomach. You know, I never realized how unhealthy love can be.
"I… me…" I knew what I wanted to say, but my voice was practically caught in my throat.
"But, you are my imprint too, so I'll be whatever you want me to be. A friend if you want." He said, taking my silence the wrong way.
I wanted to say: No, Seth. Not a friend, because I love you too. What I want is to stay here with you. But no, I stood there speechless like a moron.
"Evy!" my dad called. "Time to go, or else you'll be late for your plane."
"I just couldn't let you go without knowing. I guess I'll see you around then."
I should've stopped him. I wanted to stop him. But body wasn't functioning right and I just let him brush past me, his heat radiating off his body. Once he left it got unusually cold in the room.
I let out a shaky breath, grabbed my bags, and headed downstairs. My dad had Angel on a leash and stared up at me with worried eyes. "Is everything okay?" he asked as I climbed down the last step, "Seth seemed kinda upset when he left."
"Oh, it's nothing." I said, surprisingly convincing, "He's just sad that I'm leaving."
"So am I. Maybe you can come back next summer.
"Yeah, maybe." I shuffled past him and out toward the car. My feet felt like cement and my heart weighed a ton as I climbed in the car. Angel hopped in the back seat and whined softly, probably picking up on my sadness.
The car ride was long and silent. My dad focused very hard on the road ahead of him, knowing I didn't want to talk. I watched the forest roll past me, all the while thinking about Seth. I was his imprint. He would be whatever I wanted him to be. And it wasn't like I didn't know what I wanted; I did. So why didn't I say anything?
Finally we reached the airport, and my dad parked the car. It wasn't until we were walking up to the front doors with Angel's leash in my hand that I stopped. I dropped the leash and Angel stopped to look up at me, along with my dad.
"Evy, what's wrong?" he asked.
"I can't leave," I whispered.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I can't leave La Push. I want to stay here with you. I love… it here too much to go."
"But what about your life in California?"
"Not even close to as great of a life as it would be here."
"But Evy… are you sure? I mean, I'd love for you to live here, but this is a big decision."
"I'm absolutely positive."
"Alright…" my dad said slowly, "I'll have to call your mother thou-"
"I know." I interrupted. "But would you mind driving me to the beach? I have to talk to someone."
"Alright."
I'm not sure how I knew Seth was at the beach, I guess I just did. He was sitting on that little log where he had left me at the bonfire. His back was slumped and his chin was resting on his hands propped up on his knees. He was just staring out into the ocean by himself.
I smiled and walked up behind him. I placed my hands over his eyes, just like he had done before.
"Evy?" he said hopefully.
"Depends," I said, my small smile turning into a huge grin, "who do you wish it was?"
He stood up, turned around, and took my hands off his face. But he didn't let them go. "You're my every choice."
"Wow, corny much?"
"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be boarding your plane by now."
"Yeah, if I was going back to California. But I'm not. I'm staying in La Push."
"What? But your mom…"
"My dad already called her, and she's perfectly okay with it. A little upset that I won't be there anymore, but she has Derek. Ya know he proposed? That's probably why he wanted to go alone with her."
"But, why are you staying?"
"Uh, to stay with you, duh. That's what people usually do when they love someone, they stay with them."
Seth froze and looked at me with wide eyes. "You love me?" he asked in shock.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" I said like it was obvious. "I'm not sure why I didn't say anything before. I tried to, but I guess I really couldn't get it through my head that I was your imprint."
We stood there in silence for a little bit, the only sound being the gushing wind and the crashing waves. Then I felt the first drop of moisture on my face. Little by little more came down, until it was pouring rain.
I looked up at the clouds and smiled, and then looked back at Seth, who was staring at me with intense brown eyes. He slowly lifted up my chin and brought it slowly up to his lips. But he was taking too long, so I grabbed a fistful of his hair and him. At first he was surprised, but then he kissed on back.
Kissing in the rain: now that was corny. But it's not like I'm complaining.