Chapter 3 - Flora and Fauna
“Hey,” I said softly.
Seth stared down at me for a moment before sliding to the side so that I could get into my locker. “How are you doing?” he asked. He was standing close enough that I could feel the heat of his body radiating off him, and I wanted to feel that warmth against my skin.
“I’m okay,” I said with a nod. “Still processing.”
“I figured.”
I wasn’t sure what to do or say next, so I continued organizing my bag and locker. Once I was finished, I closed the door and leaned against it. Our eyes met, and the intensity was enough to make me shiver.
I blew a piece of hair out of my eye. “Have you guys talked?”
“Nah, he’s still pretty upset. I want to give him more time to cool off, you know?”
“Sure. How’s Rosalie?”
“Keeping most of her thoughts to herself, but she gets snarky at times.”
“That’s Rosalie,” I chuckled. “I’d invite you to come stay with us, but…”
“I don’t think your parents would go for that,” he said, half smiling.
“Probably not.”
The warning bell rang throughout the hall, and all around us, students started to disperse. I looked at him for some sort of prompt, and he tipped his head to the left.
“Come on, Carlie. I’ll walk you to class before I head to gym.”
The rest of the school day went relatively well. Being away from my family as a whole was nice, as was the distraction that school provided. My mind would wander more often than I liked, but it was better than Sunday had been.
The two classes I shared with Seth, Algebra and French, went as well as I could expect. They were both busy periods, so there wasn’t much time to talk, and we only sat next to each other in French. We had different lunch periods on Monday and Friday, so the morning had been our only real interactions. At the end of the day, he met me at my locker.
“I got a text from Alice earlier. She asked if it would be okay for her to pick up both of us,” I informed him. “I said yes. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it is,” he assured me. “I…don’t want you to avoid me.”
“I don’t want to avoid you,” I breathed, shaking my head.
In just a few seconds and a simple exchange, our conversation had become weighed down with implication. Part of me wanted to reach out and pull him to me so we could kiss like we had in the woods two nights ago, but the more cautious side of me thought better of that idea. At least here at school.
“Do you want to do homework together?”
“Yeah, that would be great,” I said.
As we walked toward the exit, I looked down between us and I could have sworn that he almost reached for my hand. I wanted him to do it so badly, but for whatever reason, he didn’t. When I couldn’t take the agony any longer, I reached out and grasped his hand. He looked down at me, nervous and excited, but his expression quickly turned to one of happiness as he wove his fingers between mine.
It was such a small, simple gesture, but it was one of the greatest feelings I had ever experienced. I liked his arms around me and I loved him kissing me, but this was deeper, more meaningful. I thought of Romeo & Juliet, where the two young lovers first kiss, but not before discussing the intimacy of their touch, Romeo saying that he is unworthy of her hands which are shrines. The thought of it made a tingle creep up my spine.
We kept them clasped together that way until we reached the car, where Seth opened the front door for me before sliding into the backseat. I immediately missed the contact, but I resigned myself with the knowledge that we would be back at my house soon to do our homework and maybe talk a little more.
Alice didn’t acknowledge our handholding, only making polite conversation and asking about our day as she drove. I had a strong hunch she would ask me about it some other time, but I would deal with that when the time came. For now, I was happy to forget all the stress and pressure I had been feeling for almost two days and enjoy the butterflies that Seth had set free in my stomach.
Sitting at the kitchen table, we did our homework from all the classes we shared first, chatting and collaborating as we went. When all of those assignments were complete, we moved on to our separate courses, working silently side by side. It didn’t escape my notice when he scooted his chair closer to me or when his arm brushed against mine. It didn’t escape my mom’s notice either when she arrived home from her college class.
“It seems you two are doing well, I take it?”
“Uhh, yeah,” Seth replied, nodding at her.
Daddy walked in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “School went well today?” he asked us.
I flashed him a few pictures of my day and he smiled in approval.
“Do you think it would be all right if Seth and I went for a walk after dinner?” I asked my parents.
They exchanged a look before Daddy nodded and Mom smiled. “Sure, honey. Just stay on the property, please.”
Seth smiled at me, taking my hand under the table for a few moments before we both needed to break apart to finish our work.
It took another half hour and then I quit. I still had some reading to do for English, but it could be done tonight before I went to bed. We made some sandwiches and ate together, then we put on our coats and walked outside.
We were silent for the first few minutes, walking beside each other and watching the cold air create clouds in front of our mouths. When we were out of sight of all the houses, Seth took my hand, warming it in his. I smiled automatically, happy to have him touching me in this small way. I liked the way his thumb drew little circles against my skin and how he wiggled and squeezed our fingers every few minutes.
Finally, when we were walking down a path in the woods, he stopped and turned in front of me. His hand came to my shoulder, then trailed up my neck until his fingers wove through my hair. I thought he was going to kiss me, as the look in his eyes was deep and heart-melting, but he didn’t. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, eclipsing me in a hug beneath his strong, solid body.
“Is this okay?” he asked quietly, tilting toward my ear.
“Yes,” I said, hugging his waist a little tighter.
He held onto me, unspeaking, for a good three or four minutes. I didn’t mind the silence; I was enjoying the comfort I found in his arms.
When he finally pulled away, he was gazing at me again with that same intimidating look he had earlier. “I’ve wanted to do that all day,” he said, resting his forehead against mine.
I dragged my hands over his back, just to feel him. Even though his coat created a thick barrier between our skin, it was enough for now.
“Thank you,” I whispered, pushing my fingers into his short hair and feeling it tickle the sensitive skin. “Have I ever told you that you smell like Christmas trees?”
“Christmas trees?” he laughed, massaging the back of my scalp. “No, you’ve never said that.”
“It’s true. Everyone in my family says you guys smell like dogs, but not to me. Jake smells like oak, your sister smells like a fern, Embry is a bit more earthy…bark more than the leaves. And you are a Christmas tree.”
“I think I like that,” he said, allowing one of his hands to fall to my hip. “Do you want to sit down?”
“Sure,” I replied, looking around for an appropriate place.
We found a fallen tree off the trail about a hundred yards away and moved toward it. It was old and thick, and the wear of years had made the stump almost like a small love seat. We nuzzled into the space, trying to find the most comfortable position. After a few moments of wiggling, he turned my body so that, instead of sitting next to each other, my thighs laid over his sideways. He wrapped an arm around me, and we clasped our other hands in my lap. It felt like this should be too intimate too soon, but it wasn’t. I was at peace with Seth, and it seemed as though he shared those feelings.
“I don’t think your family smells as bad as all the other wolves say,” he said once we were settled. “It’s unpleasant, but the human blood drinkers are the worst. You’re different though, you know?”
“Really? How?”
He looked at me for a moment, and I was wondering what he was thinking that he couldn’t say without hesitation. He indulged me after a minute.
“Your scent is still sweet, but not the saccharine strength that the regular vampires have. You’re not any single scent. You’re more like a whole garden full of flowers, so as you move, it’s like walking down a path past different kinds,” he explained.
My mind was spinning. It was such a beautiful description and so incredibly flattering. My family smelled good to me, and so did the wolves, but everyone’s scent was something distinct and unique. To imagine smelling of an entire garden was…romantic.
“It’s true. You look like you think I’m crazy, but it really is how you smell. Hasn’t anyone ever told you?”
“No,” I whispered, feeling very close to happy tears.
“Sometimes, when you flip your hair, it’s like a lilac bush,” he continued. “And when you do things with your hands or gesture, it’s yellow roses…or sometimes pink. Do I sound goofy for knowing what all those flowers smell like?”
“Not at all,” I said, smiling widely at him. “Anything else?”
“Yeah….When you walk, it’s sunflowers, but my favorite is when you dance.”
I felt my face flush immediately, remembering the Snow Ball and all the dancing, fast and slow, that we had done there.
“Tell me,” I whispered, leaning into him until my forehead rested against his temple.
His fingers wove through mine between us as he spoke. “That was like your parents’ wedding. I’m not even sure what all those flowers were, but it was white wherever you looked. There were all different kinds of exotic and sweet smelling bouquets everywhere. I wish I knew what they all were. It’s that same exact scent; I’ll never forget it.”
I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted our lips to lock together and share the same way we had after the dance. I rubbed my free hand over our clasped ones and sent him that picture. That was the only encouragement he needed, and in a split second, he turned his face to mine and captured me.
There was so much heat between us, and this time, things didn’t start slow and careful. They were strong, forceful…needful. I whimpered when he drew back slightly.
“I lied,” he panted, kissing me again.
I pulled away that time. “About what?” I asked with concern, but we still resumed kissing.
“This is my favorite,” he said, and my heart nearly skipped a beat. “You don’t just smell amazing when we kiss. You taste like the most delicious, rich dessert I’ve ever eaten, combined with succulent, juicy steak and rich, warm wine. It’s like ambrosia. I can’t get enough.”
Suddenly, his kiss was frantic and his hands were on my face. My heart was beating out of my chest from the intensity of his words, and I wanted to give him more of myself in any sense I could.
I had never felt anything like that before, and it rocked my sense of confidence.
“Seth…” I managed to squeak or groan or something equally embarrassing and desperate.
“Yeah?” he muttered against my throat. “You okay?”
“Uh huh,” I moaned, squirming to find some kind of respite and think clearly. “But…”
My words were gone, and I had no idea how to tell him that it was too much. I wanted to keep going on and on like this, but I knew it wouldn’t be good if we did. This was only the second time in my life that a man had kissed me, and I didn’t want to get carried away. Even though my body was telling me that stopping was a very bad thing because I would be depriving myself of the amazing way he made me feel, logic overruled my physical reactions.
I knew that he didn’t mean to push me or move so fast, but one of us needed to hit the brakes. I honestly had no idea what his expectations were with me. Even though he was my age in so many ways, the length of his life was much longer. For all I knew, he could have more experience with these things. Or he could have none at all. I didn’t necessarily want to know any details, but there needed to be some sort of understanding between us. This was new to me and in so many ways…frightening.
Since vocalizations failed me, I was forced to use my gift. Concentrating all my effort that I could manage on it, I told him to stop. I could feel the moment my plea reached him because he froze, holding my face tightly in his hands and gasping for breath as though he had just been running for miles.
“I’m sorry,” he said vehemently. “Oh my gosh, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to get carried away like that.”
“Shh…it’s okay,” I reassured him. “I’m not upset with you. It was just a bit much, but I get it. Believe me, I understand what you’re feeling and I feel it, too.”
He shifted, putting a little bit of space between us as our embrace broke apart. We were still touching, close together on the worn tree stump, but a tangible gap was between us figuratively.
“You’re not mad?”
“No, Seth. I couldn’t be mad at you. That was just as much my fault. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves before we even understand what’s going on here.” I waved my hand between us, gesturing that I was speaking of our relationship or lack thereof.
When he apologized again, I shot it down.
“What you said was the sweetest, most amazing, flattering thing anyone has ever told me. Is that really what it’s like?”
“God, yes,” he groaned. “Every time you move, a subtle scent wafts toward me, and when I’m close to you, it’s so much stronger and intoxicating. And I wasn’t exaggerating about kissing you, Carlie. You literally have a flavor, and it is delicious.”
I giggled at his choice of words. The thought that I was physically appetizing was incredibly humorous to me, especially as the child of vampires. Then something popped into my mind. “Hey, speaking of intoxicating, how do you know what wine tastes like?” I teased.
“I’m a little older than you, even if we are playing ninth graders right now. I think I’m allowed to know that kind of thing.”
“Maybe, but you’re still only twenty years old. That’s not legal.”
“All right,” he laughed, poking me in the ribs playfully. “I’ll be honest. Wine is the only thing I’ve ever drank. There wasn’t time to do the parties on the rez with my pack responsibilities, but my mom would let me have wine every once in a while. She and my dad used to always get this one kind of really nice red wine whenever they made steaks, which wasn’t often considering the famous ‘Harry Clearwater’s fish fry,’ so it was sort of a special occasion thing. After he died, Mom would still get that wine whenever she bought steaks, and she started letting me have a glass with dinner. She said it enhanced the meal.”
“Did it?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Yeah, but it took me a couple tries to get used to it. Now I like it.”
Our conversation turned to his parents, and he told me stories about his dad. I knew that Harry had been one of my Grandpa Charlie’s best friends, so his name came up from time to time. It was nice to hear about him from Seth’s perspective and put together the pieces of the dearly departed Mr. Clearwater. I asked him if it was weird that my Grandpa was engaged to his mom and he said that it was hard at first, but that it didn’t bother him anymore. It wasn’t anything against Charlie, it was just Seth missing his dad. I felt awful that he lost him at an early age.
I really wanted to talk to Seth about what was going on between us and how it affected both our relationships with Jacob, but the opportunity never arose. Seth’s thoughts were now reminiscent and preoccupied, and I knew that it was getting late. If we didn’t return home soon, someone would come looking for us, and I was not interested in another awkward interruption like we’d had with Uncle Emmett the other night.
We walked a little faster on the way back, but we still held hands until we reached the edge of the woods. It wasn’t that we were hiding anything, but it would be easier to play it safe for now than risk Jacob seeing us before we had a handle on what this thing between us really was.
He walked me to my house since his book bag was still there, then gave me a hug before heading over to my family’s home for the night.
***********
School hit us hard for the rest of the week, and there was very little time to figure things out any more. We made a habit of holding hands at school between classes and doing our homework together every day. It was nice to have that time to spend together, but it wasn’t as if it was any sort of quality or private time.
On Thursday, Seth gave in and went back to his house with Jacob. Staying with my aunts and uncles was a strain for everyone, and Seth hated putting anyone out when he had his own home a few hundred yards away. When I asked if he was comfortable being back there, he assured me that he could handle it. I didn’t pry any more, even though I really wanted to know what else he was feeling and how Jacob was coping with things.
My parents encouraged me to at least speak to Jacob on the phone, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Mom pointed out that this was the longest he had ever gone without seeing or speaking to me, which made me feel terrible enough that I sent him a text apologizing for not being ready to face him yet. His response seemed understanding, but I could swear that I still felt the remorse and heartache in those few words on my phone screen.
By Saturday afternoon, I needed a break. Most of the family had taken off for a hunting trip outside the area. Grandma and Grandpa stayed home, so I was warned that they would be keeping tabs on me if I thought about “trying anything.” I rolled my eyes at their suggestion that I would do something they would disapprove of while they were gone. There was an important photography assignment I needed to work on over the weekend, and I was really looking forward to the time alone to process all the strange and sudden changes in my life recently.
Seth was supposed to be at an indoor soccer tournament for most of the day, so I decided to head out to the woods with my camera while it was still light outside. I had also been feeling the need to hunt, considering all my recent stress, so I decided that I would do that while I was out as well.
As I got older, my dietary needs changed. While I preferred blood as a young child, human food grew on me over the years. Grandpa Carlisle and Daddy decided that it was probably something similar to the first few years of a vampire’s life and their constant bloodlust. While I could eat both, my body eventually balanced itself out so that I needed equal amounts of each in order to stay in peak form. Since starting school, I mostly ate human food during the week and got my fill of blood on the weekends.
As I learned to respond to my body’s needs, I found that when my emotions were especially strong or I was stressed, my cravings for blood grew. Jasper confirmed that he could sense that in me, and he always tried to get me out of difficult situations to hunt when necessary. The blood had a way of calming my nerves and putting me at ease.
The best part of my split diet was that I didn’t need the large quantities of blood that the rest of my family required. It was usually unnecessary for me to attend the extended hunting trips with them because I could survive on animals that lived in the forest near our home – deer, elk, fox, badgers, raccoons, and occasionally, bobcat, since they were smaller than the cats my parents preferred.
After sending Seth a text to let him know where I would be if he returned home before I was back, I set out into the woods with my camera strapped around my neck. I brought the carrying case along for when I decided to hunt. I was comfortable in a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. My body was very much like the wolves in the way that I resisted the cold quite well. As long as I was receiving proper nutrition on both sides of my diet, the jacket I wore in winter was mostly for show.
Several hours passed as I snapped photos of woodland creatures, icicles hanging dangerously from thin branches, a partially frozen creek, and any other beautiful thing that I felt deserved to be preserved in time with my camera. I was excited to see how my lot would turn out, and the project had been a wonderful way to keep my mind occupied and away from all the wear of the past week.
When I heard a few deer walking around in the distance, my stomach gurgled with need. I quickly tucked my camera away, securing the closures of the case. It was hung safely on a branch, ensuring that it would not soak up the wetness of the ground or be toyed with by some curious animal.
I took off running in the direction of the deer, attuning my ears to the subtle movements and undertones of the forest life. My feet were swift and nearly as silent as a full vampire. While they could run with only the sweeping sensation of the wind as proof of their passing, my footfalls were more comparable to a cheetah. My strides were long and light, carrying me between the trees with only the slightest of noise or commotion.
The larger, older deer sensed my presence first and dashed away, but there was a younger female who was less experienced in escape and hesitated for a moment too long. I didn’t feel bad because she was a full grown animal, she just didn’t know better. I could never kill babies. I always felt that they deserved the opportunity to enjoy their life for a while before suffering death at the hands of a predator like me. My family shared similar feelings, not only for ethical reasons, but also because young animals provided less blood. That was also why they seldom bothered with the smaller creatures I enjoyed.
I jumped on the medium-sized doe’s back, eliciting a bleating shriek from her mouth. It was quickly cut short when I twisted her neck to the side, subsequently ending her life before she even hit the ground. Once I made my kill, I was upon her.
My teeth were not quite as sharp as my family’s, but they sliced through the flesh of my meals quickly and effectively every time. I’ve been told that I bit my mother once in those few moments we shared before Daddy had to inject her with his venom. We later learned that all the other half-vampires we met had eaten their mothers after clawing their way out of the womb and killing the women in the process. The thought made me shudder. I loved my Mom and could not imagine killing her, let alone feeding off her human body.
The only other person I can remember biting is Jacob. He always thought it was cute and funny, which I imagine had something to do with the fact that his skin healed almost instantly. Biting my vampire family had no effect on them, since their skin was nearly impossible to pierce. Carlisle said it was just a teething stage for me, since I was born will all my baby teeth already in place.
I brought my focus to my meal as her body was depleted of its life source. She was satisfying, and her blood was slightly sweeter than a male’s would have been. When I was finished, I stroked her head and made sure her eyes were closed, thanking her for the sacrifice she made to me. It was a habit I had assumed once I started eating human food regularly. The animals I took were innocent, and although they were wild creatures, they still deserved my respect for keeping me strong and healthy.
Rising from my crouch, I stretched my hands to the sky. Night was falling quickly, but it was no matter with my vision. Another small animal or two would fill me enough to last until next weekend, so I decided to stay a little longer in the woods.
Sniffing the air, I followed the scents that were being carried by the cold winter wind. There were a few raccoons, but they did not sound appetizing to me tonight. A fox scuttled out of its hole somewhere, but it reminded me of last weekend too much, so I passed that one by as well. When the wind changed, I caught a very surprising scent.
Mink.
I had only ever smelled it once before, but it was amazing. I had been out running with Jacob when we passed a mink farm in the distance. The scent was so concentrated that it was like bathing it. I wanted to go down to the farm and sneak in to steal a few, but Jake would not allow it. I never forgot that scent, though.
Before my mind could make the decision, my legs were carrying me in the direction of the small creatures. There were a number of them, and they were near a pond. The closer I got, the more my mouth watered.
Instinct took over when I found the nest. I pulled one from the bank of the pond first, snapping its neck and setting it aside while I went after some of its scurrying friends. I had to act fast before they could get away, and still, I found myself digging up their den and pulling four more out of the hole. Unfortunately for them, I was faster and stronger, the true predator in this situation.
With my pile of treats, I sat at the edge of the pond cross-legged and happy. Though the urge to suck them down greedily was present, I forced myself to take my time. They were quite small and didn’t have a lot of blood. There was no way I could go back into the nest for more than these five without damaging their reproduction rate. Mustering my willpower, I picked them up one at a time, drinking slowly, as if through a straw. Each drop of blood rolled over my tongue and down my throat like liquid gold. All too soon, my dessert was polished off, and I was still.
I stared out at the surface of the pond, partially frozen and rippling occasionally as the wind would breeze over the water. The moon was slight this evening, so there was very little light reflecting off the small pool of nature.
I was so relaxed that I didn’t register the paws behind me until they were close. Assuming it was Seth come to find me after he arrived home from soccer, I turned my head with a smile. The wolf that stared back at me was not tan and narrow, he was tall, bulky, and distinctly russet.
“Jacob,” I said uneasily, watching my word break the silence of night with a puff of foggy air.
The proud wolf stood stalk still, staring me down with his dark, emotional eyes.
He didn’t respond to me. He didn’t even snort or twitch to acknowledge my presence. He just stood there watching me.
Eventually growing tired of our staring contest, I brushed the dead mink off my lap and pulled my knees to my chest. My eyes returned to the pond, watching the nothingness.
New footsteps approached a few minutes later, and I felt Jacob drop to the ground beside me before I saw him. He wore long sweatpants and ratty sneakers, but nothing else. This was not unusual.
“I miss you,” he said quietly.
“I miss you, too.” I didn’t say it to appease him. It was the truth. His absence had finally taken a toll on me after the constant companionship my entire life, so I was pleased – for the moment – to have him beside me.
Even without looking him, I could tell that he was tense and uneasy. My words were creating some internal war. It wasn’t hard to guess that he was trying to determine exactly what I meant.
Needing to give him something and also ease my own heart, I bumped my shoulder against his. He bumped me back experimentally, then another time playfully. After a few more rounds of that game, I didn’t stop when I bumped him. I leaned against him and he did not hesitate to wrap his arm around me. The familiarity was comforting, even if we still weren’t on the best terms.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked, probably because I had opened a door with our physical contact. I hoped that it eased some of his pain. “You’re pretty far out.”
“Hunting,” I said simply, kicking one of the discarded mink into the water.
He laughed openly when he looked down at my snacks. “You finally got your treat, huh?”
I smiled, tipping my head toward his but hesitating before he could see my face. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
“Well, I hope they were good. Now that you’ve had a taste, they’ll probably go extinct in the wild.”
“Hey!” I defended, understanding that he was teasing. “I didn’t clear out their nest, and I only took a few.”
We were quiet again for a while, sitting still until I asked how he found me here.
He shrugged, still holding onto me. “I saw your camera and followed your scent until I got here. I was a little worried when I realized how far you’d come, but it makes sense now.”
I knew that we couldn’t stay out here like this all night, so I had to make a decision. The cold would eventually get to me, and though Jake’s body could take the cold, his skin wasn’t immune to windburn or frostbite. Even if he could heal quickly, those were not pleasant ailments.
Mustering the nerve, I turned myself slightly to look at him. “Should we, you know, talk?”
“Yeah,” he breathed, nodding and closing his eyes. “Not tonight, though. I can tell you’re tired, and I’m not doing so hot either. Can we make a date for tomorrow?”
I immediately shrunk away from him when he said the word date. I knew he didn’t mean it as a date date, but my reaction was involuntarily.
“Sorry,” he muttered, releasing me from his hold. “Sometime in the afternoon?”
“Sure,” I agreed. “Can you come over for lunch? I have some homework to finish, so that should give me enough time.”
“Yeah, that works for me.”
We agreed, and Jake suggested that we head back home together. I said I needed a little more time alone before going to bed, but he stood his ground about remaining with me until we were at least on Cullen property. It was for his peace of mind, which I now understood so much better than I ever had before, so I agreed.
When we parted, I went to retrieve my camera, then I slowed to a walk for the final leg of the short journey. That was how I found myself back at the loveseat trunk, staring at it as though it were a dream. I sat down in the seat made by nature, remembering the time Seth and I shared here and pondering what I would say to Jacob tomorrow. I closed my eyes, thinking, until I started to doze off, at which point I realized it was definitely time to get myself to bed. As I opened my eyes again, I noticed a break in the trees. There was a decent sized hole in the tree cover where I could see a lovely view of the stars above. I briefly wondered why I hadn’t seen the stargazing patch on Monday night, but I quickly realized that I had been very preoccupied at the time. I saw very little other than Seth that night.
Sighing, I crossed my camera bag over my chest and began my walk toward home.
After a hot shower, I dressed in warm pajamas and laid my head on my pillow. Sleep consumed me quickly.
That night, I dreamed that Seth came into my room, petting my hair off my face and kissing me lightly before leaving. He said something to me, but the words were garbled in my dream.
When I awoke, I rolled over and noticed a single white rose on my nightstand. Beneath it was a folded piece of blue paper. Sitting up quickly, I grabbed the flower and inhaled its luscious scent deeply. The smile it brought to my face felt good. I snatched the paper next, unfolding it to read the note scribbled inside.
CC-
Sorry I missed you today. Your grandparents let me come to the house for a few minutes, but you were already asleep. I couldn’t bear to wake you. I’ll be free Sunday, so maybe we can have a little time? Sleep well, angel.
SC
My smile grew wider, and I sniffed the flower repeatedly, wondering if it were possible to suck the fragrance from a flower by smelling it too much.
Sadly, my heart fell when I realized that there probably wouldn’t be time for Seth today. I had already made another promise for my time.
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