Three hours after the letter, I trudged downstairs to the kitchen because of the rumbling in my stomach. Camilla and my dad were at work and Stefan had slept over a friend's, so it was just Melanie and I home alone.

I thought it'd only me in the kitchen, but I saw Melanie there, too, sitting on the table and sipping from a mug filled with coffee. When she heard me approaching, she glanced up, but didn't say anything. Only tilted her head and watched me curiously.

I awkwardly just stood there, unnerved by her stare when she stood up and walked over. Her hand reached out and I began to back away, startled. "Hey, what are you do-," I began to ask, but Melanie had already grabbed the neckline of my tee shirt and yanked it down, revealing a couple of the hickies scattered there.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "This is why you were wearing Seth's sweatshirt! You slept with him!" A smile lit her face. "Man, I am proud of you, sis."

"W-what?" I stammered. "I thought you'd be mad."

"Why would I be mad? Seth is my friend and he's, like, one of the coolest guys ever. Plus, he's gorgeous. You couldn't have picked a better guy to spend the night with, Rachel," she gushed. "And man, those hickies are going to be hard to cover up."

I blushed deeply and walked past her to the fridge, taking out the milk. "I don't do one-night stands, Mel. Ben was the only guy I had ever slept with and now....I feel so dirty." I frowned and took out a bowl and cereal.

When I turned back to Melanie, I saw that she had a disappointed look on her face. "Seth is a great guy."

"And nothing is going to happen between us because he's going to college in a few months and he's way out of my league," I finished, pouring the cereal and milk into the bowl.

"You never know." Melanie shrugged and picked up her coffee mug. "I'm going to be at my room. Let me know if you need something."

Sighing, I watched her go, biting my lip. Seth and I had never talked before last night, so I highly doubted anything could come out of us sleeping together once. He was bound to go off to some big shot college after graduation and I'd be stuck here. Being in a relationship with him would be too messy - but it wasn't like he'd want me either. And I wasn't ready to date again...not after Ben. It had barely been a month since we broke up.

I finished my cereal, washed my bowl and spoon, then walked back up to my room.

-

Around seven, when my step-mother and dad and Stefan were all back in the house, the doorbell rang.

I had on sweatpants and a short sleeved shirt on, with a couple hickies just visible on my neck and my hair was pulled back in a ponytail. I looked completely and utterly normal and average.

And that's how I opened the door to Seth.

He smirked when he saw me, but his eyes had no humor. They were kind of...cold. "A little birdy told me that you took my sweatshirt when you left my house this morning," he drawled, looking completely at ease on my front porch.

My mouth felt dry. "I...umm...I had to hide the..." I bit my lip and raised my hand to brush the tips of my fingers to the marks on my neck.

Seth's eyes followed my hand and I saw a mischievous spark in his eyes. "Mommy and Daddy don't know that their little girl has been naughty all night?" he taunted.

A blush covered my cheeks. "I'll go get your sweatshirt," I mumbled, turning around to quickly run up my room. I found it hanging over the back of my desk chair and grabbed it off, going back downstairs. But Seth wasn't alone anymore - Melanie was there with him.

She gave me a knowing look, making my cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red. "I just remembered I have to give Natalie a call..." she trailed off, quickly leaving us alone. Again.

I stepped outside of the house and closed the door behind me, handing him his sweatshirt. "I washed it...sorry for taking it without asking."

Seth stared at me hard, his face cold again. No smirk, no mischievous spark in his eyes. Just an impassive expression.

"I better go back inside..." I mumbled, beginning to turn around. But his voice made me stop.

"Why did you leave today?" he asked.

I knew exactly what he meant, but I still cleared my throat and asked, "What?"

"I woke up alone today...it actually kind of stung, especially since that was a pretty, fucking, amazing night." His voice was cool and like ice. Seth reached out a hand and touched my hickies, before feathering his fingers over the ones that were on his neck. "We have these to prove it. So why were you not there? Why did you run away?"

I swallowed, feeling like there was cotton in my throat. "It shouldn't have happened," I said finally. "It was a mistake." I turned away from him.

"You calling me a mistake?"

"I have to go." I ducked my head and went back inside, shutting the door behind me. My eyes stung with tears. I should never have gone to that party. It was the biggest mistake of my life.

Footsteps approached me and I looked up to see my father standing there. "You okay, sweetheart? Who was at the door?"

Inhaling deeply, I shook my head. "No one. It was no one."