Chapter 8 - The Date 》

LATER THAT NIGHT, LYING FLAT ON MY BED WELL PAST MIDNIGHT, I stared at the blank nothingness, the gravity of what was upcoming settled in, pressing down on me. I didn't want to talk about Henry Burke and what he meant for our lives. The room was quiet, save for the distant hum of traffic outside.

I fought against the tiredness, but I could feel it creeping in, dragging me closer to the edge of sleep, even though my mind refused. Eventually sleep took over me within seconds.

The following morning, I messaged Seth asking if he could come over if possible. I waited for his response, the minutes feeling like hours.

He responded saying he will be here in a bit.

Relief washed over me.

About thirty minutes later, I heard a soft tap at the door. I went and answered the door to see Seth.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and comforting.

"Hey," I replied, stepping aside to let him in. The cool morning air mixing with the warmth of our shared space.

I led him to my room and settled onto my bed, snuggling up together.

Seth wrapped his arm around me, and I nestled my head against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body envelop me.

"How are you feeling?" Seth asked, his voice soft and genuine.

"Better than I was yesterday," I replied, letting out a small sigh of relief. "I'm sort of over it, or at least trying to be."

"That's good." Seth tightened his hold, enveloping me like a protective shield.

We just laid there and talked about life and shared our thoughts, the conversation flowing easily between us.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, seeing it was close to lunchtime.

"Actually, I am," he admitted with a playful smile. "I was so focused on getting here that I didn't even think about breakfast."

"What would you like?" I asked.

"I was thinking we could go out," he suggested. "Go on that date we've been talking about. We can grab some food and then find something to do together."

"Are you serious?" I asked, a hint of a smile tugging at my lips.

Seth grinned, his eyes lighting up. "We've been talking about it for a while, haven't we?" He gave a playful shrug. "Figured now's as good a time as any."

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "Alright, you've got a point. Let's do it..just let me get changed first."

"Take your time. I'll be right here." Seth said, then left the room to give me some privacy.

I rifled through my dresser, trying to find the perfect balance—not too fancy, but not too casual either. After some deliberation, I settled on a pair of dark leggings and a cold shoulder floral top from American Eagle.

Satisfied with the outfit, I slipped off my dark tank top and shorts and into the attire I chose and then went to fix my hair. I wanted something simple but nice, so I decided to curl the ends lightly, giving it a soft, natural wave. After a few quick touch-ups with about an half an hour left, I added a light coat of makeup. I'm not really good with makeup, but I put on just enough to enhance my features without overdoing it. A little bit of blush, a touch of mascara and lip gloss, and I was ready to go.

I glanced at the time. My heart raced as I gave myself one last look over, nervously tugging at my top, making sure everything was in place.

"Well, this is as good as it gets." I told myself.

Making sure I had everything I needed, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the room. The moment I entered the living room, I spotted Seth waiting for me, his expression lighting up as he caught sight of me.

"Wow," he said, his voice low. "You look... beautiful."

I blushed, feeling my nerves melt just a little.

He offered me his arm. "Ready?"

I nodded, taking a deep breath as I stepped out with him. The cool evening air greeted us, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to relax, at least for a little while.

Being with Seth was like learning to fly, it was thrilling and out of this world.

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Seth and I went to grab lunch at the grill, then headed over to the bowling alley. We bowled a few games, showing off our competitive sides as we tried to outdo each other with every roll, strikes and spares.

Afterwards, we made our way to the arcade, where we challenged each other in various games, from racing to shooting hoops, the playful rivalry adding to the fun of the day.

"Woo-hoo!" I jumped, throwing my hands in the air as I beat him at Halo. "In your face, baby!

Seth feigned a dramatic gasp, his hands clutching his chest. "Oh, the humiliation! How could I let this happen?" He pretended to pout, but I could see the humor dancing in his eyes.

"Hmmmm... luck, I guess!" I teased, nudging him playfully with my elbow.

Seth raised an eyebrow, in one swift motion, he grabbed my arm and spun me, my back pressed against his chest, his arm wrapping around me securely.

"You got lucky that time." He said playfully, "I was just getting started."

I laughed, enjoying the lighthearted banter. "Oh really? Bring it on! Let's see what you've got, E.T."

Seth raised an eyebrow, amused. "E.T.? Really?"

He guided me to the air hockey table, its bright surface calling to us. "Get ready to lose, sunshine. This is my domain."

"We'll see about that." I replied, grinning as he retaliated with a swift flick of his wrist, sending the puck zooming past me. "I'm just warming up!"

As the game progressed, I could feel the tension building, each point scored met with cheers and playful jabs.

When the game ended, Seth had won, but I was too caught up in the joy of the moment to care.

Finally, we found ourselves at the photo booth, and the excitement bubbled over.

"What's this?" Seth asked.

"This is the photo booth! It's how people make memories. " I exclaimed, pulling him inside and closing the curtains.

As we stepped out of the booth, the machine whirred and out came four photo strips. I grabbed two, handing the other pair to Seth with a grin.

"Two for you, two for me," I said, glancing down at the photos. In the first photo, we beamed at the camera, our genuine smiles capturing the moment perfectly. The second shot was filled with laughter as we pulled goofy faces, our silliness evident. For the third, we gazed at each other, the warmth in our eyes reflecting a deep connection. In the last photo, we shared a sweet kiss.

"These turned out pretty good," Seth murmured.

I agreed. "Yeah, definitely a keeper."

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Once we finished up at the bowling alley, we stepped outside, and went to the parked motorcycle Jack lend him for the day. At first I was puzzled, I knew he had his driver's license back on Evalon, but this was Earth. Nonetheless, Seth assured me everything was under control. As long as we didn't pull any stunts or get into a wreck, we'd be fine.

When we reached my house, we stood in silence, the weight of the afternoon settling around us, dwelling on the eventful day. "I used to think that when the sun sets, reality hits harder," I said, gazing up at the sky. "But then it gets dark, and I seen the sky as the limit."

Seth's voice was firm yet reassuring. "You can't let the darkness define you. The night can be beautiful too. That's when the stars come out."

I gave a small smile. "Stars can't shine without darkness."

He nodded, his expression thoughtful."They remind us that even in darkness, you'll find light at the end."

Intertwining his fingers with mine, we stared at each other. I snaked my hand behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss. He returned it, our lips moving in sync.

I don't know, but I found myself pinned to the living room wall in a full make out session; his hand rested on my cheek and the other around my waist. I gasped as I felt his kisses trail down to my neck and began sucking on it. I moaned.

Thankfully, mom wasn't home right now.

He moved his lips back to mine, which turned passionate I felt him grind into me, making me gasp again and throw my head in pleasure.

He lifted me up off the floor, I immediately wrapped my legs around his torso and felt him carry me to the bedroom. Using his feet to close the door, he placed me on my feet and gently pushed me down ok the bed and hovered over me all without breaking the kiss with our tongues dancing.

Things started to get heated, I fumbled with the hem of his tee. He removed his revealing his toned chest, his eyes never leaving mine. I sat up and traced his chest, making him shiver underneath my touch.

He removed my glasses and placed them onto the nightstand, asking permission with his eyes he lifted my top over my head and tossed it with his. He connected our lips once again.

I rolled us over where I was straddling him and threw my head back again when his hands roamed my body. The way his hands touched me made me feel alive.

We stopped before things gotten ahead, not wanting to go far, yet.