Pearl Black || Seth Clearwater

Chapter Twelve

The next morning Pearl was by Seth's side the first chance she got, and she never left it. They were outside of the La Push reservation hall where his father's funeral was taking place inside.

"Its okay Seth, I understand how you are feeling." Pearl soothed as she rubbed her hand up and down his back as they sat on the front steps, Seths head was buried in his hands in attempt to hide his tears.

"I can't do it Pearl. I'm a coward, I can't do it." He sobbed. It broke Pearl's heart to see him like this.

"Yes you can Seth. I know you can." She encouraged him but he just shook his head in response.

"You know how I know?" Pearl asked rhetorically. "Because if you don't get in there and say something, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"What would you know Pearl?" Seth was not thinking straight, he didn't mean to hurt her, but those words did.

"More than you." She straightened her back as memories started to flood her mind.

"My mother died in a car crash, you know that." She defended. "I was ten at the time, I was just as broken as you. I guess I was also as dumb as you because I refused to get up on that podium and say something." Pearl's voice was stern, refusing to break down when Seth was already troubled.

"It still haunts me to this day. I try to tell myself I was too young to understand, but deep down, I know I was just a coward. Refusing to look my own father in his eyes, relying on my brother to speak for me." She shook her head at the memory.

"Don't make the same mistake." Pearl was looking straight into Seth's swollen eyes.

"Will you come with me?" Seth's voice croaked as he asked.

"Every step of the way." Her hand latched onto his, and they didn't break apart.

Not when they stood up.

Not when they walked into the hall.

And not when Seth made his way to the podium.

Seth gulped loudly when he looked down at all of the people attending the funeral. He barely even knew half of them, but his father was a man of the community, and he was honoured to know all of these people had come to pay their respects to his very own dad.

Then he turned his head to see his mother and sister standing off to the side, looking at him with sad, yet proud eyes.

"Just breath." Pearl squeezed his hand comfortably and nodded her head to him. He took a deep breath and started his speech.

-          

"Feel better?" Pearl asked Seth once the service was over and everyone was back at the Clearwater house for the wake.

"I . . . do actually." He seemed surprised with himself, a sense of peace settling in his mind.

"Have I ever let you down?" She joked and nudged his shoulder playfully.

"No." He said, but Seth didn't quite laugh. "But I have let you down." Pearl just showed him a confused look.

"When I phased after hearing about my father, something changed about my . . . vision of you." Seth paused, not knowing how to say it properly.

"What do you mean Seth?" Pearl asked, placing her hand on his cheek to know she was listening.

"Have you ever heard of imprinting, Pearl?" He asked cautiously.

"Yes, actually. I overheard Sam mention it once, but I don't know what it means really." She shrugged, not thinking it was of much importance.

"Well, imprinting is when a shapeshifter like myself finds the one person in their life they are meant to be with. I guess you could call it their soulmate." Seth avoided eye contact with her as he spoke.