Along Came Seth

The truth

I began walking down the cobblestone path when a voice shook my nerves.

"Trish! Wait, please" I heard crunching gravel from behind me and took off. I let my feet pound against the ground as fast as they could until I finally hit the beach. It felt like I had been running for hours when in all actuality it was probably only for five minutes seeing to the fact that I was going at top speed.

Just as I was beginning to slow my pace, I crashed to the ground and ate sand.

"Get the hell off me!" I yelled as a crushing weight threatened to destroy my windpipe.

"Promise you won't walk away?" I heard Seth's deep voice in my ear and rolled my eyes.

"Are you serious right now?" I said in exasperation, "I'm about to die of oxygen deprivation and you care about me walking away? At this point, I probably won't even be able to walk"

I felt his weight slowly begin to ease up and took that as my moment to turn onto my back and push him away....but then I forgot who I was dealing with and the effect he had on me.

His green eyes shimmered as I faced them, despite the circles ringing them.

"Get off" I grunted struggling to watch the sky above his head.

"Trish, I swear I didn't lie to you" Seth pleaded.

"Really?"

"Trish, your mad and you have every right to be but I promise you there's an explanation for all of this" he smelled like his signature cologne and....pineapple?

"You smell like pineapple" I said simply.

"Stop being like that!" He rolled his eyes.

"Like what? Like I don't care?" I smiled slightly, "how is that any different to the way you act? "

"Just stop brushing this all off. We need to talk" Seth was still hovering over me and I couldn't deny the tingling sensation that made its way to my toes.

"Losing...air....call....doctor" I lied gasping for air. Seth quickly rolled off of me but kept a firm grip on my wrist.

"Are you sure your girlfriend will be okay with this?" I said conversationally looking at my wrist.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Seth yelled. I stood taken aback as he finally did it. The cool guy had lost his temper.

"Then what is she, a garden gnome?" I said trying to defuse the situation. The tension was building and I could physically see it in the way he stood.

He stared at me like he was trying to convey a message and I finally realized that whatever he was about to say, was going to be hard for him, and I was only making it harder. I couldn't deny the curiosity that coursed through my brain as I tried to figure out what he meant by Sam not being his girlfriend.

"I won't leave" I said softly nodding at him, "Talk"

"I've always hated my stepfather" Seth sighed looking out at the ocean, " His names Dennis in case you didn't know. What a Stupid name" 

We were sat on one of the benches that overlooked the water with Popsicles in hand because Seth thought that eating would diffuse any awkwardness that was sure to rear it's head...who says stuff like that? 

"It's not even like I know when the hate began. It's just always been there, like this one time when I cut the wires to his car in the eighth grade forcing him to walk to work because he couldn't get a taxi. In all my years of knowing the guy I can honestly not recall a single thing in which I agreed with him on, except...." 

I nodded listening intently.

"My mom" Seth turned to look at me but I continued staring straight ahead. He followed suit after a couple of seconds and continued.

"Despite his dirtbag-ness, which I know isn't a word" he grinned slowly and I couldn't help but smile, "I know for a fact that he loves my mom. He has a stupid way of showing it sometimes but the loves there...alot"

"I thought you said he was mean to her?" I asked.

"He is but....I don't know, it's complicated. He says stuff to her that no man should ever say but at the same time I see where it comes from, he's scared. He would never admit it but he doesn't want to lose her" Seth scratched the back of his neck and placed the hand on the back of the bench. To those of you not paying attention, that meant that his arm was indirectly around me....alright Trish, stay calm and breath.

"Anyways, this past year his business hasn't been doing so well and he's been working with tons of partners and people to figure out where the problem is. You see, he owns oil"

I whipped to face him as his words sunk in, "your dad drills oil?"

"Yeah. And he's been doing really well....but there's a rival company based in New York that's trying to start drilling on a new piece of land that my step dad has his eye on. It's apparently gonna be the 'mother load' but the rival company won't let it go" Seth said.

"My step dad is in the process of trying to out bid the company for the land by getting close to the owner, Paul Marks, and hopefully partner up with him. It would mean big money for either side and everyone would be happy"

"Still doesn't explain the girl that turned up at your room" I said confused.

"Sam...well, she happens to be the daughter of the owner of that company" Seth said quietly.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" I shrieked exasperated.

"No" he said barely above a whisper.

"Why? Why would you just use someone like that ?" Despite looking like an absolute nightmare to deal with, Sam was human and no one deserved that.

"You don't get it" Seth said frustrated, "my mom came from nothing. Her family was dirt poor and she had to start working at the age of thirteen because her parents couldn't afford simple things like socks for her to wear. When she got pregnant with me and they kicked her out, she stayed as strong as ever. I never once saw or heard a 'I can't' or 'I won't'. She worked countless jobs and did everything she could to make sure I was always happy as a child and I will never stop respecting her for that" 

"Now, that she has Dennis, who can afford to buy her all the nice things she missed out on when she was stripped of her childhood, she deserves it all. I'm not about to let her have to deal with the emotional weight that may befall her if Dennis' business craps out. If dating this guys daughter will soften him up to Dennis's proposal then I will do it. If it means my mom living comfortably for as long as possible, I will do it. She deserves all her hearts Desires....and I'm prepared to give it to her. No matter what" 

We sat staring at the ocean for what seemed like hours before I finally spoke.

"Wow" 

"How specific" he said mimicking my tone.

"Shut up!" I laughed playfully smacking his chest, "do you like her?" 

"Who, Sam? No! I have a feeling she's not to crazy for me either" he didn't elaborate so I didn't ask.

"Do you still hate me?" He asked looking at me, "or are we still beefing?" 

I grinned and shook my head, " you can't ask two questions at a time"

"Why are you so annoying?" 

"Deal with it" I shrugged, "why are you so conceited?" 

"I deserve to be" he pursed his lips like a model and raised an eyebrow, "why won't you admit you find me insanely attractive?" 

I sat silent. 

"Because I'm too smart" I said lamely, "why do you think everyone loves you?" 

"They do" he said like I had said the dumbest thing ever, "why do you even own chinos?" 

"They upset Talia" I laughed. 

I hated the fact that Seth could make me feel so happy even when I was sure I was supposed to despise him. I just couldn't help it, he did something to me that no guy was ever able to do. He made me feel comfortable and uncomfortable all at once and it was a feeling I welcomed. I never knew what to expect of him but I actually liked that. I liked that we could sit on the beach chortling with laughter as we asked stupid question after stupid question without feeling weird or awkward.

"Your questions are terrible" he grunted holding back a laugh.

"Don't say that" I said seriously, "I'm hard" 

To emphasize my point, I pounded my fists on my chest which resulted in my erupting into a series of coughs. 

"Why are you so lame?" He asked bursting into laughter.

"Why won't you stop acting like your cooler than me?" I said elbowing him In the rib.

"When will you realize that I am?"

And we continued like that, well past fifty one, as the sun set over the ocean.

ANOTHER CHAPTER :) SORRY IT'S TAKEN ME A BIT TO WRITE, I WANTED TO WRITE IT RIGHT....BAD JOKE LOL

S.O.T.D: THOSE WHO WAIT-DALEY

THIS SONG SET THE MOOD FOR THIS CHAPTER IDK. IT'S SUCH A COOL AND MELLOW SONG, I'M ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH IT AND HIM!

VOTE, COMMENT (I LOVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM & SUGGESTIONS), AND SHARE TO ALL YOUR BFF'S...IF YOU HAVE ANY, IF YOU DON'T THAT'S COOL. I DON'T JUDGE