When A Smile Hurts

(Seth's P.O.V.)

"Okay, turn left and then just keep going straight," I said to Jamie. We were almost to the tree house now and my stomachs wouldn't calm down. I was still nervous, and tried everything to quit the nervousness, but nothing helped at all.

On the way there, we mostly talked about music; what she liked, what I liked.. And then it got quiet. I wasn't sure if something was wrong or if I had said something that I shouldn't have.. Thinking back, I know I couldn't have said anything to offend her.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I decided to ask her I anything was bothering her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I glanced over to her. She had one hand on the wheel and the other was hanging out the window..She looked peaceful actually.

When she looked at me and smiled, I mentally took a picture of her just like that. It was just her and me, alone in the car, and the smile she sent was for me and me only.. I couldn't help but smile mostly at that thought, but I did smile back at her.

"I'm fine. Just relaxing a bit..." she said to me as her attention went back to the empty road. I had a feeling she wanted to say something more, but then I saw her eyes light up and felt the car suddenly stop.

Gosh.. We're here.

I sat where I was for a moment and looked up at the newly large tree house. It wasn't much, but it was bigger than your average tree house.. Thanks to me.

"Well, um, thanks for the ride, Jamie," I said to her..Her name rolled perfectly off of my tounge as if I'd been saying it for years.

I reached for the door handle, ready to get out and hide if I could..But of course she wouldn't let me off the hook that easily. I prepared myself for all the obvious questions: Why here? You don't live at home? Are you poor?

But of course she wouldn't ask me any of those.

"Can I see it? It looks so cool!" she was grinning at me and already out of the car..

God, even she knew I couldn't say no to her..

The knots in my stomache turned into flying bowling balls as my head racked for an excuse for her to get back in the car and go home.. Bur I didn't really want that, now did I?

I couldn't help but chuckle as I saw her waiting for me excitedly at the bottom of the wooded ladder. I closed the car door and threw my book bag over my shoulder before walking over to her.

"You sure you want to go up? It's a bit messy up there...." Wasn't a lie either..with work and school, I haven't had any time to clean up.

"Who cares? I want to go!" I scratched the back of my head and watched as she started heading up the ladder. Unsure if the old ladder would hold up, as a piece of it would usually break and I'd nail it back, I quickly went to stand behind her just in case she fell.

"Oh, be careful stepping on that one, it tends to fall off a lot.." With great ease and no hassle, she stepped over it and onto the next one, before I knew it, she was up and already inside.

I quickly climbed up the steps and joined her inside the tree house.

She stepped aside as I climbed in and went to turn on a small light, then I lit a few candles for extra lighting. My back was turned to her the whole time, and I made sure to not make eye contact. It was still strange to have someone with me and to talk to them, but Jamie actually made it easy.

"This is.. Amazing. It's so big and ..I don't know! It's just awesome," I heard her say.

What's to like it about it? I have a mattress on the floor with some plain blankets on it, some little bookshelf thing I built with extra wood, and a basket of clothes I have to take to the laundry mat... Oh, and let's not forget the little blue cooler with ice and sodas..yeah, big catch.

"I guess..." That's when I turned to her, finally looking at her. She was bent down to the floor looking at the books on the bookshelf.

I wonder why she likes it here... I mean, isn't she ..rich? Why would a weird looking tree house impress her?

"You read a lot of older poetry." She stated and I thought about the books I have of.. Actually,yeah. I do...

"Yep," I said.

She stood up and turned to me, simply looking at me as I stood at the other end of the tree house.

The flying bowling balls returned..

I swallowed and tried my best to smile even though the feeling in my stomache was a bit of a discomfort.

"Well, I guess I should be going.." Jamie said as she glanced around one more time and bent down to the floor to jump down to the ground below.

"Hey, before you leave..Can I ask you something?" I asked. This question was burning a whole through my mind.

She turned back to me and nodded.

"Why haven't you asked me why I stay here?"

For the longest time, we simply stared at each other.

She sighed and finally gave me an answer. "Well, if it were my business, you would have told me. And besides, don't we all have that certain place we go to escape?" With that, she jumped down and I heard her feet hit the ground.

It left me wondering though.. Where was her escape place?

I smiled, even though I wanted to run after her and ask her. I just spent hours with Jamie Luthor...

I sighed and took my shoes off, heading to my bed after blowing the candles out. Her scent was still here.. I could smell the rosey/strawberry scent everywhere in this place..
And honestly..

I liked it.

(End of Seth's P.O.V.)

After that simple yet joyful night, both Seth and Jamie were in bed, smiles on their faces and thoughts of each other as they both drifted off to sleep.

It was the same kind of night they've had for weeks now, but each others voices were burned into their ears and pictures of one another were glued to their minds..

It wasn't just a regular thing they had... They weren't just someone to talk to, or someone to hang out with.. Their relationship was different, because for once in their lives, they had someone who understood them.They had what both Jamie and Seth needed most.

They had each other.

And that is how the wonderful and terrifying friendship of Seth and Jamie began..