Stir-Crazy

I heard a car honk at around seven o’ clock on Saturday night.

Seth was here.

I checked my outfit in the mirror one last time and smoothed out my dress. Instead of going to the movies like we originally planned, Seth insisted that he take me out to dinner instead.

I had dressed in a teal dress with spaghetti straps, that billowed out around like a blooming flower. I accessorized with my favorite pair of silver hoop earrings and some silver heels.

Since Seth had only told me that he was taking me to Port Angeles, I wasn’t sure if it was a fancy restaurant or not, so I pushed my freshly blow-dried hair back with a silver headband with a large flower on the side.

I glanced in the mirror one more time, before rushing down the steps as fast I could without twisting my ankle or tripping.

“I thought you guys were going to the movies?”

I jumped slightly to see Jacob leaning against the doorframe. In the pair of cut-offs I bought him.

“What are you doing here?” I breathed out.

“Cora asked me to come over.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, Seth asked me if we could go to dinner, and I said yes. He only told me that we were going to a restaurant in Port Angeles but I wasn’t sure if it was fancy or not, so I’m a little worried but I think it’s okay because I have faith in Seth. I mean, I hope its something sort of fancy and not fast food or something…”

I stopped once I realized I was babbling and kept my gaze on the floor. How embarrassing.

“Oh, well have fun.”
“
Thanks.” I smiled slightly before turning to walk away.

Being the semi-clumsy person I am, I managed to trip on my mother’s Persian carpet and fall headfirst into the ground.

As the floor rushed up to meet me, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me to safety.

“You better go.” Jacob said, the heat of his hands searing into my skin. “Seth’s waiting.”

He released me from his grip, and I instantly missed his arms around me.

Or maybe it was just the heat.

Yeah, that was it.

“Right.” I stammered before making my way out the door.

My face flushed with embarrassment and I was determined to block out Jacob. His lips moved, but nothing seemed to come out.

As I closed the door behind me, I managed to catch the ending of his sentence.

“…beautiful.”

A little shaken, I made my way to a Chevy truck sitting in my driveway.

“Hey, Seth.” I grinned, sliding into the passenger seat.

“Wow.” He grinned widely. “You look…amazing.”

“Thanks.” I blushed slightly, and flamed even more remembering Jacob.

Had he been trying to say I looked beautiful?
Maybe I was being way too vain.

He was probably talking about Cora, or the house. Or maybe the rug I tripped on. How could I even think he was talking about me?

“Nice car.” I checked out the interior, and it seemed relatively new.

“It’s not mine.” Seth smiled sheepishly. “It’s my dad’s. I’m borrowing it for the evening.”

“That’s cool.” I looked at Seth.

His hair was shaggy in his face, and he was dressed in a blue button down with the sleeves rolled up and some jeans.

He must have noticed me staring because he glanced at me through the review mirror and smiled. I smiled back, ignoring the fact that the tip of my ears were bright red.

“So, what’s your favorite color?”

“Orange.”

“Mine’s green.”

“Cool.”

“What’s your favorite animal?”

“Goats.” I said automatically and Seth raised his eyebrows. “It’s a long story.”

The rest of the car ride was filled with the sound of the radio--a respectable rock song with just the right amount of guitar that played until we reached Port Angeles.

We pulled up at a quaint Italian restaurant with sparkly lights and a fancy name I couldn’t pronounce.

“We’re here.” Seth turned to me and smiled before getting out and jogging to the passenger side and opening the door. “After you.”

“Thanks.”

We entered the restaurant, and the waitress smiled flirtatiously at Seth. She couldn't be older than eighteen.

She wore the typical waitress pack around her waist which held a note book, some sticky notes and a pen and was dressed in a white dress. The top pinched her bust together, giving her unneccessary cleavage. Not that I noticed.

“Right this way.” She giggled, leading us to a booth and ignoring me all together.

“Can I start y’all out with it a drink?” She said in a Southern twang, twisting her jet black extensions.

“Can I have a Coke and…”

"Make that two. I drawled out the last word and the waitress turned to me, and shot me a forced smile.

“Be right back.” She winked at Seth before disappearing.

“She scares me.” Seth whispered, glancing at her retreating figure.

I giggled and he laughed. Neither of us said anything for a moment, and the waitress returned with our drinks before taking our orders. I got the lasagna and Seth got the spaghetti.

“So, I suppose you know about werewolves.”

I almost spat out my sip of Coke.

“What?”

“Jake told you, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Did he tell you who else was a werewolf?”

“No…”

“Well, Jake, Embry, Quil, Sam, Leah, Paul, Collin, Brady and me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“That would explain so much…” I wondered out loud.

The heat.

The height.

The secret meetings.

How everyone knew everyone.

“Yeah.”

“Leah’s the only female?”

“Yes. She went through the transformation the same time I did.”

“Transformation?”

“When you first become a werewolf, you go through a transformation. You become sick. A rapid height spurt. A burning sensation. That sort of thing.”

“Woah.”

“Yeah, we all went through it. Sam was the first though. He didn’t have anyone to tell him how to cope with the change. He had to deal with it on his own. Leah tried to support him, since they were together but he thought he was a monster and didn‘t tell her about what he had become. Then Emily came along. She’s Leah’s cousin and Sam imprinted on her. His love for Leah was complete brushed aside and he and Emily got engaged. Leah was pretty upset, but she’s cheered up since you got here. Sorry if I’m babbling…”

“Don’t worry, I do the same thing.”

I smiled slightly, but on the inside my head was spinning. Why did Emily get put first over Leah? What was imprinting? Sam was all by himself? Millions of questions whirred around my brain, and I flinched slightly at my over-thinking.

The subject dropped from there, and we chatted about neutral things like school, the reservation and the weather.

We finished eating and Seth insisted on paying. We left quickly, but not that quick as the creepy waitress still managed to slip Seth her number.

He immediately discarded her number as soon as he reached the nearest trash can. He shuddered and I giggled. We soon reached my house and Seth pulled into the driveway.

“I had a good time tonight.”

“Me too.” I smiled. He seemed nervous and began to get fidgety.

“I’ll see you in school on Monday.”

“Sure.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

I leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek before exiting the truck. Clambering up the steps, I heard Seth’s car pull away.

The house was empty other than Cora, since my mother and John went out to dinner. Jake had left during mydate gathering.

I closed the door to my bedroom, the universal sign not to bother me. I collapsed on my bed and smiled into my pillow, replaying the events of the night, over and over.

But one word continued to flow through my mind.

Beautiful.