Keep Me Together

Her mother was worried when Elenia didn’t come down for breakfast and she found her in the bed unmoving, but not asleep.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” She asked her softly.
Elenia was startled; she hadn’t heard the door open. She sat up abruptly and looked around with bloodshot eyes. “Nothing,” she mumbled and got out of the bed. “I’m going to shower.”

“Breakfast is ready, hurry,” Elia said with a kind smile and brushed her fingers across her cheek.
Elenia moved away from her touch and disappeared down the hallway to the bathroom.

She felt no better after the shower. Just as empty and she couldn’t get the sound of Seth’s heartbroken voice out of her mind just before he bolted for the door. Elenia didn’t plan to join her family at breakfast.

After she’d dressed she used her window to exit the house. She ran as fast as she could over the snow covered ground to his apartment, only to find it in the exact condition as it had been when she left it; empty.

The forest behind the house was dark and cold but she made her way thought the mush bushes anyway, she needed to find him.
“Seth!” she called out only to receive no answer.

She had walked for hours, she was sure. The sky was darkening and she was grateful for the first time in her life she’d put on many layers of clothes under her winter coat. She was crying, tears streamed down her face but she made no sound, trying to listen to the sounds on the woods.

She stumbled on a three-root and realized she had no idea where she was. She stood on her knees and felt the snow soak through to the skin. “Seth,” She whispered and tried to wipe her cold cheek.

He placed his big, warm hand on her shoulder and made her yelp in shock. “Sh…” Seth said silently. “It’s me.”
“Seth!” She said and got to her feet and wrapped her arms around his bare torso. She stared shivering when she felt how warm he was. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed against his skin.

At first he only stood there but he didn’t handle to see his imprint in such pain and he wrapped his big arms around her and tried to sooth her cries.
“I’m so sorry. I messed up. I’m sorry.”
He didn’t reply.
“I do love you, I truly do,” she whispered and stared up at his distant expression.

“Seth,” she said heartbroken, shocked not to see the usual smile. “I’m so sorry.”
“Stop saying it,” he said harshly.
“But I hurt you.”
“I know. Just forget it. I’m going away for awhile,” He told her.
“What do you mean?” Elenia asked in confusion.
“I won’t be around for some time.”
“Where are you going?” She asked and held back another flow of tears.

Seth shrugged. “I don’t know yet, wherever my feet take me.”
“Please don’t leave your family and every else just because of me.”
He gave her a mournful smile. “You were the only thing keeping me here.”
“Seth,” she said again, “Please don’t leave me.”
“You have that new boy, Austin,” he grimaced his name.
“But I want you.”

“Stop arguing with me Elenia!” He yelled at her face.
“Don’t you love me anymore?”
“I wish I didn’t but I’ll always love you,” He turned his face away from her as a tear escaped his eyes.
Elenia saw it and reached up to wipe it away. “I love you too, why can’t it be enough?”
“I don’t know.”

Elenia took his face between her hands and pulled his head down to hers so she could press her mouth against his in a desperate kiss.
Seth pushed her away. “Don’t do it, Elenia, you’re hurting the both of us.”
“If this is the last time I’ll ever see you I’m going to kiss you if you want to or not,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Seth stared at her for a second and saw everything he loved with her. He pressed his lips against hers again. The kiss was longing, longing for something they both knew was impossible; a world where their love would be accepted.

“I love you, Leni,” he whispered against her mouth.
Elenia could feel his warm breath warm her frozen skin. “I know, I love you too.”
“I have to go now,” he brushed his fingers over her face before kissing the corner of her mouth.
“I’ll wait for you,” She whispered and reached for him as he started to walk away.

Her face crumbled in pain as she only saw a sand colored wolf disappear in the dark forest. She slid to the ground with her back against a three and touched her warm lips from his last kiss.

Ten minutes hadn’t passed before Harry knelt beside her. He was only wearing a pair of cut off jeans.
“He told me to take you home,” he said silently and took a hold of her frozen hand.
“He just left me,” she whispered and looked into her cousin’s calm eyes. “He walked away from me.”
“Come on, you have to get home, your parents are freaking,” Harry lifted her up in his arms and started running in the direction of La Push, surprised at how far she’d walked.

“I can’t handle being away from him,” she cried against his chest.
“It will work out. I’ll be here for you.”
They both knew Harry couldn’t compare to what Seth had been for Elenia, but they didn’t voice it.