Enchanted to Meet You

I took a spoonful of cereal, but held it in front of my mouth, watching my mom stare at me from across the table.

She flicked her eyes away quickly, pretending like she wasn’t watching my every move.

My voice was flat. “What?”

She tucked her hair behind both her ears. “Nothing, I just…nothing.” She added a nervous smile.

No kid has ever fallen for that. “Mom.”

She played with her thoughts for a second. “You didn’t tell me…”

“Tell you what?” I was cranky, it was that time of the month, and I had an awful nightmare the night before. What am I supposed to say?

“Your father said that you’ve been hanging around those Quileute boys.”

I finished my bite of cereal. “Yeah. Jacob and his friends.”

She nodded, scratching her neck.

I waited for her to finish. I knew there was more. Mom and Dad rarely talk to each other, unless it involves me. I couldn’t remember the last time they’d talked to each other. They act like children, so immature.

“Anyone…specific?”

I blinked slowly. “What do you mean.”

“Seth Clearwater, maybe?”

I was nearly jolted forward as my heart slammed painfully against my ribcage. “I guess.”

“You guess?” There was a smile in her voice now. “Val, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know.” I said.

“Come on, I’m your mom. You’re supposed to tell me this stuff.” She punched my arm playfully, acting like she was my best friend.

“Mom, I’m not really in the mood, okay?”

She dropped her grin. “Oh. Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, Mom.”

“Honey, don’t worry. It will all work out.”

I took my cereal to the sink. “Okay, Mom.”

She continued to give me words of hope. I kind of just stopped listening.

I went to hide in my room to just let my mind escape. It was weird, what was happening to me. I felt physically and mentally exhausted, like living a single day without him took so much energy out of me. It didn’t help that I only slept for four hours last night.

I curled up on my bed, pretending that I was a princess in a castle with magical stained-glass windows and it was raining flower petals over my handsome prince and I.

My phone vibrated violently on my bedside table. I groaned, sloppily reaching my hand over to grab it. It was a text that read ‘Open your window’.

I frowned at the screen for an extra second, then lifted my eyes to my window.

I tossed my phone on my bed and leapt out of it, hurrying to the window. I unlocked it with shaky fingers and heaved it upwards, only about five inches before it wouldn’t move anymore.

Seth lifted it the rest of the way from the outside.

“Thanks.” I breathed, winded from trying to lift it. I saw something hiding in his expression. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He nodded a few times. “I just wanted to see you.”

It wouldn’t set my mind at peace. “You look like you’re about to cry.”

He ignored me. “Can I come in?”

I traced my eyes over the frame. “Through the window?”

Again, he ignored me, inviting himself through the window. I was surprised he could fit through the space.

Once he stood up straight, Seth pulled my shoulders into his chest with a magnetic pull. He held me close, like he needed that hug more than air to breath. My head fit nicely under his chin. He played with my ponytail, running his fingers through it.

“What’s wrong?” I mumbled into his chest.

“I never thanked you, you know, for being there when my dad died.”

I instantly hugged him tighter. “You don’t need to thank me.”

“I do.” He corrected. “If you weren’t here…” He paused, sighing in between. “I really don’t know where I’d be without you.”

I could have said the same thing. “Where is this coming from?”

He let go of the hug, keeping his eyes down. “Elena didn’t know, and she…”

My dislike for her grew a bazillion times stronger. Inconsiderate, unthoughtful - dare I say it - bitch. Yes. That is the word.

I held his chin in my fingertips delicately. “I missed you.”

He responded with a long but soft kiss on my lips. It reignited the warmth inside me.

He took a better look at me, frowning. “You look like you went through hell.”

I realized I barely tried to fix myself up after getting out of bed. Who knew what I looked like. I hadn’t even considered it. But he was pretty accurate with his assumption.

“I mean, you look pretty.” Seth adjusted his comment, smiling.

I laughed once, yawning at the end. “Thanks, I guess.”

He touched his nose with mine. “Somebody’s sleepy.”

I nodded, an even bigger yawn absorbing my words.

He swooped his head away. “That same somebody also forgot to brush their teeth this morning.”

I blushed. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I was going to take a nap…”

“A nap sounds good, actually.” Seth yawned himself, smiling through it.

I smiled too. “Okay.”

Seth stepped passed me and plopped down on my bed, causing it to make loud creaky noises.

I kept my smile and crawled into bed next to him, using his arm as a pillow.

He gently brushed the hair away from my face and behind my ears, twining his fingers through mine.

I closed my eyes contently, ditching my princess fantasy and living my real one.