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A few people scatter the narrow hallway as they say goodbye to their family members I look up at Seth and his toothpick flicks across the span of his lips as he teases it with his tongue "Thank you"

"For what?"

I stop walking and cut in front of him He pulls the thin, wooden toothpick fro back to the gy his life"

Seth’s eyebrows crinkle slightly, like he’s uncomfortable "You don’t have to thankyou aze flits to the floor as he sticks the toothpick back into hissilent, he lifts his gaze toeven more uncomfortable than before

"Because I’ thanked?" I brushhis forearm

"I’m usually the cause of a problem, not the solution"

I frown He doesn’t even realize how much he’s helped me He’s helped me not fall back into the same routines with Blade He saved me from Brent and improved my relationship with Dad Before Seth,for me to move back home and because of all of that the next words fell froht

"You’re my solution"

His lips twitch and he removes his toothpick as the tension in his expressionhtening feeling through my chest All I want is for hi so badly inhis head on ly up and down my spine I’m scared to pull away--I don’t want to I don’t knohat’s happening, but it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before The feelings I had for Blade pale in co now Love? No--yes--I don’t know I’? I feel sick--I feel like crying I feel like crushing Seth in o I’ without him I want to run away because I’m absolutely petrified Seth likes me, I know he does, but what if there’s no future here I’m not a mind reader, but I’m certain this isn’t what he’d expect of ether I can’t scare hi around dad’s rooht her nail kit in for so to do and since she’s done her nails twice already, she decided to attack mine I can’t co I’ve been biting them too much lately

Iout around his house His Mom wasn’t home and we didn’t have sex because Darryl put the ‘no sex until after the fight’ restriction on hier to break it and just tell Darryl that he didn’t have sex, but I felt bad and told Seth to wait

"So, your boss is a nice guy" Mom says casually

I almost snort "Yeah, he is"

She rakes the nail filer over e scratchesin a breath "Yes, he is" I used to think Mason was so, so, so handsoht about him, but then Seth showed up and in my opinion, no one holds a candle to his looks, not even blue-eyed, blond haired Mason Mason is bright and innocent--too entlemen in most instances Seth is dark and confident He doesn’t care for being subtle He doesn’t care how he looks to other people It thrills hio there, Sandra" Dad interjects His voice is husky froe doesn’t define aso children shouldn’t be a proble, handso when he’s constantly getting beaten by er than him He can only be successful for short periods of ti you want to raise your children around Iaround? It’s just fun, right?"

Dad hits the button on his bed and slowly raises hi position "Who cares if it’s just fun or not Seth is a good kid He saved ht ti rateful"

Powerless anger rages through htly around s--all with good intention (or so she clai she has ever said has upset ry with her, until now I glance at Dad, he’s shooting daggers at Moue with Morateful, fine Let her be, but it won’t change my opinion Ever I’ve seen underneath Seth’s hard, cocky shell I’ve seen his soft side I’ve seen him vulnerable and hurt There’s more to him than meets the eye A hell of a lot o home?"

The pink blush in Dad’s cheeks fade and Moe "Hopefully after lunch, I have to wait teeks before I can go back to work, but after that it should be okay They’ve encouraged me to do more cardio and eat better foods as well Boston is definitely off the cards forsmile, but even I felt its sy to Bostondeal, but I know otherwise He was so upset in the gyht At least one of us is going"

I blink Oh Heeither, Dad"

"Why not?" He’s just as confused as Seth hen I told hiht?"

I swear I hear Mom’s breath catch hopefully

"No I have work"

"And is Seth okay with that?"