Seth's Mess 3- Sober

DAY 3- Sober

I awoke to the smell of coffee and the warmth of the sun beating through my venetian blinds welcoming it openly. My stereo played a mellow tune off the radio as I opened my blinds and made my bed. I would eat breakfast in my room this morning. I gathered coffee and a grapefruit heading back to my bed after saying 'good morning' to my mother as she sat on the love-seat and watched the TV. She had a peaceful look that was priceless in my mind. I somehow knew it wouldn't last though.

I headed to my room and ate in a silence pondering on the night before. It was all that seemed to occupy my interest and was completely invited to stay. I just wanted to wait until the sun went down once again.

In the back of my mind though, there was a thought nagging at me. A thought that was going to stick around and one that I knew I should be focusing on more than a kiss.

Seth and I both needed to find a way to contact someone who could help us; a vampire. I would have to find a way to get out of the house with an alibi. I hated lying to my mom, but knew that the outcome was worth it. With the schedule I had ahead of me, I might as well get used to lying anyway. What was coming up for me wasn't something I could easily be open with my mom about.

“Kailey, I'm going to jump in the shower.” My mother stood at my doorway peering in.

I smiled. “Okay.” She retreated to her bathroom and I went back into deep thought mode again after a sip of my quickly cooling coffee.

I knew that I needed to find people that were dangerous and I didn't know anything about. Neither Seth nor I knew what to expect and could likely be killed on our search, but we had a chance.

A strange noise sounded and I stirred. Another ring called out and as I was brought back to reality in a startle. “Hello?” The caller spoke in a none to happy tone and spoke fast. I picked through the thick Texan accent and interpreted that my mother's mother had past away. My aunt must have been the speaker because she was the only one in Texas, but it was a surprise to hear her without the cheerful voice she usually pertained. I took down the information and hung up very gently. I had never met my grandmother so I was not very emotional, but I knew my mother would be.

When I greeted her after her shower I felt horrible being the bearer of bad news. Her eyes welled with tears and she hugged me for a long time before taking the phone into her room and shutting the door.

After my deed was done, I laid on my bed for a time. A storm began soon after and I sat up to put on music. The light from outside dulled as the storm grew and I wondered if Seth was getting soaked wherever he was. I wish I knew if he was really safe. I wondered just then if his mom and brother were thinking the same thing at that very moment. Neither of us had thought about his family this whole time and they were probably worried sick. And we had nothing to tell them. Nothing that was comforting anyway.

Just then my mother walked in with a red face. I stood fast and did my comforting work as a good daughter. She pulled gently away after a moment of thoughtful connection.

“I really want for you to come to the funeral.” My mother's words were calm yet sounded strangled from fighting back tears. I knew there was more to come so I held back the urge to interrupt. “We don't have enough money though. I feel selfish though. I want to know if you want to go, we might be able to do it. My family will help to if I ask.”

I knew this was a tragic and sad time, but it was also perfect if I wanted to get anything done with Seth. “Mom, I know this is important to you and I respect if you want me there, but I think it would be really awkward for me to go, and we don't need to stretch our money anymore than it already is. If you really want me to go I will. I just think it would be a lot easier if I didn't.”

“Alright. I'm good with you staying here... the funeral is next Sunday so I will try to leave Friday from Bangor. I don't know when I'll be back.” Her face strained in a thought for a minute before she continued on. “Probably the Wednesday or Thursday after. Almost a week.” She smiled a true smile and then left me alone in my room. I had three days before she would head out.

I listened to the storm grow heavier and heavier as I lay in the darkness and solitude of my room. A shiver overcame me as the heat came on and the vent sounded while the duct popped and the air around me gave into the growing current. I couldn't see a thing now and could hardly believe that I had fallen asleep on my floor after the talk about the funeral.

My floor had made me stiff and I had trouble getting up. On the way to the bathroom I noticed the heat read 72o though it didn't feel that warm. There was a spot on my neck bandage where blood had been seeping through but was dry now. I pulled the gauze from my skin without wincing and wiped down my wound to find it was almost completely healed. The once glossy red circles were now a mild pink and the bruising was down at least by five times. I guess some myths can prove themselves over time after all.

I headed to the kitchen to bring my mug, still half full of coffee, and my bowl containing the grapefruit peels. A note was on the table telling me my mom had gone to the store, just before I had gotten up, for odds and ends before my mom left because I don't have my license and couldn't get to the store while she was gone if I needed anything.

I grabbed a clean cup and turned on the cold water. Placing my finger in the stream to feel the water chilling more and more, I heard a quiet thump from my room. I continued on filling my cup and then slowly turned off the knob. The water was soothing in my throat and I stayed motionless in the dark except for swallowing.

My eyes twitched to the right sensing movement and then closed. I was standing facing the sink and window behind it. From that the moonlight shown upon my face gracefully and my back stiffened as arms wrapped around me and lips grazed my lower neck in the back and then flowed over to my right shoulder. I never heard his footsteps as Seth had crept up to me in a steady speed. He breathed onto my skin though he didn't need to and I almost fell asleep in his arms pinned against the counter.

“You missed me.” Seth spoke as a statement rather than a question and I agreed with a nod of my head. “Very much.” He continued.

I tried to rotate my body to face him but failed. “Yes, very much.” I opened my eyes and tried again. This time he helped me. “My mother is leaving again soon.”

“Oh. Why?” His eyes narrowed as I told of the funeral and my response.

Seth looked deep in thought and back a step away. “You can go... You should go.”

“No, we have a lot to do and this is perfect timing for that. I never knew her anyway.” I tried to pull off a smile that went horribly wrong and even in the night I knew he could see just how wrong it really went.

Seth lifted me as he would a damsel in distress and walked me back to my room to lay me on my bed and shut the door. It was like I blinked and was in another room, in a whole other position. My room was dark except for the fish tank which let off a mild blue lighting, but I was enjoying it.

I needed to wake myself so I sat up on my bed and leaned against my wall at the head of my bed. There was no frame in the way so I scooted my body all the way back. Seth sat on the floor against the edge of my bed close to me. He reached back and searched for my hand to hold in his. I accepted.

“I met up with someone on the way over here tonight.” My eyes widened as I listened patiently. “He said he had been watching me ever since I was turned.” Seth glanced up at me to make such I was taking everything in and then proceeded. “He knows about you... He knows you gave to me. And he knows my sire.”

“Your what?”

“Sire, um, the guy who bit me.” He had turned once again to try and read me. “He said he wants us to meet with a group. They're vampires. They'll explain everything and help me.”

“You trust him?” I didn't know what to think of this messenger sense I hadn't met him face to face yet. But I was sure going to have to change my ethics on trust between humans and vampires.

“I'm not sure, but he knew a lot about me since I've changed and I think I got a chance; so I want to take it.” Seth stood and then sat on the bed with me. He braced himself against the wall next to mine so we were at different angles. “I don't think you should come.” I was about ready to slap him when he grabbed my hands very gently in his own. “If it is some kind of trap than this is much safer for you. I don't want you hurt.”

“So after they kill you, if they do, you suspect that though they know I'm part of this and know about them they aren't just going to kill me on my own time? Cause I don't really follow that.” I was so sick of his not completely thought out arguments.

Seth looked a little paler than usual; not too comforting on my part.

“Are you okay?”

Seth looked at me and smiled. “Yeah, I'm good.” His smile grew as he scooted to sit right next to me and wrap his arm around my body. Once again I thought I would be falling asleep in his arms. My schedule was changing too much and I wasn't used to staying up so late this many days in a row.

“You're so tired.”

“Yes.” My voice was dreamy and soft as I snuggled closer to his chest. I couldn't hear anything inside. Seth began to stroke my hair and stayed in silence with me for a moment.

“When do the vampires want to meet?” I asked some what out of the blue and raised my head to look at Seth. He was staring right back. His eyes were in a trance as they looked over my body and face. “Seth.”

“What?” He responded which was a plus, but his eyes never met mine and his voice was monotone.

“The meeting. When do we meet them?” My voice grew louder but all Seth did was lean closer to me. He pushed my body back against the wall and then settled his head on my lower neck and nuzzled. I could hear him smelling me and then gave a low growl. I pushed his body slightly and then made my way working around his arms to work my way off of my bed.

“No, Kailey...” Seth spoke in the same speech and then pinned me laying down on my bed. His body was above me but he held his weight up with his arms and looked solemn as if he wasn't sure what he was going to do next. “Kailey.” Seth repeated my name as he bent down to me and then rested his weight in the bed right next to mine. His head lay on my chest and his left hand moved up and down my body.

I moved my lips to protest but my words were too quiet for me to hear. “Seth, stop.” I was starting to get that feeling where I was being overcome, and I was letting it happen. “Move.” I pushed my body up and wriggled out from under Seth's arm.

He laid still on my bed and for a moment and if I hadn't known better I would have gotten shaky and thought he was dead. I stood still until he stirred not knowing what to expect and then remembered the blood. Heading to the front door, I heard Seth call to me. I had my coat and shoes on by the time he stood in my doorway and was outside on the steps as he came up behind me. I shouldn't have been startled because I was expecting it but my little shriek was undeniable.

“Where are you going?” Seth held onto my waist letting me walk to the outside of my window easily but within his grasp.

I looked around in the dark as Seth's head landed on my left shoulder comfortably. He began nuzzling again and I pulled away to find my eyes watering. I couldn't explain why I was so scared but I sure didn't want him to see it right now.

“Kailey.” Seth was standing over me as I crouched on the ground looking for the blood. “Kailey, what are you doing?” My hands moved around in the bush below my bedroom window as Seth grabbed my arm. He pulled me up holding onto a bag of blood which was noticed right away. His eyes never left the bag as he talked. “Kailey, put it down.”

“You need this. When's the last time you had a drink?”

Seth tightened his grip. “I don't need any right now. Drop it.” He held tighter when I didn't respond until I had to let go. I might be a strong girl, but nothing to vampire standards. “Don't try to pull crap with me.” Seth finally looked into my eyes which were now letting tears fall from being scared and from pain in my wrists and heart.

My hand came up and slapped Seth across the cheek. I know he didn't feel a thing but it hurt me like hell. “Drink it or leave. You're acting as bad as a drunk and I won't take it.” I strode up to my door and waited to see what I had to do next.

My eyes followed the blood as Seth picked it up and brought it to his mouth. I guess I can be more threatening than I thought. I knew my doors couldn't keep him out but I did know that he didn't want to hurt me.

Seth stood a step lower than me with the empty package in hand and a look of solitude on his face. I brought him inside and he sat on the edge of my bed with me. “I didn't know that I would act like that.” I couldn't look at him though I understood that he didn't act like that before when he was deprived of blood. “I don't like how I feel when I drink it. It's not like how I had you.” I could feel his eyes burning a hole into the side of my face as it began to turn red. “I could feel you. You know?”

“Yeah, I know.” My voice was hoarse and my face grew hotter.

Seth wanted me to look at him, I knew, but I didn't want to read his face and find out more than I already did. “I don't like being dependent, I don't like the fact that I need it at all.” Seth wrapped my hand in his and my heart sped up. “I don't like it Kailey.” Seth spoke in a whisper closer to me. “But I'll drink it as long as I have to to keep you with me in this. I'm sorry about what I did. I didn't know it would hurt you.” I was starting to notice it was like Seth had different personalities now. Like there was a weak Seth and a hungry Seth.

I found myself gasping for air, like I was stuffed up, before I could talk. “I know you didn't.”

Lights shown outside and I jumped up wiping my eyes.

“I'll go. Do you want me to come back later?” Seth was waiting outside my window for an answer by the time I heard my mom shut and lock the front door.

“We should talk about the meeting. I want to do it as soon as possible.” I got no answer, only a smile and he was gone.

My mom handed me a Wal*Mart bag of things to unload into my bathroom and bedroom. There was few contents in the bag, most consisting of shampoo, fish food and such.

I walked back into the kitchen to see my mom creating a pile of leftovers on her plate. “Do you want me to leave anything out?” I hadn't eaten but wasn't really hungry anyways.

“I'm good.” I spoke pulling out the juice and helped put the tupperware away into the fridge. I mentally thanked Seth when I looked into the refrigerator and didn't find anything that my mother would find unusual.

I always found her as a respectable woman who respected me back with just as much. We had a great mother- daughter relationship that many girls my age couldn't match and my secrets were tearing me apart. I was always extremely open with her because I expected the same courtesy played out to me. You could say we had very equal interpretations of each other.

“Kailey, tomorrow I'm going to go over to your brother's house to look on-line at plane tickets.” My brother lived probably about two miles from my house and was a computer wizard. I was right behind him on the scale though and coming up fast, but our house still didn't have the internet yet.

I backed away from the fridge and sat in one of the chairs at the table across the kitchen. “What time are you going over?”

“Probably in the afternoon because he's going to sleep in. He has work tonight." It seemed to be a trend in my family to have late hours when it came to working. Weird coincidence.

“Cool.” I didn't know what else to say on the subject of the trip. I felt strange rejecting the offer to join my mother this time because of the significance, but I knew just how crucial this time really was. I hoped soon there would be a way to come clean to my mother on the subject. Assuming all hell would break loose may be an overstatement of the outcome, but a safe one.

My mother wasn't extremely religious but had a faith and enjoyed it. She had developed her belief during a rough time in her life but was still the same woman to me.

I got up from my chair and worked my way to my bathroom. I felt grungy after feeling around in the bushes outside. My mind was something that I couldn't clean as easily though. “Mom, I'm taking a bath.” I called out as I strode into my bathroom.

I would do what I had to to relax for as long as I could. I was going to have bring out my big guns. I plugged in my stereo and turned on my dim light while the water ran hot. My brush made its way through my hair as I looked myself over.

I guess I'm what you would stereotypically call average in America today. I'm not quite skinny but not heavy either. In a word you could call me 'voluptuous.' I have strong curves and a great chest but a small butt. I'm happy with my figure though losing a few pounds wouldn't kill me. One of my favorite features though are my long legs. Man, do they make me look good in skirts.

After finishing with my hair and undressing, I took those legs and squished them into a streaming hot bathtub. My dim light was all that illuminated the room because there was no windows, but it was plenty bright enough anyway. Low mellow music was playing as I began shaving my legs with care. It felt so good not to be thinking about anything at all. I wished I could have stayed in that peace forever.

“Kailey?” A voice called from outside my bathroom door in a familiar tone. “I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Love you.” I listened as my mother walked to her room across the house from mine.

I sighed sinking under the water and then came back up. My hands brushed over my hair, slicking it back and I sat back to relax. My CD stopped and I knew I had a long enough bath so I unplugged the drain and wrapped a towel around my hair and another around my body. I turned out the light and retreated to my room to collapse on my bed.

When I opened my eyes again it was still dark in my room, but there was light spilling from my bathroom doorway. The door was closed and I couldn't hear much from outside but the water.

I headed back to my room to dress. My hand reached in a drawer next to my closet to pull out underwear, a bra, and socks. I slipped all that on and grabbed blue flannel plaid pajama pants off my top shelf in my closet. I was cold and nervous that Seth would walk in on me so I grabbed the top shirt in my tank top pile on the same shelf as my pants and slipped it on followed by a green sweater. I pushed the sleeves up and then turned off my fish tank light and sat down on my bed in the dark waiting for Seth to come in. He sat down next to me without saying a word. The room didn't have the usual glow to it which seemed to change the mood. I couldn't quite figure out what exactly had changed, but I could feel it.

Seth had on a different shirt. I didn't know if he got it from his house or not but didn't think so. He had on the same jeans and I suspected he might not want to go there yet.

“We need something to tell your family or they'll be the next reason the cops come to my house.” I didn't know Seth's mom or brother that well, but I'm sure they knew of me and would have every acquaintance checked out.

Seth looked at me expressionlessly. “I have nothing to tell them.” His eyes looked out into space as he spoke. “The vampires want to meet Saturday night in Bar Harbor.”

“That's fine with me. My mom's leaving some time Friday.”

Seth got up and stretched. He shook his head and I felt a droplet fall on my arm so I wiped it off. “I'm need to go do some stuff so I'll see you tomorrow. Try and get some extra sleep. You're way too worn out.”

Seth gave me a tantalizing smile and a brush of his lips across one of my cheeks before he headed out.

I fell asleep soon after that in thought about how my mom would react if I didn't contact her for days. Not a good feeling.