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“Well. Do you want the short version or the stupid version?”
“Miss Snow, if it is something that has you this distraught, I wouldn’t deem whatever the situation is as stupid. Potentially rather dramatic, but hardly stupid.” He shot me a smile.
“Uh. Huh. Sure.”
Dramatic, might be pretty spot on.
“Well. How much do you know about Seth and me?” I caught myself, there was no ‘Seth and me.’
“Truth be told, I don’t know a whole lot outside of the two of you having been childhood friends and that he seems to be a type of interest to you, based on how you’ve become rather flustered around him on more than one occasion.”
A blush crept its way up my neck. “That’s the basics. You’ve pretty much got that down.” I leaned back in Josh’s burgundy vampire-esc lounge chair and crossed my arms across my middle. “We’ve been friends for years, as you know. Best friends, actually. We’ve always told each other everything. I thought so at least, until he divulged this whole being a Nephilim thing to me. Which hurt. I mean I get why he couldn’t tell me and why he waited so long but it still hurt. And now…with Libby…I…they both told me they weren’t dating. That they were history and just friends now,” I took a ragged breath. “But clearly, that wasn’t—isn’t the case. And I was just getting my hopes up. When Seth was clearly never interested.” I blinked, another tear escaping.
“Have you always…cared for him this way?” Josh asked quietly, a hint of pity tracing his words.
“Yes. No…I…I don’t know. I don’t think so. But I noticed it a few months ago, around the time this whole Nephilim mess started. I chalked it up to hormones and changing. But it feels like so much more than that. I mean, I’ve had crushes before, dated a few times but none of it felt like this. When I saw…when I saw Seth kiss Libby…it felt like my heart split in two.” I choked, tears free-falling down my cheekbones.
Josh brought his hand to my shoulder, squeezing it. “I’m sorry, Erin. I imagine that must be hard. A love squashed without ever having been explored.”
I let out a half sob half laugh. “I’m pretty sure that’s the first time you’ve actually used my first name. I really must be a complete wreck.”
“Not a complete wreck, dear.” The warmth from his smile hit me like a freight train.
“Prick.”
“Yours, truly, Miss Snow. At your assistance.” We both laughed.
I wiped the treacherous tears from underneath my eyes and pushed myself to my feet. “I’m going for a run.” I needed to get out and stop moping about. I wasn’t going to find these humans on my own sitting around and feeling sorry for myself.
“Would you like me to accompany you?” Josh asked softly from behind me.
“If you want.” I felt his golden-flecked, piercingly blue gaze burn a hole into my back. Yet when I peaked over my shoulder he was gone. I shrugged and reached for the door handle.
“I’ll be just a moment, Miss Snow.” I jumped as Josh shouted from down the hall.
While waiting for him to come back out, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and swiped up to find an absurd amount of unread notifications from Seth, with a few from Libby sprinkled in. I’d kept my notifications off from all contacts and apps with the exception of Josh and Ashlin, not that there were many from either.
I blew out a sigh and bit the bullet. I scrolled through the texts from Libby first, as there were far fewer to sort through.
I’m so sorry, Erin.
Erin, I know you’re upset. I would be too. Please let me explain.
It’s not what you think.
I’m so sorry.
I know you probably don’t want to see me right now but please call or text me. We need to talk.
The last one from her caught my attention.
I might have found something on the humans. Call me ASAP.
I moved my thumb over the screen, to select the texts from Seth, and hesitated. Deciding I wasn’t ready to conquer that hill yet. I tapped on Libby’s contact in my phone and let out a breath, bracing myself for whatever she was going to say. I played the possibilities in my mind while I waited for her to pick up.
“Oh yeah, Seth and I have been dating this whole time.”
“We were drunk.”
