"Can you pass me the flour?" Seth asks me pointing to the box of flour beside me.

With a grin, I take off the lid and pick up some and as he reaches out to grab it I put the flour in his hand. His head snaps to his hand immediately before he grins at me and in one quick stride, presses the flour onto my face.

"You cow!" I exclaim grabbing a handful of the flour. Seth grabs my hand and holds it still.

"You don't want to do that Lace," Seth says seriously moving to stand in between my legs.

"Ok fine," I say pretending to go to drop the flour. He lets go of my hand and in one swift move, I slap my hand to his face, letting flour cover it.

"Lace, I warned you." He says blinking a few times before launching into action and grabbing a hand of flour and putting it in my hair.

I grab another hand and slather it across his bare chest. He grins as I try to bat him off as he threatens to put some down the back of my T-shirt. He's still standing in between my legs grinning as I try holding his arms away from me, but he overpowers me.

I stare into his eyes, a grin on my face. A grin plastering his own face. I reach for an egg stealthily as we stare into each other's eyes, grinning. In one swift move, I smack an egg onto the top of his head.

It drips slowly down his face. I immediately jump off the bench attempting to make my run away, but he grabs my wrist and pulls me towards him. He wraps an arm around me, leaning over me holding me in place as he reaches for an egg. I try and wriggle free but his grip is too hold. He smacks an egg on my head and I squeal in between laughter as the cool egg drips down my face.

A movement at the door makes us stop and our heads snap towards it.

"Hey, guys. Love to see the cooking is going well." Callie's voice says sarcastically from the doorway. I immediately jump away from Seth as he releases me and stands up straight.

"Uh," I say a sheepish smile on my face.

"You guys sure know how to make a mess," Dallas says looking around. I look around. There's flour and egg everywhere...

Oops.

Trina walks in at that moment and her eyes widen. Before she catches sight of Seth and me standing there sheepishly.

"Go shower," Trina says pointing to the downstairs bathroom.

"Then you're coming to clean this up." She says sternly. I nod and grab a towel.

"I got the first shower," I call to Seth as I throw him a towel.

"No way. I can't go upstairs to shower. And this egg is set in my hair as we speak." Seth argues.

"Just both of you. In the shower. Clothes on. In the dryer after. Callie could you go grab some clothes from Bea's room for Lacey. Dallas could you get Seth some clothes from his room. I don't want them going on the white carpets." Trina informs them shaking her head at us.

"Shower with Seth?" I ask scrunching my nose up in disgust.

"You're making more of a mess as you stand here the both of you, more for both of you to clean up. Now hop to it." Trina says. An amused smile played on her face. It's like the time when we were kids. Seth and I, were meant to throw out a cake batter that had split, Trina was making a cake for Bea and Seth's 13th. And so we took out the two large bowls, and right before I went to tip it into the large outdoor sink, I felt this goop flop onto my head and slowly trickle down my back. I got him back, and it resulted in the same thing. Clothes on the shower. It was fine because we were thirteen then. Things shouldn't be now.

I walk into the bathroom and throw Seth a dark look before he closes the door behind me. I hang the towel up and strip my T-shirt off leaving on my shorts and a sports bra.

I turn the shower on and step in. Seth pulls his sweatpants off revealing his Calvin Klein boxer shorts.

I don't look. I try not to look.

He gets in beside me.

"Scooch over I want some water," Seth says moving the shower head towards him slightly.

"Jesus Christ it's burning." He says.

"It's perfect," I say pulling eggshells from my hair and letting the water run over my face, washing the flour down my face.

"Do all girls shower with the shower this hot?" Seth asks getting used to the temperature and pulling eggshells out of his own hair.

"You haven't showered with a girl before?" I ask him confused. Surely he would have. Apart from me.

"Nope," Seth says shaking his head.

"Lies. You lost your shower with girl virginity to me." I remind him with a chuckle chuckling.

"Oh yeah did years ago. When we were like twelve. You Bea and I had that cake fight. But you stayed in here for ages after." Seth says remembering the memory.

"It was so cold. Coz you kept fucking turning the temperature down," I exclaim grabbing the shampoo and squeezing some into my hands to rub through my hair.

"You still have some eggshell," Seth says.

"Can you grab it?" I ask turning my back to him. His hard chest pressed up against my back as he pulls a few pieces of eggshell out before he takes the shampoo from my hands, scooping it as best he can. Before he lathers it into my hair. He massages it through my hair. It's like getting a head massage.

He runs his hands through my hair before he takes the showerhead out of its holder and runs it through my hair, letting the soapy suds run down my body and down the drain.

"Ok, all gone," Seth says.

"Your turn," I say turning around as Seth turns. I reach up and pull some eggshells out of his head.

"Your too tall for this, can you crouch down," I ask him. He turns around and in one swift movement, he lifts me onto the in-shower, bench and stands between my legs. Bowing his head slightly.

"Is that better?" He asks. I remove the remaining pieces of eggshell from his hair.

"Perfect," I say. Grabbing the shampoo from beside me and lathering it through my hair. I try to ignore the fact that he's standing in between my legs, his head right in front of me. At shoulder height.

I massage the shampoo through his hair before I ask him to tip his head back as I remove the showerhead from the wall and hold it over his head, as I run my hands through his hair, letting the soap wash out of his hair. After the soap is all well gone. I spray him in the face slightly before hanging up the showerhead.

He runs his hands over his face to get the water out of his face as a grin crosses his face.

"You are so mean to me." He says shaking his hair out.

"Whatever," I say rolling my eyes and hopping down grabbing the body wash and lathering it into my skin, washing off the rest of the flour. I attempt to get my back but it's awkward. Seth raises an eyebrow at me. I throw him a look. He watches me amused, water running down his perfectly sculpted body.

"Fine. Can you please wash my back for me?" I say rolling my eyes at him.

"Seen as you asked so nicely." He says grabbing the soap off me as I turn around. Seth massages it gently into my skin.

"You're really tense huh." He asks me.

"Life's stressful sometimes," I say casually.

"Tell me about it." He mutters working through a knot in my shoulders.

"Okay, you're good." He says before pulling away and grabbing the soap and washing himself. I grab the soap and gesture for him to spin around. He does so hesitantly.

I work the soap over his skin as I feel him tense at my touch. His back muscles tightening. His skin was so smooth and soft and toned.

His shoulders are tense and tight.

"I'm not the only one who's tense," I comment massaging his shoulders slightly.

"Mmm." He hums letting his head drop back slightly in pleasure. I pat his back twice swiftly before stepping away.

"You're done," I say to him before stepping under the showerhead and then opening the door.

I needed to get out before something happened. My attraction towards Seth in this setting, with his body and with well, him.

I wrap a towel around me, after drying myself out as Seth steps out after me. Turning the water off. I wait until he has a towel around himself before I pull open the bathroom door. After I'm changed and we cleaned up the kitchen, in silence I might add.

A comfortable silence though.

***

After we finished cleaning the kitchen Seth made his leave. To where I have no idea. Leaving Luke and Bea asleep in Bea's bed. Callie, Dallas and I finished the crepes which I ate slowly, while the other two talked.

"You alright?" They asked me.

"Yeah, I'm good," I say truthfully.

"Where's Seth gone?" Dallas asks.

"I don't know he left to go somewhere," I say thoughtfully. Where did he go?

Eventually, they make their way upstairs to bed I sigh. I should probably go to sleep soon. I let my mind wander for a while, allowing all sorts of thoughts in my mind. All sorts except those of Seth. Which was hard to keep out.

After a while of sitting there thinking. I check the time.

1:23 am

And Seth still wasn't back. He probably wasn't coming back.

I make my way upstairs to Bea's room. Through the darkness, in the room, I see Dallas and Callie asleep on the mattress on the floor and Bea and Luke had occupied Bea's whole bed. I sigh.

I make my way down the hall and stop in Seth's doorway. Well. It's not like I have another choice. I turn his light on and sigh. I glance around his rather tidy room. I turn the light off again as I climb into his bed. Pulling his duvet up around me.

It smells like him too.

I really need to keep my sleeping pills at Bea's house. I usually do but I've run out. I need to get my prescription filled again. I sigh as I roll over, unable to sleep. I hear footsteps making their way down the hallway. Must just be Trina.

Suddenly Seth's light flicks on. I open my eyes and see Seth's eyes land on me, casting me a confused glance.

"Sorry, all the beds were full," I say rubbing my eyes and sitting up.

"No your all right. Stay." He says as I go climbing out, moving towards his closet and pulling off his hoodie and t-shirt.

"You still awake?" He asks me.

"Yeah me and sleep usually don't happen very easily unless it's drug-assisted," I say hesitantly. "My melatonin diffusers at home."

"Oh," Seth says softly. Sliding into the bed beside me after flicking the light off at the wall. "You're lil sleep vape," He says with a laugh.

He lets out a sad sigh as he stares up at the ceiling.

"You ok?" I ask him concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He says giving me a half-smile.

"Where were you?" I ask him. He shakes his head and turns his neck for me to see a fresh hickey on his neck.

"Oh," I say, something pooling into my stomach.

"Yeah." He says with a sad sigh.

"You're really not ok. What's up? Talk to me." I say after a few searching seconds, rolling to face him. He sighs.

"Life sometimes, just hard." He says softly.

"It is," I say. Seth wipes away a tear that escapes down his face. I caress his face and turn it towards me softly. Running my thumb along his cheek gently.

I stare at him confused, searching for an answer to this vulnerable Seth.

His sad green eyes meet my own.

My heart pangs.

I move closer to him. Playing with his hair softly.

"Talk to me, if you want to," I say gently.

"I don't know. I just hate how I am. Sleeping around. I hate it because it's my distraction. I use it to distract me from how I really feel. So now everyone I care about just thinks that's all that I am." Seth says sadly.

"You're not all that. You are a kind, caring guy. You have morals. You're intelligient. Dedicated. You are always there for me. Even though you're annoying sometimes. You still make me smile, every day." I say gently.

Seth moves towards me, resting his head on my neck, I play with his hair softly. Comforting him.

He presses his lips to my neck softly. Before pulling them back, his face remained buried in my neck. And I know that's his way of thanking me.

***

"That's nasty." I hear a voice say. I open my eyes to see Bea standing in the doorway rubbing her eyes and throwing a disgusted look at me. I realised what she's disgusted at. Seth and I... Cuddling.

I must've fallen asleep.

Fallen asleep.

That hasn't happened in a while. Usually, I have to take my pills to fall asleep. But not last night.

I pull back from Seth, but he pulls me back to him, murmuring in his sleep. I send Bea a raise of my eyebrows.

"Seth Tate Nixon. Stop cuddling my best friend and Lacey get out of his bed" Bea says smacking Seth gently across his face. He moans and pulls his arms from around me. Rubbing his face.

"It's too early for your annoying voice," Seth says pushing Bea's hand away and snuggling towards me wrapping his arms around me again. Why is he so cute.

Why. Why. Oh why.

I almost chuckle at the cuteness of him but stop myself from seeing Bea's look of disgust on her face.

"Seth. If my dad knew you slept in the same bed as me. He would castrate you. So now you have me, a 17-year-old girl and my father a 41-year-old man in line to castrate you." I say sternly giving Seth a small nudge to let me go.

"You're lucky you're pretty because you're just mean." He says with a pout letting go of me. I get up and follow Bea out of the room.

Dear gods. Why did you have to make my best friend's brother so attractive?

Wait a damn minute. I'm pretty?

Seth Nixon thinks I'm pretty.

I turn and meet Bea's eyes. Her eyebrows are raised at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You slept in my brother's bed?" She asks me rolling her eyes at me.

"I didn't think he was going to come home. He left last night and you and Luke took up the bed so what was I supposed to do." I exclaim.

"The guest room," She asks.

"Oh, the mattresses that Callie and Dallas were sleeping in?" I say sarcasm filling my tone.

"Whatever." She says with a sigh.

I pull on my pair of 'Stop looking at my dick' sweatpants I keep at Bea's.

More rested than normal. Falling asleep at around 3 am.

Without the use of my melatonin, I might add. Which hasn't happened in a long long while.

It's now seven so I got around 4 hours of sleep. Which is actually pretty damn decent for me.

I then throw on a spaghetti strap maroon tank top. And my air forces, you can never go wrong with the forces.

I then french braid my hair. And do my makeup up a little. Mascara, concealer to cover the bags under my eyes and lip gloss.

The others had already gone home, to get their stuff for school.

I make my way downstairs while Bea finishes getting showering and getting ready and swing myself onto the kitchen barstool where across from me Trina stands flipping pancakes.

The smell of them alone made my stomach gurgle with hunger. Trina was the best cook. If she didn't own a boutique I think she would own a cafe or a restaurant.

"Morning Trina," I say with a small smile.

"Morning love. How are you this morning?" She asks sliding me a plate of cinnamon sugar pancakes, my personal favourite.

"I'm good," I say. "How are you?" I ask her.

"I'm good thanks," Trina says with a warm smile.

"What smells so good?" Seth asks walking in. Fully clothed.

"Oh, you do know what a shirt is," I say gesturing to his torso which is covered in clothing this morning.

"Ha. Ha." He says rolling his eyes at me and kissing his mum on the cheek as he grabs a plate of blueberry pancakes.

My heart.

I literally want to punch myself.

"You and your blueberry," I say with a shake of my head.

"You and your cinnamon." He says gesturing to my nearly eaten pancake.

"They are culinary gold. Made the best by your own mother." I say.

"Yeah well. You also like white chocolate. So we see who has good taste here." He says gesturing to himself.

"Oh yes. Says the one dating Mia." I say with a roll of my eyes.

"Says the one who sleeps with Carlos." He says acid creeping into his voice. Bea comes in and grabs her plate of pancakes. Plain.

"You're coming straight to mine after to help set up for the party on Friday right?" Bea asks me.

"We have detention this week." Seth reminds me. "but I can bring you here after on Friday?" he counters.

"I forgot about that. And yeah would be good thanks." I reply

"Okay. We're going. Love you, mom." Bea says dragging me towards the car after a worried glance at her wrist. The other's had gone home to get clothes and their school bags.

The rest of that day had passed smoothly. Thursday went without an event. Ticking along like a clock. Callie had been talking to Dev occasionally and they kind of suited. But I know Callie wouldn't date him because of her mom and I knew Oscar had a thing for Callie. But he had been away since Tuesday in Boston on a college visit with his father. I think Callie misses him.

By Friday half the school was talking about Seth and Bea's party. Which I was very ready for. It had been a long week.

***

"Hey, Lacey ." A boy says from next to my locker sounding unsure. I turn and eye him up. He looks like he's a Freshman maybe.

"Uhh hi?" I ask confused as I dig through my not very well kept locker for my damned science book.

"Hi. I uh just wanted to say that I really like your sweatpants." He says shyly.

"Thanks," I say emotionless as I pull it out of my locker. And turn to him raising my eyebrows.

"Do you remember me?" He asks.

"Uhh no sorry? Remind me again?" I ask. Confused.

"I'm Dylan." He states blandly.

"Dylan..." I start. Racking my brain for a freshman Dylan.

"Reynolds." He continues.

"Sorry?" I say looking at him confusingly. I don't think I know a Dylan Reynolds.

"We talk on Snapchat." He says.

"Oh. Right." I say nodding my head slightly. I did recognise him. Talk no. Photo chat, occasionally.

I don't remember half the people I talk to on Snapchat.

"Well, I was going to ask you if you wanted to hang out after school?" He asks.

"Look Dylan I'm sorry. I'm busy tonight. And not really looking for anything at the moment." I say apologetically before moving past him. Towards Bea.

"Poor kid," Bea says staring after him and he makes his way back to his friends who clap him on the back for the attempt.

"Someone needs to come and get their kids," I say with a small sigh. Dylan seemed sweet, I should have been nicer. But freshman's? 14 and 17 very different age gaps.

"Are you offering to have my kids?" Seth says as he comes gliding in out of nowhere slinging an arm around my shoulder. Followed by Dallas, Callie, Molly and Luke.

"Go ask Mia," I say rolling my eyes and unhooking his arm.

"Hey Lace," Molly says replacing Seth's arm around my shoulder.

"Hey, Molls. You need anything or just here to enjoy my company?" I ask her with a grin.

"Can I have dad's card? I want to buy a dress for the party." She says with a grin. With a roll of my eyes, I pull out the card.

"If it's too short I will actually kill you. I don't need my fifteen-year-old sister being called half the names I get called." I say raising my eyebrows at her.

"Whatever mom." She says sarcastically rolling her eyes. I grin as she walks away. The sass in that girl.

Taking after her older sister.