Dinner drags out, the tension in the room clear and hollow. The minute my plates empty I take my leave, as do all the other kids except Bea who's stuck in a conversation with my dad and Bradley.

"We're going to head home." Leroy and Jake call as they open the front door and close it behind them. With a satisfying click.

"Chase is calling me," Molly says pulling her buzzing phone out of her pocket and following the boys out the front door.

"See you. Have fun. It's okay. I'll help do the dishes don't you guys worry about it." I mutter sarcastically to myself, carrying a few plates into the kitchen.

"Here you don't have to worry about that." Seth offers to take the plates from me and place them carefully onto the bench.

"It's okay, I like doing the dishes. It's oddly calming." I say with a small chuckle, turning on the tap, pulling the plug into the sink and squeezing dishwashing liquid into the slowly filling sink.

"Is that your favourite chore then?" Seth asks half-jokingly stacking the dishes carefully.

"Yeah. Absolutely." I say with a nod. "What about you?" I ask him, pulling a plate and submerging it into the steaming, foamy water.

"Cooking. I got mom's genes on that one." He says with a chuckle. Grabbing a tea towel and placing himself by the clean dish tray to receive dishes to dry.

Always got to love a guy who cooks.

"It's such a pity your taste is average. I mean, first caramello, then blueberry pancakes, what's next you dating Mia. Oh shit, that's right." I say teasingly, handing him a clean plate. Where he takes it from me and dries it gently while letting out a low chuckle.

"Says miss I fuck Carlos. That boy gets on my nerves." He says with a shake of his head. Placing the plate into the drawer with an avoidable gentle clack.

"Yeah well, he asked me out on a date," I say letting out a heavy sigh. Passing him the next plate.

"He did?" He asks, his jaw tensing slightly, swallowing harshly. "What did you say?" He asks me tensely.

"No- I think that little arrangement is over now," I say with a small nod to myself. Scrubbing a pot carefully.

"You sound annoyed?" Seth asks me, giving me a sideways glance. Drying a glass.

"No. I'm definitely not. More relieved. I didn't realise how energy-consuming it was. I mean it's a good emotional release but. Not that you wanted to hear that." I say with a chuckle.

Me talking about my sex life with Seth Nixon? What is going on?

"Yeah well, I'm free for a round now," Seth says jokingly, wriggling his eyebrows at me. His head nodding towards the guest bedroom.

"Haha. You keep drying those dishes mister." I say handing him a serving platter and rolling my eyes.

"As you wish," he says with a wink, holding eye contact as he takes the dish from me. Before turning his attention to the dish.

"Aww look at you two washing the dishes for us. We've raised you well." My mom slurs dropping a kiss to my chin, which I immediately shrug away from. Not that she notices.

My teeth grit together. Seth gives me a sideways glance, making sure I'm alright.

"Are you two alright to do the rest of this?" Trina asks placing her hand on our backs gently looking between us.

"Yup we got it, mom," Seth says giving his mom a kiss on her cheek. "Go enjoy the rest of your night." He says nodding to where the adults are now moving towards the living room, I can only assume they're going out into the patio as I can hear the ranch slider glide open.

"You guys are the best." She says kissing my cheek and squeezing my shoulder as she moves past following the others out to the living room.

"Do you need my help or can I go for a run?" Bea asks placing a few more dishes on the bench, tying her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Go for a run. We got this." I say, taking another dish and placing it in the soapy sink. Scrubbing away harshly.

"Ok thank you," Bea says kissing my cheek before tying her shoes and making her way out.

I turn to see Seth's mouth agape. My eyebrows draw up in confusion.

"What?" I ask him confused, my scrubbing ceasing.

"I can't believe you would make me do the dishes with you!" He pouts in a whiney voice. My eyes instantly roll.

"Oh my god!" I say grabbing a tea towel and thwacking him with it.

"Calm down woman." He says with a grin. His face lit up as he squirms away from my gentle lashes.

"You dropped me in it first," I say rolling my eyes at him, unable to stop the grin that stretches across my face.

"You dropped me in it first." He mimics, drying a pot. With that, I twirl my tea towel around and whip his shoulder, not too hard. Again and again.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He says holding his arms up in surrender. Hiding his face behind his hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I mimic back. Seth's mouth drops open, I grin at him cheekily. He lunges for me and grabs my waist, slinging me over his shoulder easily. "No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I shriek as he hovers me above the sink full of water.

"Are you?" He asks me to let the ends of my hair be submerged into the water.

"Yes, I swear I am," I say through my laughs that make my jaw ache.

"That's a shame." He says dipping all my hair in the greasy, soapy sink water. Before tipping me back up and placing me on my own two feet.

The water drips down my face, I can feel the grease. My mouth drops open as it trickles down my back.

"You are a dead man," I say, a grin on my face. I grab some bubbles off the top of the water in the sink and smear them onto his face.

"Lace. That was a bad idea." He says with a grin, wiping the bubbles off his face.

"Aww," I say with a pout filling a cup of water and dumping it on his head while he wipes the bubbles off his face.

"You did not!" He says with a grin, shrugging at awkward angles as the water trickles down his back. He takes a cup and throws it over me. While I return the favour easily. He holds me in place as he pours a big one all over me, to which I let out a shriek.

My jaw aches from smiling and laughing, My abs too. Serotonin surges through me. Something which hasn't happened in a while.

"Seth, Lacey. What's going on in here." Trina asks surveying the room. "You two are like little children, we leave you alone for two minutes and your already making messes." Trina's voice says rolling her eyes, a small grin on her face. I whip my head up and see Trina there holding an unopened bottle of wine and three clean glasses.

There's water all over the kitchen. Soap-suds decorating the cabinets. Wet abandoned dish-clothes lie drowning on the floor. This kitchen was hazardous.

"Sorry, mom. We'll clean it up." Seth says dropping his hands to the side, releasing me from his grip.

"Clean yourself up first. This is the second time. Use the bottom bathroom, please. I can't have the grease getting into the carpet." She says shaking her head, before making her way back to the patio.

We lie a few towels on the ground to soak up the water, before we go shower, grabbing two towels for ourselves. We make our way into the bathroom, closing the door behind us.

"This is familiar," I say turning on the hot shower feeling the temperature.

"Yeah. This one feels planned. Or is it just a coincidence?" He asks me teasingly. Placing his phone and towel down on the sink.

"I think if I wanted to shower with you again. I would have no troubles doing so." I said jokingly with a roll of my eyes.

"Not too hot this time please," Seth says as he pulls off his shirt. My eyes widen. Every-time.

The perfect contours of his chest are so inviting.

"Wuss," I say turning it down a touch, before pulling off my clothing, leaving me in my underwear I had put on after the game. A super basic black lace set. And getting under the water.

"I am no wuss. You just enjoy being burnt to death." Seth says with a roll of his eyes as he gets in after me. His eyes ran up and down me, leaving warm tingles all over my body.

I let the warm water wash over my body. I lean over and pick up the shampoo, and hand it to Seth, before turning around.

He squeezes the shampoo onto my hair and rubs it in gently. Running his fingers down the lengths of my hair. I let out a satisfied sigh at this.

"Enjoying that princess?" He asks, his voice soft, amusement seeping into his voice.

"Mmhm," I say letting out a soft moan as his fingers massage into my scalp.

After a while, he washes the shampoo out of my hair.

"Ok, your turn," I say turning around. Seth grabs my waist and lifts me easily up onto the little ledge in the shower. He places his arms on either side of me and tips his head down towards me. So I can reach his hair more easily.

I squeeze the shampoo into his hair and massage it for a while, running my fingers through it. Before I start shaping it into little tufts, with a chuckle I shape standing up little penis.

"Ok wait. Let me take a photo don't wash it out." I say jumping down from the ledge and opening the door. I wipe my hands on the towel and grab my phone. I flick open to Snapchat.

I go into the shower, careful to avoid the water. And turn the front-facing camera. I video and zoom in on Seth's hair, he leans forwards slightly as his face pulls into a grin as he sees it.

"Your a bit of an artist aren't you." He says tipping his head forwards to see it in the camera.

"What can I say," I say with a laugh. I end the video and save it to memories. Seth takes the phone out of my hand and holds it up, taking a few photos while I pull the finger at him. He just laughs at me before handing it back.

"Ok let's wash this out," I said nodding towards the shower. He washes it out as I climb out of the shower. Wrapping the towel around myself. Seth quickly follows, doing the same.

I dry myself off and make my way up to Bea's room. I tug on a sports bra and some sweatpants, pulling a hairbrush through my raggedy, now clean, hair. Before making my way back downstairs. Where Seth has finished the dishes. In his grey sweatpants, shirtless glory.

"You're a bit handy," I say giving him a grateful smile looking around the kitchen, my eyebrows raised impressed.

"I'm also a bit handsy." He says giving me a smug look, eyebrows wriggling. I grin and roll my eyes at him.

"You're a loser," I say folding a tea towel and putting it on the rail.

"A sexy loser." He says flexing his muscles.

That you are.

"You keep telling yourself that," I say nodding at him, pulling myself onto the bench.

"I don't need to. The way you check me out does that." He says to me, catching me as I'm scanning him up and down hungrily.

"Nah was just trying to calculate how many muffins you've eaten recently," I say jokingly with a roll of my eyes.

"Right right." He says rolling his eyes with a grin. "Want to play some Mario kart?" He asks me suddenly.

"Absolutely. But I should head home. Bea's going to be home soon and I've already pissed her off enough by hanging out with you too much. I don't really want to do it again. I love hanging out with you, just I wish Bea could accept that we're friends as well you know?" I say with a sad sigh. Seth nods knowingly.

"I know the feeling. Maybe another time. Do you reckon you'll get any answers soon? For colleges?" He asks me curiously leaning against the bench across from me, his arms muscles very clear and he folds his arms across his chest.

"Hopefully. I haven't heard anything and there are only two days left. No acceptances, no waitlists, no denied. It's a waiting game." I say letting out a small sigh. "What about you?" I ask him curiously.

"Nope. I know the ivy's hand theirs out tomorrow. But not sure about when the other schools do." He says with a sigh.

"Yeah. Good luck for tomorrow. I know you'll get in. Mr top of the class." I say wriggling my eyebrows at him. He chuckles.

"Miss Top of the class." He replies as the front door clicks open.

"Hey guys," Bea says panting, going straight for a glass of water.

"Hey, sweets," I say with a small smile.

"Hey, Bea. Anyway. I'm going to head to bed. Night Lace." He says giving a half-wave before turning and making his way upstairs.

"Night princess," I reply. He turns and throws me a grin.

"Are the parents still outside?" Bea asks me.

"Yup. I should head home. Try to get to sleep before the nerves of college hit too hard." I say kissing her cheek and heading towards the door.

"See you. Love you." She says, pulling out a muesli bar and peeling back its wrapper.

"Love you too," I call out from the door before clicking it shut.

As my feet tap against the pavement I smile to myself. That was a good night. One my mood didn't ruin. Talking to a therapist improved my mood by shit tons. Seth improved my mood by shit tons. Hell, he always did. I was going to miss him when I went to college. He'll be playing football, fucking girls, partying with his mates. Forgetting about me.

The thought of that instantly turns my mood. I pull open the door to a silent house. I make my way upstairs past the closed doors. Into my bed. I flop onto my bed, staring outside towards the stars.

The night sky was so beautiful.

My phone dings, I pick it up and read..

Princess Setheline sent you a snap.

I smile and open it. It's a video of him talking.

My heart.

"Even though my hair is clean. I can still feel the grease. It's giving me PTSD." He says with a shudder. I roll my eyes and reply.

"Try being dipped, like a chocolate-dipped ice cream, only into greasy water," I say with a shudder of my own. Immediately a face time call pops up on my screen.

We talk for the majority of the night, as I completely let time slip away from me.

"You really need to get some sleep. Sleep is good for you." Seth says holding the camera up to his face.

"So do you. And I haven't taken my sleeping pills yet." I reply.

"Take them then." He says pulling a face.

"They make me sleep for four hours. We have to be up in three." I say pulling a face back.

"Hold on," Seth says, his light now turned on.

"Okay," I say replying.

"Good I'm nearly there." He says, his voice panting as the night sky is above him as he jogs.

"Are you running?" I ask him confused.

"Yeah, I'm nearly outside. Is your front door unlocked?" He asks.

"Yup," I reply.

This boy is running to my house? Because why? My heart fluttered in my chest. A warm feeling enveloped me. I creep downstairs as I hear the door click open.

"Hi." He whispers closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper confused.

"You said you can't sleep or take your pills. And I remember you can sleep with me. So I came so you can sleep." He whispers with a shrug.

Oh my god. Dear gods, why did you literally have to make my best friends BROTHER fucking perfect. Oh my, Lord Jesus.

"Thank you," I say with a small smile, before nodding towards the stairs. We creep up the stairs carefully. Making sure not to creak before creeping into my room. I click the door shut gently and lock it. Just incase we oversleep.

"I love this window," Seth says flopping onto the bed and looking out to the starry sky.

"Me too," I say climbing into bed beside him, looking out as well.

"I used to look at that star all the time when Anthony died." He says pointing to one of the brightest stars. Anthony was The Nixon's old golden retriever.

"I used to look at that one because it was the prettiest," I admit with a small chuckle.

"Are you saying Anthony is the prettiest?" Seth asks with a chuckle.

"Oh absolutely," I say with a nod. "I wish we had a dog. It could sleep at the end of my bed. We would always fight about who gets to have it on their bed that night. Taking it for walks." I think out loud.

"What type of dog would you want?" Seth asks me, pulling me closer to him by wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I snuggle towards him, taking in his warmth.

"Cane Corso," I say easily.

"They're so big." He says raising his eyebrows.

"Big dogs are so sweet. Small dogs are just yappy." I say scrunching up my nose. Seth lets out a chuckle.

"That's true." He says rolling over to face me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I close my eyes and let out a soft sigh, running my fingers across his back gently.

A soft "mmm" escapes his lips. Not long after he pulls his t-shirt off, so he's shirtless, before flopping back down.

"I'm just going to put some shorts on. It's warm." I say creeping out of his arms. In the darkness, I pull my sweatpants on and pull on some grey pyjama pants, before sliding back into Seth's arms.

I let my fingers run along his smooth skin, along his arms, circling his back. His lips tug into a small smile as he pulls me closer, pulling my leg up over his hip and relaxing against me. His hands run down my back, before circling and tracing my hips. Slowly I feel myself drifting into a comfortable sleep. Safely enclosed in Seth's arms.