Page 20 of Hidden Echoes

Taylor groans. “Seriously, Seth?”

He shrugs. “He made her uncomfortable. I made him bleed. Fair trade.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “You can’t justassaultpeople every time youthinkthey’re making her uncomfortable.”

Seth tilts his head, unbothered. “I don’t see the issue.”

“The issue,” Taylor huffs, “is that you have the impulse control of a raccoon on energy drinks.”

He grins. “And yet, you still hang out with me.”

“Yeah, well, I make bad choices.”

Seth leaned back against the wall, eyes half-lidded, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as Taylor’s words spilled out like a lecture she didn’t know she was giving. He didn’t flinch or react—just toyed with the Rubik’s cube in his hands, his fingers moving with lazy precision.

“She shouldn’t kiss people who make her lose her smile,” he added flatly, not bothering to meet her gaze.

“You don’t get to decide who she kisses, Seth,” Taylor snapped, crossing her arms. “That’s not how it works. You know that, right? You’re not her father.”

“Connor cares,” Seth replied with the kind of calm that could freeze a room.

“Connor’s a jerk. Like Kyle. But you—” Taylor jabbed a finger toward him, narrowing her eyes. “You don’t fool me, Seth Boy. The reason you sent that guy to the hospital wasn’t about defending her honor. You don’t even know what that means.”

Seth’s lips twitched, but his voice stayed cold. “I have access to history, thank you. Maybe it wasn’t about what you think. Maybe I just miss the violence. Maybe I just liked seeing that brat covered in blood.”

Taylor scoffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, Seth. You spent ten years in that hellhole and only got out four years ago—lot to unpack there. And yeah, people think you’re weird. Sometimes you crave some messed up shit. Makes sense. Who the hell comes out of all that acting normal? But it was never just about the violence, was it? I know you.”

He glanced at her, just a flicker of interest. “Do you?”

"I do," she said, her tone easing—just a little. "Because you’re my friend, one of my best, and I know what it’s like to hold on to someone like they’re the only thing keeping you from losing it. Been there. But Seth..." She exhaled sharply. "You can’t let people see how you feel about her. This is gonna turn into a shitstorm."

“Why not?” His tone was as neutral as ever, but something flickered behind his eyes.

“Because,” she said, stepping closer, “if you feel the way I think you do…”

“I don’t,” he interrupted, his voice sharp but his expression unreadable.

"Don’t cut me off," she snapped, voice rising with irritation. "If you’re feeling what I think you are, it’s a fucking mess. It’s wrong, Seth. Yeah, my family does a ton of shady shit, but this? Nah, it’s not just about the law—it’s about basic fucking decency. The Rosses want to adopt you. You’re gonna be her brother. And let’s be real—two or three years might not seem like much now, but when you're eighteen and she's still just a kid, it’s gonna get ugly as hell. That’s not okay. It’s fucked up."

“Why not?” he asked again, genuinely curious.

“It’s just messed up, Seth,” she said, her voice quieter now.

“So?” He tilted his head, unbothered.

Taylor groaned, running a hand through her hair. “You’re impossible.”

Seth finally looked at her, his gaze sharp and unwavering. "So what, hugging her is fucked up now?"

Taylor hesitated, her eyes narrowing as she snapped, "It’s not the damn hug, Seth. It’s how it makes youfeel. You’re so fucking lost in this shit that you don’t even see it."

He studied her for a long moment, his gaze piercing, cold, detached. “You talk like I’ve lived some nightmare,” he said flatly. “But to know what’s bad, I’d have to know what’s good. I don’t. Never have. I’m just... clouded. I don’t feel. ” His tone was impassive, like he wasn’t really talking to her, just stating facts—because that's all it was to him.

Taylor’s gaze softened, and she reached out, pulling him into a brief hug. “You’re not even going to deny it, are you?” she asked, her voice quieter now. “About Audrey?”

Seth shrugged, stepping back. “I’d deny it if I knew what liking someone meant. But you probably understand that better than I do, don’t you?”

Taylor stared at him, searching for something in his expression. “What are we doing, Seth?” she whispered.

---