Page 21 of Hidden Echoes

“I’m solving a Rubik’s cube,” he replied flatly, holding it up, “and listening to another one of your lectures on ethics like I care.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She shook her head, frustrated. “I mean, with our lives. My most constant relationship is with my childhood best friend, who I practically grew up with. And you’re—what? Obsessed with your sister?”

“She’s not my sister,” Seth corrected, his tone sharp but even.

Taylor rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of concern in her expression. “I care about you, Seth. And I’m telling you—being around Audrey is only going to hurt you. And not just emotionally.”

"Emotionally?" Seth scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

Taylor sighed, pulling him into another hug. “You’re so damn stubborn. But I’m not giving up on you.”

Seth smirked, a glint of charm flashing in his eyes as he leaned back slightly, enough to pull away from her hug just a little. "You think you can change me?" he teased, his voice smooth, the easy confidence unmistakable. "Good luck with that."

Taylor pulled back, raising an eyebrow as a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. “Change you? Nah,” she shot back, her tone playful but sharp. “I’m not trying to fix you, Seth. I’m just here to make sure you don’t screw everything up for yourself.” She shrugged, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “But hey, keep being stubborn. You’ll just make it more interesting.”

“Don’t waste your energy, Tay,” he murmured, stepping back. “I’m not worth it.”

"You're like a damn brother to me, Seth. Of course, you're worth it. You think I’d waste my time on someone who wasn’t?" She leaned in with a smirk, her eyes daring him to argue.

"Brother, huh?" he says, eyeing me with amusement. "So, you want to fuck your brothers? That’s interesting. I should warn Kyle."

“Ew.” She slapped his arm, glaring. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“You started it,” he said, his voice as bored as ever.

"Ew indeed." I grimace.

Too much to process and definitely too much to try to sleep after. Seriously. How disgusting.

"You’re the one talking about being in love with a relative, not me," Seth says, trying to shift the spotlight.

"You know what I meant." Taylor’s tone softens, but the edge in her voice lingers. "I’m not even close to my brothers. Kyle acts like some absent father figure, and Zane… Zane hates me so much for looking like my mom that he avoids me in every corner of that house."

I don’t hate you, I want to scream. I hate myself.

I understand you, little sister. I feel lost too. But the difference is, you’ll be fine. You’ve got someone to run to.

I’m alone.

Taylor shrugs. "I mean, I know you’re not exactly capable of feeling or whatever. But I care about you, Seth. And when I say being around Audrey Ross will only hurt you, I’m saying that they’ll kill you."

Seth’s response is cold, pragmatic. "Let them."

"No," she whispers.

Then she does something unexpected—she grabs Seth’s face and turns it toward her. "Maybe you and I make more sense than you and her. Ever thought about that? It’d be fun."

"You want Harvin," Seth replies flatly, no hesitation.

"It could be you," she whispers back, her voice lower now, more vulnerable.

Seth surprises me. He smiles—a wry, almost bitter smile—and leans in to kiss her forehead.

"We both know that’s a lie, Tay Tay," he says quietly. "And I don’t do love."

Her lips twitch into a smile, but there’s no humor in it. "You saying that makes me feel challenged," she says.

Seth smiles back, but it’s not a comforting one. It’s dangerous.

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