I was angry at dinner, I was angry going to bed, and I was even angrier whenever Eric came into my room the next morning, bothering me about a pair of shoes I apparently took from him a week ago.
“Why didn’t you just ask me a week ago?” I fumed, throwing shoes that I’m sure were actually mine, but I didn’t care. I was still pissed off enough to punch a wall, or better yet, Grayson. It had to have been him. And though Grayson wasn’t taller than me, he was 6’1, as well as having a larger build than Delcan did.
Eric only caught one of the shoes I chucked at him, the other one falling down to his side. “What is your issue?” he asked, looking down at the shoe on my floor.
I pressed my short fingernails into my hand, keeping myself from yelling. “Get out,” I demanded. My voice sounded like Dad, which did scare me, but I was too angry to stop. Grayson had no right putting his hands on Delcan like that.
How did he do it?
“And if I don’t?” he teased.
I swallowed, my throat still dry. “Don’t mess with me today,” I threatened. “Get your shoe and get the ↹ out of my room.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAjaCSgVaZ
Eric grabbed his shoe, not even flinching. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m older?”
This time, I threw a mechanical pencil at him (it didn’t have any led, so it wasn’t like I regretted it). The pencil hit him right below his neck, almost going into his shirt. He huffed. “Wimp move,” Eric told me. But he did get out of my room, closing the door behind him.
The last time I had been so angry about a guy, it was in 8th grade. But that was for different reasons, and there was nothing I could do about what happened. I guess I couldn't have done something about what happened to Delcan, but there was still that level of guilt inside of me.
Deep breaths, I told myself.
Breathe, I kept on saying in my head. There was nothing you could have done. Get through the day, get through the day.
When I opened my eyes again, I was still enraged. I still wanted to punch Grayson in the face, and I still wanted to yell at Delcan (for some weird reason, though it was pretty surprised I hadn’t wanted to beforehand) for not telling me while the two of us were texting. I was also pretty mad at myself.
Maybe if I had gone over to Delcan’s last night, we would’ve been kissing, and I would’ve had to have noticed the burn he has on his left wrist. As much as he would hate it, at that point it was undebatable that he would tell me. But now, I was angry at three different people for three different reasons, meaning it wasn’t going to be too good of a day.
Time for school to make it even better. 647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqv4Bpfcou
During the passing time for 6th period, I was greeted with Delcan who was wearing an expensive-looking sweatshirt and joggers. “Hey,” he said, leaning up against the desk next to mine.
The anger was back and I slammed my locker. He didn’t even move. “You have a burn on you and you didn’t want to tell me?”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeb4p3iA9Mc
Delcan’s eyes didn’t turn violet - like I was expecting them to. Instead, they were amber. “Why does it matter? I lost a bet. Things happen.”
I turned to him. “What kind of bet ends with somebody getting burned?”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtLSJnxciw
He shrugged, looking at me. “Calm down,” he said, his voice uneasy. “I’m fine, you’re fine. Everyone’s fine. Well, except for a few - most people here. But at least you and I are.”
I ignored his compliment and scratched my head. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked. I didn’t ask what I was dying to know - if Grayson was the one who burned him - but I would ask it soon. Maybe when we aren't in public, and when he isn’t so determined to make his side of the argument win.
“How was dinner?” Delcan questioned, changing the subject.
I shook my head. “Delcan-”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc30NZRnHn
He rolled his beautiful eyes, which were now green. “Follow me,” he said. It took me about two seconds before I realized he actually meant it. Somehow, Delcan found his way around the school pretty fast. He had also found a classroom that I knew the seniors used on 8th period and after school. There were three different rooms like that in our school - making three different places for people to get crazy.
“Why are we here?” I asked him, looking around to see who was near us. No one from the football team, but two girls who were on the volleyball team with my sister. One of the girls I knew, Nataliya Worrell, gave me a smile. She’d changed her braces from when I’d last seen her, too. Now, they were a mint color, which complimented her honey skin color. I smiled back to her, hoping she wouldn’t go gossip about it to Evelyn.
Delcan’s eyes met Nataliya’s. “Have you kissed her before?” he asked.
I looked at him in horror. “That’s gross!” I told him. His head tilted as he watched Nataliya and Chloe Brownrigg walk off. “She’s friends with my sister.”
“You’re point?” he smiled. I decided it would be best not to ask any questions, and watched as he opened up the room with a key. I also thought it would be best not to ask how he had gotten his hands on a pair of keys, considering how mad I already was with him.
When the door opened, I realized why it was locked immediately. It was one of the larger rooms in the school, with history projects lining the walls and charging computers sitting on one side of the room. Desks were lined up in rows, all of them facing the teacher’s desk while a huge bookshelf sat in the corner.
I’d be in this classroom next year.
Delcan coughed. “I hate the smell in here,” he said. I sniffed but didn’t smell anything at all. Maybe my nose was stuffed up.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
Delcan turned around to look at me. Instead of kissing me like I thought he was going to, he reached up and moved my hair to the other side. “That was bothering me,” he said, his body closer to mine than it had been. I took a step back, convincing myself that I was angry with him. “Also...you’re way too pissed for no reason.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3OitakamL
“I have reasons!” I protested, crossing my arms.
Delcan nodded as if he was arguing with a toddler. “Of course you do.”
“Was it after school?” I interrogated. I began pacing as Delcan sat down on one of the desks, watching me as I walked. “Or did it happen before your parents left with Callie? Was there anyone I knew involved with it or was it just Oakwood being stupid-”
“I came here to calm you down,” Delcan interrupted. “Not to hold a crime investigation.”
My eyes met his. “I don’t wanna be calm,” I said. “I want answers. What happened, and who was there? Was it anyone from here?”
He shrugged. “I don’t really know,” he muttered.
I walked over to him now, getting kind of annoyed. “How would you not know?” I pestered. “Delcan, if someone...well they already hurt you so I can’t say that. Someone hurt you, and I want some names.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtoAR9WbfR
He smiled, leaning into me. “And what are you gonna do about it?” he joked. “Tell them off and say you’re doing it for charity.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4YsvkGhzi
I felt my posture straighten. “Why would I say that?”
“Why do you need names?647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqITM8gD2By
“So I can beat them up,” I said, surprised I had even said it out loud. I’ve never actually been in a fight before, only seen them all throughout each school year. I didn’t even want to be in one either, but if it had to be done, then I would.
Delcan’s smile faded. “I-this isn’t what I wanted to talk about.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXTZSWwTuQ
I threw my hands up in the air. “You don’t want to talk!” I said. “You want to make out, which doesn’t even mean we’d be talking about what happened to you. Delcan, someone burned you and you’re perfectly fine with it. Why?! I want names, not a make-out session!”
“What’s wrong with the way I make out?” Delcan whispered, his voice sounding small.
I sighed. “Nothing,” I told him. Literally, nothing he does can be wrong. “It’s just hard for me to do that and that only.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2M5EWi89O0
Delcan’s back straightened. “You have problems with that?” he asked.
Slowly, I nodded. “Look,” I said. “I know that you’ve never actually been in a relationship with someone before, but people who date like talking to each other, understanding each other by the interests they share together. It’s not just about making out or showing off their bodies, it’s about something that’s real. Something that makes you long to see that person again.”
He was being himself. I know this because Delcan had his head down, and he was messing with his hands in his lap. “I’m trying,” he told me, his voice muffled. “I’m trying to be better because you’re really good at this.” Delcan looked up, his eyelashes suddenly seeming much longer. “I don’t deserve you.”
I took his hands, this time allowing myself to be closer to him. My breathing had finally calmed down, and I tried to focus on just us instead of the sounds of people being idiots outside the door. “Who cares?” I asked, smiling. “I get that you’re putting an effort into this, and that’s all I could ask of you. Thank you.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wFlIQcUVJ
He lifted his chin up, causing his face to be closer to mine. Already, I knew I was blushing. “Can I ask you something?” he whispered.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice coming out as if I had been yelling for hours straight.
Delcan bit his lip, making me wonder if denying his option last night was stupider than I thought. “What would you do if I told you who did it?”
I smiled. “Like I said, would beat them up for hurting you.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbQ0BuGaE5
He moved his face away from mine, swinging his legs as if he was a child. “But why?!” he whined. “It isn’t like the issue affected you in any way. I’m the one who got burned.” I wondered what would’ve happened if I told him how angry I had been because of Grayson’s comment, how needy I felt to let him know I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt him. Well, I kind of already failed at that one.
“Just because it didn’t happen to me doesn’t mean it’s okay,” I said.
Delcan stayed silent for a second and then sighed. “Whatever,” he said. “Thanks for the homework again. It helped a lot.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡli9xcDBunO
I was tired of waiting for it to happen from him. Regardless of who could possibly walk by the classroom and see it, I pulled Delcan to me and kissed him. He didn’t exactly seem shocked by the kiss, but he did tense up for a moment before he made a pleased sound, his hand touching my arm and moving it to his lower back.
Slow, I told myself. I didn’t want to ruin the kiss. Don’t think about it too much, don’t think about it too much.
Delcan pushed himself to the edge of the desk after we broke, and then kissed me again - this time with no warning. He kissed me harder than I had kissed him, making me feel awkward as I tried to find someplace to put my hands. He seemed to already know what to do, biting my lip in order to make my mouth open.
I guess I had groaned or something because Delcan pulled away smiling. “You’re welcome,” he said, breathing steadily. “Probably not the best place for some kissing action, but...kissing is kissing.”
Slowly, I nodded, hiding my face from him. I hated how easily I could blush from things. During the time Delcan and I have been seeing each other, I haven’t seen him blush once. Even though the kiss made my head spin, I was still upset about Grayson and everything. I took Delcan’s wrist, putting my hands right under the burn. “I can’t believe this happened to you,” I said. His eyes were closed while he looked in the other direction. “What bet did you lose?”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKZS8rxrmp
Delcan’s eyes opened, their color amber. “What?”
“You told me you lost a bet,” I pressed. “What did that have to do with? Was it something about drugs or-”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOTIizlsuz
He pulled his wrist away from me. “Shut up about it, okay?” he said. “It happened, it’s over. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4BVEWgoth
It hurt to know that he was pretending it was fine when I knew it wasn’t. Regardless of if I never could know what or why Delcan got burned, I was still ready to fight someone. “Okay,” I said. I moved my hair out of my face again. Maybe I should’ve brushed it this morning. “Okay, fine. That’s fine.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcgLpdldGl
Delcan sighed. “Why do you care so much about this?”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡup1iDH18tI
“You’ve already asked me that tons of times.”
“You’re asking me questions on repeat,” he argued. “So I’ll do the same.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHcHdTjhWC
I shrugged. It felt weird to admit why I care so much, mainly because I didn’t even know why I did. It wasn’t my wrist that was burned, but there had been a searing pain in my heart since I found out about it. I swallowed. “Yeah,” I said. “It doesn’t matter that much.”647Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0hmPelirl
“Okay,” Delcan responded.
I gave him a smile. “I’m assuming you’d rather be doing something else right now.” Delcan smiled, pulling me next to him with his hands on my hips. Already, I felt my heartbeat in my head. Just before our lips met, the bell rang, and Delcan jumped.
“One day,” he said, glaring at me while I smiled even more. “I’m going to hack into the school and make sure that bell never rings again.” I laughed, even more, doing everything I could to ignore the desire I had to beg for more questions.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
