𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞〚𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 〛

Chapter 34: Drop it

As soon as Delilah stepped foot on her aunt and uncle's property, a figure raced from the window, flinging open the front door and stomping outside, fury evident in every one of their movements.

"Where were you?" hissed Rafe. "Do you know how worried I was?"

"I had to deal with something," she answered, stepping around him. "Did aunt Elise say anything?"

Rafe grabbed her arm and forced her to turn around. Delilah tried not to flinch at the strength of his grip and pressed her lips together tightly. She was in no mood for a fight.

"I covered for you and your uncle jumped right in to help me," he gritted. "I think I deserve to know where you were."

"Why are you so worried?" she snapped, trying to shake off his hold.

"Because I don't want anything to happen to you," he growled.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why would anything happen to me?"

He opened his mouth but no words came out. Rafe's fingers tightened around her arms.

"Rafe," she warned. "Let me go."

That managed to snap him out of his anger. His hand dropped to his side. "Sorry."

Delilah ran a hand through her short hair, not bothering to look at the mark he left on her arm. "Listen, I'm too tired for any of this. Can we do this-" She waved around them. "-confrontation, later?"

Rafe buried his face in his hands, his shoulders curving inwards. "I... God. I'm sorry."

"We're both going through tough stuff," she sighed, gently patting his shoulder. "Let's go sleep, ok?"

He nodded wordlessly, and she followed him inside as he climbed the steps to her room. Rafe disappeared in her bathroom and she took the moment to quickly swap her shirts and pull on a pair of shorts. Delilah rubbed at her face, the tiredness hitting her all at once.

"Show me your arm," said Rafe from behind her, his voice cracking.

She pressed her lips together, hesitant.

"I have ice," he offered tentatively.

Rolling her eyes, she thrust out of her arm, trying to ignore the forming bruises.

Rafe bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. "Oh God, Deli. I'm so sorry."

She looked away as he pressed the ice pack to her arm, the cool seeping through her skin and soothing the forming ache.

"I want to protect you, Deli. I truly do," he whispered. "And I'm sorry when I do it the wrong way."

"You have to think of it before you do something you'll regret," she said softly, wondering if he'll ever understand.

"I know."

Delilah pushed away the ice, giving him a small smile. "Go get some rest."

With a sigh, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Deli."

Forcing away the thoughts haunting her mind, she laid her head down on her pillow. She couldn't manage to convince herself everything was fine, even as her tired mind shut itself down without her permission.

..............................

When Delilah eased herself out of the slumber her body had forced herself in, the sun had paled in the sky. 

She stayed still, laying down on her back and wishing time could still for a minute. She'd even be content with 30 seconds, but life had a nasty habit of not taking her suggestions.