𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞〚𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 〛

Chapter 35: As Long as it Takes

"What did he say?" curiously asked Pope, but she waved away his question, tucking her arm in the crook of his elbow.

They walked in silence, which didn't bother her, considering she was distracted by the warmth of his skin. Unsure where Pope was bringing her, she let him guide her along the shore, knowing he was in no hurry to get home. Despite the fact that he tried to hide it, she could feel the weight pushing down on his shoulders. Something was still bothering him.

"I... You- You understand, right?" he finally stammered, turning away to look at the horizon. "That this is really important to me? I love John B, but he's able to take care of himself. And... I have to think of myself, right?"

He sounded so unsure, running his hand through his short curls with such irritation she had to grab them.

"Pope," she said softly. "Look at me. Kiara, JJ and John B are your friends. And they want what is best for you. That interview you have tomorrow is so important, because it's something you want." Delilah brushed her thumb across his palm. "It may sound selfish said like that, but it's your future. You have to think of yourself before you think of others, or else you'll end up hating yourself."

"Do you think Kiara will forgive me?" he whispered.

Delilah forced herself to meet his gaze and not lose herself in his intelligent brown eyes. "Kiara is a fiery soul, but when she backs off for a bit, she's able to see the bigger picture. She'll understand."

Pope exhaled a laugh, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I can be so stupid."

She shook her head, wondering why she wasn't stepping away from him. "You're unsure of yourself, and trust me, you aren't the only one."

"You and your wise words," he smiled, eyes shining.

God, she could spend days gazing into those eyes. Such depth filled to the brim with ideas and clouded by emotions. Emotions he accepted without a hint of regret or fear. For that, she admired him. 

Because she knew it with certainty that grew every passing second; she was falling in love with him. The thought terrified her. It terrified her how she could read every movement of his face, how she melted every time he spoke from the heart and that she wanted to stay with him forever. But forever was an illusion.

"Follow me," said Pope, taking her hand. "I want to show you something."

She raised an eyebrow. "And risk getting murdered by your parents?"

"Murder sounds like a reasonable price to spend a few extra minutes with you."

Delilah rolled her eyes, hoping he didn't notice how her heart skipped a beat. "How overdramatic."

"Stop mumbling and hurry," he scolded her.

"Sorry, sir," she laughed, skipping a few steps until he had to hurry after her.

The wooden docks melted into the ground, the rotten planks creaking under their weight. The shadows of the trees wove themselves with the falling leaves as a breeze disturbed their rest.

"Where are we going?" she whispered, unwilling to bother the peacefulness of the path.

"You'll see."

Over his tall figure, she couldn't see the end of the path, could only feel the caress of the cooler wind on her skin. As he moved away, the breath was sucked out of her lungs from the beauty of the view before her. 

The clear water of the bay was the perfect mirror for the sun as it gave its way to the stars shining above, it's orange rays turning a bloody shade of red, married to the pink tints around it. The light of the setting sun spread through the water, extending the sky until it kissed the edge of the sandy beach. 

Mesmerized, Delilah took a few steps before wordlessly sitting on the beach, feet digging in the sand. Respecting nature's soothing display of beauty, Pope sat down beside her and she allowed him to entwine their fingers together. It seemed it was only with him that she was able to forget the weight of responsibilities on her shoulders. 

At the moment, her friends were safe, and she allowed herself to truly relax. 

If she had believed it possible, she would have wished for time to stop, to feel the peace for as long as possible. Even as the sun disappeared below the surface of the shimmering waters, she didn't move, holding on to the moment. 

Pope didn't speak a word, respecting her silence.

"Thank you," she finally breathed. "I needed that."

"Sometimes," he said. "You just need to look at the simple things in life to keep you grounded. To remind you that things aren't as bad they seem."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Perhaps you're not wrong."

"That means I'm right," he noted.

Delilah laughed, the sound fluttering in the air around them.

"I love it when you laugh," softly said Pope, looking down at her with adoration.

Her heart started beating painfully fast, causing her to look away. "Please don't look at me like that."

He frowned, turning in order for them to be face-to-face. "Why?"

"Because," she whispered. "When you do that, I want to kiss you."

Unable to resist, she brushed her fingers over his blushing cheeks, distracting herself.

"What if you did?" he blurted. "What if you kissed me?"

"I would be admitting to myself something I'm not ready to say out loud."

"Are you ready to admit it to yourself?" he asked.

She frowned, hesitating. "I... don't know. It's such a foreign thing."

"Hey," he smiled softly. "If you don't want to admit it, then don't. I can't force you to do that, it wouldn't be right. You have to take your time, even if it takes forever."

A small smile tugged at her lips. 

God, he wasn't making it easy. If he had been angry and turned away from her, it would have made it so easy to forget about the feelings compressing her chest.

The boy gently flicked her forehead. "Don't overthink it."

He was right, she shouldn't overthink it. 

Delilah groaned, knowing she was about to make a decision that would backfire at one point or another. 

Unable to hold herself back, she wrapped her arms around his neck, the only warning he had before her lips brushed against his. His hands slid around her waist, deepening the kiss as he pulled her close. The butterflies in her belly started flying around in a frenzy. 

She melted in his arms, the vulnerability she allowed herself to feel only making it more real. His lips were soft against hers, his touch intoxicating enough to cloud her mind. When they pulled back, she was breathing heavily, resting her forehead against his.

"I can't say it yet," she managed to say. "But it will come."

"I know," he simply answered. "I'll wait. As long as it takes."

A/N Oh Gods, I was so nervous to post this chapter, I hope it isn't a disappointment. The evolution of a relationship is always hard to write. 

Thanks for reading! 

-Aella