Another Love Story

Chapter Six

Delilah was quite a mischievous child who always seemed to be looking for trouble. When she started being able to walk, it got worse, it was exhausting for Roman and Virgil to keep her out of trouble. Nonetheless, they raised her well, always showering her with love and affection. The two of them were naturals at parenting. After Delilah turned 16, her parents would often wake to find she'd snuck out of the house in the early hours of the morning. Each time, they'd wait anxiously for her to return home, which she always did at around 11am. Countless times, Roman had asked her where she'd been. Each time, she avoided the question. A month passed this way, which is why Virgil was surprised when he woke one morning to find that Delilah was still home. She sat on the couch, watching TV and eating some cereal.

"Good morning." she said, words slightly muffled as she still had a mouthful of her breakfast.

"Good morning to you too." he responded with a smile, walking over and kissing the top of her head.

Delilah smiled, finishing off her cereal and then getting up, going to put her bowl in the sink. As she did, she spared a glance towards the clock on the wall. It was now half past eight. A few minutes later, Roman came downstairs and said good morning to both his husband and his daughter. He was just as surprised to see that Delilah was home as Virgil had been. He didn't voice it though. For their breakfast, Roman and Virgil had some fruit, they always did. By the time they'd eaten and gotten ready for the day, the time was half past nine.

"Can I go out this afternoon?" asked Delilah as her parents came back downstairs from getting dressed.

Virgil and Roman looked at each other, surprised that their daughter was asking their permission after sneaking out without it for an entire month. Delilah just stood there, looking at them with a hopeful expression that the two found it hard to say no to. The last thing they wanted was to disappoint their little girl.

"Of course you can. Just be back before dark, okay?" Virgil said with a sigh.

"I will be. I promise."

Delilah hugged both of her parents before running upstairs to get herself ready. She put on a black, knee-length dress with a red flower pattern, as well as some black flats. The 16 year old also did two plaits in her hair and put on some mascara and lip gloss. With that, she was ready. At one in the afternoon, she said goodbye to her parents, then left the house. Heading away from her house, she walked to the docks and down some steps onto the beach. There she saw the person she'd been sneaking out to see, a boy who seemed around her age and who didn't actually know she existed.. The boy was alone this time, standing with his pant legs rolled up, feet submerged in the water, All the other times, he'd been with his grandfather, on a boat a little way out in the water. Delilah was curious, wondering why he was suddenly all alone and looking so sad.