sunshine | l.r.h

seven

chapter seven:

distractions

Days seem to pass before either of them even considers calling the other. Delilah let herself be fully consumed by her new classes and spending time at the studio. Luke's been back and forth from the gym to the fighting ring, to some random hotel room beds with a girl he doesn't know the name of. 

A light knock echoes from Delilah's studio door. Glancing back, she sees Nina standing in the doorway. 

"How's it going in here?" Nina inquires, walking into the room. She takes a brief look at all of the finished paintings scattered across the room.

"I'm almost finished with this order," Delilah hums, setting down the paintbrush in her hand. Nina glances around the room again.

"What about all of these?"

"They're not all orders," Delilah admits. Worry starts knitting Nina's dark brows together. 

"How long have you been in here, Delilah?" Nina asks. Delilah sighs, knowing she's been in here longer than she should've been.

"Since this morning," she admits. Nina lets out a breath, trying to understand the girl in front of her. "I'm sorry. I got carried away."

"You should head home," Nina instructs. "You shouldn't be around this paint all day."

"Okay," Delilah nods, knowing there's no reason to try and argue. Delilah stands, bringing her pallet over to the sink. When she reaches the sink, a wave of dizziness consumes her for just a second. Her grip on the side of the sink tightens as she tries not to fall. Nina notices the small gesture and rushes over to her side. "I'm fine."

"Take tomorrow off, Lilah," Nina continues. "And have Natalia stay with you. I don't want you getting sick."

Delilah doesn't even bother to object. Instead, she just nods and slips on her jacket. Tomorrow would be a day of rest. And a day of trying to avoid making a call she knows she shouldn't make.

On her walk home, she takes a moment to look at the sky. The sun was starting to set and the sky was painted red. Something in Delilah's stomach twists as she continues home. 

When she gets inside, a wave of exhaustion settles on her shoulders. She changes quickly before laying down. The moment of quiet lets her realize how consumed she's been these past few days. She had her classes and whenever she wasn't in class, she was in the studio. If she wasn't in the studio, she was working on something for school or on a new sketch. Delilah sighs, running her hands down her face. She knows exactly why she's let herself fall this far. She needed to distract herself so she didn't make a stupid decision. So she didn't make a phone call that would only cause more problems later on.

She sleeps in late that morning, letting her body get the rest it so deeply needs. She's sitting at her small kitchen island with a cup of iced coffee and a book in front of her when her phone dings. Glancing down, Delilah sees the name she's been trying to erase from her head. 

Luke
What's your address?

She stares at the message on the screen. Her head plays with the idea of just leaving it be. It also plays with the idea of responding and seeing what comes from it. Nothing good will, she tells herself. The girl bites the inside of her cheek, contemplating her options. Her body moves before her mind can process it. Before she knows it, she's hitting send.

Delilah continues what she's doing as if she didn't just send a text she was trying to avoid. The knock on her door a few minutes later makes her jump. Her stomach ties itself in knots as she stands to open the door.