back to you

our own individual prisms

Delta's POV

I walked up to Kara and Jason. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

"No!" Kara yelled. "I hate him! God, you are the WORST!"

"I'm the worst? You're the one who can't get your shit together, Kara! Get over yourself!"

He got close to her again and I pushed them apart. "Jason, knock it off! How about you just leave."

"Fine! Maybe I will!" He spit at both of us and Kara broke down sobbing.

I held her in my arms at the bottom of the hill as she let out her sadness.

She only dated him for two weeks...

But I knew she was hurting and that's all that mattered. Being there for my best friend.

"Maybe we should all leave. It's getting late and we do have school tomorrow. We can stop for some milkshakes on the way back to my house."

"Okay." She said softly.

I collected the boys and got to my car. We drove to the diner downtown and ordered some milkshakes.

I always got vanilla. Kara got strawberry and the boys got chocolate. I like to stick to the basics, though.

Kara told us how she was going to officially end things with Jason tomorrow morning at school. Just to clear things up.

"Hey, Delta?" JJ asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did I see you talking to Steve Randle and Dallas Winston?"

"Yeah, I was talkin' to Steve. He came up to me and we were chatting for a bit. But I didn't see Dallas Winston there..." I muttered.

"Yeah, I saw it, too!" Marcus said. "It looks like you and Dallas didn't talk very long. You just kinda walked past him."

"I did?" I asked in shock.

I did talk to Steve for quite some time. But I didn't see Dallas Winston anywhere, let alone talk to him.

"Oh, my goodness! He did come up to me!" I said in shock. "Oh, my Lord, it totally seems like I blew him off! But I saw Jason shove Kara and I just went over there without thinking."

"I'm sure he didn't think too hard about it. Probably just apart of some bet." Landon said.

"I'm sure. But I still feel bad. I will say, Steve was acting like we had no clue who I was. I mean, maybe he didn't, but we've been in the same class for twelve years. Seems like he would. I've even heard of Dallas Winston. They're all friends with Sodapop Curtis, right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Kara said.

"Well, I'll just find him at school tomorrow and apologize for blowing him off. I can't believe I was so oblivious."

We all finished our shakes up and we took out our money to pay.

"What in the world..." I mumbled.

"Everything alright?" Kara asked.

"My money is gone again!" I said with disbelief. I looked all around my purse and the cash dad gave me wasn't there. "I got home and told my dad I lost my lunch money and he gave me some more. It's not here!" I sighed. "The zipper must be broken. I can't believe it."

I looked through the bottom of my bag and found some spare change that would work. I asked Kara to cover the tip for the both of us and I'd pay her back tomorrow.

"I told my dad I'd be home by midnight, so we better get going." I said to everyone.

We hopped in my car and went back to my house to drop everyone off. They all went their separate ways and went inside.

I got my house key out and I started to unlock the door before I realized it was already unlocked.

"Oh, is dad home?" I muttered to myself. I didn't see his car, but I guess I wasn't looking too hard.

I walked inside and turned on the light. "Dad! I'm home!" I called out.

Nothing.

Maybe I simply forgot to lock the door. Goodness, what has been going on with me?

I went into the kitchen to get a late night snack and to my surprise, someone was in my kitchen.

I screamed and the guy turned around. My heart slowed down when I saw it was Jason.

"Goodness, what are you doing here? When I told you to go home, I didn't mean my house."

"Uh... why are you back to early?"

"Why? What are you doing? Is my dad here?" I asked quickly.

I noticed he was standing in front of my parents saving jar. They kept it for their anniversary to save for Hawaii. "Are you stealing from me?"

"No! I- look, I'm sorry. I don't have any money. Things are hard. I'm just trying to keep the lights on at home. I'm so sorry, Delta. I'm so sorry." He started to panic.

"Oh! Jason, you don't have to steal for it. I can help you find a job or I can even let you borrow some cash, but stealing is not how you get money."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll see myself out."

I locked the door behind him and sighed.

I felt like he didn't need my money.

But I needed him to leave.

I locked all the doors quickly before checking our cash spots.

I looked in the drawers and counted everything.

He took $208 dollars!

I am so glad Kara is done with him.

I knew I was going to have to tell dad. And I was worried about that.

But at least I knew my zipper wasn't broken...

To look on the bright side.

-

"Empathy begins with understanding life from another person's perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It's all through our own individual prisms."
- Sterling K. Brown