In Love With Death's Daughter

... And Tell

        "Will you let me try to explain?" I ask my dad after a while of silence that seemed to last for forever.

        "No. You broke the rule. That's enough of an explanation." He says, not loosening his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, or taking his eyes off the road.

        "No it's not." I say stubbornly, and grip the handle of the scythe in my lap.

        "Yes it is!" He raises his voice, and glares at me through the mirror.

        "Dad--" I start to say, but he's furious.

        "No, Delilah! I know what I need to know. A boy asked you out, and you liked him, so you went on a date with him. But you were with him once, and you pulled it off, why not go out some more. I also know that he had to try very, very hard to convince you to go along. That boy is trouble, Delilah!"

        "How do you have such a detailed idea of what might have happened?" I ask, confused.

        "Your brother." Dad hisses, and I lose my breath.

        I turn to Aren, who has yet to look up from his lap. Now it makes sense. Why he never met my eyes, not once this whole time. He planned this.

        "A-Aren.." I stammer, wide eyed, and mouth agape, "Why would you do this?"

        "I'm sorry." He mumbles quietly.

        I let out a bitter laugh. "You've just been looking so ashamed this whole time. You have the right to be!" I yell that last part and glare at him, no matter the tears blurring my vision.

        "I'm sorry." He repeats again, then the whole car falls into silence.

~ ~ ~ ~

        "If you hadn't guessed, you're grounded." My dad says to me once we get home.

        "Oh no duh." I say, already up the stairs.

        "Don't use that attitude with me, young lady!" His booming voice threatens as I'm about to close my door.

        I halt. Turn around. And walk back to the top of the stairs.

        "Really? You expect me not to be upset? I was happy dad! You should have been glad. But instead you just ruined it, and you expect me to be okay?! Keep freaking dreaming." I say.

        I storm back to my room, and throw myself onto my bed.

        Dad knows, dad knows, dad knows. Shut up. Stop thinking that! Dad knows and Lucas is going to get hurt. No, he'll be careful! It's all your fault. 

        It's my fault that this happened. I let a short, frustrated scream into my pillow and sit up. I'm not doing this. I'm not freaking out, and I certainly will not throw some kind of temper tantrum. I'm not a little kid anymore, and I will make sure I act that way. Especially when I go down to talk to dad. Not right now, though. He needs to calm down a bit. I have a feeling that his stormy eyes will last quite a while, this time.

        "Del?" I hear my mom's voice outside my door.

        "Yeah? Come in." I say confidently. When she opens the door, though, my confidence drains.

        "Wh-What happened?" Mom asks, quietly closing the door behind her.

        "Mom, you're so pale." I say, eyes wide. She's as white as dad and I.