The Cursed Road Between Them

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Hey guys,

so i started university this week. i'm tiresome to say the least.

i hope you enjoy this chapter, i appreciate all your reads, votes, and comments.

sorry for the small A/N. 

love,

ruth (more or less) x

word count: 1,029 words.

           THE HALLWAY IS redolent with the fresh smell of spray paint.

Dalileh winces at the stares and whispers which latch onto her ears and infest her mind. They always speak about the stench that the lockers cause; they blame her. Except it's not her violating her locker so she's left confused at times. As she packs her things inside her locker he approaches her and asks, "How's the new looking locker?"

"Fuck off Jacob. It's not like it's the last time I'm going to have to pay for it to get sprayed thanks to you" Dalileh retorts with a glare directed at the petty villain leaning on the lockers. An intense laugh leaves his mouth and it seems that the atmosphere changes speedily. He changes his stance to one that is seemingly meant to emanate intimidation. Yet it doesn't phase the girl and she holds his glance. She remains still even as he walks his fingers up her arm until they're touching her collar.

Then, with venom dripping off the edges of each letter he says, "Your reputation before all this was real nice. Perhaps you want to reclaim it sweetheart."

Pushing his hand off her shoulder she places a hand on his chest and shoves him onto the closed locker by hers. Leaning closer she asks, "Oh, does my sweetheart miss me? I thought you have a girlfriend now."

She can feel his facade slightly falter for a second and she finally tastes the satisfaction of being herself after ten months. Despite his weakening stance he gutsily responds, "That never mattered to you in the past."

"Lying about my morals isn't nice Jacob. Do I need to teach you a lesson?"

"You've never cared. You only ever cared if it stopped you from getting high. Why care now?"

"I don't care"

"So you'll fuck me"

"No I won't. I still have morals Jacob. I'd never go as low as fucking someone who calls me a murderer. I'd rather date an elderly man. Plus your girlfriend's about to cry." Dalileh slowly had laid off of the boy, coming to her senses when she felt him shake. She knows she has an effect on him; one which causes earthquakes in his oceans. Looking behind her she can see the betrayal Melanie feels come off in waves as the girl tears up. Dalileh's heart aches somewhat remorsefully at the sight of the heartbroken girl. But not one fibre within her can muster any pity or kindness towards the guilty. Melanie happens to be part of the guilty.

And so, Dalileh ushers Jacob onwards in the direction of his girlfriend; the boy almost trembling in the presence of two powerful women. But as he walks Dalileh looks at Melanie in the eye with a terrible smile and says, "Thank your maid for cleaning up your mess for me won't you." He looks in between Dalileh and Melanie amongst others due to the expectation of buried anger erupting. But Melanie diffuses the situation by grabbing her boyfriend's hand and walking away in a rushed manner.

Onlookers stare at Dalileh, murmurs being spilled like candy from a broken piñata. She's broken the reputation the boy has been trying so hard to uphold. In doing so she also empties any belief that her heart is no longer cold nor is it made of pure gold. The girl returns her attention to placing her things in her locker with a sigh. As she does Egon walks up to her locker and peers from the side of the door into the locker. "What was that about?", he asks curious.

"It was nothing important. Jacob being Jacob."

"You sure?"

"He wanted to fuck and get high if you really want to know. It's nothing new, tries every once in a while just to rile me up and get me to knock him out." Dalileh explains it casually and watches Egon's expression carefully for any signs of him being angered or annoyed. Except she notices nothing, she only sees tiredness in his face with his skin no longer having an angelic glow but a pale sickly look.

His next words are lowly uttered as though he's trying to tiptoe around her, "Have you?"

"Knocked him out? Yeah I have. Twice since I came back. But it was months ago. Doesn't stop people from bringing it up but whatever."

"You have anger issues Dali"

"I'm defensive, you already know that. You could've left if it annoyed you but you decided to stay. Deal with it." Dalileh retorts, vexation reluctantly pinching her tone.

"Why are you so annoyed Dali?" He asks in attempts to comfort her. His eyes have a glint of worry in them and when she looks into those eyes she softens. She worries about his health and complexion which glisten from what she assumes is an oncoming fever boiling beneath his skin. I'm so sorry.
Instead she looks down at the floor and murmurs, "It's not fun being called a murderer all the time. My name has become synonymous to it."

He pulls Dalileh into an embrace and comfortingly confesses, "Well if it helps your name is synonymous to love in this heart." Egon chuckles nervously afterwards as he feels Dalileh breathe calmly.

Until she whispers into the collar of his shirt, "I love you too cheeseball." A smile breaks out on Egon's mouth before he let's go of Dalileh. She asks, " "Doesn't it hurt?"

Egon's smile breaks into one of sadness like shy waves washing upon shore in the night. His silver hair is messy but it still shines; dull and moonlit at the same time. Then he admits, "It hurts more than I thought it would. But I'm sure death hurts more. I'll be okay. We'll be okay."

Dalileh nods as she returns the sadness in a smile and a hug. The bell rings near them and they bid each other farewell with a kiss on the cheek. They share tainted pasts and guilty hearts which haunt them at their confessions. Dalileh feels the heaviness return and she knows she won't be seeing Omar playing with the sand in her dreams that night. I'm so sorry.