The One Who Left | In Progress

{ Ch. 17 }

"Delilah," Noah calls me as I lay upside dowm on the couch, mindlessly binge watching Friends for the millionth time. "Yeah," I yell, chewing my Doritos with obvious relish. My hair looks like a rat's nest and I'm wearing friken sweatpants - but its okay, cos I have nothing better to do plus Noah saw me drugged with a panda face of mascara and drool running down my chin, it can't get more embarrassing than that. "You wanna go on a date, Della?" I freeze, my mouth stops chewing and I unceremoniously swallow the Doritos in my mouth. "Noah!" I complain, whining; "I have to look presentable for my first real date. I don't look anywhere close to presentable right now." He rolls his eyes as he comes into view,"We've been dating ever since that day on the roof. Why is none of those dates counting?" He gripes and I look at him blankly. "A girl's first date actually takes place when she lives under her father's roof, when she looks decent, when he asks permission to fricken date her!" My voice grows. I blame my period for this stupid mood swing.

"A date is not an invitation to hangout, netflix and chill, or watch a movie in your house!" I huff - my voice growing louder until I'm practically shouting, even though Noah's practically right next to me. "I want a real date!"

"You know what? Fuck it. I ask you out but you never say yes! I even fucking cooked for you! You're an ungrateful woman." Noah accuses and I warm up. He wants to fight, let's fight. "I'm ungrateful? I always work in your house - where you said I can stay anytime. Your words, not mine." I shoot back. "Not fucking forever!" Noah lashes out at me and tears gather in my eyes. "Is that all I am to you? A fling? Am I not the 'forever' type? Or am I just not good enough for you?" Noah stares at me yanking his pretty brown hair. "A fucking mess." He mutters beneath his breath.
"Who?"
"Fucking you, that's who." He says as he marches past me and yanks me by the wrist. "What? Where are we going?"

"I'm fucking taking you to your father's house, it is your last day at mine." Noah adds, hands on the steering wheel as he drives to the Sterling home. "Noah, I'm sorry." I cry, tears fallomg from my lashes. "Nuh uh, not falling for it again Delilah - I'm going to do this right, I'm going to take you home. Ask your dad for his permission and then ask you to go out with me on a fucking real date, then ask you to the dance." "Awww."

"Stop it." I think he realised he can't just let me be a hobo on his couch and let me watch movies all day amd give me WiFi and feed me chocolate while I was on my period. He actually had to give me attention.

The first day was okay - we cuddled and rewatched Disney Classics. The second and third day I was a nightmare, a monster. Yesterday was the fourth day - I caught on so much crap and irritated the hell out of him. Today was the fight picking day and also my last day. Thank God.

Noah pulls up with his red Rolls Royce in the driveway and we leave the car as soon as it's parked. Noah grabs my bicep dragging me to the door, he rings doorbell and Madison opens the door. "What the... Delilah?" She squints and he shoves me into the house and slams the door.

"What's going on?" Maddie whisper shouts amd I choke back the laugh that wants to erupt as I was Noah pacing in front of the door. "Just watch." I giggle and yell as Noah knocks the door. "Jessica! Derek! It's for you!" I cackle evilly to myself. Jessica opens the door and i can overhear their entire conversation.

"Oh, Noah dear, it's you!" Jessica says in delight. "Afternoon ma'am, is Mr Sterling at home?"
"He's on a business trip to Shanghai, but whatever it is I'm sure I can help."
"Much appreciated, I wanted to actually ask Mr Sterling for his permission to date Delilah. If that's okay with you."
"Noah such a good boy, asking permission first." I snort at Jessica's words. I practically forced him to ask permission. "Yes, I have no problem with you dating Lilah." A slight pause, "Go get her, Slater." Jessica's tinkling laughter causes my frown to deepen and I move away from the wall and toward my room- I'd heard enough. If the idiot thinks I'm gonna fall for his... "Delilah Kade," He jogs down the hall toward me and I scowl, "What now Slater?" I growl and he gives me his most charming smile. Unfair advantage.

My heart pounds against my ribcage and I look up - into his blue blue eyes. Another unfair advantage - his gorgeousness stops my brain from working. My breathing stops too and I can't help but blame my brain for causing the medulla oblongata's suffering. Yes, I do pay attention in Biology - even though Slater sits next to me... Mr Holland was a tough cookie.

"Will you go out on a date with me?" Before even thinking, "Yes." He smiles at me, tucking a piece of my unruly black hair behind my ear. "Good, see you at 7." He murmurs and I sigh as he leaves. See! Noah + my sole attention = brain mush.

After the door closes, I groan, finally realising that I accepted the date. Despite what you might think, I was just protecting my stupid heart - the organ was useless to me emotion wise, but heartbreak is a real cause of death and I dont want mine to break, it's already so fragile.
And I know, Noah Slater was a heartbreaker... I just didn't want him to sneak into my heart. Unfortunately I had a feeling that he already wormed his way through my defenses.

Madison screeches, "You have less than three hours to get ready - Dels, what are you waiting for?! You can't leave the house like that." She says after taking a whiff of me and then gagging. I was shoved into the shower, bullied into casual clothes but I drew the line at my hair. It was long and black - silky like the Red Indian's hair type - and it was my pride and joy.
No one touched my hair unless it was me or a hairdresser.

"So you're getting ready for your date?" Jessica smiles from the doorway and I scoff. "Not like I had a choice - I was unfairly manipulated." Noah knew I loved his eyes and he used them against me. "Sure, Delilah - he manipulated you." She drawls and I chuckle. Not cos she was right... I didn't want Noah to do all that stuff... I groan. I can't even lie to myself; I wanted him to do it deep down even though I'm not really traditional - it just meant more if he did actually do it. "Well, you got what you wanted." She nods and I grin, applying the barest bit of mascara and lip balm. I'm not really a makeup girl but everyone is a hater nowadays - I like makeup for special occasions only, not that my date wasn't special - it was but why put on makeup if you're probably gonna ruin it - or not even see it. I still had no idea where we were going.

"Yeah," I grin and I pick up my mom's locket. I told you I never leave home without it. "Jessica, can you help me with this." I struggle and Jessica gives me a full blown smile. "Sure," She takes the necklace from me and hangs it around my neck, clipping it in. "There we go," She says cheerfully. We look at my reflection in the mirror, my mother's features standing out - in the shape of my lips, in the curvature of my oval silver eyes, in the skin of my ancestors. "You look beautiful Delilah." Jessica says and I smile, watching myself in the mirror - I was wearing a dress for the first time in a long time and besides the homecoming dress I bought last week - it was one of the nicest dresses I owned (the date was that kind of special).

A knock on the door has me jogging to the door, hair straight and blowing in the wind. I open the door to see Noah with his hair as beautiful as it usually is - wearing a pair of jeans and his most awesome hoodie that I know, I'm going to steal by the end of the night. "You look splendiferous," He says in a joking tone but his eyes show intensity - the kind that comes with seriousness as we walk to his car. "Thank you, you look dashing as usual." I reply and he holds his hand out for me, opening the door. I wave to Madison and Jessica watching us from the front door. "As usual?" Noah raises a brow, "I knew you were lying when you told me that I looked 'just okay' all week." I roll my eyes, this is why I try not to compliment him so much - Noah was a drama king that could give RuPaul a run for his money. "Okay, I lied," I admit and he grins at me like a little kid, "You still haven't told me where we're going yet."

"Well, the carnival's in town on the boardwalk..."