The One Who Left | In Progress

{ Ch. 20 }

Homecoming was in a week. Finals were done and I had a date today. Fortunately for me... it was my dad and not my stupid boyfriend. Noah and I were fighting again because of the same old story... he needs to be honest and open with me (cuz I obviously am not a mind reader). Ever since Noah's talk with Gunner and the guys, he's been acting weird but a week ago he's been practically stalking me - not wanting me to go anywhere without him and refusing to tell me why he's acting so out of character. His panties are in a twist because I 'don't trust him' which for the record is hard when your boyfriend of three months starts acting like a overprotective brother - wait, worse actually. Lark and Kael never ever crowded me as much as he has lately.

"Are you ready for the movie Delilah?" Derek peeks sneakily in my room and I laugh, "Sure, I just have to get my stuff quickly." I mumble, rumaging around in my drawer. "I'm ready." Dad (one of our most recent developments after he took me to the zoo) and I were going to watch Jumanji - we had the time for what Jessica calls father-daughter bonding and the three of them practically shoved us together and hightailed it to the mall. "That's a nice bracelet, who gave it to you?" Dad asks curiously and I smile, rattling the charms purposefully to show it off. "My boyfriend gave it to me Derek." Dad looks skyward, "I still can't believe Jessica gave him permission to date you," he gripes and I roll my eyes as I climb in my side of the car. "Dad would you have said yes?" I drawl and he sighs grouchy at what happened while he was gone that weekend. "No..." "That's why Jessica didn't say anything."

"Cheer up, I'm with you aren't I?" I grin cheekily and he sighs, "Does he at least treat you right?" My face softens. "Of course - do you think I'd tolerate a guy that didn't?" "Well is he okay?" "He's a good guy Derek - he's honest, a little too honest sometimes - charming, pretty to look at, protective, sweet, funny in his own sarcastically dry way, overdramatic, did I say charming?" "Yeah, yeah. He's great but is he your best friend?"

"My best friend?"
"Your mother was one of my best friends, everyone wants passion in a relationship but hardly anyone wants friendship - Delilah, trust me - always go for someone who can make you smile and love you like you were meant to be loved." I tilt my head to my father, "I love you Derek - I don't think I've ever told you recently that I love you but I do." "I thought you, quote unquote 'hated me'."
I shake my head, "Didn't you know, there's a fine line between love and hate. I never hated you truly, I just thought I did. You're my father - I think loving you then was hard for me because of what happened to me, what happened to mom." Derek looks at me sorrowfully, "I'm sorry Delilah."

"It's long forgiven, if I knew how you felt sooner - I think I'd never have hated you as I did." I murmur and Derek smiles weakily, "I hope your boyfriend thinks as highly of you as you think of him, the 'charming' guy that he is."

I laugh dryly, "He'd get such a big head if he heard everything I said... or maybe he'd blush." "Sounds like a complicated boy Lilah - are you sure about him?"

"It's too late for second thoughts Derek." I muse gazing in the distance. "I think I already love him."

It's that thought that gets me everytime - it's the fear that maybe it's too soon for serious emotions like love, the doubt of Noah actually liking me for me and not just because his brother dated me.