Don't Get Angry

48- Dalta: Kissing the Frog

I sat in the empty room in one of Penny's pajama dresses staring at her phone. I needed to call my parents and tell them where I was. I knew that soon the police would be on our tail searching for me. Penny had changed her password so I couldn't unlock the phone. My door suddenly opened. I quickly grabbed the pillow and covered my scar covered thighs hiding the phone under the pillow as well. "Hey." I turned to the door.

Otis smiled at me. "What's under the pillow?"

I tilted my head. "Do you want me to answer that?"

He held my room key in his hand.

"You stole my key-"

"Like you stole Penny's phone?"

I shut my mouth.

"Do you wanna give it back?"

"What I want is to know why you threw mine out of the window."

"I..." He sighed. "I'll buy you a new one when we get back." He walked over to me. "All you need to understand is that everything I'm doing..." He stared at me. "I'm doing all of this because...I..."

"What?" I giggled tucking my hair behind my ears.

"You're..." He looked down. He smirked then suddenly shoved his hand under the pillow.

"Hey," I grabbed the phone and lifted it in the air.

He chuckled and reached up to grab it falling over onto my lap. I giggled and switched the phone over to my other hand. He quickly sat up throwing his hand upwards to grab the phone and falling on top of me. We both laughed. He grabbed the phone out of my hand then looked at me. We were face to face. His smile faded. "I should..."

I held my breath. My hand slowly drifted up his back.

He quickly stumbled on to the side of the bed. He sat up clutching the phone. "I'm...I'm gonna go give this back to Penny-"

I grabbed his hand. "Wait...I..."

He looked at me with a worried look on his face. "Dalta...you..."

"I'm okay with..." I slowly sat up. "I want to."

"No, you don't."

"Yes." I shut my eyes, the voice in my head denying my words.

"Dalta, there's a reason why I'm telling you no-"

"God, right?" I shook my head. "Of course. Because everything about me revolves around God. I'm tired of all of it. My church...my pastor-"

"What does God have to do with Betty's father?"

I looked at Otis.

"Look, it's not about God. I just know. Okay?"

"You know what?"

"It's not worth it." He looked at me. "Trust me, okay?"

"You've been asking me to trust you since we got here and I'm trying."

He bowed his head.

"At least stay with me."

He lifted his head to me. "Are you sure? You don't share a room with other people, remember?"

I snickered. "I only said that because Todd's farts are deadly and could put you in a coma if you inhale too much of it."

Otis laughed.

"Like, really. I was just sitting in the car with him not saying a word and then just like that..." I stared at Otis. "Stay."

"Fine... But we have to go straight to bed. No talking... or anything else."

"Sure," I quickly crawled under the blankets.

Otis laid above them laying back on the pillow.

We laid staring at the ceiling. I slowly turned to Otis. His brows were arched and his eyes were scanning the ceiling. His finger thumped his chest like a ticking clock.

"Are you thinking-"

"Shhh," he poked my side.

"Ouch," I giggled and slowly turned on my side facing him. "I don't get you-"

"Dalta." He snickered and turned to me. "Stop talking." He looked into my eyes then quickly turned away.

Silence.

"The sheets are nice." I broke the quiet.

"That's great."

"They're pretty warm underneath-"

He sighed, shutting his eyes. "I know what you're doing, Dalta."

"What am I doing-"

"I'm...I'm not giving in."

I moved closer to him. I poked his nose. "Are you sure-"

"Stop," he chuckled.

I sighed and stared at him.

His brows fell. He shook his head. "I slept with Taylor."

I held my breath. "WHAT?" "What?"

"I just...I'm not telling you to wait because of any religious stuff. There's a reason why people wait. It's just temporary... It's not worth it."

I looked down.

"I mean...look at Betty. She's running away from home because of something that temporary and meaningless, and she's going to have to raise is kid for years because of it... I'm trying to protect you from that-"

"Did Taylor have to convince you?"

He looked at me. "What?"

"I just...I don't get it. Is it because of the way I look or-"

He sat up. "Dalta, did you not hear a word of anything I just said?"

I sighed and frowned.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"You didn't even tell me about it. Is that why you felt so bad about the break up?" I curled into a ball. "Would you have dated me if you hadn't broken up with her?"

"Wha-" He stared at me. "Where is this coming from-"

"You're embarrassed of me," I shut my eyes.

"Are you kidding me? I just told you that I wanted you to meet my mom-"

"If all of this hadn't happened, would you want to be with me?"

He shook his head. "I can't do this." He suddenly sat up grabbing Penny's phone off the bedside table. He stood up then looked at me one more time. He squeezed his eyes shut then shook his head walking out of the room. He shut the door.

I sat up with tears in my eyes. I didn't believe a word he'd said about God and how much he regretted Taylor. He wasn't the first guy to reject me. Peter always made fun of me for even thinking that we would have a chance and I was always rejected by any guy I'd befriended. Maybe Ethan liked me, but it wouldn't last. Neither would Todd...or Otis. Once they got to know me...