So Fine ⇸ Jake Kiszka

⇷ eighteen ⇸

⇸

A couple nights later, she talked to Karen and Kelly after dinner was finished. Jake sat next to her, his arm over her chair. "I don't agree with what my parents are saying. I honestly don't have to stay here. I mean, I don't want to be a bother to the two of you, I need time to find a place."

Karen smiled sweetly, "Honey, it's okay. You can stay here." Delilah breathed out in relief. "I wouldn't want to, either. Stay as long as you want."

Delilah smiled and then looked over at Jake, who was already looking at her. He rubbed her arm, as if saying, "See, told you so."

"Thanks," Delilah said, looking back at Karen. "I won't stay too long. And I won't be a freeloader, either. I have some cash that I can give you for rent."

Kelly scoffed, "Don't you dare. You're family. How are you doing anyways?"

Delilah shrugged, "I'm alright. I still can't believe what I saw, you know." She looks at Kelly closely, "Did you, by chance. I don't know.. Know about him and Rose?"

"Now?" Delilah nodded, "No. But back then, before you were born, yeah. They were a thing before he ever looked at Daisy. If I had known, I would have said something."

Delilah reddened when she realized that it sounded like she was accusing him. "I'm not trying to accuse you of anything. I'm sorry if that's what it sounded like."

Kelly's eyebrows furrowed, "Don't worry. I didn't think that at all."

The group became quiet and she focused on Jake caressing her skin. She hadn't realized it, but her skin was growing warm where he was touching. But she didn't mind it. Her mind drifted, though, to her parents, again. "What was my mom like?"

"Sweet and kind." Karen spoke. "Too sweet for her own good. She loved him to bits and overlooked quite a few flaws that I thought were red flags. To me anyways."

Kelly nodded, "I mean, I liked the guy, but he was a bit weird. Daisy wore her heart on her sleeve and forgave him for a lot of crap. He walked all over her."

"And if we ever said anything, she'd get mad at us. We wanted to keep in touch, so we had to stop mentioning anything."

"Yeah."

Delilah was confused. All the stories that her mother told her were that Marlon was a prince. A gentlemen. Delilah then figured that was her coping mechanism. She had to make a story up so that the truth wouldn't break her. And that broke Delilah. "It's so weird."

"What is?" Jake asked.

"I had a different picture in my head, you know. Of how my parents were like. I guess you always think that you're parents are meant for each other. Sometimes they just aren't. And that's just so sad. It breaks my heart."

Karen's face fell into a look of sadness. Her eyebrows went up and her mother curved downward, "Oh, sweetie." She stood up, giving Delilah a motherly hug. "Take this as a lesson when you find someone. Just because you love someone doesn't mean they can get away with hurting you."

"Trust me, this is something I will never forget."

She slept in Ronnie's room. Well, tried too. She stayed up, looking for different apartments that she could afford, especially with her pay. Ronnie groaned, turning away from the computer light. Slowly, Delilah got out of bed and made her way downstairs. She turned on the over-the-sink light, setting the computer on the table. She found some paper and pen in one of the drawers and wrote down each apartment that seemed to fit in her area that she wanted.

"Being a night owl." Jake said behind her, making her jump in her chair and turn.

She slapped him on the arm, "Ugh, you scared me!" He laughed hard, tears almost coming out. "It's not funny. Geez, how do you walk so quiet."

He breathed out a laugh and wiped away a tear, "You should have seen your face."

"Ha-ha!" She crossed her arms in anger, rolling her eyes.

Jake smirked at her, "Aww, did I make you mad?" No answer. "Ah, cold shoulder, huh?" Jake smiled at her, and she stared into his eyes, seeing something that she couldn't make out.

"Yes, I'm a little mad."

"Sorry, Darlin'."

"The sad thing is, I can't stay mad at you." She huffed.

"My goal in life." She rolled her eyes again, but smiled nonetheless. She scrolled through a few more apartments. "Trying to find something?"

"Yeah, the nice thing about living with parents is that you can save money."

"Yeah." Jake sighed. "I'm planning on getting a place too."

"Oh? Here in Michigan, or?"

"Yeah, I love it here. I don't want to move anywhere else. Well, Europe is nice too."

"I'd like to go to France and Rome and Greece.. Well, I guess Europe." She chuckled.

"I'll take you with me." Delilah stopped and then looked at Jake, "What?"

She smiled, "No, nothing." She shook her head, going back to the computer.

"Delilah?"

"Hm?"

"I want to tell you something?" Jake sounded serious, so she stopped to look at him.

"Okay, what is it?"

He cleared his throat a little, and then opened his mouth to speak, "Well, I wanted to say that I lo-"

"Oh, it's you two." Josh interrupted, making both Jake and Delilah jump. "I thought Mom forgot to turn it off."

"Nope," Delilah said. "just me. Um, if it's bothering you I can do my stuff tomorrow."

"No, that's okay. Goodnight." Josh looked between the two and then took the stairs by two.

Jake huffed before shaking his head, "Weirdo. Well, we should go ahead and get some sleep."

"Yeah, I should go before Ronnie wakes up. Good night, Jake."

"Good night, Delilah." She closed Ronnie's bedroom door and leaned against it, her head knocking on to it. She was curious about what Jake was going to say. Stupid Josh, ruining the moment, she thought. She sighed and put the computer back onto the desk. Sleep was going to be ever harder for her, wondering if Jake was really going to say what she thought he was.