𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞〚𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 〛

Chapter 16

As he stepped out of the shower, Pope winced, realizing exactly how much the cool water had helped his bruises. 

Wiping the droplets of water on his skin, he realized with horror that he did not have any clothes. The boy took a deep breath, gathering enough courage to wrap a towel around his waist and twist the doorknob. 

Blushing like a maiden, he peeked his head through the door, hiding himself as best he could.

"Um, Lilah?"

She looked up, as if to answer him, but froze, pink colouring her cheeks. The sight made him feel less awkward.

"Do you have clothes for me?"

She bit her lip, averting her eyes. "Oh, um, just by the door."

He'd never seen her blush before. It was oddly appealing. Before he could make a fool of himself, he snatched the clothes and shut the bathroom door. 

As Pope disappeared, Delilah couldn't help but hide her face in her hands, cheeks burning with shame. What in the world was she thinking, staring at him like that. 

Taking carefully calculating her breaths, she managed to make her cheeks return to their original shade. By the time the boy entered the room, she had regained her composure, pretending to read the book that had been laying on her nightstand. 

Delilah frowned, noticing how he was blinking more than usual, and how his movements were careful.

"Come on, you need to lie down," she said, gesturing for him to get comfortable.

"I can take the couch," he squeaked, frantically looking around for another place to sit.

"Oh, no, you're not," she laughed. "Relax, I'll stay two feet away from you at all times."

"It's not that," he stammered, unsure how to voice his concerns. "It's just... you know, your private space and all."

She smiled, her heart melting. "You're adorable, Pope. But, truly, I'm not letting you sleep on anything else than a bed."

He rolled his eyes, accepting his fate and climbing by her side, leaning back into the pillows with a content sigh. As he closed his eyes, Delilah couldn't help but notice how his face relaxed. He looked younger without his usually serious expression. 

Without the adrenaline keeping her awake, Delilah felt the exhaustion weighing her down, and forgetting to think about her actions, she leaned against Pope's shoulder.

"I wish I could live here," she said, feeling comfortable against him.

"You don't like it in the Bahamas?" he asked, slightly breathless.

"I don't come from there, and I don't feel at home," she sighed. "I've never felt at home anywhere but here."

"Where do you come from?"

She smiled wistfully. "I was born close to here, on the mainland, and for the first three years of my life, I lived in the Outer Banks."

"Your first memories come from here, maybe that's why you have such a deep connection to this place," suggested Pope.

"It's where my roots run deepest," she laughed softly.

"I hope I can come back here after university," he said, tentatively wrapping his arm around her. "Get a decent pay and make sure my parents live comfortably for the rest of their lives. They sacrificed so much for me, it's time I start repaying them."

"They're lucky to have a son like you."

"They raised a son like me," he corrected. "The merit comes back to them."

Delilah smiled, knowing that he was too modest to accept the compliment.

"What about your parents?"

She sighed, closing her eyes. "I love them, of course, and I cherish every moment we spend together. But not for the right reasons. I cherish every moment because I never know the next time I'll be spending time with them. Ever since my aunt married into a rich family, they've wanted to make sure they would have just as much money as my uncle, so I wouldn't feel like they didn't want me to have the best. I didn't need material things, I needed them."

"Have you tried talking to them?" he softly suggested.

She pursed her lips. "I guess I haven't. I want to, but I'm so afraid that they'll think I don't appreciate everything they do for me."

"Our parents want what's best for us. Our definition of best is just different."

A small smile made its way onto her lips. "Right as always."

He blushed. "Not always, I have my dumb moments."

"Like isolating yourself behind a screen," she pointed out.

He grimaced. "I walked right into that one, didn't it?"

She laughed softly, her eyelids feeling heavier by the minute.

"Sleep," said Pope, sounding just as tired as she was. "We need it."

Without replying, she let the sweet lethargy of sleep take over her mind and body. 

In such a state, she wouldn't have been able to imagine Elise's surprise when she peeked into her niece's room, only to find her fast asleep in the arms of a Pogue.

A/N So sorry for the short update, people! I swear I'll post another update soon. 

On another note, what do you guys think about the chapter? ;)

Thank you guys so much for reading. You make me smile every time I get a notification that someone voted on my story. 

-Aella