Traces of Delilah

Twenty-Two

"Makayla dropped this off at the counter. Said it was yours. What is this, a flashlight?" Oliver peeked his head in the backroom. The first thing I saw was the yellow flashlight I'd handed to her yesterday.

"Oh shit, thanks! Yeah, I let her borrow it." I didn't think she would return it, honestly. She didn't have to. When I walked away from her last night, I fully expected her to keep it.

His eyebrows lifted in what I thought was surprise. "Oh, got you. Cool."

Silence pooled between us again. I hadn't seen him since Thomas told us he was going to be out of work for a while. But he looked the same. Well, more or less the same. Would I make things awkward if I opened my big mouth?

I side-eyed him. "Hey, Oliver. Um, are you okay—well no—have you been, okay? Or how have you been? You know, in general. No, I mean, never mind. That doesn't really sound right either."

"Hey, Chastity?" His voice was bland but I could hear the amusement.

"Too much?" I asked. A sheepish smile that hadn't yet blossomed haunted my face.

"Just a bit." His laugh was light. "I'm fine. I promise. The funeral is in a few days. We're going to put my cousin to rest as soon as possible." Oliver perched himself on the wall. He kicked one leg over the other, crossing his arms too.

"What? Why'd you come back early then? You should've stayed away longer!"

"Work takes my mind off everything. . . Just makes me forget for a while, you know? I like to forget." He sighed out. Suddenly, I felt like an ass for prying.

"Oh." I bit my tongue to keep from talking a hole in his head. Anything more and I'd have probably been doing the opposite of what he wanted.

"Thanks for worrying about me though. I appreciate it, really," he said.

Oliver was only slightly taller than me by a few inches. So, when his hand ran back and forth across the top of my hair, I stiffened. He pulled away before I could properly react. Then, his face met mine. Relief swarmed in my chest. I missed that smile. It wasn't much, but it was soft. Genuine.

"You're about to leave, aren't you? I'll catch you next week, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." I nodded. "Later, Oliver."

"Later, Chastity!" The door clicked behind him. I was left alone in the room again.

I could've sworn there was something else. A bigger reason I sparked that conversation. Of course, other than wondering how he was. But I guess ulterior motives weren't off brand for me anymore.

Oh, son of a bitch, I forgot to ask him about Silvia. Silvia was the last person in this town I wanted to seek out. But she was the first and main person I needed. I couldn't ask the questions I wanted to, to anyone but the other half who was a part of Delilah's secret. I didn't plan on asking her in any private settings either, just in case.

Damn, my only chance just walked out the door too. Just great. 

Who else would know where she might've been? I guess there was Jace. He was my next bet. Maybe Thomas. Oh, there was also Andrew! Last I checked, he wasn't in the drama. But he was the next best closest thing to it. He was probably the better option, right beside Thomas.

I finally walked out of the backroom with my belongings in hand. After waving goodbye to the few people who saw me, including Oliver, I exited the front door of the store, and out the shopping center.

"Where the hell did, I park my car?" I frowned.

My eyes scanned the busy lot for the gray vehicle. I'd even glanced back and forth a few times now. But my car seemed to have been lost in the crowd. Was something going on today that I wasn't aware of? I couldn't think of anything.