Traces of Delilah

Twenty-Four

I fucked up. I knew I had. I fucked right around and blew it. My goal was to ease her into what I had to say, but I hurled her full-speed. I couldn't take it back now.

Silvia's body had stiffened in seconds. The horror had been replaced as she trembled with rage ever so slightly. I could see her chest rising and falling, with the easy breaths she took. It was a shocking reaction, to say the least. 

But something told me, it wasn't the mention of Delilah's death that set her off, like I would have thought, if I didn't already know how she was.

"Say that again," she said, barely above a whisper.

"The gun, Silvia. I need to know what happened to it," I repeated.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She turned away from us. 

My eyes widened when she began trudging to the house. Shit, of course. She was trying to run away from the truth. Andrew cocked an eyebrow at me, but I threw my hand up to let him know I had it under control.

"Wait, Silvia! I know it was an accident!" I shouted after her.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she shouted.

I noticed how close she was again. Her finger almost hit my glasses as she whirled around, pointing in my face. Her skin was so close to mine. I wouldn't doubt she'd have hit me if she had the chance. I had to stop myself from reacting.

It was, I, who approached her. I'd practiced being calm all through-out high school. It took a lot out of me. A lot of patience and virtue. But I was very capable of losing control. Invading my personal space was the first step to that.

"Digging around. Messing with shit you shouldn't be messing with. Seriously, you've got a lot of nerve!" she spat. Her finger had gotten even closer to my face. She lowered it until it was almost touching the tip of my chin. I sucked in a breath.

"If you'd let me explain, I can," I said, slowly. She hadn't said anything.

Andrew quickly stepped between us when he saw Silvia's hand raise higher. It was as though he could feel a fight creeping on. Either that or he could feel the suspense in my calm behavior, and understood my facial expressions.

"Hey, hey! Silvia, calm down. There's no need to get violent. I'm sure we can all function and talk like adults, right?" he said.

"Calm down?" Silvia broke into a fit of laughter. 

"No, you should warn your girlfriend that she needs to learn how to mind her business. Listen Chastity, I don't know where you're from, but you're in Baskerville now," she snapped at me, laughing some more. "Do you know how rude and disrespectful it is to meddle with the dead? What is wrong with you? Who even are you, to be asking those questions?" 

"Are you serious, right now? Weren't you the one who called her a two-timing bitch in my face?" I threw my hands up and laughed. "I don't think now is the time to act like a saint, Silvia. And I'd appreciate it, if you moved your finger out of my face." My heart beat was quickening.

Hypocrites seemed to run through this town like mice. I might have doubted how selfish Silvia was. If there was even a silver of kindness in her, would she have cared enough to help me? I wasn't sure. She had no reason to.

"Excuse me? That's different! I-I. . ." she stuttered. I caught her. She was flustered. "I was just pissed!"

"Oh, and that's better than me asking a question? Listen, I didn't come here to argue with you, okay? I came because you shared that secret with Delilah. And you know where the gun was buried. You're the only one I can rely on.