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12. ( falling apart )
ミ☆
SOMEHOW SHE KNEW what the day would bring as soon as she woke up to feel the cold morning light hit her face through the window. Someone had opened the curtains to let in the slither of sunlight, perhaps thinking it would make the room warm, but all it had done was send a frosty chill through her bones.
Delilah rose from the bed wearily, already dreading what was guaranteed to be a long and torturous day. Wiping the sleep from her eyes she made her way downstairs, eager to fill her stomach with food, if only to do something to distract herself from the ache in her heart that was quickly becoming unbearable.
The uncomfortable silence that ensued once she entered the kitchen was like a slap to her face - the pitying looks that they wore only worsened her mood. "Good morning honey," Alice greeted with a painfully forced smile. "We saved you some breakfast." Delilah glanced at the clock hanging from the kitchen wall, then back to the plate of toast in front of her.
She slipped into a chair and proceeded to butter a slice of the toast, keeping her gaze locked on the food, rather than the sympathetic glances of the Coopers.
"I was thinking of wearing the silver dress tonight," Betty said cheerily to her mom, trying to keep the atmosphere light.
"Are you sure? I thought we decided on the white one," was Alice's reply.
"Yeah, well, I hardy want to turn up looking like a bride - it's homecoming, not my wedding." Then Betty turned to Delilah. "I picked out a few for you to try on, if you want. You're basically the same size as me so..." Betty trailed off as her mom gave her a look. "I mean, if you even want to go, that is."
Delilah swallowed the toast. "Oh..." it was silent as she pondered her choice. She could either spend her night holed up inside, or go out and party with her friends. "I thought I might just stay here tonight." She looked away from Betty's disappointed face.
"Oh, that's okay."
"I think I'll go and get ready for school," Delilah excused herself, rising from the table. Once she was back in the bedroom she let out a deep breath, pausing to bring a hand to her chest to calm her breathing. Even the thought of homecoming was making her dizzy.
Get a grip.
She willed herself to get busy, moving to the en-suite where she turned on the shower and stood beneath the burning water. She felt nothing as the heat touched her skin - it seemed to just be an outwards representation of her inward feelings; a gradually growing hot bubble of anger, sadness and so much more that she could not say.
