Sam's voice brought Delaney back to reality and she shook her head. "Delly, hello?"

"Um... Sam? Can I call you back later?" Delaney asked, her eyes still trained on the guy's back.

"Are you okay?" Sam questioned worriedly.

"I'm fine. I love you and I'll call you later." Delaney quickly hung up the phone and slowly made her way over to the guy. She tried calling out to him, but he didn't even move a muscle to look at her. Once she was close enough to him, she reached her hand out and tapped him on the shoulder.

The guy jumped off his suitcase and whirled around to face Delaney, who quickly retracted her hand at his jumpy reaction. He had brown hair and brown eyes. Delaney couldn't lie, the guy was really attractive. It pained her for a second to even think of another guy as attractive besides Will, but it still didn't stop her from admiring his pretty boy features for a minute.

"You scared the hell out of me," the guy said, his hand holding his heart as he chuckled breathlessly. He pulled the earbuds out of his ears, the rock music softly blasting from the speakers.

Delaney sheepishly smiled at him and pulled her lips into her mouth. "I'm sorry. I just thought you might need some help."

The guy rolled his earbuds up and stuffed them into his pocket. "Oh. No I'm good. Thanks."

Delaney hoisted her duffle bag strap higher onto her shoulder as it had slid down slightly when she reached out to touch the guy. "Uh, so... where are you headed?"

"No offense, but I'm not telling you."

"Why not?"

"You could be some kind of creeper," the guy mused and crossed his arms across his chest. "I mean, you are hitchhiking."

Delaney mirrored the guy's actions and smiled innocently at him. "So are you, kiddo."

The guy's response was cut off as a white van pulled up next to them. The driver stuck his head out and looked at the guy next to Delaney. "Need a ride?"

"Yeah," both the guy and Delaney replied.

"Just him," the driver said, motioning to pretty boy next to Delaney.

Delaney raised an eyebrow at the driver. Usually these kinds of guys picked up the girls and not the men. Unless this driver swung for the other team.

Pretty boy picked up his bags and hopped into the passenger seat without even a second thought.

"Wait, you trust this shady van guy and not me?" Delaney asked in disbelief.

Pretty boy winked at Delaney before the van driver took off, leaving behind a very confused Delaney. No wonder Sam was worried about her. People are freaking crazy.





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"I'm sorry but the next bus out to Sacramento doesn't leave until tomorrow morning," the woman at the bus station said to Delaney.

Delaney had finally found a bus station that had a bus going towards Sacramento. She so close to getting to her Dad and now she had to wait even longer? A whole day? She was already off schedule because instead of having Dean drive, she had to walk. At this point, Delaney wasn't even sure John was still in Sacramento, but a part of her told her to keep the faith.

"There has to be another way," Delaney pleaded as she leaned on the desk in between her and the woman.

The woman gave her a bored look. "There is. Buy a car."

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 | 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 [1] ✔ (EDITING)Where stories live. Discover now