Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Nineteen

However, with the way Lolita was looking at her over the rim of her cup, slowly drinking her tea, Delilah shifted uncomfortably. A few seconds of silence passed before a huff passed her lips, "you clearly want to say something."

"How are you?"

That made her furrow her eyebrows. "Fine, why?" Lolita blew air out her pursed lips and set the cup down, she leaned forward and grabbed Delilah's hands. Her own her soft and delicate, and always painted a shade of deep red.

"You're not as good at hiding it, you know. You're very good at it, I'll give you that. But your facade falls a bit when you think no one can see you." Her voice was crisp and carried across the air easily, twisting itself in its elegant tone. Delilah was hyper aware of the feeling of Lolita's thumbs trailing over her knuckles. "Hide what?"

Her friend rolled her eyes and pulled back, picking up her cup of tea up and inhaling deeply. It seemed to calm her. "You're a sad girl." She said, and quickly shook her head at the glare Delilah was giving her. "That wasn't a notion of pity. I meant it quite literally, you always look depressed. I can see it in your eyes, your posture, the way seem to deflate when no one is looking at you."

Delilah didn't know how to respond. How does one even respond to that? She felt quite stupid really, for not doing a better job at 'hiding' her sadness. She didn't think she fell into it on purpose, usually it's a memory that triggered her sudden downfall in mood.

"Do you want to tell me why?" Lolita asked, eyeing the girl in front of her carefully. Delilah confused her, not many did that to Lolita. She felt like she had everyone figured out to a certain degree, with Tom as an exception of course. Lolita didn't even have the energy to try to break apart that boy.

Delilah confused her because she seemed like an open book at first glance, but the closer you got the quicker the book starts to close. And just when it's in your reach, the book is suddenly bound shut. Yet there was still a vulnerability to it. Delilah's book was like a worn leather journal, slightly roughed up on the edges and just waiting to burst open.

But Lolita supposed it was better that way. A girl would get nothing from the world but pain if she ran around with her heart on her sleeve.

Delilah stared long and hard at the bed sheets beneath her, her eyes trailing along the lines of strain in the fabric. "Not really, if that's okay."

A small smile pulled at Lolita's lips. "Of course it's okay." She took a sip of her tea and relaxed into the chair, messing with her new engagement ring. The air instantly became less tense and Delilah felt herself relaxing. "Any New Years plans for tonight?" She asked, she needed to keep herself busy.

Laughing lightly, Lolita shook her head. "Merlin no, not me at least. I'm planning to have a self pampering night while the boys are out."

Delilah raised a brow in interest, "what're they going to do?" Lolita raised one shoulder in a partial shrug, setting down her now empty cup of tea. "Out for drinks no doubt, Riddle is staying in however. No surprise there. That boy is a hermit if I've ever seen one, even on his birthday."

It took Delilah a few seconds to realize what she said. "On his what?" Such a simple, normal thing didn't seem to apply to a person like Tom. Of course he had a birthday, Delilah just never thought it actually existed.

Lolita smiled slightly at the girls shock. "Half the school doesn't even know, and he made sure of that. You'd think for an ego like his, he'd be shouting it in the streets." Delilah shrugged at the thought. Tom did like the attention, but he usually only liked it if it was permitted. She didn't like celebrating her birthday either, but she was sure it was for entirely different reasons.