Hey guys!
Sooooooo..........you know that time where I said I couldn't update because of exams?
Yeah.....turns out that I am a better procrastinator than I thought.
I wrote this while having a mental breakdown over French verbs.
So....it's not fantastic.
But I hope you enjoy it anyway?
Aha; love you guys, your lovely comments are making me all warm and fuzzy!
“Ticket please.”
I handed my boarding pass over to the sour-faced clerk immediately and she checked over it briefly before nodding.
“Put your bag on here and head straight on to security.”
“Thanks.” I replied, shooting her a smile that she awkwardly returned.
I got through security easily and made it into the food court.
My stomach rumbled and I made my way to a Starbucks to order an iced chocolate and a bagel.
I sat down to eat, checking my watch as I did so.
It was one-thirty now; I had a half-hour until boarding.
Unwilling to be left to my thoughts, I pulled out my phone.
5 New Messages
What the hell?
I unlocked it and checked them, stunned.
They were from my friends, the ones who all weren’t talking to me, the ones who were mad at me.
I was confused.
From: Ashton
Hey, Delilah, where you at?
From: Stella
Delilah where are you???
From: Mike
Del, everyone’s starting to get worried. Where are you?
From: Cal
Del, don’t hide now, please. We’re gonna work this crap out.
From: Em
Del! Please call me, where are you? Everyone’s freaking out!
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t ignore them.
Obviously, Jo hadn’t told them anything and I couldn’t let them worry needlessly about me.
Instead of texting them all, I chose to reply only to Em, knowing she would let them know.
To: Em
Please don’t worry about me; I’m fine. I promise.
Thank you all for a brilliant tour.
I’m sorry about everything.
I finished my food and made my way to my terminal, shoving my phone back in my pocket.
I’d said everything I needed to and now it was time to move on.
As I arrived in the terminal and found a seat, my phone started ringing, earning me some irritated looks from the other passengers. I shot them an apologetic smile as I picked up the phone, gaping at the caller ID in astonishment. “Jules?”
“Where the hell are you?” Jules demanded. But her voice wasn’t angry; it was scared.
“I’m at the airport.” I said, flatly.
“What?” Jules’ sounded like all the breath had been washed out of her in horror at my statement. “Del, why?”
“It was time to go home. You all made it perfectly clear you didn’t want me there and I didn’t want to hang around.”
“Delilah Cook, you know damn well why we avoided each other!”
“Of course I do!” I snapped. “But that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt, Jules. You guys didn’t even give me a chance to explain. I know it looked bad, but you’ve known me longer than you’ve known your sister. The fact that you didn’t trust me, didn’t even believe it was a mistake, hurt me. You guys hate me anyway, it’s not like my leaving is a problem.”
There was a silence.
I strained to hear anything, and to my shock, I heard the unmistakable sound of sobs.
“Jules?”
“I don’t hate you!”
I sighed, the sound long and pained. “I think we’re better off if I just say goodbye now. This wasn’t supposed to worry you or scare you or anything like that. This was supposed to be a clean break so you all could just get on with your lives without me messing them up. Again.”
“Del.” Jules howled into the phone. “Please don’t. Please don’t do this. You know that you’ve only made our lives better! I can’t lose you again, Delilah.”
“I’m only trying…”
“I know, but you’re wrong!” Jules whimpered. “We need you! Hell, I need you! I’m sorry, I can’t explain how sorry I am for being such a bitch and a horrible best friend when you really didn’t deserve it.”
“Jules…”
“Ollie told us everything. He told us everything. And I was too angry to even listen to you, to my best friend. It’s not you that’s ruined everything; it’s me. The others are freaking out. Em’s crying. I don’t even know where Luke’s run off to. Please, Del. Please. I am begging you to stay.”
I took a deep breath, terribly torn.
What did I choose? The path I thought was best for everyone?
Or the path that everyone wanted me to stay on?
The loudspeaker made the choice for me.
“Now calling for passengers on Flight 43 to Melbourne, now boarding from Gate 6.”
I bit my lip. “I have to go.”
“Del…!”
“I’m so sorry.” I whispered. “And I forgive you, I forgive all of you. I love you all. And please, stay strong.”
And then I hung up, leaning against the wall shakily.
“Hey, miss, are you alright?” The young voice sounded concerned.
I glanced up to meet the eyes of a young boy, maybe around ten or so.
I gave him a faint smile. “Yeah, thank you.”
“You don’t look too happy.” He observed, his blue eyes thoughtful.
I shrugged. “Not everyone can be happy all the time.”
“You look like your fish just died. Did your fish just die?” He looked horrified at the prospect.
I held in my inappropriate laugh at his cuteness. “No, I’ve never had a fish.”
“You should. They’re really cool.”
“Yeah? Maybe I’ll buy one when I get home. Are you here with your parents?”
“Nah, my granddad just left. My parents are back in Melbourne. Are your parents here?”
And I wanted for all the world to lie and tell him that my parents were fine, that death never happened and that the world was fair.
“My dad’s in Melbourne waiting for me.”
“Where’s your mum?” He asked, innocently, brushing aside his messy blonde hair.
“She died a few years ago.” I replied, quietly.
He looked upset. “No wonder you were crying.”
I gave him a gentle smile. “I’m crying because while I was in Sydney, I fell in love with a boy. And now that I’m going back to Melbourne, I have to leave him behind.”
“Oh.” The boy looked puzzled. “Did you tell him you loved him?”
I shook my head. “I wish I had.”
“Then why don’t you? I told my girlfriend I loved her the day we met!” He stated, proudly.
“How did you know you loved her if it had only been one day?” I asked, teasing him just slightly.
He blinked at me. “Because she was so pretty. She was smiling at me, and she made me laugh. I let her into my tree house and we rode our bikes together and ate ice cream and she laughed at my jokes. Then she held my hand on the way home.” He confided. “But don’t tell anyone.”
My breath caught in my chest.
Smiling.
Laughter.
Tree houses.
Riding bikes.
Bad jokes.
Eating ice cream.
Holding hands.
Memories cascaded through my head, temporarily blinding me.
Group movie nights at my place, Mike teaching me to play poker, sleepovers with Jules, prank wars with Calum, bike riding with Luke, jumping off the pier with Luke, starfishing with Luke, baking with Luke, painting with Luke, the ten minute walk home from school with Luke and every little memory of days forgotten, of those little moments that brought such a sense of contentment and happiness that I didn’t appreciate at the time, but would give anything to go back to now.
I am making the wrong decision.
“Final boarding call for Flight 43 to Melbourne from Gate 6.” The loudspeaker scratched.
“What’s your name, kiddo?” I asked the young boy, hoarsely.
He smiled at me, a little goofily. “I’m Leon. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Delilah Cook. My sister loves you.”
I gave him a shaky smile. “Tell her I said hello and thank you.”
“Of course.” Leon grinned at me. “I have to board the plane now, make sure you tell that boy that you love him.”
“I will.” I murmured, watching as he scampered towards the flight attendant. “I will.”
Commotion blared out from somewhere to my far right, right at the end of the terminals.
I have to get out of here.
I got to my feet and started moving away from the boarding doors.
I was moving without thinking, stuck in a daze.
I have to find Luke.
I have to tell him I love him before it’s too late.
“Miss Cook, Miss Cook!”
I turned at the sound of my name, my gaze focusing on the air hostess scowling at me.
“Yeah?” I said, stupidly.
“It’s time to get on the plane.” She said slowly, like she was talking to a child.
I shook my head. “There’s been a mistake. I can’t get on that plane.”
“We can’t leave without you.” She said, obviously annoyed. “You have to get on.”
A loud shout spiraled from the commotion down the line of terminals.
I glanced down to see a hug crowd of people had gathered.
I frowned, wondering what the hell was going on.
“Miss Cook!” The hostess snapped. “Please get on the plane. It’s time to go.”
It’s time to go.
It’s time to go.
It’s time. Go.
Blinking, I handed her my boarding pass and she stamped it, ushering me all the way into the airplane, even taking me directly to my seat.
Jo had gone all out, putting me in first class.
This seemed excessive for a two-hour flight, but I wasn’t complaining.
As the plane roared to life and began to steam down the runway, the blonde-haired boy I had fallen in love with consuming my thoughts.
“I’m so sorry, Luke.” I whispered, gazing out of the window at the cloud-littered sky. “I love you.”