My alarm set off at 8am. It was too early in the morning for me after the tedious few nights I'd had. And I did not remember setting the alarm. Nevertheless, I got up and stretched, the window was open towards the sea.
Today was not a sunny day, the skies were fierce and dark. Ready to downpour any minute. The smell of wet sand and sea was in the air. I could almost taste the rain.
AJ was fast asleep, his hair fluffed up amongst the covers. His face swollen and gleaming. He still looked as beautiful as he did the first day I saw him. Leaning against a wall, all cocky with his beloved fedora hat.
Last night, he'd murmured in his sleep. All kinds of things, stuff about the Emeralds, a curse, his father. But one word that was constant was 'Delilah'.
He kept saying my name over and over and over. I couldn't help but grow soft. Yet I was still mad at him. And my wrist was still red and raw. So I quietly wore a plain lavender t-shirt and white shorts before heading out.
For some reason, I felt like going to the roof. I yearned to go to that beautiful place again, with the grand stained glass and the vines and flowers growing everywhere.
I wanted to draw the image on the glass.
The door to the roof, however was already opened. I walked out and saw lightning flash against the grey skies. I took two steps back and bumped into someone.
"Woah there!" John said, his hands were on my arms balancing me back to a vertical position.
"John! Morning! I'm sorry, I just don't like the—"
"The thunder, yes that's not new information." He said chuckling.
Then I remembered all those times I'd ran to him when the worst storms struck Miami. He was just a boy. And I was only a child. But he had always been so sweet and caring.
"Right, sometimes I forget. Forget that you knew me since forever."
He smiled and nodded.
Then his face grew darker and the creases on his forehead hardened.
"What's wrong? You seem tense?" I asked.
"It's just the weather." He answered.
"How's the arm?"
"Usual. These kind of wounds take time I guess," he said, his lips pursed.
"Let's go down. It's going to rain any moment. That means thunder too."
I didn't need to be told twice.
-
-
-
Cleo was hiding underneath a table, Sal said she wasn't a fan of the thunder either. I went and sat down by the table she was under.
"Hey Cleo beo. Us scaredy cats must stick together. What'd you say?" I told her.
She just looked at me for a minute, her tongue hanging out.
Her expression however changed when AJ arrived, she went to him and greeted him, licked him and followed him everywhere.
"Lilah, she's very of afraid of the thunder. Just like you." He said smiling.
"Well I decided long ago, we're soulmates."
"Yeah you are," John said with a smirk. "She makes death sandwiches too."
I eyed him.
"You have to stop bullying my sandwiches, get over them John they're not that bad."
"Bully them? Me? They need to stop finding their way to me." He teased me.
"Yesterday you made a batch and I ate one, accidentally. It was a near death experience."
"Stop it drama queen."
"You two fight like an old married couple," Sal announced chuckling. Just before he went outside to bring in the mail.
There was a weird silence at that. AJ was the only one moving per say. He was playing with Cleo. He got up and came to sit on the table, but winced in the middle.
"It's still paining?" I asked.
"It's nothing," he said.
I ignored him and went to lift his shirt up and check.
His stitches were good, but there was a light bruise next to it.
"What happened there?" I asked lightly touching his bruise.
"I banged into something," he lied.
"What?"
"It was you," John said.
"What!"
AJ gave him a look. The twin of which I gave AJ.
"This was me?" I asked.
"Yeah— you kind of punched me in your sleep last night. But it didn't touch the stitches."
I covered my mouth with my hands.
"What! Oh no. I'm so sorry!"
"That's okay, I deserved it," he said and sat down.
"How does John know!"
"I got up to go get some pain relief in the night, bumped into him then," he said with a brow raised.
"Well I apologise," I said finally.
It's cool, I heard him murmur as I walked to the kitchen. And leaned against the counter. What was going on between us? I couldn't talk to either of them properly, the way I used to before. Atleast not without these awkward and agonising silences.
I was still mad at AJ deep down and John, well something very strange was going on between us.
There was a silence that surrounded the three of us, a silence that made my heartache. These two men were the among the few people I trusted and could talk to about anything. Yet suddenly there was a tension between us I couldn't quite decipher or break.
Our silence was broken by Sal entering back into the kitchen and Cleo barking in announcement of his arrival. Maybe she was happy he was here to break the weird tremors blurring through the room.
Sal stood next to me dumbfounded and looked at all of us.
"Well? What happened. You three seem like you've seen a ghost."
Before either of us could answer, the door bell rang loud and clear. It gave me a chance to retreat, get out of this unpleasant situation.
So I yelled, "I'll get it."
Just as the others like me rushed to answer the door in hopes of escaping exactly the same thing.
John however was the one who really did get the door. He opened it quick and abruptly.
It glided open and in stepped people who I knew all too well. Whom I was beyond glad and thankful to see.
Lily and Jake, all in sleek black clothes with wide arms and warm smiles. Willow and Jesse, both with huge suitcases, Hawaiian tourist attire and noticeable blush staining their cheeks. And at last Gordon, the lone wolf. Leader of our so called pack with a blue shirt and a gleam in his eyes.
He broke straight into a hug with John. Almost shocking the life out of the other man. Jake and Lily delightfully hoarding AJ with happy exclamations and hugs.
Willow and Jesse came straight to me. I was almost rendered breathless by Willow's tight embrace and without a second to breath Jesse's much more excited one.
After all the exchange of hugs and happiness with eachother we all started actually talking.
"We're so happy to see you guys!" Willow exclaimed jumping.
"We're here to help as a crew. A team." Lily announced.
"Yes always AJ. You should have called earlier," G said directly to AJ.
"Man was the flight long." Jake put in matter of factly.
"Dang, you can cut the tension in here with a chainsaw!" Jesse said a little too loudly.
All eyes went on him.
"What?" He said. "Just stating what y'all are all thinking. I heard all your gossip on the plane. I do have ears you know?"
That made me blush red with embarrassment. How did they know about our uniquely awkward situation?
After a confused and albeit needed silence. AJ spoke.
"Even though I love that you're here. And probably would have called you soon, I wasn't the one who called you guys."
"Me neither, though I'm so relieved you're here." I said next.
"I called them." John said flatly.
Now all eyes were on him.
Especially AJ's, holding a particularly harsh look.
"I thought we needed them. We're a team. We can't function without eachother. And honestly this isn't some tiny robbery." He replied to all the eyes pointed his way.
"He's right. I'm happy he called. Things are pretty much settled and put to rest regarding our last criminal encounter. And even though we don't act with the next one so quickly after the last. This is personal, right?" G said kindly.
"AJ, boy we're your family. You know you can come to us for help when you need right?" Jake said stepping forward and gripping AJ by the shoulder.
"I do. I just— I thought you'd all put this life behind you. You guys with your marriage. G with his sister. And Willow and Jesse because they have so much they can still do besides ruining everything if caught in the midst of a crime." AJ answered.
"We have put this life behind us. All of us have. Including you and John. But this is important and related directly to you and your family AJ. Of course we'd help. Just because we decided to part ways for a few months, doesn't we've moved on from who we were as a team. A family." Lily declared in a serious tone.
"Yeah man. We love you." Jesse added at last.
"In short basically," Willow finished.
AJ was didn't say a word to that. His head was slightly down. I could see his pursed lips and the way his throat was gently moving. Or the way he was flexing his hands causing his nerves were flaring out.
I wanted to hold his hand, reassure him. Make him feel comfortable so badly. But I held back. Whatever was going on with him in his head. He'd have to clear out and set right himself. He needed space. And I would willingly give it too him.
G stepped forward and stood beside Jake and AJ.
"It's okay boy, we got you."
AJ looked up and smiled.
And that was all they needed to see as reassurance.
The Takers were back in business, and this time it was personal.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
After a quick meal, the crew split up. G, AJ and John went up to the roof to talk. Jake and Willow were taking the luggage to the guest house behind the mansion. It had two bedrooms. Both couples would stay in each. G would be in John's room. I was happy at least John would have a companion to confess too now. And G seemed happy as well.
AJ however seemed even more on edge. And for the first time, I didn't know how to help him. Or maybe I simply couldn't.
Lily and Jesse were busy being charmed to life by Cleo. And Salazar seemed more than happy to be host to a crowd of professional thieves and the in training two college students.
After a while when everything was quiet. Willow, Lily and I went out for a stroll. They both kept filling me in with what had happened the past few weeks and I in turn did the same, leaving out most of the juicy stuff I knew they wanted to hear about.
Lily told me how G and the crew had already done their fair share of research on the illicit Bahia Emeralds. How they found out about this so called curse and all of its other whereabouts.
"They've been long lost until they was most mysteriously discovered yet again by miners." Lily announced.
"They're supposedly cursed and have a record of bringing bad luck, destruction, torment or even death to their bearers."
Willow exclaimed.
"How they are connected to AJ's family we don't really have real evidence about," Lily was saying.
"But we think that his family were the ones that hid it in the mines. They were residents of the area, the time of which it was found. Maybe they found out about the devilish curse that the emeralds held and tried to get rid of it?" Willow said with wide eyes.
"But again, it's all as good a guess as anyone else's. All we know is, it's no ordinary green Jewel. It has quite the demonic track record." Lily spoke with certainty.
"You think it's really cursed?" I asked at last.
"Well Delilah, 58 deaths, 20 men gone mad. 3 very experienced criminals returning the stone to the authorities crazed out of their wits and about a zillion mysterious happenings following the stone would suggest as much." Lily answered wryly.
I frowned. The thought of a curse so close to the people I adored so much made me shiver in broad daylight.
"So what do you suggest we do?" Willow asked to no one in particular.
"It seems as though people directly linked with AJ's bloodline don't have such dier side-effects to the Jewel." I said thinking about how crazy AJ got when he was merely in the same building as the damned stone.
"But they have effects nonetheless?" Lily questioned.
I sighed at her bringing it up. Though truly I was to blame.
I then went on to tell them about the day before's happenings. And how AJ seemed completely out of it as though possessed.
"Then again, I don't know whether it was the stone or just simply him," I finished to look at their astounded and empathetic expressions.
"Thus the excruciating tension?" Willow asked.
I simply nodded. Though it wasn't the complete truth. I still hadn't told either of them about the weird thing going on with John. I just didn't have the nerves to bring that up as of now.
Then breaking our conversation, Jesse called out to Willow from the mansion. To which she answered with an irritated scream. She gave me a piteous look and a warm smile before heading to her boyfriends calls.
After she disappeared behind the doors to the house, Lily grabbed me by the shoulders as to shake the truth out of me.
"Tell me what happened now. The whole truth," she insisted.
I gave her an appalling and confused look. "What are you talking about I told you the truth."
"I want the whole truth," she pressed.
I still simple rounded my eyes so as to seem completely unaware of what she was demanding of me.
It, however didn't work.
She gave me a glare and I blurted everything out. Up until the last thought in my head.
She sighed after I was done. But said nothing.
"Say something!" I insisted.
"I don't know what to tell you Lilah. It seems as if you're in quite a bit of a fix."
"How can you say that?"
"Because!"
"Because?"
"Because, one person is the person you're deeply and irrevocably in love with and the other is your childhood crush, your comfortable spot. The person who you've loved since forever. Yet both have disappointed you now. In different ways and times. And both of them are equally important to me. Be as it may you still must choose. Even though I know that you know who you truly love deep in your heart. You're just not ready to see or accept it yet." She ranted on.
Yet again I was rendered speechless. And breathless at the same time. My chest ached just as it had the whole day. And I felt the pang of tears behind my eyes. I almost, almost wished Ghost had never died so I could obsess over him. Instead of this mess of an affair I'd landed into.
"If you're so sure why don't you tell me?" I said out loud not daring to look at the other girl.
"You know I can't do that." She said softly now.
I hated being pitied especially because the reason of which was the fact that I was stuck between two men. Especially because about two days ago I was so sure AJ was the one I'd professed my heart to. The only one I'd ever look at the way I did. The only one I'd ever want anything of a close to future with. Yet now everytime John was around me I felt disheveled and uneasy. Felt my heart's beat race in a way it never had before for any one but AJ.
Was this all because of that one day AJ yelled at me? Was it just that I'm really mad at him?
As if reading my mind Lily said, "I know what you're thinking. And you know it's not that."
I looked at her on the verge of crying in anger and pure frustration.
"Why didn't I have such thoughts before that day then?"
"You did and you know it Delilah. Stop lying to yourself." Lily answered.
Maybe I did? Did I?
I remember reading a million romances with Love V's in them. Three people confused about what they feel for eachother. I remember scowling at them and thinking how ridiculous it is. Thinking how it was impossible that one's heart could tear itself in half and be confused as to which half had gotten more than the other. I always thought that when you're truly in love. You'd know. You'd know as if it was written on the walls right ahead of you. You'd know who it was who held your heart. And who was merely an attraction. Nothing else.
But I was wrong. For right now. I was in complete and utter distress as to whom I was to belong with. I knew I loved AJ just as I knew what my name was. But I couldn't help but notice what I felt for John. It was more than just admiration and comfort now. I couldn't just ignore it.
Could I?
I kept internally debating with myself as Lily and I stood at the same spot and heard the sound of waves plummeting along the shore. I just hoped the sound was louder than the sound of my heart tearing itself in half within my chest.
For that was all I could hear.
My anger finally gave way and I felt a hot tear escape my eye.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
AJ's pov:
We were all finished with our individual takes on the letter, the Emeralds and the darn curse. John told G that he should get some rest right now and that tonight we'd have to think of a solid plan as to how we'd move forward with the mystery man and his demand more than request of a heist. A heist to capture cursed Emeralds with a weird and suspicious past and connection with my family.
G had listened to John and told us that he'd retire for the afternoon so that he'd be fresh and alert for the demanding night we all knew we'd have tonight.
Before G could leave however the door to the roof opened and she stepped in taking the breath out of my lungs and making my heart pound faster than it did at the thought of her.
She came in a rush of colors. Glorious as she always was, there was a bleak setting sun peaking from beneath the grey, black clouds today. And it was spraying its reminant golden, red rays on her as it departed.
Making her eyes blaze with golden flames and her hair streak up with strands of honey and warm browns. She looked positively angelic which made it even more harder to take my eyes of her. Or to not think of her every second of the day.
I also noticed John seize up as she came. I could clearly make out the hitch in his breath and the more than hungry gaze he set upon her.
I saw her eyes linger upon me for what seemed like an unforgiving second before they travelled to my companion John. Making the pain flowing through my wounds seem as nothing compared to what my heart was feeling.
"G! Sal is calling you. He says he made you something that'll help the cough." She said, with a breathlessness.
Breathless because of the jog up to the roof. Of something else.... I didn't know.
Now that she mentioned it I did notice G clearing his throat as well as oughing sporadically. I didn't even realise. How tied up am I too my own thoughts?
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
To which he gave me a reassuring smile and said that he'd just had one too many icy drinks in the plane. That the AC vent thanks to Jesse was pointed directly at him while he tried to nap. Which was completely believable..
He thanked Delilah and quickly made his way out of the tension zone.
Jesse was right one could cut the tension with a damn chainsaw.
After she moved ahead and away from the direct sunlight. I also realised that her eyes were slightly puffy and red. The way they'd become when she cried. Or was it just the sunlight? Playing tricks with me and her eyes.
"You both should come down as well. It seems as though a massive downpour is in the waits," she said before turning away and out from our eyesight.
I heard John sigh and breath again. And I felt anger and burning jealousy rise in my stomach. I'd never disliked him more. He was my best friend. Yet right now it seemed as though I'd never known him before.
He got up dazily and walked till the roof doors. Then he turned back to look at me.
"You're not coming?"
Surely not with you. I can't stand to be around you right now.
"I'll be down soon. You go along," I said instead. Which earned me a shrug from him before he exited.
He's here for you. He brought the crew here for you!
He is the one who raised you practically. He's always helped you. He's been like a brother to you. He's your best friend. You cannot hate him. You simply cannot.
I waited till the last rays of sunlight drowned amongst the sea of grey. And just as the first flash of lightning wrecked through the sky, I left the rooftop.
Wondering whether tonight Delilah would choose to seek comfort in my arms? Or would she rather just hear the lighting, would that be less awful?
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
As the sky roared and screamed both I and Cleo were glued to the kitchen table. Her below and I above. Both of us safe in the warm and uncomplicated company of Salazar.
He chuckled and sang as he cooked tonight's meal. He'd started a bit earlier as it would be bigger than the meals he'd cooked for the last few days. From three hungry residents, to eight. And that was not counting in Cleo the monstrous hog.
"Why are you seated in the utterly boring company of my work rhymes and myself Miss Lilah?" Sal asked with kind humour.
"Believe me Sal you're everything but boring," I answered.
"Infact how rude of me? Let me help you out with dinner. You must have an awful amount of workload for only you to handle," I said restlessly.
He chuckled yet again.
"Oh how can I bother you deary. You're hands are full as it is. So it seems."
"Sal please!" I said getting up and hovering around him full of nervous energy.
"Okay okay, why don't you chop those vegetables for me? You do know how to chop don't you Lilah?" He asked with assessing eyes.
"Yes. Yes I do." I said thankful that my mum had forced me to help her and I would comply though very spasmodically.
He gave me a cutting board full of vegetables and a knife.
And I got to work sitting on the table again. Feeling Cleo's soft and comforting fur rub against my ankle. Thankful for her and for something to concentrate on other than well—everything else.
Not moments after I'd started my new work. Everyone started filling into the hall. The two couples came first, since it was lightly raining now after the hours of heavy rainfall. They'd finally got a chance to rush into the mansion before the heavens poured with fierce speed again. Then came G yawning yet looking much more energetic.
And then finally after a few more flashes of crazy thunder, came the two people I most wanted to and didn't want to see at the same time. Both blonde yet so utterly unique.
One with hair the color of dark hay with warm tones mixed with all the blonde. With eyes the color of electric blue, that'll jolt anyone out of any reverie. With a face that always had a comforting ease around it. And a smile that would suddenly set off butterflies within me.
The other with hair the colour of the sun's very rays, with soft golden curls. Which I'd yearn to ring in my fingers every time I saw them. With eyes the most peculiar and dazzling I'd ever seen before. Moss green with hints of gold sprayed among them. With a face so beautiful, my fingers ached to touch, my lips craved to kiss.
They both glanced at me before going to where the crowd was. Both of them with looks identical to mine. With muffled words and stolen glances.
After sometime they all started moving around the place. I could see some of them plotting a plan. Some pacing around thinking, and some glancing in my direction a bit too often.
Suddenly AJ got up and walked till the kitchen. As he did so my heart started racing and my hands shaking. I was on the last of the Vegetables, I had finished the first batch Sal had given me and was almost done with the last.
When Cleo saw him though, she leaped from beneath the table and jumped up to him. Her paws clashing with his back. The sides to be precise. He didn't yelp out in pain. Nor did he expresses any sort of distress. But I knew it must have hurt like hell. He simply winced the slightest wince, which he thought no one had seen. But both I and John, whose eyes hadn't left neither me nor AJ, had. John didn't stand up to aid him. And I was frozen.
He turned back after patting down Cleo who seemed less than satisfied by his reaction. I hadn't noticed my hand that kept chopping vegetables while my gaze was set on AJ. Not until I yelped in pain as I felt sharp steel cut through my skin. All eyes averted to me.
John who was seated quite far away sprang from his chair and rushed to my aid. And AJ who was surely on his way to the washroom to check his wounds, too turned and came to me.
"Delilah! Are you okay?" John asked.
"Ba—Delilah show me your hand," AJ said with clear agony in his eyes.
Now this was a situation. Both of them had their hands out towards me. Both demanding and worried. What was I to do? I could care less of my wound. I'd take ten more so as to avoid this situation.
Thankfully Willow came to my rescue, when she pulled me up and dragged me to the washroom. To wash my wound, leaving both men agape with their hands still outstretched.
Willow cleaned my wound and applied something on it. Something that stung. But I was too messed up in my thoughts to care.
She said something too, but I didn't listen.
Then she shook me to look at her. Her big eyes round and aware.
"Get your act together babe. You're spiralling out. I'm worried for you."
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
"Don't apologise to me. Apologise to yourself. If they both are putting you through so much pain. Drop em both!" She suggested making me smile for the first time the whole day.
"But I love—" I stopped. If only I hadn't if only I'd said a damned name. I felt like a fraud playing around with the hearts of two guys.
"Who? Who do you love." She said, her eyes suddenly soft.
If only I could say it.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
When I went back out everyone was helping Sal. I guess everyone wanted the night to be over with. After not too much time. Dinner was ready.
We all managed to fit somewhere. I made sure to sit far away from both the men. And we all quickly had dinner and cleared the place. A plan for the following day still wasn't completed.
So everyone was huddled together above a computer.
I however was most disinterested. And I knew I wouldn't contribute. So I called in sick and wished everyone an early goodnight. Earning a room of worried stares. I honestly wanted to disappear.
As I walked up the stairs I realised that I was going to have to share the room with AJ. Somehow I felt guilty? Why should I? By all means he was still my boyfriend.
And we were still together. And I still trusted him. And I knew that he'd not do anything to me until I asked him too.
So I changed my clothes and slipped into bed. The skies still roared and white light flashed everywhere. I was shaking with fright.
I was waiting for sleep to find me. For exhaustion to take control. But the lightning was keeping me up. I felt like crying. I hated to cry. But I was so afraid and anxious and tired and angry.
It just felt easier to let it all out.
In all the noise from the sky and my thoughts I hadn't realised AJ come into the room. I didn't realise that he kept his shirt on today. And that he had settled in bed. That he was looking at my shivering form.
He winced.
"Ba—Delilah?" He whispered.
"Yes?" Was it just this morning that I'd spoken directly to him? It felt like days ago.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.
I didn't answer.
How could I possibly be okay. Everything was against me being okay!
"Do you want me to leave? I'd understand if you don't want me around—" he began and his each word broke me. How hurt must he be saying it?
"No." I said firmly.
He shut up in an instant.
I tried to sleep with his familiar warmth next to me. But it was like a drug. Not nearly enough. I wanted more.
Especially after the day I had. I forgot all about John and his smile and his eyes.
Instead as another devastating lighting sound tore through the night.
I asked AJ to talk to me. Distract me.
And so he did. He talked about silly little things, and things that made me laugh. Talked about the red headed russian triplets, about Lily's wedding and Jesse's obsession with pizza. About Cleo and memories he had of her when she was a yee pup.
I suddenly felt safe, warm and at ease. He was laying close to me, but not nearly close enough.
"Hey can I ask you something?", His voice cracked as he said it. He was facing the ceiling and so was I.
"Yes," I gulped.
"Do you remember that night? After the takeout, sitting on the car's bonnet looking at the constellations that made up the sky?"
"How could I forget AJ?" Was all I said, even though I had essays worth of words to say to him about that unforgettable night.
"Just wondering," He said nonchalantly. Even though I knew he cared.
"Goodnight, Delilah"
"Nighty Night AJ." I said to him stealing a glance at him before quickly averting my eyes.
He shifted a bit before sleep took over him. He was close.
But not nearly close enough...
I could again smell his scent of vanilla and mints. Mixed with salty tears. His or mine I didn't know.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Also sorryy that this is an extremely looonngg chapter!
Okay so I know I told yall the next chaps would be action and this is emotional torture and romance. But i couldn't help it. I love this chapter. I assure yall the next one will be more action based and involved with the mysterious Emeralds.
I really really would like to know how you liked this particular chapter. So if you leave a comment telling me how you feel about it. I'd be very happy.
Anyhow thanks for all the reads!
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Purple heartss to y'all crazies