From Tutoring, to Friendship, to More...

Chapter 14: Feelings

     Delilah's face was bright red, she was still FaceTiming with Bowen, who sported a deer in headlights look.
     "Exsqueeze me?" Bowen asked. "I think I need you to repeat that, because I think I heard you wrong."
     "I think I have a crush on Beak... on Ion," Delilah repeated, only this time correcting herself and not using his nickname. "He's doing this on purpose!"
     "Ion Bleaker?" he asked.
     "Yes, fucking duh!" she exclaimed. "Know anyone else with that ridiculous name!? Are you fucking with me right now!?"
"I mean, maybe just a little bit," he admitted with a smirk.
"You can be such a bitch at times," she rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry!" he chuckled. "It's just been a while since I've seen you crushing on someone. You were with that dumbass, Chaz, for over 2 years."
"Exactly," she retorted, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I can't already start crushing on someone new!"
"Says who?" he asked.
"Isn't there like a grace period to this?" she asked. "It's barely been a week since Chaz dumped me!"
     "I doubt Chaz is waiting to move on," he scoffed. "Although, I doubt he can do much right now after that whole... incident..."

     "I just don't think I'm ready," Delilah explained. "And honestly, what if Ion doesn't like me back in that way? I've been rejected before and it makes you feel like total shit."
"You really think Beaker wouldn't be interested in one of the hottest girls in school?" Bowen asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course you'd say that. You're my best friend," she rolled her eyes. "Then again, Ion even called me one of the most beautiful girls in school."
"I also listen to enough of our classmates say how hot you are," he retorted.
     "I still don't think it's the right time," she said. "I'm still trying to figure shit out."
     "Well, ok, that is fair," he admitted. "Besides, I doubt any girl at school is gonna show interest in Beaker anytime soon."
     "Don't be mean!" she exclaimed. "He's super sweet and funny and... oh my god! Shut up!"
     "I knew you'd say something like that!," he chuckled.
     "Oh, fuck off," she grumbled, blushing brightly again. "He really knows how to push my buttons!"

     "Aw, I love you too," Bowen replied. "So, when did you start getting this crush on Beaker?"
     "I don't know exactly," Delilah admitted. "But this evening definitely help solidify things."
     "Why this evening?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
     "I hung out at his house," she replied. "He's totally gonna freak out now."
     "What!?" he exclaimed. "Why are you only now just telling me this!?"
     "Because you had your family shit," she replied. "Plus I was distracted."
     "With what?" he asked. "You guys didn't make out, did you?"
     "No!" she exclaimed. "God, nothing like that! I told him I would be alone tonight, so he offered to let me hang out with him and his friends. I also met his parents and younger sisters in the process. Plus I ate dinner with them."
     "Shit, you already had dinner with his family?" he asked. "Are you sure you aren't already dating?"
     "It was just as friends," she replied defensively. "He said we were friends..."
"So, what's his family like?" he asked.
"Really nice," she said. "His sisters, Stacey and Wendy. are both really funny and adorable.
"Like their big brother?" he asked with a smirk.
"Don't push it," she eye rolled.

"So, then what happened?" Bowen asked.
"His friends showed up later on to play D&D," Delilah continued. "Ion was in charge of the game."
"Dungeon Master," he pointed out. She gave him a look. "What? We watch Stranger Things together, remember? D&D is kind of a major part of the show."
"Fair enough," she sighed. "So, at some point they go up against some big, ugly bug thing. They're not too sure they can beat it. I point out their odds are good based on their stats." Bowen smiles big. "It was hard not to listen in on the conversation! Anyway, they rolled a winning hit or whatever and thanked me for the motivation to fight on. Then I was declared their friend as well."

"Wow, impressive," Bowen said with a smirk. "You get dumped by your long term boyfriend, lose a whole circle of friends - except for yours truly of course - only to gain a whole new one before the start of a new week! Guess kicking Chaz in the nards was karma's way of rewarding you."
      "It's a weird reward," Delilah chuckled.
     "So, what are the friends like?" he asked, not letting it slip that he's had conversations with Randy.
     "They're... interesting," she answered. "Definitely weird, but also really nice."
     "Normal is boring anyway," he retorted with an eye roll. "Chaz and his dipshit friends were duller than dirt. Must be a jock thing..."
"You're not totally wrong, I guess," she admitted.

     "Oh yeah, we took a group selfie," Delilah just remembered, sending it to Bowen. "Beaker's in the middle with me, next to him is his best friend Randy. Next to me is Mal, and she is... very flirty. Crouched down in front are Benji and Aldo.
     "Aw! Well don't you all look cute!" Bowen exclaimed. His eyes suddenly bulged a little, noticing Ion's cat. "What the hell is that giant pile of fur!?
     "Oh, that's Behemoth," she answered with a chuckle. "He's a Maine Coon, large domestic cat. Super friendly. Soft too! Mal called him Beaker's familiar."
     "Ugh! I'm so jealous I wasn't there!" he whined.
     "I only went because you weren't around at the time," she pointed out with a shrug. "Besides, there'a always next time."
"Next time, eh?" he grinned.
"Yeah, because friends hang out," she retorted defensively.
     The two talked for about an hour, then Bowen has to get back to family stuff.

____

     It wasn't long after hanging up with Bowen that Delilah received a text from Ion.
Beaker: Hello
Delilah: Hey
Beaker: Hope you had fun at my house... and that my family and friends weren't too weird for you 😜
Delilah: No way! Like I said before, I had a great time! I think your sisters are adorable btw! 😁
Beaker: Ugh! You're the only one that does 🙄
Delilah: lol
Beaker: Guess I'll see you Monday then
Delilah: Yup, looking forward to it!

"Oh shut! I shouldn't have said that!" she thought. "He's definitely gonna find that weird and..."

Beaker: Me too... sweet dreams...
Delilah: Yeah... sweet dreams...

As Delilah laid in her bed, she thought about everything that happened in just a short period of time.
"A crush on Ion Bleaker," she said out loud. "I guess that's not such a bad thing."

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Notes: New chapter! Woot! Hope y'all enjoyed the back and forth between Delilah and Bowen, plus the texting between her and Ion, and the inner thoughts (which I personally enjoy writing a lot).

Thanks for reading! ^__^