Paper Rings - (J.F.)

Chapter 15

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Chapter 15

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Delilah managed to wake up earlier than usual that very morning. Later that day, she had another Debutante session with Isabel, and she was motivated to look her best - not for the sake of the session, but for her best-friend turned crush.

She dressed up by selecting out her prettiest sundress from her closet, a flowery yellow one that reached just past her knees. For the occasion, she even crimped her hair and applied some lip-gloss. Overall, Delilah had a strong desire to dress up for him today. He was all she could think about after the events of the previous night.

A few of her texts to him went unanswered for some reason, but she didn't think much of it. Maybe he was just exhausted from the night before.

Midway through the morning, while everyone else was still sleeping, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen, where she was certain to find Jeremiah. He, like her, was an early riser, especially since beginning his summer job as a lifeguard.

There he sat on top of the counter, balancing a bowl of cereal in one hand and scrolling through his phone in the other. She hid behind the corner of the wall, simply admiring him from afar. Just the very thought of him had a way of making her go all doe-eyed and weak in the knees. She could see his perfect sleep-tousled hair as well as his slightly tanned skin from being out in the sun most of every day.

Gosh . . . he truly was a sight for sore eyes.

And she truly was a mess.

He suddenly leaped off the counter, dropping his bowl into the sink. He grabbed his mug and she watched as he drank the coffee all at once, causing some of it to trickle down his mouth. Haphazardly wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he then grabbed his car keys and was walking towards the main entrance in seconds.

Hold on. He wasn't supposed to leave already, not when she hadn't spoken to him.

Delilah broke from her trance and rushed over to him. "Hey - Jere!"

But he didn't hear her, only opened the door and made his way outside. When she eventually arrived outside, halting him just as he was about to open his car door, she increased her speed and called out to him once again. He turned around and she was slightly taken aback by the surprise on his face. It was almost like he was rushing away on purpose, like he already knew that she was there the whole time. Then, it vanished in a flash and was replaced by a lazy smile.

"Oh, hi, Dell. Didn't see you there."

"You didn't answer any of my texts . . ." she faltered and hoped he got the idea, not wanting to sound too clingy or whatever it was that he called her during the event.

"Oh, shoot, really? Sorry about that. I didn't have time to check my phone today. I have to head to work soon."

This was obviously a lie given that she had just been observing him browsing through his phone while appearing to be in no particular rush up until this point, when she wanted to talk to him. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Um, I gotta get to work-"

"This is important, Jere."

Then Jeremiah sighed and appeared uncomfortable or apprehensive about something as he dropped his gaze downward at his shoes. He never felt nervous. Every time he spoke, he focused the other person's eyes squarely on his. After a brief pause, he eventually turned to look towards her dark brown eyes. "Is this about the kiss?"