Supernova Souls - Ryan Upchurch

-13-

Heavy boots thudded against the concrete floor as a man dressed in a police uniform passed by the chair Delilah was slumped down into, his eyes never meeting hers to her utter dissatisfaction. She had been waiting here for thirty minutes to get back to see her brother, who was apparently in a holding cell.

She was on edge as she sat there in that uncomfortable, half-padded chair with her fingernail between her lips, anxiously chewing her thumbnail. She had learned biting her nails was one of her many bad habits she'd obtained growing up, and never gotten rid of.

"Ma'am?"

Her head shot up and her eyes met those of an older man, possibly in his late fifties, with graying, receded hair and sunken dark blue eyes.

"Yes?"

"Delilah?"

"Hmm?"

"Follow me." He motioned for her to follow him with his hand. Delilah stood and walked closely behind the sort-of kind officer through the Cheatham County police station with her hands clenched into fists at her sides, worry rushing throughout the poor girl.

"And you're his older sister, correct?" The officer's tone was less a question, and more demanding. "Yes." Obviously, moron.

"His parents couldn't come?"

"No, sir. Our father can't drive, and is a disabled veteran. Our mother had died when we were both younger."

The officer stopped abruptly near a desk, and Delilah almost bumped into him. "Sorry to hear about your mother. And, tell your daddy next time you see him thank you for your service." The man said, giving her a half-hearted smile she pretended was sincere, even though it was much more of a pity thing an officer like him had said many times before, by now the words simply coming to him as habit.

Delilah simply nodded and watched two women behind the desk whisper something to each other. The younger woman's eyes widened in what she could only assume was surprise, before the officer standing in front of her tore the two women behind the desk from their conversation by speaking to them.

She had tuned out what was happening, because her eyes landed on her little brother sitting on a bed in the middle of a holding cell with his head in his hands. He was slumped over, medium length brown curls falling over the tips of his fingers. His shoulders shook slightly, which she knew was a sign he had been crying somewhat recently.

Her heart ached.

She honestly knew how he felt sitting there because, well..

She had been in that same holding cell, in that same spot on that old bed littered with stains with her head in her hands, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks and bloodshot eyes as she waited for her father to come save her, yet again.

Delilah tried to be a good kid, but she'd had her run ins with the law more than once before, and the Cheatham County police knew her by name, much like they knew Ryan.

"Delilah." The officer snapped, his eyes shooting daggers into her own. "We're letting him off with a ticket, but next time we won't be so forgiving with the boy. No more letting him drive alone, understood? Truck's been impounded."

Impounded? The fuck?

She sighed, her heart heavy. She nodded and followed the officer over to the cell, her boots thudding against the hard concrete floor below her. Keys jingled in the lock, and the cell door swung open. "Adams!" The officer's tone was sharp and his voice was raised like that of a military sergeant. "Off your ass and on your feet, boy. I don't have all day."

Zach looked up at the cop with a sorrow filled expression, then his hazel gaze shifted to his big sister.

His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, face flushed and small splotches on his hands were glistening in the yellowed light from above with what she believed were his tears he had wiped away.

"What?" His voice cracked midway through the simple word. "I- you're letting me go?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here and neither would your sister, plus the door would still be shut. Boy, you really are as dumb as you look."

Delilah could tell by the look on his freckled face that he was suppressing an eye roll. She often had that same look on her face. That boy was definitely her little brother, and his mama's son. The two took after their mother, Delilah more so than Zach.

"C'mon, Z. Let's go." She shot the younger boy a gentle smile, and he stood to follow her and the officer in front of her. "Okay."

                                         —
"No, no, no! Damn it!" Delilah cursed, completely forgetting her brother was sitting right next to her. "I ain't never buyin' no fucking Ford again."

The truck cranked, but didn't start.

"And here I was thinking you never cussed."

Delilah turned her head towards her brother and shot him her famous death glare, fury prominent in her eyes. "Shut up."

She returned her attention back to her Excursion, and turned the key in the ignition again. The truck didn't make a sound, nor did it start. "I should've sold this thing when I had the chance."

"Facebook marketplace." Zach said. "Might take like, six months though because this thing is ugly."

"I spent a lotta money to make it look decent," she looked over at Zach, who was impatiently tapping his dirty nails on his jeans. "So don't you dare insult my truck. Y'ain't even got one of your own."

"Well excuse me, miss perfect with the non-running Ford Excursion."

"You make me wanna murder you sometimes." She muttered under her breath, and tried to start the truck once again, which the truck at this point obviously gonna do. "Hand me my phone." She ordered, her younger brother knowing of her anger and he dropped it into the palm of her open hand, not wanting to piss her off any more than she already was.

Delilah slumped down into her seat and dialed Ryan's phone number, only taking a couple rings for him to pick up.

"Hey." Ryan rasped, and she could almost hear the grin she knew was undoubtedly plastered across his face.

"Hey, uh.. I'm sorry to be a pain in the ass again but my damn truck won't start, won't even crank."

His end was quiet for a moment before keys jingled, and a doorknob turned. "I'll be there inna few minutes."