Take What I Can Get | ✓

[4] Words Never Said

Kaylee hit her forehead against the window as she entered Jonah's room. And it hurt like hell.

"Shit. Are you okay?" Jonah asked as he stumbled off his bed and ran to her. A worried look painted on his face, his fingers tried to brush away the strands of hair that covered Kaylee's face. Feeling her cheeks about to warm up, Kaylee swatted them away.

"It's fine," Kaylee said, dropping her bag to the floor and flopping down onto Jonah's bed, where there was a mess of papers and highlighters lying around. "Why'd you leave your window open too low?"

Jonah shrugged as he took a seat next to her. "Didn't realise you were that tall."

Kaylee nudged him, making Jonah laugh. Its been three months and seven weeks since they've been like this. Of climbing into each other's bedroom window midday, taking sneaky sideway glances when the other was not looking, and unconsciously intertwining their fingers every time they're next to each other. Its been three months and seven weeks since they started dated. Three months and seven weeks since Kaylee started to lie to herself.

That this was okay. That Jonah was hers, right now, for a split second.

"So do you want my help? Or are you going to keep insulting my lack of height?"

Jonah chuckled. Then he bent his head down and murmured, "You didn't need to come though."

Kaylee nudged him again. "Hey, you'd do the same for me." She smiled before turning away and looking through the pieces of paper scattered on his bed. "Anyway, where should we start—"

Midway through her sentence, Jonah kissed her. It was on the cheek and it was quick but it made Kaylee feel all warm inside and somehow left her unable to speak.

When she looked down at Jonah, his eyes were covered by his curls and his cheeks were just as red as hers (and Kaylee's cheeks were really red). "Thanks."

Kaylee nodded, her fingers playing along the side of her cheek. "It's okay."

Just for a second.

—

"How long do you think it will take before they start dating?"

Kaylee rolled her eyes at Delilah as she chewed on her french fry. From the corner of her eye, she could see a certain curly-haired boy walking towards them; a tray in his hands and a wide grin painted on his face. It made Kaylee's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jonah asked, taking a seat next to Kaylee and instinctively lacing his fingers along with hers under the table.

"Who else? Mr. McLaughlin and Ms. Singleton!"

"You're still not over them?"

Kaylee shook her head. "I know right. I thought she wasn't into other people's love lives."

"I'm not," Delilah insisted. "They're just really interesting."

"I already told you they're not compatible." Kaylee pointed out. Her eyes glanced at Ms. Singleton — at the red string tied around her pinky finger that extended from her table to the middle age man serving food at the cafeteria. Kaylee pointed to him with her french fry. "He, on the other hand, seems more likely."

Delilah turned her head. "Her and Frank? The cafeteria guy?"

"I mean, if you think about it they kind of work," Jonah said, shrugging as he stole a french fry from Kaylee's tray. Delilah raised her eyebrow. "I see them around school talking all the time. They seem close."

"Thank you, Jonah," Kaylee said, flashing him a quick grin before turning to Delilah. "Now can we talk about something else?"

Delilah rolled her eyes. "Fine. Are we still up for my place after school next week?"

"Can't. It's my brother's Bar Mitzvah next week and I have to help prepare," Jonah said. "You guys can have fun without me."

"Ugh, finally," Delilah cheered. "I don't have to third wheel for once."

"Hey!"

—

Delilah rolled down her car windows, allowing the wind to play with the strands of her and Kaylee's hair. They had The Beatles playing out loud as they ridiculously mouthed the lyrics and danced to the beat. It wasn't until some old lady yelled at them from across the road did they stop and turn down the volume.

"Geez," Delilah muttered. "What's got her panties in a twist?"

"Maybe she doesn't like the Beatles."

"Kaylee, everyone loves the Beatles."

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, we've been listening to them for the past two months. Can we please listen to something else?"

Delilah groaned. "Fine. As long as it's not those beat-boxing music kids listen to nowadays."

"Yes, grandma," Kaylee sang, sliding in one of Delilah's Coldplay CDs into her stereo. She turned around to Delilah again; a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "You know, it's the first time this week since you stopped talking about that Ms. Singleton thing. Finally gave up?"

Delilah shrugged. "They got too boring. And besides, you were right, they weren't compatible. Ms. Singleton was better off with that cafeteria guy." She nudged Kaylee's elbow, turned to her and smiled. "You know, you're pretty good at this stuff."

Something in Kaylee broke — maybe it was her heart — and so, she found herself turning around and closing her eyes. Because she was too much of a coward to open her eyes to a world of red strings and fates, and to smile and laugh and accept the possibility that maybe, just maybe, her downfall might actually be a gift.

"Don't tell me — you have this secret power of knowing who's meant to be with who, huh?"

Kaylee spun her head around and stared at Delilah, a girl blinded from their written destinies, with wide eyes and a racing heart. And, as she sat still in motion, all Kaylee Oh could feel was fear. Because those were words never said aloud — words that shouldn't be said aloud. Because that only made everything feel more real and Kaylee wasn't brave enough to face her reality.

That she wasn't destined to be with anyone. That she wasn't good enough. That she wasn't anything. Wasn't, wasn't, wasn't.

When Delilah parked her car on her driveway, she turned to Kaylee and her laughter faded. "What? Why are looking at me like that?"

"How...how did you —" And it was there, midway sentence, when Delilah's eyes grew as wide as Kaylee's, whose eyes began to shatter like glass as she refused to accept the truths of her reality.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey,  it's another update~ for once, I'm actually on track, which means that i'm going to fuck up my schedule soon.

Anyway, thank you for reading! Spread some love if you like this story. Thank you~

-andy