Her Gift

Excuses are like assholes.

Delilah ^^

Hayden wouldn't let it drop all the way home, and as soon as we got back I rushed to my room, intent on flinging myself dramatically on my bed for a good cry.

How could he kiss me one week and then go on a date with someone the next. Didn't it mean anything to him? Was I that bad at kissing he wanted to completely forget it and move on.

"Rae, just tell me what's wrong?" Hayden walks into my room without knocking, I don't look up from my pillow and feel the bed dip next to me.

His hand is stroking my head trying to soothe my shaking body, I'm aware of how pathetic I'm being; crying over a boy because he wasn't declaring his undying love for me, but I was still young and had just been given my first kiss, I wanted it to stay special, but now it had been tainted with hurt and betrayal.

"Do I need to get your mother? How about Delilah if you don't want to talk to me."

"Delilah please." I mumble into my pillow.

"Okay." I feel him kiss the back of my head and rise from the bed.

Not a minute later I feel another, lighter body lay down next to me and I turn to face my sister, we hadn't always got on, but I knew she loved me and would help me with anything.

"What's his name?" She asks wisely, knowing eyes trail over my wet cheeks before she lifts a hand to wipe them away.

"Jacob." I whisper.

"What did he do?" She, like pretty much everyone else knew about my crush. I expected she would have gotten angry by now, but she remained calm and listened to everything I had to say.

When I finished however her eyes had turned to slits and I could feel the rage emanating off her.

"I'll kill him." She growls "how could he do that to you, make you keep it a secret and then go out with some little tramp."

"She might not be a tramp, D." I smile and feel the dried tears crack on my cheeks. "Besides I didn't see her. It's not like he was flaunting her in my face, if I hadn't asked Georgie I wouldn't have known."

"Exactly! What was he hoping, for you to not find out, I bet he tells all of them to keep it a secret. Ohh when I get my hands on him."

"No, you can't do anything, it's fine I can sort this myself I don't need my big sister sticking up for me. I just needed someone to talk to..." I'm sitting up now, imploring her to understand and not take any action.

"Fine." She huffs, "but if that little weasel tries to worm his way back in with excuses... well, you know what the saying is don't you?" I shake my head.

"Excuses are like assholes, everyone's got one and they're full of shit."

I can't contain my giggling and Delilah joins in.

"I've never heard that before, I'll be sure to remember it." Letting my laughter ease off I look at her with adoration "thanks for everything, I really needed to talk to someone and I didn't feel it was a conversation to have with Hayden."

"No, probably not, but he knew to come get me. I guess he's not so bad."

Delilah had always been a little off with Hayden, she wasn't as rude to him as she was when we were younger, but she hadn't exactly warmed to him and claimed him as a family member like I had either.

"I'll let you get some rest now squirt. Remember, don't let him off so easy, just because he's nice to look at." With her last words of wisdom she leaves the room, and me to get ready for bed.

After I've brushed my teeth and am comfortably settled underneath my duvet, the door opens again; Rover and Hayden are stood at the doorway waiting for permission to enter.

"Come on then." I grant access and they both move swiftly to join me. While Rover settles at the bottom of the bed placing his head on my legs, Hayden sweeps under the duvet with me and curls me around him so I can rest on his chest.

"Is everything better now?" He asks, dropping his chin to the top of my head.

I nod and feel his chest exhale and inhale in relief. Most androids had the ability to look like they were breathing as it unsettled people when they appeared un moving.

"Good." He doesn't ask me about it and I'm grateful.

I let him pull us into laying down positions and, using his chest as a pillow like I have done on many occasions, I close my eyes and quickly succumb to sleep.