A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 140

A Kiss At Midnight

FESTIVE FALL

D:D

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I couldn’t shake the nervousness clawing in my skin, which was becoming a fucking norm lately. Considering I hadn’t felt this way in a long, long time.

Holding my breath as I stare at my reflection in the mirror of the school restroom, taking in every detail of my outfit,. I had on something that looked good without making me feel like I was going to spend the entire night tugging at my clothes.

It was a fitted, long sleeved top tuck into a high waist pair of dark jeans, with a crop jacket layered over it. Ankle boots completed the look, comfortable enough for walking around the field but still cute enough to fit the whole festive fall vibe, then a few simple accessories that caught the light whenever I move, and my hair fell neatly around my shoulders.

I did look good..hot, even. And fuck, had I spent ages getting ready, changing outfits more times than I had care to admit, fixing my hair approximately a hundred times, and standing in front of the mirror debating whether I actually wanted to come.

But eventually, I settled on this, mainyly because I still had an image to keep and couldn’t exactly show up looking like I had crawled out of bed just because my heart was currently a fucking disaster.

Giving myself one final look in the mirror, I lift my hands to fix my hair again even though it hadn’t been out of place. Rolling my eyes at myself before grabbing my bag and heading out of the restroom.

The moment I step into the hallway, the sounds of the festivities became louder in the distance..the music, the voices, the occasional burst of laughter coming from the school field.

I had spent practically the entire day debating whether I should even come, a part of me had wanted to stay home, cawl into bed and avoid everyone. But after hours of going back and forth, I’d finally decided, fuck it.

It was the Festive Fall, going wasn’t going to hurt, besides, I could show up fashionably late. By now, everyone would be too busy focusing on themselves to notice when I arrived anyway.

And honestly.. that was exactly how I wanted it

By the time I reach the open field, the whole place looked completely different from the school I knew during the day. Strings of warm lights had been hung between tall poles around the field., casting a soft glow over everything. Autumn colored decorations lined the edges of the grounds, with little clusters of flowers arranged around the camping areas and scattered pumpkins adding to the festive feel.

Tents and sleeping bags were already set up in different sections of the field, some belonging to groups of friends who had clearly claim their little corners for the night. Folding tables were covered with food..pizza, fries, sandwiches, pastries, bowls of snacks and coolers filled with drinks sat beside them.

At the far end, a DJ booth had been set up beneath a canopy, surrounded by more lights as music pours from the speakers, the playlist jumping between upbeat pop, hip-hop, and whatever else had enough energy to keep everyone moving.

And everyone was moving

Students stood around in groups, laughing and talking, some were dancing near the DJ booth, while others sat

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10:50 Fri, Sep 18

A Kiss At Midnight

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on blankets, shared food, or wander between the different camping areas. Everyonehad dressed comfortably for the night, but somehow still manage to look ridiculously good.

Even the teachers and chaperones had gotten into the spirit of things, although they remained scattered around the edges of the field, keeping a watchful eye on everyone without hovering.

I stood there for a moment, taking it all in. and how everyone looked so happy, so carefree, almost like none of them had a single complicated thought in their heads and I almost envied them.

My gaze eventually found Kaia, and she wasn’t alone. she was standing with a guy from her chemistry class. I recognize his face immediately, although for the life of me, I couldn’t remember his name.

He was saying something to her, and whatever it was had her laughing and not her polite little laugh, either, a real one. She looked genuinely happy to be standing there with him, and something warm settlez in my chest as I watched them.

Good for her

Turning my head to the side, intending to look anywhere else, and, against my better judgment, my eyes lands on Sophie and Landon.

Of course, they were arguing, again…

At this point, I was beginning to think heated arguments were simply their preferred form of communication. In couldn’t hear what they were saying, but their expressions said enough. Sophie looked upset, while Landon seems frustrated.

Then Sophie said something I couldn’t make out as she shakes her head, walking away, quickly wiping at her tears. I frown at this and before I could think much about it, Landon’s head turns, his eyes landing directly on

I immediately look away. Nope, not getting involved. Whatever was happening between those two had absolutely nothing to do with me.

And I was determined to keep it that way.

Besides, I also needed a drink, Something cold and that would give me an excuse to disappear into the crowd for a few minutes and, hopefully, get my head together. If I was going to make it through the entire night without completely losing my mind, then I was going to need all the help I could get.

Pushing away from where I stood and started toward the tables of drinks, I had barely made it a few steps before my gaze lands on Olivia.

She wore a fitted cream sweater beneath a light brown jacket, paired with dark jeans and boots that matches the effortless autumn look perfectly. Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders,, and she looks exactly like the kind of person who could walk into any room and somehow belong there.

Then she looked at..him, her eyes lit up, actually lit up.

Whatever he had said, Olivia laughs softly, her entire expression brightening as she talked to him and something inside me drops. It felt like I had just been punch straight in the gut.

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10:30 PM, Sep 18

A Kiss At Midnight

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she looked really happy, and he looks comfortable standing beside her. They looked perfect together, so painfully perfect that looking at them felt like pressing on a bruise I already knew was there.

I should’ve looked away and knew I should’ve, but I couldn’t. Then his eyes found mine and he froze, ompletely. For a second, everything seems to stop. Olivia didn’t notice as she continues talking, completely unaware that his attention had shift somewhere else.

To me

His lips parts slightly, his expression changing as though he hadn’t expect to see me there and despite everything, I couldn’t help noticing how good he looks.

His hair was slightly tousled, as though he had run his fingers through it one too many times. He wore a dark jacket over a simple shirt,, and the warm lights scatters across the field caught the sharp lines of his face.

His eyes gleams beneath the lights, bright and Impossible to ignore. I felt myself getting pull into that familiar gaze, my thoughts suddenly becoming useless static. For one stupid second, every fibre in me wanted to walk over to him.

Just go to him

And I nearly did, my foot shifts forward before I caught myself, tightening my grip on the strap of my bag, forcing myself to stay where I was.

Then his gaze moves from my eyes, down to the outfit I had spent so long choosing, taking in the details..slowly, with nothing escaping his attention. somehow, that only made it harder to remember why I had promise myself I wouldn’t go anywhere near him.

I stood there, caught between wanting to disappear and wanting to know exactly what he was thinking. My heart rate picks up when I watch his adam’s apple bob as his gaze lingers on me.

The music was still playing, students were still laughing and moving around us but somehow, none of it seemed to matter. For those few seconds, it felt like there was no one else around.

Just him and me. I’d never felt anything quite like it before.

I didn’t know how long we stood there, caught in that strange silence between us, I knew I couldn’t look away, then a hand grabs mine.

“Heyy..” I blink as the sound snaps me out of whatever strange trance I had fallen into, and I immediately turn my head.

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