A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

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“Do you have any actual plan for getting your bracelet back?” Kaia’s question came the second we stepped into the crowded hallway.

Students moved around us in every direction as we made our way toward the cafeteria. I didn’t even hesitate as the smirk makes its way to my lips.

Of course she was asking about the bracelet, the one currently sitting with Sophie, that she had practically stolen and was probably using as another prop in whatever pathetic victim act she was currently performing.

“Oh. I have a plan.”

Kaia groaned at this which probably meant it wasn’t a good sign, atleast for her but a great sign for me. “I don’t like that look.”

My smirk widened. “I obviously let her take it for a reason.”

She raised a brow. “Which is.”

I shrugged. “Let’s see what kind of craziness she’s cooking up first,” that earned me another look, the one that she always got whenever she thought I was plotting something.

Which, to be fair, wasn’t entirely inaccurate

“Why are you so calm about this?” I looked at her, then laughed.

My smirk only grew. “Because I told you,” I said, glancing at her, “I have the perfect plan for her.”

This makes her immediately looked concerned. “You’re not going to do anything insane, right?” there was a small pause before she adds, “Or at least not the kind of insane that gets you arrested.”

I pressed a hand to my chest in fake shock. “Kaia Hartley.”

She raised a brow. “Delilah Quinn.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“That face.”

“What face?”

“That exact face.” I blinked innocently, but she wasn’t buying it, not even a little. In fact, she looked like she was actively trying to read my thoughts, like if she stared hard enough, she would somehow discover whatever plan was currently sitting inside my head.

I laughed. “You should stop doing that, trying to figure out what I’m thinking, because you’ll hurt yourself.”

She shoved my shoulder. “Don’t worry.” I hooked my arm through hers, “you get front row seats to everything about to happen.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” she groaned

“It should.”

“It really doesn’t.”

Shaking my head, I continued walking. “So you’re really not going to tell me.”

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Chapter 46

“Nope.”

“Nothing.”

“Not a thing.”

“Delilah,” I reached over and lightly bopped her nose, and she swatted my hand away.

“Now where’s the fun in that.”

Her playfully glares at me, “you’re genuinely concerning sometimes.”

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I shrugged like that was a compliment, deciding to throw her a bone. “But,” I continued, lowering my voice slightly, “I’ll give you a hint.”

She perked up slightly. “Our darling Sophie loves attention so much, I have m decided to be kind enough to give it to her”

The concern on her face double as she stares at me, then slowly squinted harder. “Yeah, that’s worse. When you put it like that, I’m more convinced you have planned something unhinged.”

I scoffed and turned slightly, walking backward so I could still face her, “have a little faith in your best friend,” my arms spread. “I promise you’ll be entertained.”

“Oh, I have faith,” she folded her arms, “way more faith than you think.”

I rolled my eyes, my lips parted to say something when my gaze drifted over her shoulder, past the crowd and several students, straight down the hallway, and my feet stopped moving, abruptly.

The sudden stop threw off my balance, making me stumble backward, Immediately crashing into someone.

“What the..” the The student turned, ready to contplain and yell till they saw me, their eyes widened, face paled. And without saying a single word, they turned around, practically fleeing

I didn’t even acknowledge it, my attention was elsewhere, locked onto a familiar figure. Mrs. Hughes…and..Caelum.

They both stood together near the end of the hallway, and my brows furrowed as I watched Mrs. Hughes hold out a sheet of paper, pointing at something, speaking sharply.

Even from here, I could tell she wasn’t happy, and neither was Caelum. That was what caught my attention, it was the expression on his face and how embarrassed he looked.

I have seen him embarrassed before, a lot, usually because of me or because someone put him on the spot, or because he was being awkward, but this was different. There was disappointment there, the kind directed inward, seating there heavy on his chest.

His jaw looked tight, his shoulders looking stiff, and for some reason, something uncomfortable settled in my chest. I didn’t like it, not one bit.

A tap landed on my shoulder, causing me to blink as I turned back toward Kaia.

She was looking at me with concern. “You okay?”

“Hm.”

“Where’d your brain go?”

I glanced back toward Caelum again, then away. “Yeah,” the first answer came out distracted. I cleared my throat, the second one wasn’t much better, Yeah.”

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Chapter 46

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My attention drifted back again and the second it did, mg breath caught. Caelum was looking directly at me, Mrs Hughes was gone. I hadn’t even seen her leave, but he was still standing there, paper clenched tightly in one hand, jaw tight and eyes locked onto mine.

The look lasted only a few seconds, yet somehow felt longer. I noticed the frustration there and something else I couldn’t quite place. Before I realized it, my body leaned forward slightly, not enough to move, just enough to make it obvious that part of me wanted to, like was considering walking over, asking what happened.

Checking if he was okay

The realization annoyed me instantly as I straightened. He looked at me one final time then turned away, walking down the opposite hallway without ithout looking back.

I stared after him, confused

What the hell was that?

“What was that about?” Kaia’s voice snapped me out of it.

I blinked, turning to looks at her again. “What?”

She grabbed my elbow, physically forcing me to start moving again. “Where has your mind gone today.”

I rolled my eyes. “Nowhere.”

“Liar.”

“I was just trying to remember something,” she didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push.

We reached the cafeteria soon after, the noise hit immediately, chairs scraping, trays clattering, voices overlapping.

I grabbed a tray and began loading food onto it, chicken sandwich, fries, fruit cup and a bottle of water. Yet even while doing it, my mind kept drifting back to Caelum and that look.

Something had happened, I knew it, I just didn’t know what and for some reason that bothered me, a lot, more than it should.

Grabbing my tray, I followed Kaia toward our usual table, hoping the food would distract me, which usually did.

We took our seat, Kaia across from me, and I barely got one fry in before the cafeteria doors slammed open.

“DELILAH!” Every head turned while I closed my eyes, letting a lot of colourful words flow in my head.

“He really is a ray of sunshine,” Kaia snorted and I shot her a look.

“Only you would say that.”

Sure enough Jace strolled in like he owned the place, waving enthusiastically, ignoring every groan and eye roll thrown his way, before grabbed a tray.

I watched him join the lunch line, then my attention drifted elsewhere, toward the jock table, at Landon, against my better judgment. And enough, he was staring.

His gaze flickered from me, to Jace, then back to me almost as if he was trying to solve some mystery, and him sat Sophie, exactly where she has been every day lately, practically attached to his side.

I rolled my eyes, looking away, not interested, not today.

A second later Jace dropped into the seat beside me, without invitation or any form of shame, and most definitely without

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Chapter 46

survival instincts as he reaches instantly for one of my fries.

I smacked his hand. “What is wrong with you..”

He looked offended. “What..”

“You literally just came from the food counter.”

“So

“You could’ve gotten your own fries.”–

He popped mine into his mouth, then grinned. “Yours taste better.”

I stared. blankly. “It’s the same fries.”

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“Is it though,” he raised a brow as I continued staring at him while he smiled, before shaking my head, refusing to waste brain cells on that conversation.

He turns toward Kaia. “Hello, Daisy.”

My brows lifted. “Daisy?”

Kaia laughed. “Apparently.”

I looked between them. “Since when.”

“Since yesterday.” Jace nodded seriously. “You’re Sunshine,” he pointed at me, “she’s Daisy,” he pointed at Kaia.

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