A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

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The morning chatter filled the space around as we stepped into the hallway, with students making their way to their locker

My head turned towards her direction as I say. “I’m not sure if I should be worried about that smile of yours or not.”

She scoffs then bumps her shoulders with mine, “Oh shush, you’ll be fine.” She says, a grin making its way to her face, little like I says never hurt.”

Raising a brow at her, wondering when she became the more fun one of us duo, my lips parted, ready for a comback when a familiar figure caught my attention.

My gaze rested on Caelum who stood by his locker with the metal door hanging open in front of him, and he doesn’t reach for his book or anything and was simply staring into it, completely still almost as if had forgotten there was an entire hallway bustling around him.

Kaia followed my line of sight until she spotted him as my brows furrowed. “Why does he look like he’s lost in a world of his own,” she says more to herself as she continues staring at him.

I don’t bother to answer and was more curious as to what he was looking at him that locker of his that had grabbed him

whole attention.

“I’ll be right back,” before she could respond, I turned and made my way toward him.

As I made my way toward Caelum, another movement from the hallway to my left caught my attention, this time it was Landon, as he stepped out first, with Sophie tucked comfortably against his side. His arm resting loosely over her shoulders as they walked together.

They were heading straight in my direction, but I kept walking, and after few seconds, Landon’s eyes found mine causing his step to slow and I watched as a omething shifted across his face, it was a look I knew all too well, one that told me all I needed to know. But at this point I was over it.

His arm which had been wrapped around Sophie slipped from her shoulders just as they drew near, his lips parting. “Deli..”

My gaze drifted from him before he could finish his words as my step continues their pace, not bothering to stop or acknowledge him as I simply walked right past them as though they weren’t even there.

By the time I reached Caelum’s locker, Landon was already behind me, I tilted my head slightly.

“Penny for your thoughts?” the sound of my voice seemed to pull him back to reality and he looked up in surprise before quickly pushing his locker shut with a loud clang.

Leaning back against the metal door, he let out a small breath. “Hey, Delilah.”

I looked at him for a second, then a puzzled laugh escaped me. “Okay..” I said, shaking my head, “what the hell was that, why are you so jumpy?”

He adjusted the strap of his backpack on his shoulder. “It’s nothing,” his answer came a little too quickly, “you just startled me for a second.”

Another baffled laugh slipped past my lips, “Yeah, I noticed,” folding my arms loosely across my chest, “you were staring into your locker like it held the meaning of life.” I nodded toward the now closed locker, “you sure everything’s okay?”

“Oh rubbing the back of his neck, “Um… yeah. No,” then he awkwardly corrected himself, “I mean… yes,” he let out an embarrassed breath, “I’m just trying to clear my head.”

He tapped a finger lightly against his temple. “It’s all kind of jumbled up in here right now.”

11:54 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 69

A small smile found its way onto my face, “I can only imagine.”

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The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly for a brief moment, neither of us spoke as his eyes settled on me. They swept slowly across my face before stopping on my eyes, and he didn’t look away.

The intensity in them made me suddenly became very aware of myself, without thinking, I reached up and lightly touched my cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“What?” I asked, unable to hide the hint of shyness in my voice, “Is something wrong?”

His eyes widened ever so slightly, as if he’d just realized he had been staring and he quickly shook his head/ “Um..nothing a faint blush crept onto his cheeks, spreadinh just enough for me to notice.

For some reason, the sight sent a ridiculous little flutter through my stomach.

Clearing his throat, he says, “I should probably get to class. I’ll… um…” a small, awkward smile appeared, “see you later.”

Before I could answer, he turned on his heel and hurried down the hallway, disappearing into the crowd of students.

Watching him go, one brow slowly lifting. “Weirdo,” I muttered under my breath, though the smile tugging at my lips refused to disappear.

Even though his behavior left me completely confused, I couldn’t find it in me to be annoyed. If anything., It was kind of cute, watching his retreating figure weave through the crowd, his pace just a little quicker than usual.

Shaking my head, I turned around, only to clutch my chest. “Jesus, Kaia!” I breathed, “can you make a sound next time?”

Kaia stood there with her arms folded across her chest, looking entirely too pleased with herself, “I did make a sound.” She shrugged. “It’s just that something else seemed to have your full attention.”

Her gaze drifted past me toward the hallway Caelum had disappeared down, then it slowly returned to me.

“Not sure what you mean.”

“Yeah,” she tilted her head, “tell that to the smile on your face.”

Almost instinctively, I schooled my expression back into something neutral. “What smile?”

She snorted. “Nice try,” a knowing smirk spread across her face, “I see a connection there,” holding up a hand before I could interrupt, “but I’m just going to leave it alone because I already know exactly what you’re going to do.”

“And what’s that.”

“Pretend you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“See?” she said, pointing at me triumphantly, “exactly what I meant.”

My lips parted to argue but she beat me to it. “On the other hand,” her smile turned almost mischievous. “It looked like someone else got a little curious.”

My brows hitched at this. “What are you talking about.”

“Landon,” she nodded toward the other end of the hallway where he had disappeared with Sophie, “I’d even go as far as saying he looked a little jealous watching you and Caelum together.”

Leung out a dry scoff “if”

༤༢ལྟ་

Chapter 69

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Still, for the briefest second, I remembered the way he had started to say my name before I’d walked right past him. The thought disappeared as quickly as it came, and 1 I didn’t care enough to hold onto it.

“You know he stood there for nearly a minute after you walked away,” my brows knit together, “watching you walk over to Caelum and only left because Sophie practically dragged him away.”

I let out another scoff. “I couldn’t give a damn about Landon right now.”

And I meant it

Whatever look had been on his face, whatever he’d wanted to sa, it wasn’t my problem anymore.

“I’d very much appreciate it if we didn’t talk about him this very moment,” she studied me for a second before lifting both hands in surrender.

“Fine,” she says, and after a beat. “What about Caelum?”

Frowning, “What about him?”

She shrugged. “He knows it’s your birthday today, right?”

“I guess.”

“So..” she wiggled her brows, “did he wish you a happy birthday? Get you a gift? Anything.”

“He isn’t required to,” the words came out easily enough, yet, despite how casually I had answered, something tugged lightly at my chest.

It was ridiculous

I wasn’t expecting anything from him, so why did he thought bother me

“Maybe not,” Kaia said, “but you guys are friends,” she tilted her head, “I figured he’d at least care.”

Slipping my hands into my jacket pockets. “He’s not obligated to,” I say just as the late bell rang through the hallway, cutting the conversation short.

Students immediately began hurrying toward their classrooms as Kaia glanced toward the sound before looking back at me.

“Come on,” I nodded, neither of us brought it up again as we fell into step beside each other and headed for class.

11:54 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 70

Chapter 70

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“Are you seriously not going to tell me what this is all about?” I looked over my shoulder at Kaia.

She was sprawled across her bed, completely at ease, lazily scrolling through her phone as if she hadn’t dragged me to her house under a cloud of mystery.

Without looking up, she replied, “Nope,” swiping her thumb across the screen again, “all you have to do is make yourself look pretty.”

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