A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Vouchers

The gentle vibration of my phone against the cafeteria table was enough to drag my attention from the pile of fries sitting on/my table, and without much thought I picked it up

Mom

My stomach tightened at this as I glance down at whatever she had to say

Answer your phone instead of acting like a brat.

Respond to our texts.

Do I need to hear from the maid before I hear about whatever you have been getting yourself into.

Staring at the screen for a long second or two, I let out a humorless scoff. o course, not how are you? or are you okay? Just another message disguised as concern when all she really cared about was controlling the narrative.

Making sure no one else knew what I was doing before she did, my jaw clenched and for a brief second, I considered replying. Instead, I locked my phone and dropped it onto the table with a little more force than necessary.

Grabbing a fry, chewing on it absentmindedly while tuning out the usual chaos across from me, “I’m telling you, that’s not what happened.”

“Oh, please,” Kaia shot back, “that’s exactly what happened.”

Elias placed a dramatic hand over his chest. “You wound me,” their bickering carried on in the background, familiar enough that it usually made me smile.

Today, It barely registered. Reaching for another ry, my thoughts still lingering on the text I’d refused to answer.

“Come to think of it,” Kaia suddenly said, the teasing in her voice fading, “has anyone seen Jace since the hangout?”

That caught my attention as my brows knitted together, looking up, and she was right. I hadn’t. He had told me everything was fine after the false alarm with his mom, and had even texted later saying she was okay.

Still, a strange knot settled in my stomach, and I couldn’t help wondering why he hadn’t shown up since then.

“I heard..” Elias spoke up, his usual playful tone noticeably quieter, “Jace’s mom isn’t doing too well right now.”

Kaia’s head turned toward him. “What?”

He nodded once. “I overheard a couple of the guys from the team talking about it this morning, apparently, he’s taking the rest of the week off to stay with her.”

There was an heavy silence that settled over the table. “That..” Kaia sighed softly, “that must be really hard for him.”

I nodded in agreement, reaching for another fry more out of habit than hunger, “Yeah.”

My gaze drifted back to my phone lying beside my tray, I had already sent him more messages than I could count since Saturday, not one of them had been answered.

Maybe he was just busy, maybe he needed space, or maybe..i hated that my mind kept wandering to the worst possibilities.

Kaia suddenly snapped her fingers. “I’ve got an idea.”

Elias looked up. “What?”

Chapter 82

5 vouchers

“Why don’t we have a sleepover at Jace’s place?” she looked between the three of us, “You know.. just so he knows he isn’t alone through all this.”

Ehas didn’t hesitate. “I’m in.”

She smiled before turning to me. “Delilah?” I looked up from my phone, “what do you think?”

I nodded. “I’m fine with it,” a small smile tugged at my lips, “I don’t think he should be alone right now either

“Perfect,” she clapped her hands together, “then it’s settled.”

Elias leaned back in his chair. “I don’t think we should give him a heads-up, though.” both of us looked at him, “he’ll just come up with some excuse to avoid us like he’s been doing.”

Kaia pointed at him. “That’s actually a really good idea,” she turned to him again, “then you’re in charge of drinks.”

He raised a brow. “Me?”

“Yep. There’s no sleepover without drinks.”

I looked at her in mock surprise. “I didn’t think you were the type to drink, especially when we have school tomorrow.”

She shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “We only live once,” then she grinned, “I’m not planning on getting wasted or anything. Just enough to keep the night fun.”

Elias smirked. “So that’s your excuse?”

“It’s called balance.”

“Well, I’m up for it.” I said, tossing another fry into my mouth.

Kaia smirked at this. “See.” she says, tilting her head as she stares at Elias with a victorious glint in her eyes and before he could give back a smarty remark, the door to the the cafeteria doors swings open and the room instantly falls into silence, one that lasted barely a heartbeat before whispers erupted from every corner, my gaze lifted instinctively to see Caelum had just stepped inside.

almost immediately the girls began subtly fixing their hair, straightening their clothes, smoothing out their skirts as though they had rehearsed the movement

Even a few of the boys looked over, openly staring at how much he’d changed in barely a week.

I watched as one of the girls approached him with a bright smile, she said something I couldn’t make out from where we were sitting and he seemed to answer politely.

They continued talking for a moment and Kaia scoffed. “Funny,” I glanced at her, “they acted like he didn’t exist a couple of months ago.” She folded her arms, “nowlook at them, they’re practically lining up for his attention.”

I didn’t bother responding, knowing we aren’t been all that different. A few months ago, I had wanted nothing to do with Caelum, and hadn’t wanted to be seen talking to him or people assuming we knew each other.

the thought left a bitter taste in my mouth

I had also judged him before I had ever given myself the chance to know him

Lifting my drink. I took a slow sip, deliberately looking away from where he stood with the girl.

Kata gives a soft knock on the table to grab my attention again. “How are you not bothered by the swarm of girls surrounding him?”

Chapter 82

5 Voucher’s

The corner of my mouth lifted into a small, knowing smirk. I didn’t answer, didn’t need to, they could try all they wanted.

“Yo!” Elias suddenly called across the cafeteria, raising a hand into the air. “Caelum!”

Caelum’s attention shifts from the girl in front of him as his gaze found Elias first before slowly drifting towards me, and just like that, the noise around us seemed to fade.

For what felt like a suspended moment, almost as though the crowded cafeteria no longer existed. his gaze locked onto mine with a quiet intensity that sent a familiar warmth blooming beneath my skin.

And there was something so steady about the way he looked at me, soft enough to calm me, yet enough to make my heartbeat stumble and without realizing it, the corner of my lips curled upward, just a little and his eyes caught the movement instantly.

The smallest smile tugged at his own lips in return.

The girl in front of him said something else, trying to keep his attention, he barely looked back and with a quiet apology, he stepped around her, heading straight toward our table.

Behind him the girl let out an exaggerated huff, stomping her foot in obvious disappointment while i lowered my head… biting the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling too much.

By the time he reached our table, the whispers around the cafeteria still hadn’t died down. He slid into the empty seat beside

“Hey,” he greeted, looking at everyone, but his eyes lingered on me just a second longer.

“Hey,” Kaia and Elias replied almost at the same time.

I simply smiled back and a second later, i felt warm fingers brush against mine beneath the table. my gaze dropped as he had quietly slipped his hand into mine where no one else could see.

Tilting my head toward him, an amused smile tugging at my lips.

Really

He kept his eyes forward as though nothing had happened and i didn’t pull away. Instead, i intertwined our fingers beneath. the table, hiding my smile behind another sip of my drink.

Elias leaned across the table. “So..” he grinned, “how’s the new fame treating you?”

Caelum looked at him like he had just asked about a traumatic experience. “Exhausting,” Kaia burst out laughing as he continues, “I’m serious, people keep stopping me in the hallways.” He let out a slow breath, “and I’ve seen things I definitely didn’t want to see.”

Elias smirked. “I can only imagine!

He looked mildly horrified, “and people have been..giving me things I definitely didn’t want.”

Kaia laughs even harder. “Well,” she said between laughs, “that’s what happens when you become the new feast at school.” She pointed at him. “so buckle up, because you’re in for a long ride.”

Caelum visibly shivered. “I suddenly miss being ignored,” this made all three of us laugh.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify