An Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter 13

AUGUST 

I'll admit that seeing Delaney in so much pain killed me. I could see the way she was trying to downplay it though, making it seem like no big deal. It was though and it was to me. 

Now we stand here in her front porch light neither one of us willing to say goodbye. So beautiful, so stunning, yet it's like I fall in love with her more and more every time. I get lost in her green eyes and I feel myself inching closer. My brain is a haze and it may be playing tricks on me but I swear I see Laney inching closer too. I realise she wants this as bad as I do. 

Remembering Thomas' words from dinner the other night I decided to go for it and tell her how I feel. "Laney," I'm barely thinking straight and I can hardly speak above a whisper, "I really and I mean really li-" 

"Come on bro, it's not that hard to say goodbye. Del, Mum wants you inside. Stat," You have got to be kidding me. Of course just as I'm going to proclaim my love for Laney, Willy has to come in and ruin my chance. The universe must hate me. Delaney is now standing with at least a four-foot distance between us. Before we were practically hugging and about to kiss.

"You heard him, I better go. I'll see you 'round, Gus," What a way to crush August Carter's hopes and dreams. I mean first pretending like it didn't happen and then the nickname. Salt to the wound. 

Delaney Hughes has officially dragged me in too far no way will I be able to come out of it. And I don't even think she knows how. 

~~~

I'm still in my clothes from the party and realise how sweaty and gross they are. I was a mess at that party, of course, I was sweating from the humidity but I'm also a nervous sweater. And being stuck in a waiting room did not help me at all. 

I'm sitting in my room on my bed looking out my window at Hughes' house and silently, questioning everything. Everything about the last few weeks adds up, she barely argues with me, has done her best to avoid me and the fact that I barely know her anymore. 

"Augggggieee..." I hear my sister sing out outside my door. I don't even mean to ignore her, I just don't have the energy to pay her attention. "Are you in there? Don't ignore me, I saw you walk in."

"Go away, Norah," sighing I roll over onto my side facing the door. Like the great sister she is, it's almost like I know she won't leave me alone. 

The door burst open and the ball of sunshine that is my sister walks in, "Mum's mad at you."

"Why?" I ask. 

"Umm... Well I dunno, have you looked at the time?" She says with sarcasm dripping off her tongue. I hadn't actually, I was too busy worried about how much pain Laney was in. 

"Shit," I look over to my bedside clock, "it's two am." 

Mum and I have always had a rule; game nights are early nights with a twelve o'clock curfew. Non-game/training/school nights I can stay out as long as I want as long as I keep in touch so she knows I'm either alive or out of a jail cell. I only now check my messages and see that my Mum has practically sent out a search party for me. Forty-five unread messages and missed calls. I'm in some deep shit. 

"Where the hell were you?"

I sigh, "I went to a party, Mum knows that, but Laney had a string of bad luck and I went with her to the hospital, Mum does not know that."

"Omg, is she ok? Wait- I have to call her. No- I shouldn't it's late, I'll do it tomorrow," Norah all but rushes out of my room in a jam. Mum replaces her spot a little under ten seconds later. 

"I'm sorry Mum," I apologise before she gets the chance to even step inside my room. I really am praying she doesn't ground me.

"Don't be, you know your actions have consequences plus I heard what you said. I'll talk to Betty tomorrow and maybe take over some goodies. It was nice of you to stay," she has an almost sad look on her face something is wrong and I can feel it. 

"What's wrong Mum? Don't deny I can see it in your face."

"And I can see it in your eyes," she rebuts leaving me confused before continuing, "the way you... love... Delaney."

"Pfft. I don't l-love Delaney," dunno why she'd think that...

"I'm your mother, August. I see the way you look at that girl like she hung the moon. You are in love. I guess I'm just a little sad to see my boy all grown up," she laughs to herself as if she's reliving a memory, "I remember the last time I had a similar conversation to this. Thomas, Thanksgiving, about ten years ago, in the living room downstairs. He'd brought Pia home for the holiday when her car had broken down and I remember saying the exact same words... She'd fallen first but he'd fell a million times harder, I recall wishing I had the same thing," I hear her sigh. 

"I guess much hasn't changed then," We both laugh at the fact that Thomas would still lay his life down for my sister.

"Keep in mind, I had fully threatened him to take your sister out on a date or else. He took her on a picnic the moment they got back to Pennsylvania and I'd heard about it all over the phone later that night from Pia knowing fully well, I did that," grinning I can't help but smile. Mum has that kind of effect on everyone.

Thomas and Mum have had a close relationship since. He took her to help him pick out Pia's ring and took every bit of advice he could about Pia in general. 

"I just want you to be happy, August and I will do the same thing I did ten years ago, take that girl on a date or else. Do it before some other lucky boy comes in and snags her. Betty has been asking me to talk to you about it for years, not days, Auggie, not weeks; years. Specifically around the end of ninth grade when she noticed the drift. I tried to drop hints but it turns out you boys are absolutely clueless."

"I am not clueless. I was the one who told Willy Frankie was in love with him. Actually, no that just kind of proves your point."

We banter for a little longer before Mum can barely keep her eyes open. We bid goodnight before I soon get ready for bed myself. 

I do my usual night routine, check, check, check and finally check outside. With Delaney's window dark, I assume she is asleep giving me the comfort to do the same. I go to sleep with the confidence to ask Laney out. Hopefully, it is still there in the morning. 

Hola and goodbye. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Dunno when the next one will be xoxo

Song - You Are In Love

Words - 1181