56. Delia
Fifty Six
Delia
I think Januarys are Earth’s angry, depressed tantrums. The kind of behavior that feels like having an icy cold wet blanket thrown over you while peacefully sleeping, warm and safe. It’s so dry outside that my nose feels like sandpaper. The snot wants nothing to do with it and decides to hang out in the back of my throat.
College applications. Ugh. I’m struggling to get them all finished. Langdon keeps hounding me to tell him where I’m applying but I get a little thrill out of keeping him in the dark. I have two more to complete and then I can just sit back and wait.
And don’t even get me started on the FASFA this year, although since Mom makes like no money, at least I should qualify for some decent financial aid. I rub my bleary eyes and stare at the application screen again.
“You aren’t supposed to be able to kill snake plants, but I’ve killed half of the one I have. What does that say about me as a person?” Lyra asks.
I look up from my laptop screen and blink. “What?”
She cocks her head left. “I’ve killed half of the snake plant I bought from you. They’re supposed to be indestructible. What does that say about me?”
I bark out a laugh. “I don’t know… that you’ve tended to it too much? Just leave it alone and let it thrive.”
“Leave it alone? Isn’t that how people kill houseplants?”
“It’s a snake plant. It’s antisocial. It wants you to forget about it,” I say closing my laptop.
Lyra sighs. “I’m not ready for our meet tonight. I’m so tired. Winter break was not long enough.” I groan my agreement. Lyra shoots me a look. “As if. You’re only tired from your overnight shenanigans with Langdon. You still have that stupid glow all over your face.”
My eyes bug out. “What? What glow? Like do you think my mom can tell that… you know… I had sex?”
Lyra doubles over laughing.
“I’m serious!” I squawk.
She sucks in a breath and straightens. “No. Well… maybe. Your mom is definitely the kind of mom who would be able to tell or notice little things like that.” She shrugs and all the blood drains from my face.
“Oh my god. I can never go home again.”
“Says the girl who literally spent her life dying for one spot to call home and finally found it.”
I smack her arm playfully. “Ouch. ”
Lyra brushes her hair over her shoulder. “Just saying. I mean, your mom was basically your age now when she had you so she definitely knows that you’ve probably had sex. She’s not even old enough to forget what sex is yet.”
“People don’t forget what sex is as they get older.” I giggle and slide my laptop into my bag.
“Tell that to my parents. I swear to God they both desperately need to get laid but can’t figure out why either of them is so flippin’ uptight all the time.”
“Gross, Lyra.”
She shrugs as we push through the throng of people in the hallway.
Langdon rushes me at the end of the hallway, wrapping his arms around me tight and kissing me. Every cell in my being ignites. I haven’t seen him since he dropped me at home New Year’s day and it’s been torture.
“Hi,” I whisper into his lips. “I missed you.”
“I barely slept the last three days. I can’t stop thinking about your body.”
I furrow my brows at him. “Just my body?”
Langdon laughs. A big booming laugh that makes me tingle all over with pleasure. “Definitely not just your body. All of you. I can’t get all of you out of my brain.”
I push up to my tip toes and kiss him.
“All of you too,” I reply.
“Good god you two, get a mother effin room already.” Miles’s voice pulls me from the very perfect feeling moment we were just having. I turn and scowl at him .
“Lang, any chance you can drive me to the meet tonight?” he asks ignoring me entirely.
***
“It’s fine, Mum, I’ll just have Langdon give me a ride home. Really.”
Mum looks at Anna who nods, then back to me. “Ok. I was hoping to stop and grab food together on the way home but…”
“We can do dinner tomorrow night together. Go have fun with Anna! I’ll tell Gramps you’ll be home late.” I bounce in place trying to keep warm. Which is hard when you’ve been in the warm pool room, are damp, and have wet hair.
Langdon exits the locker room and saunters over to us, throwing an arm around my shoulders. I lean into him.
“They’ll be fine. I really do need to talk with you,” Anna says to my mom.
Mom leans in and kisses my forehead. “Fine. Dinner tomorrow though.”
I grin and pick my bag up from the floor. “OK. See you later.”
Langdon takes my bag from me after zipping his coat up and we exit the gym.
“My gawd. It is frigid tonight.” I wrap my arms around myself and quicken my step to keep up with Langdon. He tosses the bags in the truck and ushers me inside with a ridiculous smirk.
“I can probably warm you up.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I laugh out. He closes my door and scoots around the truck to the driver’s side.
Once the heat is going he turns to me. “So.”
I grin back at him. “So.”
“Where have you applied?”
“I have to finish my applications still.”
“To where?” he drags the last word out.
“Oh, a few places. You know. The usual suspects.”
Langdon drags a hand down his face in frustration. “How am I supposed to know if we’ll be anywhere near each other? Or if I should apply to schools near you if I don’t know where you’re applying?”
I bite my bottom lip and pretend to think as he shifts the truck into drive.
“I mean, why would you think that we’ll still be together? Like everyone always breaks up freshman year. Why would we do that to ourselves?” I turn the radio up.
Langdon turns it down and pulls to the side of the road, tosses the truck in park and stares at me. Hard.
“Because. All of you.”
My heart goes gelatinous and melts into my belly. “Langdon, are you saying all of me?”
“No. All of you ,” he whispers. His eyes never leave mine. My pulse skyrockets until it’s thundering in my ears. Woosh, woosh, woosh .
“I love you too. All of you.” I barely hear the words leave me as his eyes widen and his pupils dilate and then his lips are on mine. Taking, crushing, bruising. And I love every second of it.