The Hunter

Delilah nodded. She was able to breathe long enough to pull Natalia over to the couch and sit down. “Yes. Lexia went and got her. But I highly doubt she’s okay… she has to be so terrified right now. I hate that this happened to her.” She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “I just wish things were easy again. Back when it was you, me, Matilda, and Bowie…”

Natalia took off her wet jacket before sitting on the couch, pulling Lilah close again, knowing she needed the comfort. “Good..” she said with a nod, combing her fingers through the girl’s hair. “She’ll heal. She will. You can still help her.” She smiled, “Yeah, those days were so easy. Everything changed so fast..”

“You should hate me.” Delilah continued as she clung to Natalia, burying her head into Nat’s shoulder. “Why don’t you hate me? I let you down. I’m so sorry… I’m so fucking sorry. God, if my mom and dad ever find out… or Amber… And Max. I- I want to check in on her so bad, but I’m not even supposed to know anything happened… let alone that I was the one that was able to find out where she was.” That made her cry even harder—that she had been such a huge part in saving Max’s life, again. “S-she can’t know, Nat. It- it has to be Lexia. She needs Lexia to be her hero right now… not me to be a monster…”

“No,” Natalia said firmly. “Nothing you could do would ever make me hate you, Delilah. I don’t care what you’ve done or what you’ve seen, you are the greatest girl I know. That hasn’t changed..” She kissed the girl’s temple before pulling away to cup her cheeks. “Is Max okay? Is she safe? Because that’s all that matter now. That’s all. It’s a life of secrets, Delilah. It’s hard. But we’re gonna figure it out together, okay?”

Just as she suspected, when Nat started talking, Delilah burst into tears. “M-max. O-one of Savannah’s… Savannah’s rivals… took her. And Savannah t-told me everything. I swear I didn’t know. I- I thought… she told me… they were all bad people w-who h-h-hurt people like Isaac did to me, but I… I killed them… A-and she’s… god, a fucking mob. I’m so stupid! W-what… what am I gonna do?”

Natalia listened to Delilah, her heart breaking for her. She had this realization when she was much younger than the girl, but she was already too far gone. Her mind had developed surrounded by violence. Without a word, she took her friend into her arms and held her close, rubbing her back gently. “C’mon, let’s go sit down, honey. Okay..?”

Delilah had lost track of the time she had spent just sitting on the floor, but she looked up with a start when she heard Natalia’s voice. It caused a lump in her throat. She hated hearing her so upset, and Lilah didn’t necessarily want to get up. But she forced herself to.

Her blonde hair was limp, her eyes haunted and full of loathing. She felt guilt hit her all over again at Natalia being out of breath and wet. Natalia had things to worry about like Mia and the baby. But there was Lilah, an absolute and utter mess.

She couldn’t quite meet Natalia’s eyes as she stepped back to let Natalia into the apartment. No matter how many times she showered, she felt dirty right down to her bones.

She waited for Nat to say something, knowing that the second she did, Lilah would fall apart.

As soon as Delilah opened the door, Natalia hurried inside, throwing her hood back and looking at the girl. She looked her up and down, trying to see anything wrong with her. But from the look on her face, it didn’t have anything to do with her at all. Suddenly she felt horrified. Did something happen to one of the girls? Lexia? Savannah? “Lilah what happned??” she asked desperately.