Steal Me (Haunted Roads Book 1)

by India R. Adams

  Delilah smirked. “Really? Who opened the floodgates?”

  “The mayor.”

  “Well, I’ll have to talk to him about letting just any old riffraff into this once-quaint little town.” She tried to go back to the spot in her book that her long, gorgeous finger had been marking.

  Oh, no you don’t. “What? It’s not quaint anymore?”

  She looked at me with attitude. “You tell me. You’re the outsider looking in.”

  “I, for one, feel lucky to have made it in before the mayor closes the gates. After you tell him about your disappointment about how he is conducting his duties, who knows what will happen to all newcomers? They may be standing on the outside of this great town, begging to be allowed in. Kids crying because of the awful rejection.”

  I finally got a laugh from her, an honest-to-goodness laugh. I jumped on my success and put out my hand. “I’m Maverick, by the way.”

  She shook her head, still smiling—fortunately. She closed her book and then shook my hand. “I’m Delilah, and I think it is actually nice to meet you… Maverick, you say your name is?”

  Score!

  “Yes, and the pleasure is all mine.”

  The bell rang, and the teacher, Mr. Bristol, started running his trap about something I should’ve probably listened to, but I couldn’t. Delilah was still smiling. Her smile stole a piece of me that day and, for the first time in a long time, had me thinking, Life is good.

  After class ended, I stood—well, tried to stand but ended up taking the desk with me. Delilah laughed again as she watched my humiliating struggles. Once free of the manmade trap, I stood in front of her, saying, “Beware of those contraptions. They’re man eaters.”

  She laughed freely for a couple of seconds, but then her body went stiff. Her eyes looked at me as if I were some sort of threat.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “Uh, y-yes…” She instantly seemed distant again then said words that made no sense to me—“I can’t do this”—and left abruptly.

  I walked out of the classroom and watched her disappear, my head spinning with her sudden shutdown. Cole was standing in the hallway. “You’re alive! That’s a good start to one of the rockiest friendships you may ever endure.”

  He spoke as though from personal experience, and what he revealed sounded like a nightmare. I’d had enough drama in my life and wasn’t interested in adding to it with a crazed, female teenager.

  That girl is not worth the time. She just got my last try. Maverick don’t play chase.

  My intentions were sincere, but apparently, I lacked self-control when it came to that girl. Every morning for a week, during first period, I laid on the charm and tried to win Delilah’s affections. Maybe I was a glutton for punishment. Her mood swings certainly delivered.

  “Not talking to me today?” I asked, squeezing into my ridiculous desk.

  “Nothing to be said, new guy,” was all she gave me before she stuck her nose back into her damn book.

  “There’s always something to be said.”

  “Sometimes, silence speaks volumes.”

  I didn’t know how to argue with that, so I asked, “What are you reading?”

  She looked at me as if she knew I couldn’t care less. “Why do you torture yourself trying to be my friend?”

  Before I could think, my mouth opened and spewed, “I have no idea.”

  I froze. That was not what I wanted to say—well, at least not out loud. I quickly tried to fix the mess I had just created. “I didn’t mean that—”

  “Yes, you did. Don’t worry. I understand I can be a bitch.”

  “Not a bitch… just moody?”

  With eyes looking weary, Delilah hesitantly nodded, as if not proud to be that way.

  I grabbed her hand. “Hey—” but she jerked away so fast I quickly said, “Oh, sorry.”

  Her eyes closed as she inhaled. “I was just a bitch again, wasn’t I?”

  “No. You were just being reserved, and I shouldn’t enter your space unless invited.”

  Brown eyes opened and looked to me as though I had just said something incredibly wise. Then she quietly asked, “Do you believe that?”

  My head tilted as I wondered who had crossed her path who didn’t believe that. Then I wondered about what that person had done to her. “Yes, I believe that.”

  Something changed in Delilah after that conversation. By the second week, I was even greeted with a smile when I would push my desk closer to hers before sliding—forcing my body—into my tiny desk so I could be near my gorgeous classmate.

  On one particular day, as I slid my desk close to Delilah, Mr. Bristol complained, “Must all the furniture be rearranged today?”

  Not knowing what he was talking about, and thinking he should be used to my routine, I answered, “Yes, sir. Delilah needs me to help her read because of her faltering eyesight.”

  Mr. Bristol stopped writing on the chalkboard and looked over his shoulder. “You do realize I have known this girl all her life and know she has no eye issues, don’t you?”

  Damn. Still standing, I replied, “It’s a new condition?”

  “One that developed overnight, Mr. Hutton?”

  “Don’t judge, Mr. Bristol. I’m sure you did some chasing of your own, back in the day.” I sat down and began to understand Mr. Bristol’s comment about moving furniture. My jaw dropped. “I fit!”

  Mr. Bristol rolled his eyes. “He’s a quick one, Delilah.” He went back to the chalkboard. A giggle escaped Delilah, and I saw the side of Mr. Bristol’s face curl into a smile. That was when I realized my teacher was a smart man and was toying with me to help bring Delilah out of her shell.

  She said, “Yeah, I took pity on you and exchanged your desk for the bigger one in the back of the room. For some reason, you seemed too distracted to notice you had been sitting in the smallest desk in the whole classroom.”

  “Look who is showing her sweet side.” I eyed her with approval.

  “Don’t get carried away, Maverick. I just felt guilty for causing your daily discomfort.”

  “Who says you were the distraction? Maybe it was this student.” I thumbed to my right and saw a guy looking at me, batting his eyes to drive my lie home. I recoiled, causing another giggle from Delilah. After giving the manliest chin lift I could muster, so the guy would know I wasn’t switching sides, I said, “Hey dude, how’s it going?” then turned back to Delilah. “Yeah, maybe what’s-his-name over there is my uh, distraction.”

  Not believing me, she pointed her beautiful finger at the huge gap between my desk and what’s-his-name’s. Then she pointed to our space. There was none.

  Delilah’s mind-boggling appearance, of course, was the first reason I’d tried to persuade her to like me, but soon, I learned there was depth to her. Delilah was feminine but not in a frilly way that got on my nerves. She was strong minded and strong willed. And I was learning that there was a gentle side to her also. That side called out to me, begging me to trench deeper into her past and find the kind young woman waiting there. I couldn’t help but dive into the unknown.

  I was so busy trying to win over Delilah that I was unaware that her heart was capturing mine. I started to realize I was falling for her when she got me to talk about my dad, a subject I avoided like the plague.

  Sitting by my side one day, annoying Mr. Bristol as usual, Delilah said, “It’s so awesome you didn’t turn to drugs or some other poor excuse of escape. Most guys would’ve at least turned to fightin’. I hate guys that fight.”

  “Oh, I wanted to swing on somethin’, I assure you. I just didn’t have time.” That wasn’t a lie.

  Delilah knowingly nodded. “Because of your little sister.” It was a statement, not a question. She completely understood, and that understanding removed another brick from my unseen wall. I guessed her bricks were tumbling, too, because one morning, she opened up, and I learned about her mother.

  “How old were you when she died?”

 
“Five. It was cancer.”

  I wanted to know how other parents fared compared to my mom. “How’d your dad handle it?”

  “Umm… my brother was seven, so I think he saw more than me. I remember more of the feeling of what was happening to him more than the seeing. Does that make sense?”

  I could only think of what Bailey must be feeling. “I think so. Can you tell me about it?”

  Delilah went silent and then shakily whispered, “Like I didn’t know where it was safe to step… so… I clung to the only one still standing.”

  I instantly thought of Bailey running to me across the yard, spilling her tea goo in her rush. The air was sucked from my lungs as I viewed our broken pieces from a new perspective, feeling the despair from someone too small to hold her own. She was running to the only one still standing. “Tucker.”

  She nodded. “You remind me of Tucker. I’m his Bailey.”

  I knew Bailey needed me, but to wonder whether she might know I was all she had made me doubt my abilities. “Did he succeed? Did Tucker… do right by you?”

  Her expression showed recognition, but I never got the answer because just then the bell rang. The bell always rang too early, leaving me hungry for more of Delilah. Imagine my surprise when she didn’t rush in the opposite direction from me after class ended. Delilah was reserved about it but stayed by my side as we both joined our friends by our lockers.

  Looking at Viola, Bryce, Cole, Hu, the brothers, and Jaz, I thought, What an unlikely looking crew. There was Vixen, who oozed sex appeal. Bryce was a skinny, nerdy dude who somehow reaped Vixen’s rewards. Cole was a good old country boy who lived in his beat-up cowboy boots. Houston was a lanky and awkwardly funny guy—who was trapped with the devil, otherwise known as Adele. Nash and Nelson were, according to V, “double the pleasure.” Jaz was a little pixie-looking girl who seemed to sprinkle happy dust wherever she went. Delilah was our own personal beauty queen who almost hated the fact that she was above average. And the ridiculous, rugged version of a jock was me, rounding out our versatile group.

  They all looked shocked as Delilah and I approached them but recovered quickly and acted as though nothing they were seeing was odd. Delilah saw through their act and announced, “We’re just friends.”

  Everyone nodded, looking perplexed.

  “Yeah,” I said. “Uh, just friends.”

  I didn’t know what to make of it when Delilah went to a surprised Cole and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. She whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  Cole looked stunned and slowly hugged her. “Me too, D.”

  The rest of the group seemed completely relieved as if some feud had finally ended. I had never even sensed one existed.

  Delilah kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

  Cole looked too choked to respond, so he only nodded, visibly swallowing.

  An uncertain pang of jealousy stole my breath until Vixen winked at me, telling me it wasn’t what I thought. Delilah came back to my side and seemed more relaxed than she had a few minutes before.

  This calmer Delilah became part of our daily routine. One day, she kept talking with me after our locker meet and greet, so I followed her to her next class.

  While walking past a glass casing, I noticed a picture of a guy with dark-blond hair and deep-set green eyes. Before I could read the plaque next to the frame, Delilah sternly said, “Yes, that’s him.” She picked up speed to pass an obviously painful memory. “People want to remember him,” she almost sneered.

  I kept up with her quickened strides, realizing she wanted to forget. “That’s gotta be hard.”

  She suddenly stopped and faced me with an accusing glare. “Not everything is what it seems.”

  I put my hands up, wanting out of the war zone I had just unknowingly crossed into. “Easy. I meant for you. It’s gotta be hard to be forced to remember something… you don’t want to.”

  Her shoulders softened as she looked at the floor. I waited. When she looked back up at me again, her cold expression was gone, making her look… exposed. “Yes,” she whispered. “Sometimes, it’s so hard, I want… I think… I might stop breathing.”

  I had to say it. “I hope you keep breathing, Delilah.” And I meant it.

  She inhaled roughly as if I had just touched a part of her soul that no one had touched in some time and she wasn’t sure how to handle it. Finally, she said, “Thank you.”

  The bell rang, so I delivered a quiet Delilah to her next class. I was late for my own, but damn, it was worth it.

  Another change took place within Delilah after that: she seemed to trust me more. Lunches began changing too. Normally, I would sit between Cole and Viola, but one day, Cole got up from his chair when Delilah approached, and he took another seat. Viola inquisitively studied the whole thing but kept talking to me as if it were no big deal that Delilah had accepted Cole’s chair.

  Score!

  “We’re just friends,” Delilah reminded everyone at our crowded table as she began opening her juice box.

  Everybody nodded again, including me. “Yes, uh, just friends,” I repeated.

  Hu moved us past the awkward moment. “How are ya liking it here so far, ‘new’ guy?”

  I corrected him. “No, I’m the new new guy, and so far, I’m loving it.”

  Delilah smirked. “Wonder whatever happened to the other new guy. Haven’t seen him around.”

  I said matter-of-factly, “I framed him and got him expelled. Heard he was an asshole.”

  Delilah laughed so hard as she smacked me. “Okay! I’m sorry. You’re not an asshole.”

  I was so shocked that she’d crossed a barrier and entered my space to smack me that I was stunned. All I could think of doing was trying to respond in a clever manner. Seeing nothing else, I stole a fry from her tray.

  I’ve never claimed to be a genius.

  Delilah playfully yelled, “Hey!” and blew my mind when she began joking around, fighting me to get her fry back. Laughing and trying to block her attempts, I shoved the fry in my mouth, loving how close she was getting to me. Being of the male gender, I didn’t stop Delilah as she practically crawled into my lap, a strategic move I was soon to regret.

  Delilah froze when she realized where she was. Our eyes met. Her mouth was so close to my face I could feel her breath and see the gold specks in her warm brown eyes. My hands ached so fucking bad to touch her, but I didn’t dare. I wasn’t invited.

  I knew she was going to pull away before she did. Her spooked eyes showed it all. Suddenly, Delilah was walking away. Again.

  Damn it! Why did I push too fast?

  I quickly stood up. “Can I come with you?”

  Delilah stopped and slowly turned to face me. She gently grabbed her chest, almost smiling. I forced myself to wait for what she wanted, what she needed. Her voice shook as she said softly, “I know what everyone is hoping to take place here… and I think there might be a part in me that is hoping too, but… I need… slow.”

  Our friends stayed quiet as if instinctively knowing to let Delilah and me find our own way.

  I put my hands up to gesture that her space would be respected. “I can do slow.” After a deep breath and a subtle nod, Delilah left the cafeteria. Watching her go, I plopped back into my chair. “Damn it.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up, Mav.”

  I looked at Viola and all the sympathetic eyes that were watching me fight for this girl.

  Jazebelle sounded emotional. “First time anyone has made it past her wall.”

  “But why is there a wall?” I asked, sounding more desperate than I was comfortable with.

  Cole tiredly said, “Something with Kenny.”

  “It, uh, started before he died,” said Hu with obvious discomfort.

  Viola stared out the cafeteria windows.

  Cole glanced to where Delilah had just been. “I haven’t seen that smile since before they became a couple.”

  I promised myself that someday, somehow I’d find out what happ
ened to that girl.

  Chapter Five

  In the school parking lot, students were loading into cars and trucks as I headed for my own vehicle. When I spotted Delilah for the first time since lunch, I stopped walking and watched her approach Jaz’s car, hoping I hadn’t done irrevocable damage. Relief flooded me as Delilah gently smiled with a twinkle in her eye and waved to me. My arm wouldn’t move, but I smiled, knowing we might have a real chance.

  As I picked up Bailey from school, I kept thinking of Delilah and her smile that had me entranced far more than a guy ever liked to admit. I felt bad for her friends who hadn’t seen that smile for so long. I couldn’t imagine losing sight of it after being exposed to its raw power.

  “Hey, Peanut.”

  Bailey came running to me, holding Hailey’s hand. The day she saw who was in her class, I thought Peanut was going to combust with glee. Following the girls was a somewhat flirty young teacher. “These two are so cute together.”

  Trying to avoid the teacher, I swooped up Bailey. “Hi, Hailey. Did you guys have fun today?”

  Hailey was jumping up and down, celebrating. “Yes! Yes!”

  Bailey grabbed my face and leaned her forehead to mine. “Can you believe it? Hailey’s here!”

  I laughed out loud because this little girl was still rejoicing even though it had been weeks since she’d first made that discovery. “It is amazing,” I told her, so pleased she’d said the word believe and pronounced her R correctly.

  Hailey danced around my legs. “A-maz-ing!”

  “Wow! Excited, Hailey?” said Jazebelle.

  I turned to see Hailey’s sister walking toward us. “Hey, girl. Pick-up duty today?”

  “Helping out my mama,” she answered. “Hailey, get your stuff.”

  I set Bailey back on her feet. “You too, please.”

  Jazebelle told me, “Add me to Bailey’s emergency list. That way, if you ever need me to get her for you, the school will let me.” Then she looked at the young teacher I had forgotten was standing close to me. “Hi, Pepper.”

  Pepper didn’t seem thrilled but said, “Hi, Jaz. I was just telling Maverick that your sister and his are adorable together.” Her finger ran over my shoulder.