We both let that sink in.
‘All that stuff I said before,’ she continues, ‘about not fighting – that’s not normal. It’s like we’re perpetually dating but we’re not really in arelationship. And now he’s in fucking Iceland – and I’m sure it’s very nice, but it is not even in my top ten – no, top one hundred! I mean, what am I evendoing?’
There’s not really anything to say to that – nothing that comes to mind – and after getting worked up, Delaney’s suddenly gone quiet.
Without saying much more, we pack away the remnants of dinner and I rebuild the pillow fort while she’s in the bathroom getting ready for bed. She comes out wearing airline-branded pyjamas that swim on her.
‘These okay?’ she asks, restoring some of the good humour from earlier.
‘Perfect fit.’
She smiles and I take my turn in the bathroom, changing into a T-shirt and joggers. When I open the door, she’s in bed, lying on her side, her breathing steady. I go around to my side of the bed and slip under the duvet as quietly as I can.
‘Goodnight, Nick,’ she says softly.
‘Goodnight, Delaney,’ I reply, and then I stare into the darkness for more than an hour.
What am I even doing?she said.
Same, Delaney, same.
13
DELANEY
I didn’t fall asleep right away last night – Nick didn’t either, as far as I could tell. All that stuff I said about me and Nicholas – spilling the tea the way I did – it felticky. Like betrayal.
But definitely not as bad as almost kissing Nick – a moment that played in my mind on a loop until I finally drifted off to sleep.
I really can’t believe I did that, but I can guess why it happened. And it’s not just because Nick’s hot or that we’re living out the plot of a romcom.
It’s about me and Nicholas – now I get how one-sided our relationship is. There’s also the dawning realisation that when you’re total opposites, eventually you’ll run out of things to compare. In hindsight, Nicholas and I crossed the line into superficial conversation some time ago.
But that doesn’t give me a free pass with Nick.
And we’ve set some ground rules now – no more flying too close to the sun. He even fortified our pillow fort when I was getting ready for bed – there are nowsixpillows lined up between us. It’s probably overkill, but it’s also symbolic.
Steer clear of each other!
I inhale deeply and slowly sigh out the breath, trying to be quiet because I’m not sure if Nick’s?—
‘Good morning, Delaney,’ he says from the other side of the Great Wall of Capri.
I sit up, grabbing one of the pillows from the wall and stuffing it behind my head.
‘Hi,’ I say.
He’s on his side, looking at me through the gap.
‘Sleep well?’ he asks.
I look down at the covers, which I must have kicked off sometime during the night.
‘I slept okay – I was a little hot,’ I say, instantly regretting my choice of words.
‘Yeah, I don’t normally wear this much to bed.’
I tear my eyes away – he may be wearing a T-shirt, but I’ve seen what’s underneath it.