{ Ch. 11 - Noah's POV }

"Kael," Delilah smiles looking at her big brother. He grins, opening his arms wide for a hug and she runs into them. "Oof." Kael Kade grunts, "Hey, Dellie." He laughs as she buries her head in his chest. "I missed you." "We called every week and it was only three months - I've been longer away than that." He says, ruffling her hair and she grins up at him. "Yeah, but this time I wasn't sure if I'd ever be back." "So that's the end of us, stolen by Kael and leaving me forever abandoned." A voice teases walking up to her from behind and Delilah smiles so wide it looks like it must hurt. "Lark!" Della tackles him in a hug and he snickers. "Missed you too Dels." He says squeezing her back and he lets go. "We're moving in the house on Friday." "Cool, I'll be there..." Delilah trails off, spotting Brianne and Jessabelle running toward us and shrieks, running to the two girls in the distance and Lark winces at the sound. "Geez, nice to know Dels kept her pitch."

Kael laughs, "Yeah, she's got a set lungs on her - but then again - all the girls sound the same." Kael shrugs and Lark shakes his head. "So Slater..." I sense the looming question and reply before anymore can be said. "She's okay, having trouble with the father but okay." I remark, leaning against my car. The beach was nice and after Delilah's call to Kael - they compromised and we met on the beach. It was nice and sunny out - typical Californian weather. Delilah sank ankle deep in the sand as she ran to the girls she said have been apart of her family for as long as she can remember. "Staying with you?" Kael taps, annoyed that Dels ran to me - someone she didn't know, instead of her own blood. From what I knew of Kael, the security-for-hire leader, he did not like not having control, and it made me wary of him but I don't think he'd hurt his very own sister because she didn't run to him, right? "Yeah, she's at mine." I reply and Lark nods, "Take care of my sister Slater, she's more fragile than she lets on." I look away, my gaze catching Delilah's carefree grin as she animatedly talks to the other two girls. "I will, but she's not the type to let anyone look after her." I speak and Lark chuckles. "She's a bit anal about her independence - but Danielle was like that too, she didn't want to be controlled," Lark scoffs. "Danielle was a free spirit but Delilah isn't like that, she's spontaneous but she has to have stability - I bet she's freaking out about all of this." Lark muses and I say nothing. They didn't need to know Delilah almost lost it. It wasn't my secret to tell. I watch Della laugh with Bri and Jess speaking into her phone, she was happy - I didn't want to be the one to ruin that.

"Slater, how's it having a girl around?" Kael starts and Lark groans. "Don't reply Slater it's a trap - he just wants someone to commiserate with so that he doesn't feel like he's the only taken guy around." "Jessabelle's shit is everywhere and she never gives me a break, she gets angry for stupid shit and won't even let me talk to another person of her gender, okay! It's not my fault that she's so inflexible!" Kael moans complaining, and he doesn't notice his girlfriend standing behind him." I'm what, Kael?" Jess narrows her eyes and Lark laughs into his arm, cloaking the laughter as a cough. "Nothing sugar, I didn't say nothing." He says and Bri hides her smile. "Oh, so I'm nothing am I?" Kael stutters - looking at Lark and I for help but Lark looks away and I stare at him unforgivingly. No help here.

"No sweetness, that's not what I meant." He says and Della shoves her face into Lark's arm, clearly not being able to control her laughter. Yes, he'd be known from now on as Kael the kiss-ass.

"Bye guys, I have to deal with this asshole. See you Tuesday, Dels!" Jess says, "C'mon Kael - I'll show you inflexible, you're gonna regret saying that." She scolds all the way to their car. They drive off with Jess still scolding Kael and him looking like a kicked puppy.

We laugh openly at Kael being caught talking shit about his girlfriend and wave as Jess peels out of the parking lot. "Well, that's that. Bri you're going with me to the hotel." Lark orders amd Brianne just nods. "Where's Henry?" "He had a last minute shift at Mickey's that he promised he was gonna do - so he's only coming to Seaview tomorrow." "Don't worry Del, he'll be back in time for us moving in." Delilah sighs, greeting them as they leave. Lark and I exchange nods and Bri waves slightly at me before scurrying away after Lark. The sun sinks down beneath the waves - leaving the sky a burnt orange and purple. It always knew how to make an exit.

"Noah," The pretty girl beside me speaks as we walk down the beach. "Yeah," I reply and she stops, taking a deep breath. "Why are you letting me stay at yoir house for free?" I look at her in bewilderment, "You have money? I didn't know, you can pay me with that then." She giggles, "No seriously, just tell me why." I sigh, sitting down in the sand - my eyes facing the skyline. "Do you really want to know?" She nods sitting beside me.

"The first time you stayed at my place - you were drugged as hell, I was so angry with you; a supposedly smart girl taking a drink from a guy you don't know from Adam." I swallow, "You were pathetic and helpless -" "Gee, thanks for adding the pathetic part." She drawls, interrupting and I glare at her. "Way to spoil my honest con- nevermind, let's just get out of here." I say, standing up but Della pulls me back down and rests her head into my side gazing at the sunset like I was doing just a few minutes ago, "Stop being such a chickenshit and just tell me." She says and I roll my eyes, "You reminded me of someone I knew." "Who?" "My brother." I sigh and she shivers. "Wolfe?" "The one and only," I nod in response.

"He used to come home wasted as hell and I'd have to look after him so that he didn't choke on his own vomit." Delilah laughs, "So I looked like I'd choke on my own vomit?" I shrug, "Yes." "And the second time - why'd you lemme stay yesterday." I laugh lightly, looking into her curious eyes. Lloyd was right, it wasn't brown like I thought - it was a pretty metallic grey, a kaleidoscope of colour. Blending in with the rainbow. "Isn't it obvious Delilah Kade?" I grin but I don't say anything else. Not wanting to confuse her anymore than she already was. I'd tell her after she deals with her almost rape, Wyatt's death and he father's confession... I'd tell her later. "No it's not, Slater." She narrows her eyes and I chuckle, and instead of kissing her lips like I wanted to, I kiss the small frown between her eyebrows and it vanishes.

"What the hell, Slater?" She says in outrage and I smile at her. I give her one of my rare full blown smiles before getting up and walking lazily back to the car. "Slater!" Della shouts, "I'm not done with you!" She chases after me and I give her a shit eating grin - she can try to run after me, but I think she'll eventually realise I was the one running after her.