Page 4 of Set the Moment
“Long story—did I miss it?” he repeats his question again, his voice hurried.
My heart sinks from the sound of desperation and sadness in my friend'svoice. Derek is the “Mom” of our friend group, he’s our glue. So to see him out of character has my cold dead heart feeling a certain way.
“By five minutes, man. She did amazing…take a look.” My voice is softer than usual as I hand him my cell phone with the dance pulled up, watching over his shoulder as Delilah dances across the stage.
My stomach drops as I watch the video back. I was so focused on making sure to capture the moment, I didn’t see it.
The look.
But it’s there, clear as day.
While the rest of the girls do a turn, Delilah pauses on the stage and looks around the crowd before frowning. Her little four-year-old body is quick to recover and almost instantly falls back into line with her fellow dancers.
My shoulders fall as does Derek’s. He looks around frantically as if searching the dark theater can give him the answers to all his problems.
“I’ve got to find my baby, she probably thinks I abandoned her…” he mumbles, but I can hear him loud and clear as he jumps up from his spot next to me, rushing out of the theater.
He was so quick, I hadn’t even processed what he’d said until he was gone.
Replaying the part again, I frown as images of a past I want to forget flashes before my eyes.
Her skin is cold. She shivers beneath my touch as my small, lanky arms pull her into my body. I wrap her up in my side and kiss the top of her forehead as she shakes.
“They didn’t show, was it me? I did everything per-perfectly.” She hiccups, diamond-like tears falling down her mahogany face.
“You were an angel out there,” I say, my eight-year-old self trying my hardest to comfort her just as my mom comforted Jackson, Asa, and I.
“I was an angel…sure, but I wasn’t theirs. Why won’t my parents just choose me for once?”
“Sometimes we put faith in others and don’t expect them to hurt us…but they do. No one knows why, but it’s never your fault that other people can’t see how bright you are.”
My chest caves as she turns to look up at me, her hazel eyes are bloodshot as our eyes lock, and she holds up her pinky.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“I’m gonna go check on him.” Blake coughs, snatching me back to the present as he drops his half-empty container of popcorn in my lap.
I inhale deeply, pushing the memory ofherout of my mind. I haven’twillinglythought about her in a year, and I refuse to start back now.
Fuck, who am I kidding? I’ve thought about her every day since our last encounter.
Now I can’tnotthink about her. Hell, this is that incident all over again, only this time, I’m witnessing it as it happens.
What could’ve possibly made Derek late for this? He’s usually the only person out of the team who’s punctual to a T.
I take a handful of the popcorn, shoving the salty snack into my mouth.
Deep breaths, Jace.
Derek didn’t bail. He’s here.
Deli won’t be disappointed like her.
Two more groups of dancers perform without a hitch before Blake and Derek return to their seats, flustered like two kids who’d just gotten told off. I’m about to get up to replenish my stash of popcorn and fruit snacks, when my friends slide into the seats next to me. The blue-eyed bastard of the two smiles from ear to ear while the other looks…murderous.
Interesting.
