Chapter 14: Love Song
[Author's notes: Please ignore the timeline of when each song was released.]
[Credit]
P!nk- Please Don't Leave Me
We The Kings- Sad Song
Cascada- Every Time We Touch
Hilary Duff- Metamorphasis
Eminem/Rihanna- Love the Way You Lie
Gnash- I Hate U, I Love U
Linkin Park- Leave Out All the Rest
Delilah walked at a steady pace down a never ending hallway. It was desolate, barren, not even a single portrait decorated its white walls. Her petite footsteps caused exaggerated echoes on a white marble floor through a light fog. She had not a clue where she was going, but felt a pull to continue on. Delilah was being drawn to something. Or someone.
It felt as if she walked for hours. Finally, there was something different in view. A shape. Talbott stood in the middle of the hall with his back turned. He stood as still as a statue. Fog drifted around his feet and ankles, wrapping around them like serpents.
Delilah opened her mouth to speak.
"Da da da da.
Da da da da.
Da da da da da."
The steady rhythm formed against her will. Delilah cupped her mouth with her pale hand, unsure of what just happened. Her eyes held steady on Talbott, waiting for a reaction.
Talbott turned around. He wasn't injured at all. In fact, he almost glowed. Is this some sort of heaven? Are we both dead? Delilah thought hard as she awaited his next move. He spoke.
"I don't know if I can yell any louder.
How many times have I kicked you out of here?
Or said something insulting?
Da da da da da."
His voice rang in the hallway. Delilah never pictured Talbott as a decent singer. Somehow this environment cast away any impossibilities.
"I can be so mean when I wanna be.
I am capable of really anything.
I can cut you into pieces.
When my heart is broken.
Da da da da da."
His stare was tense but kind. He was hurt, not on the outside, but emotionally. He patiently waited for her response.
Delilah paused. The words blurted themselves out.
"Please, don't leave me.
Please, don't leave me."
She teared up. Delilah wasn't one to turn to music to get out what she was feeling. It was as if her inner self was providing a new coping mechanism to deal with the school year's events. Specifically, the events with Talbott.
Talbott walked forward, gesturing his hands. He returned the tune that was being created.
"I always say how I don't need you.
But it's always gonna come right back to this."
"Please, don't leave me," Delilah replied. The words echoed and bounced off the walls, creating a backup singer effect. Many Delilahs sang from one pair of lips.
"How did I become so obnoxious?
What is it with you that makes me act like this?"
Talbott held onto the sides of Delilah's arms, firm but without hurting her.
"I've never been this nasty," Delilah cried.
He let go of her and briskly walked away.
"Can't you tell that this is all just a contest?
The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest!"
He punched the air in frustration. A wisp of fog traveled upwards.
"But baby I don't mean it."
Delilah walked towards him.
"I mean it, I promise."
She turned him around til he faced her.
"Da da da da da."
Delilah gave an uneasy smile. Talbott turned around again to leave her.
"Please, don't leave me," she sang to him.
"Oh, please, don't leave me."
"I always say how I don't need you.
But it's always gonna come right back to this," he sang as he halted.
"Please, don't leave me," Delilah pleaded.
"I forgot to say out loud.
How beautiful you really are to me," he exclaimed. He rushed towards her.
Delilah continued the moment.
"I can't be without.
You're my perfect little punching bag.
And I need you.
I'm sorry."
He caressed her wet face. They sang together softly.
"Da da da da.
Da da da da.
Da da da da da."
Talbott embraced her. Their world got foggier. Delilah's head spun in quick circles. She lost her balance, and fell onto soft grass. Talbott did not fall with her. He was standing afar, facing the moonlit sky. She got up, and headed towards him. He didn't show any sign of awareness that their environment changed dramatically. This was naturally happening in his reality.
"You and I, we're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky. With you, I'm alive.
Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide."
The lyrics left his mouth just as they had previously, this time with a slower tempo. Talbott turned to her calmly. Time stood still.
Delilah returned the soft lyrics.
"So stop time right here in the moonlight.
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes."
Talbott held her hands with his own.
"Without you, I feel broke.
Like I'm half of a whole.
Without you, I've got no hand to hold."
"Without you, I feel torn.
Like a sail in a storm.
Without you, I'm just a sad song.
I'm just a sad song," Delilah sang truthfully.
"Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why.
Without you it's hard to survive," Talbott replied. Again, he caressed her face, but this time while pulling her in to kiss her.
His kiss was much more gentle than when Ben kissed her. She felt loved. She felt important to him. Delilah's heart thudded in excitement. Her arms hugged around his neck, keeping him from letting her go. She felt his hands holding her waist in return.
Their lips parted, their arms and hands loosened. Delilah whispered, quickening the beat.
"'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.
Need you by my side," Delilah smiled. She sang increasingly louder.
"'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static.
And every time we kiss I reach for the sky.
Can't you hear my heart beat so. I can't let you go.
Want you in my life."
He kissed her again, this time swiftly and fiery. The quick rhythm took over their bodies. Talbott grabbed her hands firmly and began freestyle dancing hotfooted with her. Delilah joined in without a care in the world how this was possible. Their passion mixed between snogging wildly and busting moves Delilah couldn't perform in normal circumstances.
"'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.
'Cause every time we touch, touch, touch, touch, touch, touch, touch, touch, touch..."
Delilah managed to keep up with Talbott's movement every second. Even when dancing like a party animal, her voice sounded flawless and with plenty of breath. She had never felt so much joy.
"Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.
They wipe away tears that I cry!" she bellowed.
"The good and the bad times we've been through them all.
You make me rise when I fall!"
Talbott suddenly became silent. He let her go, causing Delilah to stumble. He turned away, facing the sky that was now painted a light blue with puffy clouds. The sunflower yellow sun shined high. The music that formed in her mind faded away. The air was calm again.
Delilah witnessed him morph into an eagle. He glanced at her, waiting for her to follow his lead.
Delilah caught on again after a brief confusion. She remembered that none of this was making a lick of sense. Why did he show her his animagus form? Did he already know that she knew what it was? This wasn't real...
A beat began in her head again. Her mind sang.
Watching the butterfly go towards the sun.
I wonder what I will become.
Metamorphosis.
Whatever this is.
Whatever I'm going through.
Come on and give me a kiss.
Come on, I insist.
I'll be something new.
A metamorphosis.
Delilah transformed into her usual barn owl animagus. Talbott took off. Delilah followed, taking off more stealthily. She had a gut feeling of where they were headed, and she was correct. However, what she imagined was quite different.
Below them was the owlery. Delilah was ready to fly in when heat rose into her feathers. She rose back up straight away, danger filling her senses. Flames engulfed the tower. She could see a second eagle, which was also Talbott, flying out one of its many open windows.
It was a memory. Delilah knew her body remained inside, paralyzed. The current Talbott circled around it. Delilah tailed him, knowing he was reminding her of their past history. He reminded her that them being together wouldn't and couldn't be simple. They were dangerous to each other.
Despite being in owl form, Delilah was nevertheless able to sing, and in her usual dream singing voice. She opened her beak and let slow words exit.
"Just gonna stand there and watch me burn.
Well that's alright, because I like the way it hurts.
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry.
Well that's alright, because I love the way you lie.
I love the way you lie."
The air didn't muffle them. Talbott returned her words, also in his now normal singing voice. His words came out rapidly.
"I can't tell you what it really is.
I can only tell you what it feels like.
And right now there's a steel knife, in my windpipe.
I can't breathe, but I still fight, while I can fight.
As long as the wrong feels right, it's like I'm in flight."
The two birds sped off away from the scene. Talbott continued passionately.
"High off of love drunk from my hate.
It's like I'm huffing paint and I love her the more I suffer.
I suffocate and right before I'm about to drown.
She resuscitates me, she fucking hates me.
And I love it, wait.
Where you going? I'm leaving you.
No you ain't, come back.
We're running right back, here we go again.
It's so insane 'cause when it's going good, it's going great.
I'm Superman, with the wind at his back, she's Lois Lane.
But when it's bad, it's awful.
I feel so ashamed, I snapped, who's that dude?
Wait it's Ben, playing that game, I laid hands on her.
I'll never stoop so low again, I guess I don't know my own strength."
Talbott and Delilah landed somewhere in the courtyard. They returned to their human forms, and eyed each other fiercely. Delilah bellowed, much slower than Talbott.
"Just gonna stand there and watch me burn.
Well that's alright, because I like the way it hurts.
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry.
Well that's alright, because I love the way you lie.
I love the way you lie.
I love the way you lie," she sang as tears built up again.
Talbott charged at her, swinging at her and missing. He was unfocused from internal pain. He slowed down his song as his energy to fight on left him.
"And now all this time is passing by.
But I still can't seem to tell you why.
It hurts me every time I see you.
Realize how much I need you.
I hate you, I love you.
I hate that I love you.
Don't want to but I can't put.
Nobody else above you."
Talbott cried in frustration. Delilah came around carefully, and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"I hate you, I love you.
I hate that I want you.
You want her, you need her.
And I'll never be her."
Delilah remembered Talbott telling her that she reminded him of his own mother during Christmastime. This could be the reason why he is so attached to her. She keeps her memory alive. Delilah was sure the aggressive side of her wasn't a part of it, however Delilah isn't naturally this aggressive either. Her father forces her to throw these deadly blows. Talbott could somehow see the real her. He could see who Delilah truly wanted to be.
Delilah whispered to Talbott gently in a smooth tempo.
"I dreamed I was missing.
You were so scared.
But no one would listen.
'Cause no one else cared."
He turned to her and hugged her tight. Delilah continued through the embrace.
"After my dreaming.
I woke with this fear.
What am I leaving?
When I'm done here?
So, if you're asking me, I want you to know..."
She loosened her grip and wiped away his tears with her finger, placing a final kiss on his cheek. He closed his eyes as he took in the warmth of her lips. He embraced the heat of her body one more time. It was so comforting, so kind, so gentle. Delilah moved her face away from his cheek and sang into his ear.
"When my time comes.
Forget the wrong that I've done.
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed.
And don't resent me.
And when you're feeling empty.
Keep me in your memory.
Leave out all the rest.
Leave out all the rest."
Delilah wanted to cry, but she had to remain strong. She let go of Talbott completely.
As Delilah let go, the fog thickened. The surface beneath her feet felt neither soft nor firm. Delilah didn't exist in any particular environment anymore. She was now singing to herself, but more robust. This somehow felt like her moment, even without an audience.
"Forgetting.
All the hurt inside you've learned to hide so well.
Pretending.
Someone else can come and save me from myself."
The white fog consumed her.
"I can't be who you are!
I can't be who you are..."
Father, this ends now.
Delilah awoke.