Page 75 of Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling

“I know.” She inhales deeply, her shoulders almost reaching her ears, and then lets out a long breath. “But first ebelskivers?”

I nod. “First ebelskivers.”

Delilah

“That asshole.” His face is hardened in fury, but it’s also speckled with powdered sugar from the ebelskivers. So I kind of want to just pinch his cheeks, it’s so cute.

“I can’t believe that. Charlie thinks he’s like, what? The arbiter of good music? And to act like your only job is to stand there and look pretty? I mean, youarepretty. You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also write music just as good as his. Better than his! That’s probably what he’s scared of.”

I wish I had a rewind button, because did he just say what I thought he said? The prettiest person he’s ever seen?

But he continues on with his rant. “And why didn’t Asher and Beau stand up for you? Like, what’s their problem? They should be just as loyal to you as they are to him.” He takes another bite of ebelskiver and chews it like the pastry insulted his mother. “Man, of course you don’t want to go to the show. They’re disrespecting you, and still usingyouto get the band more attention at the same time? Fuck... they don’t deserve you, Delilah.”

I sigh and shake my head. “Yeah, I can’t help but wonder if I would even be in the band... if I wasn’t a girl. And Black. Do you... do you know what I mean? Is that stupid to even think about?”

“It’s not stupid. And I’m not gonna lie to you and say they—Charlie—didn’t think of it that way. Because I don’t know. We’ve established that he’s an asshole.” He reaches across the table and brushes his fingertips against mine, and it’s electric. “But like I’ve told you, you are the one who brought attention to this band after they were floating on for so long. And it’s not just because of your race or your gender—even if they were trying to make it out that way, like you were some sort of token. That’stheirbaggage, not yours. Because you’ve got the talent. You’ve got the passion. You’ve got something special that everyone sees when you’re on stage. You can’t let those dicks take that—thatknowingaway from you.” He puts his hand up to his chest, where his heart is. “You can’t let their opinions of you affect what you know about yourself. And I haven’t heard your song yet, but I know you. And you’re extraordinary, Delilah. So if you’re putting your heart into something, it’s extraordinary too. You deserve to make music with people that recognize how lucky they are to... to be with you.”

I search his face for some clue, some tell, that I’m missing. Because how can someone be this perfect? To be so confident in who he is, but in who I am, too. To see the best in me even when I can’t see it in myself. All while not asking for anything in return, or seeing me just for what I can do for him.

How is this boy real? How did I get so lucky?

“Thank you.” It’s all I say. Even though I want to thread my fingers through his. Even though I want to jump up and throw myselfonto his lap and kiss him like I’ve known I want to do for weeks. Even though I want to finally confess everything I’m sure I’m feeling now.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he says with a shrug. “I should be thanking you for introducing me to this life-changing dessert.”

“You’re right. You should.” I smile. “Also, there’s powdered sugar all over your face.”

His eyes go wide in embarrassment, and he reaches up to wipe his cheeks, but that just makes it even worse.

“Did I get it?”

“No—right there,” I say in between giggles.

“Here?”

“No, there,” I say, miming it on my own face, but this isn’t working. “Here—let me.” I reach across the table to wipe the last bit of sugar lingering on the side of his mouth, and when my pinkie finger brushes his lips, just barely, he nearly jumps out of his seat.

“You okay?”

“I’m good. I’m straight,” he says, clearing his throat and looking everywhere but me. “So, um, yeah. You better text them. The band, I mean. Tell them you’re not coming. Even though they don’t even deserve that from you.”

“You’re right. I’ll do it now.”

The responses come in immediately.

I can almost feel the heat from the flames surely shooting out of Charlie’s ears.

Are you fucking kidding me??

What the fuck Delilah

We can’t go on without you

How could you do this to us??

Where are you??????

Asher’s text is less angry, but equally infuriating:Look I know Charlie was a douche to you but you don’t have to take it out on me and Beau

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