Too Late For "I Love You"

*Caleb POV*

After Delilah got off at her stop. I got off at mine, which was the next stop after hers. I took a deep breath as I began the 30 minute walk home.
As I walked, I imagined and I guess hoped that maybe everything at home would be better. I know Delilah is my best friend, and I know I love her but there are some things you just can't tell...

The Night Before at Caleb's house...

"Hey Cale, did I tell you I love you." Delilah said.
"No! You didn't! Since when have you loved me." I asked, shocked.
"Since like, forever. Isn't it like totally obvious?" She said, smiling all cheeky.
"No, it wasn't but, Delilah, did I tell you I love you t-"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" My mother screamed. Wait. What, my mother?
Just then, Delilah disappeared, and I opened my eyes. Damn, it was just a dream. But it was such a good dream until, "THAT'S RIGHT! YOU HEARD ME!" I heard my father scream back in reply. I sighed as I woke fully. I don't know how much I can take of this. They just argue and argue and it just keeps hurting and affecting everyone around me. My parents are at each other's throats constantly, and it annoys the hell out of me. But like I said, it hurts more than anything. I know I shouldn't be as emotional as this and I know I shouldn't feel like crying and throwing a tantrum, I have to be strong for my little brother and sister, I get it. But you can only be so strong, before it all gets too much.
This was the first time I had ever been woken by my parent's bickering. So I was quite suprised, I mean, it's like 2am! Come on man, let a 17-year old get some sleep! I rolled on to my back, trying to block their conversation out. I stared up at the ceiling, thinking about her. Her beautiful hair that was so soft and smooth, and so sweet smelling. Her sparkling, ocean blue, eyes. I laughed quietly, those rosey, red cheeks. I loved how she blushed so much, so good. She is such a shy person, but she isn't, if that makes any sense at all? I love how she,
"STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS THIS ANYMORE!" I sighed, and continued to think about Deli.

Deli. I love that nickname for her. She absolutely despises it. I have no idea why. I remember it like it was yesterday. I had just moved here, and I sat in "her seat" apparently. She told me to move, and I didn't. So her, being as stubborn as she is, decided if I sat there, so would she! Because it was "her seat." After a while, it became a regular thing, her sitting next to me, how much I loved sitting next to her. The days when we were like, 14 or something. Of course, we didn't get along in those days. She was still angry that I had stole "her seat." But seriously, how was I supposed to know! I mean, if there were any other places to sit, I so would of moved, probably not. But still. It was this one time, she was teasing me, about..um, oh that's it. The fact that my father and I had the same name. Stupid, I know. But we were young back then. I don't like the fact that I have the same name as an old man. And she loved that. She loved that she could tease me about it. "Cale, you old man! Caleb. It's your father's name, did you know that? Your named after him, an old, wrinkley man, who is a work-a-holic. Your named after that." She pointed to the picture of him in my wallet. Don't! Ask why I had a picture of him, cause I don't know myself. But yeah, after her little tease session I was quite annoyed, as you are. And so I started teasing her about her name. "I mean, come on dudette. How many people do you come across with the name Delilah?" She shut up straight away, and I knew I had won this fight, but I continued anyway. "What's it like anyway Deli? Do people just walk up to you and be like, hey what's your name. Oh it's Delilah. Huh? is that a dog or what?" She gave me this really shocked look, her face turned red it was the funniest thing I had EVER seen! But of course, we didn't laugh at the time. I became a tad (just a tad) scared. She looked scary, okay!? And then she blew off!
"FIRSTLY! I can not believe you just referred to me being a dog! Ugh! I do not smell, and I do not get on all-fours and pant, do I?" I just replied, dumbfounded, I didn't know what to say. I know that was a lame call, but I couldn't think of anything else at the time. I'm a male, I'm not meant to be a quick thinker.
"And secondly, do NOT call me Deli. That is worse than being called a dog." And she turned her back to me, and stormed off the bus, without looking back twice.
"Hmm, so you don't like the name Deli?" I called after her, the whole bus paying attention to us now. She stopped, dead in her tracks, her feet planted to the floor. She turned slowly and headed back towards where I was seated. Oh crap! I was in for it now. I remember thinking. After a few seconds, she was in front of my face, getting all up in my grill pointing a finger at my nose.
"Call me Deli one more time, just see, what happens..." She warned. And me being, well me, I could not resist. I said it as slowly and annoyingly as I possibly could, enunciating every, single sound of it. "Ssseeeeeeee-pphhhhhyyyyyyy-*SLAP* I was interrupted by a slap across my face! She slapped me, that's right, for calling her Deli! I mean COME ON! It was a nickname! I put my hand to my now burning cheeks trying not to cry! For a 14 year old girl, she could sure hit a guy. I put in extra effort not to hit her back, for one, she 's a girl, two, she's a girl and three she's a GIRL! I laughed at the memory. Besides, I guess I deserved it, she did warn me not to do it. After that she must of snapped out of her mood because she burst into tears, apologizing, over and over again. "I'm so sorry, I am so so soo sorry! I really don't know what came over me Cale." She cried! Then she pecked my cheek and ran off the bus.
I will never forget that day. The first time she ever kissed me.
"REBECCA I AM SICK OF YOU! I AM SICK OF THIS! MAYBE IT'S TIME WE..WELL, WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS!" I heard someone scream downstairs...

Cale thought about those words over and over again as he walked up the drive way of this mansion. This place he once called home. This was no home to him anymore, he slept here, he ate here but he didn't like it here, this was not his safe place. The bus, next to Delilah. That's where he felt safe. That's where he needed to be right now. Not here..far from here.