"Balancin' on breaking branches."

Delilah Warner:{UNEDITED}

Disclaimer: wrote this chapter while being on a BIG writing block so don't mind if it doesn't make sense idk

"Kindly note that we are putting up a lockdown of two weeks due to a virus spreading in our state, starting from 10 am today. Kindly get back to your houses immediately as all the roads will be closed exactly at 10 am. All the details will be given very soon."

I watched as everyone around the cafe got up from their seats in confusion including myself. I did not understand what was happening but it definitely felt weird. 

As if breaking me from my trail of thoughts, Maxwell's hand came and grasped my laptop shutting it up with a thud, I winched internally. Next, his hand came and grabbed my backpack keeping the laptop in it, while I just stared at his face. He shut the zip so quick, I would have not seen it.

His eyes wandered over the table and the cafe quickly as if he was grasping in his memory what had to be done or not, while I just sat there staring at him like an idiot.

Can you tell that I am not very good was impulsive things?

His keen calculating green eyes wandered over anything and everything with his jaw slightly clenched in annoyance until they finally landed on me, and I swear I saw them softening a little bit before they turned back to the emotionless ones I was trying to get used to.

I just glanced at him, perplexed, as he gave me a pointed look. His tongue moved around within his mouth, grabbing the inside jaw's margins and that was kinda ho- never mind.

He scoffed slightly and came closer while I got a little defensive, trying not to show it.

I am just being weird now.

He grabbed the sleeve of my hoodie, pulling me along with him to god know's where. The real question is- why am I letting him drag me along with him?

Guess we'll never know.

My mind finally started working and I pulled my hand away from his hold, stopping right in my place.

He held the bridge of his nose in annoyance and looked up at me with an "If- I-could-I-would-kill-you" look.

"If you don't cooperate with me, I swear to fucking god I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you till the house" he warned

And I have never walked any quicker in my life.

I just know he was smirking, even though I couldn't see him.

What has my life turned to?

I stepped up to his car, intending to take a seat in the backseat when I was abruptly turned around by none other than Maxwell.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said, his brows narrowed as if he was trying to figure out what I was up to.

"To take a seat," I answered in a chilly tone, plainly signaling that I had no intention of conversing with him.

His knuckles turned white as his hands curled into a tight fist on the side of my waist.

"Do you take me for your driver or something?" he mocked, his head slightly tilting.

"Bingo" I smiled and moved away from his hold.

"Come sit in the front," he said as my hands reached out for the back door handle.

"No, I am good" I opened the door getting inside when I felt myself getting pushed away and the sound of the door closing.

"I can still throw you over my shoulder you know?" he laughed, but without any humor this time.

I sighed and went to sit in the front, not having the energy to argue any further. I looked at the time on my phone 9:53 am

He quickly pushed himself inside the car, starting it as the radio turned on.

When I was 13, I had my first love

Someone should just kill me at this point honestly.

There was nobody that compared to my baby

What have I done to be in this situation? Anything could have been playing right now but it just had to be this song.

And nobody came between us, nor could ever come above

There was no song I hated more than this one. Trust me, I tried my best to like it because honestly it's such a bop but every time I heard it, it just reminded me of the times where I and Maxwell sang it together, dancing like monkeys.

She had me goin' crazy

This was our song; it was always something we listened to whenever we felt sad. I had an obsession with Justin Bieber at the time, not lying I still do- just that it's been reduced a little.

Oh, I was starstruck

I swear to God I will jump out of this car, that seems better than sitting in this tense atmosphere and thinking about our memories.

She woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks

I turned to look at him, seeing his lips thinned into a straight line, eyes cold and jaw clenched. His grip on the steering wheel was so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

She made my heart pound, and skip a beat when I see her in the street

The song abruptly came to a pause when Maxwell almost punched the radio shut, breathing kind of heavily.

Is he having a panic attack or something?

I furrowed my brows and looked at him, he looked angry and sad, somewhat frustrated also.

Why is he being like this? Is that song such a trigger for him? I thought he loved Justin Bieber.

I shifted my gaze away from him to the road, where I noticed all the sirens and officers pushing people to drive quickly, as well as millions of automobiles traveling the same path.

In the heat of the noon sun, the roadways glistened. The hot, blue sky was pierced by the sunny towers.

We reached the house and as soon as he parked the car in the place, he was out of the car- sprinting as if he has seen a lion.

Sometimes I worry about the type of people I associate myself with.

I entered the house quickly as I can and saw Maxwell chugging down a bottle of water.

Is he okay?

Should I ask him? No, why should I care?

He abruptly whirled around and locked his gaze on mine, forcing him to choke on the water and cough while clutching his chest.

Fuck it.

I ran to where he was standing and patted his back many times, slowly becoming calm as his breathing got normal and the coughing stopped.

"Thanks" he mumbled moving away.

I washed my hands in the sink and went to sit on the couch, waiting for Danny or Kai to call me as they must have already heard the news and will be fixing up things.

My phone rings and I look up at the caller, seeing it's Kathryn, my stepmother.

My dad met Kathryn one year after my mom left us, she was working as a barista in one of my favorite cafés to support her one-year-old daughter as the guy who got her pregnant left her.

It was kind of love at first sight for my father, he saw her, and he knew she was the one for him. It did end up taking a lot of time as Kathryn was very guarded and didn't want to repeat the same mistake, but my dad wasn't ready to give up so finally after around six months of him pursuing her, she finally accepted him.

My dad had immediately asked her to marry him as he wanted to be the best father figure for Alisia and the best husband for her. Alisia was a gift to all of us and she definitely helped me in coming back to my normal self.

"Hi Kathryn" I chirped eyeing Maxwell who was sitting on the opposite sofa, frowning at his phone.

"Hey love, how is your first day as a married woman going?" she teased.

Kathryn doesn't entirely know what happened with Maxwell and I, we didn't want to worry her so we just told her that I and Maxwell were exes and because of the Mafia rivalry, we ended up hating each other and broke up.

"It's okay" I mumbled, trying to be as quiet as I can.

"And is he treating you good?" she asked, not noticing the change in my tone.

"Stop ignoring me you bitch tell me why is there only one room?"

"Oh please, who do you think you are? It's not like I am dying to sleep with you, I don't have a lack of women, or men in that case also. You are nothing but a burden that is now with me for the next 3 fucking years so it's better if you mind your own business and leave me alone."

"What? you want to slap the other cheek also?"

"no just sleep on your side of the bed, it's fine,"

"That's what she said,"

"Well because you are my wife, aren't wives supposed to do these kinds of things?"

"Right, I said this was a marriage right? Well, it was all wrong babe. This is not a marriage and will never be. This is a deal, just a deal. We will never be a real couple. I just agreed to this marriage because I pitied you and your dying dad, don't think otherwise."

"For what I said on the wedding day in the dressing room and for what I said some time ago, you know that I didn't mean it don't you?"

"I am not ordering you, I am protecting you. That's what I am here for and that's what I will always do, whether you like it or not. Better get that in your head."

"Well, it was... interesting, yeah that's it" I said as I looked back at Maxwell, only to see him staring at me.

"Okay" she trailed off, a little confused from my answer definitely.

"Uh, I actually need a favor from you." She said, a little nervously.

"Go ahead," I replied in the same chirpy voice to make her feel more comfortable.

"Alisia and Ryan want to come live with you and Maxwell for a while."   

Hi loves, how was the chapter? Any guesses for the next few chapters?

Taking all of the dialogues from the past chapters made me realize how far we have come with the story and now I feel like crying.

Also thank you for 25k+ reads and 2.8k+ votes<3

Until next time,

-alishba<3