Spoiler
I wasn't going to post this, as I really don't like it, but I thought it's better on here than shut up on my computer. I really need help with this. It's for Jas's song prompt contest and I had the song 'Hey There Delilah' by 'The Plain White T's.' I didn't want to write a love story so I decided to try a different angle on the song.
I'm warning you; this is awful. I hate the ending with a passion but I lost inspiration halfway through writing it, so it is what it is. I'd really really appreciate the help as I want to make it the best it can be for the contest.
Thank you to those brave enough to read it
I'm warning you; this is awful. I hate the ending with a passion but I lost inspiration halfway through writing it, so it is what it is. I'd really really appreciate the help as I want to make it the best it can be for the contest.
Thank you to those brave enough to read it
23rd September 2011
Hey there Delilah!
It’s still really weird without you here. It feels like a part of me is missing, and I can’t function properly. No-one’s here to laugh at my jokes that don’t make sense or join in when I start dancing in the streets.
I miss the way you screw up your nose when you smile and how you only ever wear odd socks. That you always have an answer for everything, even when your answers don’t make sense. How you know how to make me feel better when it seems like nothing is ever going right.
Without you here, I’m… lost. It’s a strange feeling, seeing as you’re the one who’s moved to New York City, and I’m still here in Ohio.
I’ve written you another song. This one’s called ‘Change.’
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
I let the note slip from my hand. It lands on my dorm room floor amongst the text books and clothes I’ve promised myself I’ll put away later. I stare at it blankly for a second before my eyes move to the CD that had been in the same envelope as the letter. I want to play it. God knows I want to hear Chris’s voice again, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to listen to it without crying.
It had been my choice to move to the big city for college. I’d wanted, needed, to spread my wings and moving away to study had seemed like the perfect opportunity to grow up. Now though, sitting alone in a room I share with a girl who seems to want nothing to do with me because I don't dress or sound right, I wish more than ever that I was back in Ohio, listening to Chris talk about nothing. Anything. Anything to make me want to smile again. With a sigh of great effort, I stoop to pick up my bag and head for the door. At least lectures will help to keep my mind off of home.
***
30th September 2011
Hey there Delilah!
I’m glad to hear that you’re settling in well. I was a little worried that you’d shy away from making new friends, but I knew that once you let people in, they wouldn’t be able to ignore your wonderful personality.
Ohio’s still not the same without you. It’s too quiet. I miss hearing your laugh that sounds like tinkling bells and the way your shoe collection seems to spread all over the house.
It’s selfish of me to want you back, when I know you’re having the time of your life in the big city.
Keep safe.
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
I look up from my notebook quickly to glance at the girl on the other side of the room. She’s been on the phone for ages and her high pitched voice won’t stop chasing my train of thought out of my head. I miss Chris’s voice. I still haven’t listened to the CD he sent me.
Florence laughs and I look back up at her to see her twirling her hair in her fingers. She’s chatting to a guy she met a couple of days ago. I only know this because she’s had all of her friends over and they were giggling about it while I slaved over my English assignment. My gut twinges. If I had friends then I could escape with them. Somewhere where Florence and her gang won’t get on my nerves.
Chris would have told me to suck it up. He wrote me a song once called ‘Stronger.’ It’s the theme tune to my life really. My mum calls me a pushover because she knows I’ll so anything for anyone, within reason. I just like to think that I’m being nice. I feel a tear drip down my cheek and I wipe it away quickly so Florence won’t see how much her cold shoulder is effecting me.
***
October 14th 2011
Hey there Delilah!
Your new friends sound great. I’d love to meet Clare and Brittany when I come to visit. I think I’ve caught the travel bug. I can’t wait for you to show me around your new home and haunts.
I really admire you for taking the huge step that is moving away. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to leave Ohio and start new. You should be proud of yourself. You are my shining star.
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
My book bag is heavy on my shoulders as I rush to class. I missed the bus this morning. My alarm didn’t go off and some part of me believes that Florence is behind it. She gave me a sly smile as I retreated to my bed after dinner last night. Her smiles send shivers down my spine. She’s like an evil dictator. Loved by those who are stupid enough to believe she’s the nice girl she makes out to be. As her room mate, I see the real her. The girl who gets others to do her work for her. The girl who spends her daddy’s money all day while others mill around her, desperate to be ‘cool.’
That’s why she hates me, I think. Because I didn’t fall for all the bull she spun to me on our first night sharing the dorm together. I’d just smiled politely. I don’t like to judge a book by it’s cover, but warning bells had started ringing when I’d listened to her tales of being popular and well liked at high school. More like the biggest bully there’d been, I’d thought.
It hurts to think that I’ve lied to Chris, but it’s easier than telling the truth. He’s always been there for me and I knew that if he finds out that ‘Clare’ and ‘Brittany’ aren’t real, he’ll be disappointed in me. He’ll be sad that I’m not being the person he thinks I am.
***
October 28th 2011
Hey there Delilah!
I missed you at my birthday party. I got the card you sent me though; I know it sounds silly, but it even felt good to see your hand writing again. The way you dotted the ‘I’ in my name with a star made me smile.
Mom’s being all weird now that you’re gone. She keeps going to your room and just sitting on your bed. I do the same though. Looking at your posters and drawings makes it seem like you’re still here. A part of you anyway.
I’m writing you another song. It’s called ‘Patience.’ You’ll love it.
I’d love to hear back from you.
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
Chris’s birthday had been hard. Florence had been extra mean that day and I’d almost cracked. So far I’ve been fine. I’ve just dealt with the snide comments and whispers as if they were nothing but silly and pathetic. Which they are. But that time, when she’d tripped me in the corridor and sent my books crashing to the floor, skidding on the tiles, I’d nearly broke my resolve not to fight back. It had been hard; tears had stung the back of my eyes, but I’d thought of Chris, wearing his baseball cap and his cheesiest smile and I’d got up from the floor and walked off with my head held high.
Florence trashed my side of the room that night.
***
3rd November 2011
Hey there Delilah!
I got a new job yesterday. I am now the assistant manager at Smoothie land! I know right! I can just picture you smiling one of your huge grins at how awesome that is. We practically lived at Smoothie Land last summer. Remember that guy you liked? The one with the stupid mop of brown hair? I know, ‘it’s not stupid.’ Well, his name’s Scott. If you were here, I’d give him your number, but it seems a bit pointless now you’re living the dream in New York.
I bet you’ve got guys queuing up to date you anyway, seeing as you’re so nice and easy to talk to. It’s still weird though; thinking that you’re old enough to date.
The song’s ready - ‘Patience’ is on the CD, ready to be approved by your ears.
I’d love to hear your opinions on the song.
Love and stuff!
Chris xxx
I’m not living the dream at all. Instead, I’m stuck in a nightmare that won’t let up, not even while I sleep. Florence has taken to chatting to her boyfriend at night, now. Her giggles and gushing still manage to seep through the pillow I shove over my head each night.
I wish I had Scott’s number. I want to talk to someone. Anyone. I’ve kind of made friends with a girl in my English class, Alice, but she lives off campus. I seek solace when I visit her at her house, but her parents won’t let me stay long. They’re pushy and strict. I wish I was at home; even if Mom was in one of her moods. I’d give anything to have her shout at me. At least I’d feel normal then. Not like I’m lying to them all.
The pain’s getting to me now. Florence’s rain of terror is constant. I feel a tear land on my hand and I stop studying long enough to swipe at it angrily. The anger is for Florence, but I keep it bottled up. I can’t let her know how much she’s getting to me. That she’s winning, even though she is.
***
19th November 2011
Hey there Delilah!
I’m so pleased to hear from you! I thought you might have been too wrapped up in your school work and friends to write back. It’s fine!
I’m psyched that you’re enjoying yourself so much. The course sounds awesome. I really am going to visit soon, once I save up enough money - Smoothie Land doesn’t pay as much as I thought it would.
I’m really glad you liked the songs. I’ve got another one on the go at the moment. I think I’m going to call it ‘Hey there Delilah.’ You like?
You’ll have to send me some pictures; I wanna see these friends of yours!
Write back soon.
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
My heart breaks as I read the part about me liking the songs. I haven’t even listened to them yet. They’re still shoved in their envelopes, tucked away in my bed side drawer. I can’t bear to listen to them.
College really is too much now. The work load is more than I’d imagined and I’m really struggling to keep on top of it all. Florence is meaner than ever too. I always seem to get the brunt of her abuse. I’m her punch bag. My heart feels weak; too many stab wounds from her venom like tongue. My head’s stuffed full with insults and words of hate. She called me a slag for dropping my pen when she was watching TV and tore up my notebook when she found out that I hadn’t cleaned the bathroom yet.
She’s turned Alice against me now; she saw us hanging out once and she was quick to drag Alice away with the promise of popularity. I tell myself that that means Alice wasn’t a true friend, but she was all I had. She was better than nothing.
I cry myself to sleep at night and the image of Chris’s smiling face makes it worse. I don’t want to let him down.
***
5th December 2011
Hey there Delilah!
I can’t believe you’re coming home for Christmas break! Mom’s insisting on inviting all the family over to celebrate you being back, so be warned.
Mom’s letting me pick you up from the airport, so I’m coming straight from work with one of your favourite smoothies. We can’t have you forgetting about old times in Ohio, can we?
I’m counting down the days until I get to see your smile again.
Love and stuff,
Chris xxx
The paper is streaked with my tears when I finish reading. My heart is booming in my chest and my hands are shaking. I hear Florence in the hallway, but I can’t move. My body is racked with sobs and they paralyse me into a state of hopelessness. I want to go home. I can’t do this anymore. I’m sick of lying. Of pretending everything is okay, just for the sake of proving Chris wrong. He’d been right to worry about me.
The door behind me opens and I hold my breath. Silence is only broken by the whimpers that escape my lips before the sound of Florence’s laughter hits my ears. It stabs at my brain like knives and I screw my eyes up, wishing she’ll go away.
She doesn’t. She’s still cackling as I stride past her, my bags slipping from my feeble grip. I stumble on the welcome mat and slam the door on my way out.
***
The plane ride is awful. I weep into my shoulder to avoid the stares of the other passengers. Some ask if I’m okay, but that just sets me off again. They all leave me alone then, to cry myself out.
Even the thought of going home, back to the one pace I feel safe, can’t stem my tears. All I can think about is seeing Chris. I don’t want to have to tell him the truth, but I know I can’t lie anymore.
***
He’s standing by the entrance with the smoothie he promised me. His baseball cap is pulled tight over his mop of blonde hair and his smile is so warm that I want to cry again. My face feels sore and my eyes are swollen and bloodshot. I’d checked in the washroom mirror.
Chris sees what I saw in that reflection and rushes towards me, the smoothie dropping to the floor.
“Delilah,” he says, his voice calm and cool and everything I’ve missed about him crashes into me as one giant sob. “What’s wrong?” His eyebrows are knitted together and he’s stroking my arms.
“You said I was a rubbish liar,” I sniff, tears dripping onto his shirt. “But I fooled you with my letters. Nothing’s like I said it was. They all hate me.” Another bout of tears shakes me and I bawl into his shoulder.
“Hey there, Delilah,” he whispers. “They’re crazy to hate you. They’re stupid to write you off. They’re never going to get to know the wonderful person you are and it’s their loss.”
Standing there in my brother’s arms, I wonder why I ever needed to spread my wings. “I’m not going back,” I say.
“I wouldn’t want you to, anyway,” he says and for the first time in months, I feel normal. Safe. Good.
Spoiler
I told you it was awful
I actually really did like it a lot. I loved that it was about a brother and sister and not a love story. Personally, I've always wanted a brother so I especially enjoyed this take on the song 
