"Deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath,..." Suddenly, her mobile started ringing. "Argh, Em again!" She cried all frustrated.

"Ember Lily Collins, stop I repeat stop calling me every 15 minutes or I swear I'll..."

"Whoa! Hold your horses, dear. This is the fifth time this week that you've lost your calm. Are you that nervous, Lilah? Should I come there?" Ember's voice got softer after each sentence.

That brought Delilah back to her senses. She was ashamed of herself now. True to Em's words, she was nervous. Heck, way more than that. Her legs were feeling so jelly that she had sat herself down. The mobile in her hand was shaking with her hand and the breathlessness made it all worse.

But, she was Delilah. The shy, socially awkward, and insecure introvert. There was just no way she was going to tell Ember that. Or let any other in just a little even for help.

"No, Em. I'm about to leave anyways. And, I... I'm sincerely sorry for..."

"Oh please Lilah, what're best friends for? Besides, I'm super excited right now. Trust me, Lilah, he's the best guy I've ever known, apart from Kyle of course."

Giggling Ember continued,

"So loosen up and get a life now. I... I don't know what your past was and who that punk for a guy you met. But, don't let that control your life now. You deserve to be happy."

Her voice wavered whole the time. Delilah was overwhelmed. That was exactly the thing about her. She felt single thing so deeply that it was just difficult to elaborate. No one around her was that emotional to understand what amount of emotions Delilah had to feel.

So, she remained silent. There were times when Delilah was affected too badly to even cry and people around her accused her of being insensitive. That made her quieter.

And now after all these years of adapting to silence, life has changed its demands. It now wants Delilah to speak up. The wounds may heal, the pain might be forgotten but do the scars on the heart ever fade away?

"I don't know what to reply, Em. But, I truly appreciate all the care. What my point is that I don't need a guy to be happy. So, you don't have to force me to attend a blind date."

"There's just no way in this universe that I'm gonna let you die alone. So, wish you a very happy and happening blind date, Lilah. Anyways, with you both being this opposite, sparks are bound to..."

Delilah cut the call. Ember was being too delusional. But, even she had decided now to let her guard down for a night. She was 20 now. What possible wrong could a blind date do?

       ****************************

"There's just nothing right here. What in the world of I.Q. was I thinking when I said yes to Em? I could've read a book instead. Why did I..."

"Mam, are you ready to order now?"

"Umm... No, not right now. Am waiting for someone. Thank you." Delilah flashed an awkward smile at the waiter. 45 minutes, for freaking 45 minutes she was there all alone waiting for her so-called blind date.

"He's not coming, not in this life at least. This is too embarrassing to be true. I feel everyone's staring at me since infinity. I feel so exposed and vulnerable and..."

"Excuse me, are you here for" Delilah looked up at source of sound.

"Whoa! Delilah Johnson?"

"Sebastian Carter?"

"Are you by any chance on the wrong table?" He asked seating comfortably in front of her.

Delilah was too stunned to reply. Sebastian Carter was there. The sole reason for her not dating was seating with the whole world's grace in front of her utterly oblivious of it. Blind or what this was her first date ever. Could things go any more south?

"Lilah?" Seb snapped his fingers. "Come on, stop staring. I know am handsome." He said flashing one charming smile.

"Huh? No, I...I wasn't staring. I mean I was but not at you. I kinda zoned out. I'm sorry. Delilah was flustered. 'Quit stuttering', she scolded herself.

"Hey Lilah, was just kidding." His voice got amazingly soft.

"I know you wouldn't have stared even if I'd asked you to." He murmured.

"Now, with whom have you come? Parents? Siblings? Friends by any chance? Let me help our little Lilah get there" He got up offering her hand.

"No. I'm all alone here. Waiting for my date."
'It's just embarrassing when that jerk hasn't shown up yet.' Delilah sighed.

"What? You've got a date!" Seb sat down abruptly. That broke Delilah's reverie.

Delilah was getting riled up.
'That's why he rejected me. He doesn't see me capable enough let alone compatible enough to date.'
Her mind was getting flooded with negative thoughts belittling her, making her feel inferior. Delilah was feeling angry with herself. For letting his thoughts control her actions.

'Stop. He doesn't matter to you. It has been freaking four years and...'

"With whom? Why?" His pitch got somewhat higher and expressions unusual?

This was something new. The Sebastian Carter she knew was one of the coolest guys in her school. He never lost his composer. For sure, he was one cocky extrovert but that didn't permit him to meddle in Delilah's life.

"What do you mean?" She asked all angry getting up.

"Lilah, you're so young to date. Concentrate on career now, there's whole life ahead to..."

"Stop with this diplomatic bullsh** right here." Delilah cut him and continued. "

You're my classmate and you date since I can even remember. Have Your Majesty drunk any age potion to be an exception?"

Seb was shocked was an understatement.

"What's with you cursing? Okay, let me tell you this straight. The world around you won't even think twice to hurt you. You're yet so much naive and the people are cruel and..."

"And evil. Just like you and Kimberly, right?"

If Delilah was angry earlier then she was seething now.

"And what do you mean by what's with me cursing? Tell me. First, you act to enrage me and then prohibit me from even reacting? Am I the puppet that you can do all you want and pretend that I don't feel a single emotion?"

"Wait, what's going on, Lilah? It's you who's acting like I'm your emotionless puppet. You were different. And now you're acting like am your punching bag. Like seriously, is my face screaming that yeah come on and throw your frustration here."

"That frustration is given by none but you. And, for God's sake will you stop staring at me, Mr. Waiter?"

"Why will I give you... wait what?" Seb turned back to find a waiter there. Forgetting all the fight he turned to Delilah and asked like asking a baby,

"Lilah, has he done anything before I came? Is he troubling you? Should I..."

"You know what? Hell with you all. You, that creepy waiter, overly intrusive Em, and of course my bloody blind date. Am done with you all. Just for one night, I decided to loosen up, hell broke upon me. Thanks Sebastian Carter for officially ruining my first date ever."

She stormed away from him with a futile attempt of hiding her tears.

     *****************************

Delilah's mobile rang again. Agitated she thought of throwing it but then decided against it. Answering she simply remained silent.

"Lilah!" And Delilah's heart wrenching sob followed by many other was heard on the other line. A tear drop made its way on Ember's cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Lilah. I shouldn't have forced you. Relationships never work that way. I... Oh God! I feel terribly guilty. Please calm down. It all will be alright."

"Why Em? Why always me? Have I ever been a bad girl? Have I ever hurted or troubled you or any one some way? Have I always not given more for anything I received?"

"Lilah, I'm truly sorry. It's only my fault that..."

"No no no Em, it's not about blind date or dating even. There are people who get so much without even deserving in front of the people who actually deserves it. It's all about being the second category people. I feel absolutely sad to the extent that I don't even believe in happy ending anymore. That there actually will happen something good enough to compensate this pain and even if it happens that's just not excuse for the pain."

"I profusely apologize to give you that kind of pain, Lilah!" Came a voice from door.

"When I realized you were my blind date actually, I apologized to the waiter. You must've lost your calm 'cause, I came that late, right?"

"Wh.."

"Em told me address and gave extra keys for emergency. And indeed threatened me of my life if I hurt you even indeliberately. I must say she's more sincere as your best friend than my cousin.

I've brought us dinner. Let us talk the rest with food stuffed mouth, shall we?"

       *****************************

"Have more, Lilah. These are delicious!"

However Delilah wasn't in mood of eating.

"Thanks Seb! I appreciate all this and I'm sorry for dragging you in my emotional mess."

"Lilah!" Seb tried to interject but Delilah was having none of it.

"No no. I appreciate all the kindness and humanity you offered. But at the end of the day, it's my problem. We happened to meet at my weakest but trust me I'll be fine."

"Stop pushing people away, Lilah. You ran away four years ago and even now you're doing nothing different."

"I ran away? You and Kimberly made me. She was right. You're no different. And you'll never say 'yes' to me. And guess what? You actually didn't..."

Delilah let out a bitter laugh.

"How's all this related to Kim? And I didn't reject you. You ran away before I could say anything."

Delilah wanted to throw a retort on his face but the perplexity in his eyes and sincerity in voice stopped her doing so.

She exhaled heavily.

"It's extremely difficult. Then again it's now or never. On the day I proposed you, Kim went too far when she bullied me. She said that even though I'll be last girl in the universe, you'll never say yes to me."

"What?" Seb almost yelled.

"Why'd Kim do that? Especially when I had once confessed her that I found you cute and awesome! And why the hell did you even believe her? And wait, Kim bullied you?"

He asked exasperated.

"She was your best friend for God's sake. And Kimberly was the biggest bully of our school. Sure at start, there were some snide comments. But that's how Kim talked to everyone besides your group. But, later it got severely serious. At Lockers, girls' washroom, parking lot, of course you weren't present there but..."

She took a deep breath.

Seb held her hand assuring her.

"I can only imagine how painful it must be for you."

"Painful? I was an introvert and nerd, Seb. I had literally no friends. My both parents work and are so much strict about academic. I grew up with silence never expressing feelings. Do you know how much nervous I was before asking you out? How much it meant to me? And what did you do? Laughed upon my face. Of course I ran away. That was anyway last day of middle school. And my father got transferred thereafter. Dating's idea was horrifying till tonight when I decided to move on."

"I really liked you, Lilah. You're so brilliant and beautiful. I'd admire you. That laughter was out of amazement. I never knew Kim bullied you but not taking stand when she did to others is inexcusable. Funny how it boomeranged. But, tonight I'm gonna ask you something I wanted to since four years.
Lilah, will you go on date with me?"

And she laughed.

"Finally! do you believe that it's uncontrollable?"

"Blindly!"

2000 words!

Hey everyone,

This is my humble attempt for the prompt 'Blind Date With The Enemy' by @AmbassadosGR under the biggest Romance Collaboration 'Trials of Love'.

Hope you all will like it :)

Kindly, Vote - Comment - Share

Yours Truly,
ButteryButteryFly5