Without warning, I reached down and gave her ass a hard smack.
"That's for spray painting my car," I said.
Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You're such a caveman."
"Caveman? How about this?" I said, smacking her...
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Caleb's POV
Sitting in the sterile room of the campus security office, I leaned back in my chair, fists clenched, still buzzing with adrenaline from the fight. Trevor sat across from me, glaring at the wall as if it had personally offended him. The tension hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
"Nice going, genius," Trevor finally spat. "You really thought that would end well?"
"Please," I shot back, leaning forward. "You didn't exactly help the situation."
"I wasn't the one who started throwing punches!" he snapped.
"Yeah? Well, maybe you shouldn't have acted like such a protective little brother. Esme isn't a child, Trevor!"
Trevor's jaw tightened. "And you think you can just swoop in and take care of her? You're a loose cannon, Caleb. One minute you're charming her, the next you're getting into fights on campus."
"Charming?" I scoffed. "I care about her. Unlike you, who just wants to keep her in a bubble."
"Care?" he scoffed. "What do you know about caring for her? You think letting her ride around on your bike is a good idea? That's not what she needs."
"Better than you controlling her life," I shot back, my heart racing. "She deserves to have a life outside of your expectations."
Trevor leaned closer, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't even know her, Caleb. You think just because you've had a few heart-to-heart talks that you understand her? You're wrong."
"Maybe I know her better than you think," I said, my voice hardening. "I see her struggling with being treated like she's fragile all the time. She's not. And I refuse to let you push her away."
"Push her away?" Trevor's eyes blazed. "I'm the one who's been there for her every single day, and I won't just stand by while you mess with her head."
"Mess with her head?" I repeated, incredulous. "You think I'm using her? You're the one who doesn't see that I'm trying to be someone she can actually rely on, not just another obstacle."
Trevor opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, the door swung open, and Esme rushed in, eyes wide with concern. "What happened? Are you two okay?"
"Just peachy," I replied, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
Trevor cut in, frustration evident. "We're fine, Esme. Just a little disagreement."
Esme's gaze darted between us, her expression shifting from worry to irritation. "You both need to stop this! It's ridiculous. You're acting like children!"
"I'm just trying to look out for you," Trevor said defensively.
"By treating me like I'm some kind of kid?" she shot back, hands on her hips. "I can handle my own life. I choose who I spend my time with, and right now, I choose Caleb!"
"Really?" Trevor raised an eyebrow. "You think you know what's best for you? You don't even know what you're getting into!"
"And you do?" Esme countered, stepping closer to him, her voice growing louder. "You're just trying to control everything. I'm tired of it, Trevor!"
"I'm not trying to control you!" he insisted, frustration evident. "I'm just trying to protect you from making a mistake!"
"I'm not making a mistake!" Esme's voice shook with anger. "You don't get to decide what's best for me. I'm not a child, and I'm done being treated like one!"
The tension in the room exploded, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of pride at Esme's defiance. She was standing up for herself, and it was about time.
Trevor opened his mouth to argue again, but Esme cut him off. "This isn't about you! I want to be able to make my own choices!"
"Yeah, and those choices include running off with a guy like him?" Trevor shot back, his voice full of disbelief. "Do you really think that's smart?"
I stepped closer, feeling the heat of the moment. "Maybe she wants someone who actually respects her choices, Trevor. Someone who sees her for who she is, not just as your sister."
Trevor's expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it with anger. "You don't know her like I do. You're just playing a game."
"Game?" I echoed, incredulous. "This is not a game to me. I'm trying to give her the freedom she deserves."
"Freedom?" Trevor's voice rose again. "You mean freedom to make stupid decisions?"
"Enough!" Esme shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Both of you need to stop this! I'm tired of being caught in the middle of your bullshit.
The silence that followed was deafening, and Trevor's expression shifted from anger to something else—concern? Confusion? I couldn't tell. But as I looked at Esme, I felt a swell of pride.
"Do you hear yourself?" Trevor finally said, his voice lowering. "You're not thinking clearly. You need to be careful."
"Careful?" Esme shot back, her defiance palpable. "I will be. But I refuse to let you dictate my life any longer."
I stepped beside her, a protective instinct rising within me. "Esme's right, Trevor. You need to let her be her own person. You can't control everything she does."
Trevor clenched his jaw, frustration evident on his face. "I'm not going to stand by and let you mess with her head. I know you're not good for her."
"Good for her?" I growled, feeling the anger boil over. "You think you know what's good for her? You're too busy trying to be her knight in shining armor instead of being her brother."
"Watch your mouth," Trevor warned, taking a step toward me.
"Or what?" I challenged, fists clenching at my sides. "You think you can scare me? I've dealt with worse than you."
"You're right," Trevor replied, stepping closer, eyes narrowed. "I'm not scared of you. You're just a kid playing dress-up."
"Kids don't throw punches," I snapped, adrenaline fueling my anger. "You want to go, Trevor? I'm not afraid to settle this right now."
Trevor's eyes flashed with fury. "You think you can just walk in and play the hero? You don't know what you're getting into!"
I took a step forward, ready to let loose. "Oh, I already got a taste of her! She's not some innocent girl you can keep locked away!"
Trevor lunged at me, fists swinging, and suddenly, we were on the floor, grappling with each other, the tension of the argument exploding into violence. The chaos of the fight erupted in the small room, and the security officers rushed back in, yelling for us to stop.
"Enough!" one of them shouted, pulling us apart as we struggled against each other.
"Get off me!" I growled, trying to shake free.
Trevor glared at me, breathing heavily. "This isn't over, Caleb."
As they dragged us apart, I could see Esme standing there, her expression a mix of shock and disappointment. I knew I had crossed a line, and the consequences were only beginning. But in that moment, all I could think about was how fiercely she had stood up for herself, and how far I was willing to go to protect her—regardless of the fallout.
