Whirlwind

(17) off kilter

LIBBY

***

Him accusing me of cheating on him was unbelievable. Cheating on him when I didn't even know what the hell we even were.

Okay fine, I could have ignored the call from my brother, but that doesn't change anything. Jasper's reaction was not on.

I went out past his parents, ignoring their questioning expressions, grabbed my bags and left. I didn't care if I didn't get home for ages, I wasn't staying here. Not when he's accusing me of something like that. I'm walking home, not caring how long it would take me.

How dare he!

When I open the front door, I can hear a pair of footsteps coming fast after me, and I hate how he's so quick. I mean I'm glad he's followed me this time, but if he thinks I'm going to forgive him easily for accusing me of basically being a slut, he's got another thing coming.

"Lib- Libby wait!" he calls after me.

I don't wait, but I may as well have done because he catches up to me and blocks my path by grabbing both my arms, physically stopping me.

"Let go of me. I'm going home." I try to snatch my arm away but he's too strong. His grip isn't hurting me but it's certainly preventing me from escaping.

"Libby please. I'm sorry," he pleads.

"That's nice. Well I'm not letting it go this time, sunshine." His mouth lifts slightly at my use of my very British phrase, but I give him a stare and he stops. "You just humiliated me. You know that right?!"

He drops his head, ashamed. He does see.

"You never gave me a chance to explain. Although..." I laugh. "He's my brother, so I shouldn't need to explain. You should just trust me."

"How the fuck was I supposed to know?" He shouts. "We haven't exactly had many actual conversations."

"Yeah, and now you've been going off on one and not letting me explain. Yes, we haven't had the bloody conversation but that doesn't give you the right to accuse me of being a slut."

"Libby come on. I wasn't doing that." His voice is softer, but I refuse to back down.

"You still implied it Jasper. And that hurt."

I can feel tears building behind my eyes but I will them away.

"Now I should mention," I continue, making sure there was no further confusion. "I have two brothers. So if I get a call from someone called Andy, that's my other brother. And Michael... that's my dad!"

I rip my arm from his grip. He lets it go but just steps in front of me again.

"Jasper, let me go!" I scream when he grabs my arm again. "Let me go! Please."

"No. I'm not letting you walk home on your own. Not like this. I'm going to stand here. I'm going to stand here and let you scream. But I'm not letting you go. Not again. I'm never letting you go."

Before I can react any further he kisses me again. I try to stop him, to stop myself from kissing him back, but I can't. Like a moth to his flame, not afraid of getting burnt, I melt into him.

His hands move gently from my arms to my hips, moving slowly up my sides to my neck, brushing his thumbs across my skin.

Two minutes of his kissing me and I am beginning to forget what I was angry at him for. But after a few more seconds I pull away.