Whirlwind

(20) starstruck

LIBBY

***

True to his word on our bet, Jasper paid, and as soon as the waitress left us, he stands and leaves the restaurant.

People stare at us as we leave and when the door closes, Jasper goes to the closest window and puts his face right in front of someone else's.

"Hey, come on," I pull his other arm as he flips the person off and tug him towards me.

"Fucking rude, man. They were fucking staring at us the whole time," he tears his arm from mine and wanders on ahead so I'm left trailing behind.

"Jasper!"

"No, Libby don't. Let me vent for a minute. I'll be okay," he huffs, and I can see he has his fists bunched. His knuckles are white as he gripping so hard but I do as he says and give him a few minutes of space.

By the time we get to the truck, or rather I get to the truck, Jasper is at the seafront. He stormed on ahead of me. I tried to keep up but his longer legs just accelerated and I gave up. I made sure he was in eye shot, because I didn't know where I was going, but I think he was doing the same. Every now and again he'd check back behind him, just to check I was still there.

Jasper had parked the truck backwards so I jumped into the bed and leant on the cab of it, waiting for him to finally calm down enough to come talk to me. I don't know how long I waited, but by the team I heard a pair of footsteps it was almost dark.

"I'm sorry," he says, leaning his chin on the truck and draping his arm over.

I stretch over and cup his cheek, smiling and he kisses my palm.

"You okay now?"

"Better. But I wanted to show you something," he gives me a small smile before jumping in next to me and grabbing some blankets.

"Show me what?" I whisper, as the surroundings were eerily quiet.

"Why are you whispering?" He chuckles as he puts his arm around me.

I shrug, leaning into him. "Feels like I should. It's so quiet."

He paints calming strokes up and down my arm and I can sense he's still not recovered, but that he's trying... for me.

"What are we doing?" I ask after we've been quiet for nearly ten minutes.

"Shhh, just wait," he whispers and I swat him as he laughs. He's mocking me.

"Jasper, you're a knob."

"I'm sorry," he chuckles.

I just shake my head and pull a blanket up onto my lap.

"You cold?" He asks, looking down at me. Even in the relative darkness I can see the concern in his eyes.

"A bit," I shrug, burrowing deeper into him as he holds me closer.

We don't say anything much, just holding each other, but soon I realise why he'd brought me out here. I look up at the night sky and I see a shooting star glide across the now-black sky.

This was followed by about twelve other stars gliding across, and then after they'd finished, the stars came out, twinkling brightly and beautifully above us.

"Ja-" the words catch in my throat and tears come to my eyes.

This was the best date I'd been on in... well, ever. No one had ever taken me to the beach, taken me to a nice restaurant and ordered the perfect meal for me. And no one had ever thought to take me star gazing.