Whirlwind

(33) back to reality

LIBBY

***

The flight back to Wilmington was set to be more enjoyable this time round than it was before. I had a travel buddy for one thing, but the return had also come with the welcome news that my accommodation had finally been approved and sorted.

Jasper got the call in the evening the day before we were due to fly out, saying we could drop the keys to my flat any time on the 5th January, the day we were landing. So that worked out nicely. I would drop off my keys for the flat, pack up any stuff I left and the plan was to live with Jasper's parents until we found somewhere. I was spending almost every night day with him, so it made the most sense. Plus it would be cheaper.

We'd been looking at places since we got the call, and after just a day we had a viewing for somewhere near campus, a perfect little studio flat, the first afternoon after my classes.

Back in November, Jasper and I had applied to change my campus housing from the apartments to living in the off-campus housing. It was still technically college property, but you had much more freedom. I could still walk to classes, but it was far enough away from campus that it was more private. I love staying at Jasper's, especially because it had a much bigger bed, but I felt awful about not using my accommodation. That was the only bit that my parents were paying for, and I think I could count the number of nights I actually stayed there on my fingers. But we needed our own space. Especially now that we were engaged...

ENGAGED!

Oh my GOD! I could barely believe it. Twenty-one and the unsuspecting film nerd from Loughton, Essex, is going to be marrying brooding, tousled bad boy from North Carolina...?! How the hell did I get to be this lucky?

***

Rob had volunteered to drive us to the airport, as our flight was an evening one this time, and it was great to catch up with him properly about Dylan. So after saying a teary goodbye to Mum and Dad just after lunch, Rob, Jasper and I set off to Heathrow, for our final semester.

As we'd expected, Dylan wasn't there in the morning on New Years Day. We had come down really late, after lunch, but Rob was sitting downstairs with the parents, talking about his evening. So with them both there, I didn't want to quiz him. Dylan seemed really nice when I met him though, and I could see how happy Rob was. I knew he'd tell me, and I wasn't about to push him.

I was so stoked though, and I could barely contain myself. I'd wandered into the living room on New Year's Eve thinking it was just him with one of his friends. But when I came in, they were in the middle of a steamy make-out session, pulling at each other's coats and shirts. I believe it was my squeal that made them spring apart. I think Jasper must have thought I'd been shot, he legged it downstairs so fast. Poor Dylan looked terrified as I jumped at my brother, but I was just so happy for him.

He'd come out two years ago to me, and I knew he'd struggled with it. So I was so incredibly happy that he'd found someone he was happy with. I just wondered how long it had been going on.

"Out with it," Rob says when we've been driving for ten minutes. I'd been wanting to ask him for days but I hadn't found the opportunity yet.

I'm in the front with Jasper stretched out in the back seat, but I hear him chuckle at me. He's wearing a replacement Sherpa jacket that Dad had managed to find last week, after the incident at the football. I look back at him and he winks, making me swoon.

I giggle as I turn back around. "How long has Dylan been in the picture?"

His ears go pink and he bites his lip nervously. "Six months..."