So Close, and still so far

Chapter 16: Quinn

"Well," Iain said once we return to my house as we walk our way up the path to the front door. "That was interesting."

We've driven inside the car in utter silence. I can't believe he's calm the entire time. I knew he was furious when he discovered me and Neil together, but now he acts like as if nothing's happened. While waiting for him as I was told to do, I sat silently at the car, worrying about the confrontation and how he was going to manage with Neil around. I remember restraining myself from getting out of the car just to check how they were doing.

Doesn't anything ever faze him, I wonder sullenly. The man reunited with someone from his past and he's acting like as if he just visited an old friend. Surely, somewhere inside him he has got to feel something....or remotely anything.

Suddenly, inexplicable rage pours out of me. I was never the confrontational person, or violent but something red-hot just snapped inside me and I needed a good venting. I reckon it must be a combination of pent-up fury from our underlying mutual attraction that's never been expressed, Iain's unwillingness to open up despite how honest I've been with him, my frustration with my parents, Iain, myself, my future at Yale, and while I'm at it, me missing Beth terribly.

Iain turns and was about to ask me something, but he never gets anything out as I launch myself at him, catching him with a headbutt to the stomach and he gives out a grunt. If he had anticipated this move, he would have definitely easily fought me off, but my inner queen bitch nods with satisfaction as I catch him by surprise, knocking him off balance. He trips and I follow, shoving at him until we're both at the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asks as he winces, recovering from the pain of the impact as I'm sprawled on top of his lean, muscular body.

I barely take notice because I'm angry. "How could you be so cold, callous and uncaring?" I shriek.

"What are you talking about?"

"You just met your brother, whom you never knew existed until a few months ago. The only emotion you've shown was anger because you were worried where I have been, and here you are acting like you could care less that you've met Neil? Do you possess any feelings at all? Or is your heart made out of stone?"

I begin whacking him on the chest with my fist.

That felt good.

I do it again.

"Ow! Will you quit doing that," Iain glares at me when he grabs my arm. I'm too pissed to notice that his grip is surprisingly gentle albeit firm.

I try doing it with my other free arm. "He was alone!" Whack. "He took care of your mother." Whack. "Until the day she died, he was there with her." Whack. Whack. "Don't you miss her at all?" Whack. Whack. Whack. "How could you not feel anything after all that?" Whack. Whack. Whack.

He tries to catch the other swinging arm, but I'm too quick for him.

"Oh, so this is about Neil?" Iain asks flatly. His voice has taken a hard edge at the mention of his brother's name. If I wasn't so frustrated with him, I would have realized that Iain sounded jealous and was resentful that I was considering his brother's feelings than his.

"No, you idiot!" I yell as I whack him again at the chest. "This has nothing to do with your brother."

"Then would you mind telling me why you're so angry? Stop hitting me, it's not going to accomplish anything."

He finally succeeds and grabs the other arm. I find myself flipped on my back with Iain on top of me. In this bizarre turn of events, Iain grins unexpectantly. It's the look on his clean-shaven face that stops me momentarily. The expression transforms him. Before he had been handsome in a stern, intimidating way, but now he looks boyish and disheveled as a lock of black-brown hair now falls carelessly on his forehead. I bleakly think of how many women would voluntarily drop their panties over that grin.