Bad Girl. by E Z (classic novels to read .TXT) 📕

they stared at each other for a few minutes, before Damon gave a stiff, reluctant nod.

Libia grabbed her waters from her lap, and opened the door, she paused to look at him. "Are you staying here?"

Another nod.

"Then wait for me in the waiting room. As soon as my mother gets settled, we'll talk."

He gave no indication of consent, only opened his door and got out of the car.  Libia jumped out with him and they jogged to the entrance. Damon pushed open the door and ushered her in, before he ran in behind her.

Libia started for the front desk, but Damon grabbed her arm, and dragged her close.

"Don't push yourself, Babe."

And she felt the familiar warmth of his lips on her forehead.

when Libia entered the room, her eyes landed on her pale mother. She sat with her eyes on the wall, following something only she could see. When her eyes met Libia's, she smiled.

"Hey," Her mother crooked.

Libia walked father into the room, making her way to the bedside. "Hi mom. How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm on a bad acid trip. Don't ever do acid, by the way," She chuckled in reply.

Libia smiled. "you're loopy. Did Gwen give you that fever medication?"

"Two of 'em," she confirmed with a nod, and then her eyes followed movement on the ceiling, "it's taking a while, though. I feel like Dumbo when he drank all that booze."

"Are they scary?" Libia asked, with a bit of hesitation.

"Were Dumbo's delusions scary? Of course they were! They really need to get an exterminator in here. This hospital is crawling with bugs." Her mother said thoughtfully.

Libia grimaced. Her mother was loopy, and delusional. Wonderful.

"Hey, am I imagining this, or do you look like you got white washed?"

Libia sighed. "you're not imagining it, mom."

"Honey, you look terrible," her mother admonished, shifting in the bed so she could press her hand to her cheek. "You look like death," She said, her voice blunt.

Libia winced at her mother's honesty. "Thanks mom, that makes me feel a lot better about going out there to talk to Damon."

Interest sparked in the woman's eyes. "Damon's out there?"

She nodded in response. "He brought me here."

Her mother nodded, unsurprised, and picked up the remote for her bed, lying herself down. "He's a keeper," She sighed as she closed her eyes.

"Mom? You alright?" Libia asked, worried at the sudden lethargy in her mother.

"Honey, I'm a mother, I've been trained to hide my fatigue and worry since your brother was old enough to speak. The truth is, I'm exhausted, been so since this freaking fever showed it's face. I was about to give up and close my eyes when you walked in." She met eyes with her daughter. "I didn't want you to see me all tired and worn out. A mother's job is to keep her children happy and worry free. But these drugs are having there way with me. You let me sleep, and go see that boy of yours. I'll be fine."

"But-," Libia started.

"No buts," The woman rolled her eyes at her daughter, "I'll be fine. Go."

Sighing, Libia stood, and leaned down to press a kiss to her mother's forehead. "Get plenty of rest, okay?"

Her mother waved her off, smiling slightly. "Go!"

***

Damon felt like pacing. How was he going to explain to her why he left?

The waiting room was empty, the overhead TV chattering on about some unimportant event. The depressing overhead lights served to add to the gloom of the place.

Damon was stumped, leaned over on the small cushioned chair, His forehead in his hands as he tried to think clearly about what he wanted to say. He anticipated seeing her face again, but he also dreaded it, knowing that he would have to tell her how he felt about himself, and more importantly...his plan when they first met.

She was going to hate him. He knew that Johnson would hurt her, anticipated it, even. He stood by and watched it happen.

He was scum.

"Why do you look so worried?" Damon looked up at her arrival, swallowing thickly.

"I am."

Sighing, Libia walked over, and sat down beside him.

She looked into his eyes. "I just want to know the truth, Damon."

He grimaced. "That's why I'm worried."

Libia leaned back, and sat with her arms crossed, waiting. He stared down at the floor, hesitant.

"Libia, before I start any of this, I want to make this crystal clear...I have never thought that I deserved you in any way. You are so far beyond my reach that I...can't even imagine why you give me the time of day," he paused, swallowing.

Libia could only blink, staring at his back with shock, her heart fluttering with flattery, but also wanting to question his words. what did he mean by that? did he mean as a friend...or something more?

Before she could think of anything to say, he continued, "I didn't think you needed a guy like me in your life...but I'm selfish. I'm as selfish as they come, and I wanted you in my life. I only realized how much of a mistake I made the night I went to your house drunk. You don't deserve me, and I'll tell you why - when I first met you, and found out that Johnson had interest in you... I formed a plan. I knew Johnson would do the things he did. I knew, and I decided to wait for it.

"I waited for you to go on a date with the guy, waited for you to get humiliated by the creep, so I could swoop in and save you - change you. Have you for myself. I thought that...that it was the only way you'd give me a chance."

Libia sat, wordless, as the room fell into silence again. She opened her mouth, and then closed it again. Damon waited for her to speak, tense, as he dreaded her next words.

"You...thought that the only way I would accept your presence was...if I was vulnerable?"

He flinched, turning to her. "No! I thought...I thought I could...ugh, I don't know what I thought, I just needed you!"

Again, she was taken aback by his words. "needed...me?"

Damon reached over and grasped Libia's face in his hands. "Libia, I needed you. You were so innocent, so pure-hearted. I needed someone like that in my life. I needed you in my life. I still do!" He said.

She stared into his earnest blue eyes, her own wide with surprise. She hadn't expected what she had just heard at all.

"Damon..."

He released her face, and stood, beginning to pace. "Libia, the only thing you've ever been to me, was amazing. I couldn't imagine why you ever looked at me as if I were your hero...when I was nothing but a man desperate to get the attention of a woman who was leagues above him." He paused in his pacing, turning his eyes to a dumbfounded Libia.

Her mind raced, her heart pounded, and she couldn't form a single word. She was confused, and her eyes were filling with tears for reasons that were unknown to her.

She blinked, and warmth streamed down her cheek, quickly becoming cold. Damon immediately leaned down on his knees in front of her, reaching up to press his palm to her cheek, wiping away the tear.

"I'm sorry, Libia...I know I hurt you. And if you want me to leave--,"

"What...are you talking about?"

Damon furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Libia brought her hands up to his face, cradling it. "Leave? Damon, do you hear yourself? Do you realize how much of an idiot you are?" She laughed at his surprised face. "You really know how to knock a girl on her butt, don't you? Leagues above you? Me? Damon-,"

"Don't deny it, Libia. Don't," Damon paused, and then a sigh escaped his lips. "The truth is, I like you a lot Libia...a lot. I care for you more than I've ever cared about anyone. Did I tell you that my sister kicked me in the shin when I told you what I said to you?"

A startled laugh escaped Libia, and she leaned down, pressing her lips to his. He was so surprised, that it took a moment for him to respond. And then, his mind racing, he wrapped his arms around her, and deepened the kiss.

Libia was almost trembling with nerves, her heart pounding. She didn't realize how much courage it would take to initiate the kiss. And when he didn't respond for the first few seconds, she was sure she had done something wrong, or that he didn't want her that way - that she had misinterpreted his words.

But she found a goldmine of comfort in the arms that began to tighten around her waist, and the warm lips that moved with hers.

"excuse us," Libia felt Damon tense immediately when the woman's voice interrupted the silence, he pulled away, and both of them turned to find a man and a woman.

"Mom. Dad. How did you know I was here?" Libia almost panicked.

Damon had expressed his hatred of his parents many-a-time, when they were together, and now, it seemed, they were putting Libia on their People-We-Hate list as well. aside from her panic, it felt nice to see what features he got from whom. Damon's mother was the one who passed on the blonde locks of his, as they flowed down her back like water. However, her eyes were stark brown. While his hair was silky brown, Damon's father passed on those deep blue eyes. He had his father's strong features, and his mother's lips.

Clutching her waist with one arm, he forced Libia to stand up with him. His muscles were tense, straining. She ran her fingertips between his shoulder blades, trying to calm him some.

"We came to see why we got a call that you had gone "Home" for emergency reasons. We were told by a nice young lady that you had taken a friend to the hospital." His father murmured, flickering a cold glance in Libia's direction.

"Yes. Libia this is my mother, Lisbon, and my father, Rich," He informed her, his voice soft, but she could see the underlying hostility in his eyes.

She rubbed his back meeting his eyes briefly in support, before turning her gaze to his parents. "It's nice to meet you two."

"Wonderful to meet you as well, dear," His mother said, slapping a big fake smile on her face, "Are you currently dating my son?" It was a simple question, but the underlying threat in her tone made her turn her eyes to Damon, and her shy side began to show itself.

In a protective manner, he tightened his arm around her waist, seeing her vulnerable eyes.

"Yes. We are."

Damon turned his gaze back to his parents, and Libia blinked a few times at the joy that swelled in her heart as she processed what he said.

He stared at his parents, daring them to say one negative thing about the girl he loved. But his mother kept that shit-eating smile on her face, and his father only stared in a cold disposition at him