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

He was having a hard time watching the road, as he wanted to look at her. But he favored her safety more than his own selfish desires, so he kept them glued in front of him. 

"Libia," He murmured as he reached over and turned the radio down, and her eyes opened, glad for the distraction against falling asleep.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about your family."

She tilted her head backwards to stair at the ceiling, murmuring, "What do you want to know?"

"What are your grandparents like? Do you have any Uncles or Aunts?"

She smiled slightly. "My mom was an only child, but my dad has four siblings, two older, and two younger. My grandparents on my mother's side were like second parents to me. My grandmother on my dad's side passed away before I was born, and I don't know Grandpa Chris well because dad doesn't talk to him much. Granny Fillis and Grandpa Gray loved us very much. But Granny had been battling with cancer for years, and the treatments were too harsh on her frail body. She died very suddenly, and I think it hurt Grandpa very much, because he fell deep down into depression. I didn't think it was possible to die of a broken heart, but just a year after Granny passed, he went with her. It hit us all hard," She paused to wait for the lump in her throat to clear.

"I'm sorry," He murmured, his voice soft.

She squeezed his hand, which he'd slid back into hers a while ago. 

"Now I have three Aunts - Dani, Janis, and Reese - and one Uncle - Lee - who is the eldest of the five of them including my dad, but dad only speaks to Lee, and Reese. Dani, Janis, Grandpa Chris and Dad had a bunch of drama happen around the time that he married my mom, and they haven't spoken since. To this day, the story of their fight is legendary at our family get-together's, so I'm sure that you'll hear it when I bring you this year-,"

"Wait, you were serious about that?" Damon interrupted, looking at her with an amused smile.

"Of course I was! It's going to be hilarious to watch you sweat - for some reason they're all really protective of me."

He glanced at her, the way her brown eyes seemed to burrow down into his heart and warm him to the core, and how small and fragile she looked beside him. He knew the reason.

"Anyway, my Uncle Lee is a funny guy - He's really witty, and just pops off with jokes that most times aren't appropriate at all to the situations. Aunt Reese has to smack him a lot. She's a lot more conservative and likes to dress me up in fancy clothes when she gets the chance - says I'm the perfect model because I look like a doll," She scoffed, but she had a fond look on her face. She missed them.

Damon wanted to look at her face as she explained, so he pulled into a rest stop as they'd just gotten out of the outskirts of town, and shut off the car, turning to her.

She tilted her head at him, wondering what he was doing, and he held out a gesturing hand. "Go on."

She gave a puzzled smile, but didn't ask, instead continuing like he told her to.

"Now my mother may not have that many siblings, but all of the old friends my mother has from her high school have basically become family to us. Uncle Jason has always come to the reunions and been a big part of our lives. He's always been like a second father to me - giving me advice, taking me out fishing early in the mornings before breakfast at the usual meeting place for the family. He taught me things that my dad never could - not to say that he tried to replace him, or that he was better than him, or anything, it's just that...Uncle Jason became somewhat of a best friend to me. Aunt Izzy has been my mother's best friend for as long as she's lived in our home town. I believe if they had the time they'd make the trip to see each other more often. I know how much mom misses her. Izzy is crazy, and always goes with the flow. She refuses to get married because she says that marriage is a responsibility that she'll take on when she's seen all that she wants to. She comes to every reunion, even when she's all the way across the world, she'll suddenly just pop in and surprise us. I've never seen Izzy without a smile on her face accept for once, after...well after my dad left my mom. She came home after she heard the news, and I remember that's the most serious I'd ever seen her, and the most furious. I hope I never have to see it again. That look on her face, on my mom's face...it's not something that you can just let go, you know?" Libia was suddenly serious, staring out the windshield as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. 

"Yeah," He let out a gentle sigh, "I know."

She let out a deep breath, before turning her head to look at him. "The cousins," She continued, "Are who you really need to worry about. Sherry, first and foremost, is a girl I've known since childhood, although she's my second cousin and a good few years older than me, she's extremely protective of me, like, lioness protective. You've been warned."

He furrowed his eyebrows in worry, and she giggled. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

And then we have Vincent who isn't actually a cousin, but he's a friend of a cousin who lives with said cousin's parents, so he's technically family. Jennifer, who is a sweet girl, can play the piano like no other - she's around eight years old, and I swear the kid's a prodigy. Then there's Chrissy, and she's as sassy as she can be - get's it from her Mom, Reese. Reese brings all of the cousins because they're the children of my fore mentioned Aunt's and Uncles that don't speak to my father anymore - and they like the reunions so they come despite the drama between their Uncle. They feel it's not their problem and I agree. A bunch of childish butt heads if you ask me," Libia shook her head with a roll of her eyes, "They've all got harder heads than a billy goat."

He let out a laugh, and she smiled. 

"I honestly can't wait to meet them, as afraid of this cousin as I am."

She couldn't help but laugh as she grinned over at him, and he laughed with her, relaxing against the seat.

"So, I have to ask, when do you usually have these family get together's?"

"Every year on the fifteenth of October."

He tilted his head.

"But the fifteenth...," He looked at her, "That's in two weeks!"

She smiled, a little sheepishly. "Yeah. We try to do it on a weekend so the kids can come."

He took in a deep breath, and she watched with raised eyebrows, and amused smile on her face.

"Okay. Two weeks. That's enough time...right?"

"Enough time for what?" She asked, taking his hand in both of hers as she tried to contain her smile.

"To prepare for death."

She couldn't help it - she let out a laugh that filled the car.

The next hour was full of light banter, and laughter. Libia teased Damon about the trip in two weeks mercilessly, and he took it like a man...with a pout of his face and the silent treatment. Of course it was only for a few moments, before she leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek which caused a smile to appear. 

Libia expressed to Damon that she was just a bit tired, and he thought about it for a moment, before turning the radio up and flipping stations. He settled on a station that was playing a remixed song. It was upbeat, and Libia found herself enjoying the music, as it kept her awake for the rest of the ride.

Damon spotted a rest stop sign. He decided that would be the perfect place.

When he pulled into the stop, it was empty, without a soul in sight. There was little light, just a few to light up the pathways to the bathrooms and such, and he found the place strangely peaceful.

He shut the car off and turned to Libia, but her eyes had already turned up to the sun roof. They were big as they stared through the glass, mouth open in childlike awe. 

"I haven't seen stars like these since the last time I went star gazing with my dad," She whispered, and her voice was nostalgic.

He took her hand, leaning his seat back. "Come here," He murmured to her, using the electronic lever to push his seat backwards so he could stretch his legs out fully. She tilted her head for a second, before climbing over the center console and into his arms, as he made room for her to lay on her back next to him. The seat was cramped, but she didn't mind, and neither did he, as they stared up at the stars. In the silence, Libia could hear his heart beat, and his breathing clearly. She could feel his pulse against her own, and it was comforting. She didn't want it to end. She was glad she didn't stop him from taking her out here. Even though she was nervous, being completely alone with him, she was also more peaceful than she had ever been. 

"You told me that your dad cheated on your mom. Do you...hate him for it?"

She stared up at the big dipper, and he could still see the sparkle of her eyes in the dark. 

"No. I can't hate him. He obviously loves this woman, that he met. I can't blame him for that. But I resent his actions. Despite loving this woman, he still loves my mom too, just not the way he used to. I can see that he still cares for her. That's why I hate how he handled this. He went behind mom's back, instead of being a responsible, mature- no, instead of manning up and telling mom exactly what was going on. The toll it took on mom....," She took in a deep breath. "I don't hate him. I just...don't like him very much right now."

Damon let out a soft laugh, but it was hardly humorous. "I can understand that."

She turned on her side, and just looked at him for a moment. He didn't ask her why. He didn't speak at all. He only stared back, glad to have the chance to take a good look at her face. She had an extra dark freckle on the left side of her chin, and a piece of her hair fell over her face. She didn't seem to notice it.

"Do you have any good memories with your family?" She murmured, reaching up to trace her fingers along his jaw.

He furrowed his eyebrows, not troubled, but thinking, as he reached up to brush the strand of hair absently from her face. 

"I have...one," He murmured, thoughtful, "At least, that I remember clear enough. It was a time when my family was...at least civil, I think. My parents didn't hate each other as much back then, I suppose I could say. I was around four years old. They took us to see my grandparents. It was the first time I'd met them. My grandpa was a stern man, but I remember when he would see me...I don't know, he would