AllFreeNovel
Share Us
AOIFE
“Well, you sure know how to make a splash,” Podge said on Friday morning when he joined me at our usual lunch table in the canteen for small break. “The whole place is talking about you, Aoife.”
Yes, the entire student body at BCS was talking about me. Some of the bolder ones were even talking to me, asking me for answers to questions that were nobody’s business. Hell, even one of the substitute teachers asked me if it was true.
Worst of all, Joey wasn’t here.
He hadn’t shown up.
“Is he here yet?” I croaked out, not bothering to acknowledge the obvious. “Was he outside when you went for a smoke at the start of break?”
Grimacing, Podge shook his head. “Not yet. But he’ll be here.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall, feeling my anxiety swell. “It’s ten past eleven, Podge. He’s already after missing the first three classes. School ends at twelve. We only have one class left after lunch.”
“Something must have come up at home.” My boyfriend’s best friend offered me another uncomfortable shrug. “Listen, I know it looks bad, but there’s no way Lynchy would leave ya to deal with the mob on your own unless it was important.”
“Yeah.” Feeling sick to my stomach, I drummed my fingers on the desk and fought back the urge to scream. “That’s what I’m worried about.”
Because I had enough faith in my boyfriend to know that he wouldn’t skip out on me. Joey was a lot of things but he was no coward. Never in his life had he backed down from responsibility, which only caused the anxiety festering inside of me to swell.
Mam had called the Gards last night and reported Teddy. It didn’t take a genius to know that Joey’s absence at school was linked to it.
“That’s her,” a group of baby first years whispered as they hurried past our table, huddled close together. “The pregnant sixth year.”
“Is the guy she’s sitting with the father?”
“I heard she doesn’t know who the father is.”
Damn Miss Lane for giving Casey lunchtime detention. It wasn’t so bad when she was with me during class. She had a mouth like a sailor and an answer for every eejit stupid enough to approach me in the hallway. That mouth had landed her in detention, though, which meant that I was alone and bleeding in the shark tank.
I was grateful to Podge for coming to sit with me. Every other one of my so-called friends was treating me as if pregnancy was contagious. Aside from Casey, it was the boys in my class who were being kind.
The girls were awful.
I hadn’t been summoned to the office for the dreaded talk yet, but I knew there was only time in it before the rumors of my wayward ways reached our principal’s ears.
“How’d Lynchy take the news?” Podge asked, dragging me back to the present. “I tried to call him a few times, but he didn’t answer.”
“Better than could be expected.” I blew out a shaky breath. “Especially after how he found out.”
“Shitty behavior out of your brother,” he offered. “Telling Ricey before Lynchy knew. Jesus, that’s low.”
“Don’t,” I groaned, still feeling sick at the thought. “I’m so done with Kev.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
I blinked. “The plan?”
“Yeah.” Podge nodded. “Are you going to have it?”
“Yes,” I bit out, feeling oddly defensive. “Obviously.”
“Good for you.” Nodding to himself, Podge scooped up a spoonful of yogurt and popped it into his mouth. “He’ll do right by ya.”
“Yeah,” I whispered. “I know he will. It’s just… It’s just a huge mess, you know?”
“I don’t want to even think about it.”
