“I won’t, I won’t!” I call back down the hallway to Claire. She’d tracked me down all the way in the Fifth Year common room during small break just to remind me—for the third time today—that it was Thursday. Her new photography club ends at half-five, and since Mam doesn’t shut the bakery doors till seven, I was her only ticket home.
I slump back into the sagging armchair I’d been sitting in, glancing suspiciously at JJ. He didn’t look up from his phone during the entire time Claire was standing there, and she hadn’t even glanced his way. There was something very, very wrong with the balance of the universe if Claire Blue and JJ Biggs could pretend each other were invisible.
Something happened. Something not good.
I’ve noticed that they were quiet to each other in the mornings. I’ve noticed JJ has been acting weird. Now I’m totally sure that something had happened—between them—and I need to figure it out.
Fitzy’s getting some books from the library and Finn just ducked out to go to the loo, so now is my best chance to ask J what’s going on.
And I really hope he didn’t do anything by thinking with that dick of his, because I’m not in the mood to kill my best friend today.
I’m not my sister’s keeper, of course, but it is my job to look out for her. JJ is a sound lad with a tad bit of a commitment problem, but I’ve told him before that if he likes Claire I only ask that he doesn’t do anything unless he’s serious about her. No one’s gonna string along my sister, especially not my best mate.
I’ve never seen JJ serious about anything, but Claire’s always been different. The two of them are bound to happen, everyone in town knows it, but I’m going to be making sure he treats her right.
“What the fuck did you do to Claire?” I ask, then take a deep breath because there’s too much heat in my voice.
JJ finally looks up, and I’m startled by the amount of concern etched into his face. “Huh?”
“You and Claire,” I say, calmly and slowly. “She’s fifteen years old and in the entire time she’s been alive you two have never had a proper row. In fact, you can’t go five minutes without ribbing each other, so I want to know what the fuck happened.”
JJ rubs the back of his neck. “Uh... nothing. We’re grand.”
If there’s one thing JJ Biggs can’t do besides drive, it’s lie. I already knew that from growing up and getting caught doing shite we weren’t supposed to numerous times because of him, but a blind man would be able to tell it now.
I lean forward on my elbows. “Tell me.”
JJ hesitates, his gaze darting towards the common room door like he was looking for an exit strategy. Actually, that was exactly what he was doing, because the next thing I know he bolts. He actually fucking runs away, and shoulders past Finnwho’s just returned from the loo. Finn stumbles, cursing and nearly falling into a bin, while I just gape at the empty space where my best mate had been.
My mind races through worst case scenarios. What if he kissed her? What if they shagged? Worse—what if he did something else? Claire’s always been hopelessly smitten with JJ, and JJ’s always been mad for Claire, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t screw up somehow.
And I’ll be damned if I don’t get to the bottom of it.
Finn reaches our normal spot again, still looking at the doorway JJ had raced through. “Christ. What’s that about?”
“Not a fucking clue,” I mutter, the dread pooling in my stomach.
??` ?? ?´?
MOLLY DIDN’T HAVEany idea what was up with them either. And she still said Claire seemed like her normal sunny-self.
That worries me more than anything—my sister pushing down her feelings if she's hurting inside—and I know Molly can tell I’m stressing over it. She gently puts her hand in mine and reassures me Claire would tell me if something was wrong, but I’m not so sure.
I ask Molly if she wants to come over (JJ avoided me the whole rest of the day, so he’s not with us in the car) and I offer to make her dinner as payment for her company. She says sure, that she’ll text her Mom.
It’s nice to have her around, just her presence helping to calm me down. She helps me feed Comet and Atticus, let Comet out into the garden, and rummages through the cupboards with me for dinner ingredients.
“Have ya ever had steak and kidney pie?” I ask, since it’s one of my best dishes and I want to impress her. Focusing on impressing Molly sounds better than dwelling over the thoughts stewing my head.
She wrinkles her nose, which is cute but she’s clearly disgusted. “No, because I’m not a literal psychopath, Niall. Kidney pie? Do you just keep organs in your freezer for fun?”
I laugh, going to check if we have everything we need for it. “It’s a classic, Molly! It’s delicious, I promise. It’s the ultimate comfort food.”
“I dunno. I’m skeptical.”
I step closer to her, giving her my best and most charming grin, letting my eyes drop shamelessly to her lips. “Trust me, Mols. When have I ever steered you wrong?”
??` ?? ?´?
