AllFreeNovel
Share Us
12
Danny recuperates with nasty blue bruises up and down his arms and legs. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t get chosen for any of the events, but the other chiefs dominate the finals, with positions in the caber toss, hammer throw, stone put, and tug o’ war.
We curl up together in the library one rainy afternoon during a free period before English. Danny applies ointment to each bruise in between bouts of studying harmonic resonance in wave theory.
It’s only the first week back at Lochkelvin but already the homework is piling up. I have three essays to write, plus assignments and examples to work through in physics and math, and don’t even ask about politics. Dr. Moncrieff seems to have decided that the best way to answer awkward questions is to avoid them entirely and load us down with obscure research topics, perhaps in a bid to remind us all who’s boss — and who, ultimately, controls our marks. This means I have to read the chapters in my politics textbook in advance, anticipating what hot new topic Dr. Moncrieff will torture us with this week, while catching up on the shockingly large amount of material I failed to grasp in the previous lesson.
I’m already zoning out in class, wishing I were catching the rays of brilliant sunshine in Edinburgh. My festive summer spirit has already been squeezed dry by the machinations of Lochkelvin.
If I’m to achieve top marks, the year ahead is going to be a struggle and a half. I may as well just banish the chiefs from my life and confine myself to the library, even though it’s the very last thing I want.
I want to lie naked in bed with them. I want to kiss them.
I want to love them. I want them to love me back.
I wantthem.
I drop my pen to my notebook, rubbing my tired eyes, all the while images intrude on my mind. Arms wrapped around my waist. Lips caressing my neck. Fingers brushing my folds. Wet, naked skin glistening in the shower. Boys kissing boys kissing me.
My thighs grind together. Who the hell thought it appropriate for the most important exams of our lives to coincide with this hormonal onslaught?
“Boo.”
I jump about a foot into the air, knocking Danny’s tube of ointment from his hand. When I whip my head around, Finlay’s grinning from ear to ear.
“Coupla geeks in here or whit?” He beams brightly at me, like he deserves a reward for frightening me, but really I just want to chuck my politics textbook at his stupid pretty head.
“What thefuckwas that for?”
Finlay just laughs at me, his green eyes dancing playfully. “Ye really are gettin’ a mouth on ye, sassenach. I’m gonnae take credit for it, if ye dinnae mind. I kinda like it.” When he notices Danny’s outstretched arm reaching for the tube of ointment, he tuts softly. “Sorry, pal. Dinnae know it was that bad.”
“It’s not,” Danny lies, tugging down his sleeve. He does that sometimes, tries to look tough in front of the other chiefs. I don’t understand why. The chiefs are different enough that he doesn’t need to fill the role of strong, fearless warrior — but then he’s read so many comic books that perhaps he believes it’s his destiny. “What’s that you’ve got?” he asks, glancing down at the bundle of newspapers tucked beneath Finlay’s right arm as if to shift the attention away from him.
Finlay’s expression darkens. “Seein’ whit the narrative — and I hate that fuckin’ word — is fae the press. It isnae lookin’ good for Luke.”
I frown. “Why not? It should be over and done with. He abdicated.”
“So he says.” Finlay unrolls a copy ofThe Daily Telegraph. The headline readsAbdication Video ‘Fake,’ Claims Antiro.
“Fake?! What the hell? We werethere.”
Finlay scans the article. “The wee fannies think it’s a’ CGI and deepfakes. Think they’re aff livin’ in some alternate reality and the deep state’s oot tae get them.” He rolls the paper back up tightly again, as if to get rid of it by putting it into the most narrow cylinder. “If ye’rethatparanoid about the truth, I figure ye must be somethin’ o’ a lyin’ wee prick yerself. Anyway,” he adds brightly, “walk ye tae English?”
I glance at the clock on the library wall. Time has slipped faster than I realized. “Sure.” I pack away my books, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly restricted. I don’t want to go to English class. I don’t want to be at Lochkelvin atall. I want to be out there, helping to fight the lies against Luke. I wastherewith Luke… we’d spent the whole damn day together recording his speech…
And afterward, to take it off his mind, Danny, Luke and I had collapsed into bed, an exhausted knot of limbs and sheer release.
To have it called fakehurts.
As soon as we approach the classroom, Finlay hangs back. He gestures at Danny to go into class, which he does, looking back at us in confusion. Finlay holds my wrists, glancing around at all the people streaming into the room. He drags me down one of the side corridors and, just when I’m about to ask him what’s up, Finlay kisses me soundly.
It’s an outpouring, a release of pure pent-up affection. His mouth is hungry for mine, and mine for his. We kiss almost violently, the same passionate way he’d devoured sugar from my skin.
“Forget whit I telt ye,” Finlay whispers huskily, kissing the arch of my eyebrows as if in a bid to lessen my frown. “I want ye tae concentrate on gettin’ good grades. None o’ this politics shite. Just ignore it, sassenach.We’lldeal wi’ it.”
“But—”
“I’m serious,” Finlay says, and it’s true: hedoeslook more serious than he has all day. He plants a kiss on my forehead. “Ye deserve tae be happy and a million miles away fae a’ this daft shite.”
