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PROLOGUE
THE MEET CUTE
AUGUST 30TH1999
JOEY
“All you needto do is keep your head down and your temper reigned in. You’re a smart kid. You’ve got this. Just keep that tongue of yours in check and don’t react to any nonsense. Do you want me to walk in with you?”
“Do I fuck.”
“It’s okay to be nervous, Joe.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“And it’s okay to be scared, too.”
“Do I look like I’m scared?” I growled, aggravated by his incessant coddling. “I’m not a baby, Dar.”
“I know you’re not,” my big brother conceded, as we walked up the path to Ballylaggin Community School – a journey he had taken every weekday for the past six years. His time at secondary school was over now, while mine was just beginning. “I justneedthis to go well for you.”
“Yeah,” I snorted. “Well, we both know that’s not going to happen.”
“This is your fresh start, Joey,” he said. “Whatever happened in primary school is behind you now. Don’t carry any of that trouble with you.”
“There’s no such thing as fresh starts,” I drawled. “Just different locations filled with the same bullshit.”
“You’re too young to be this cynical.”
“And you’re too smart to waste your time and breath on this pep talk,” I countered. “I’m not Shannon, lad. I don’t need the words or the hand-holding.”
“Is it so wrong of me to want to see you off on your first day of secondary school?”
“You could have done that back at the house,” I reminded him. “You didn’t need to walk me to school. I’m not a baby.”
“You’re my baby brother.”
“I’ve never been a baby anything, Dar.”
“Always so self-sufficient.” Shaking his head, he gave me a sad smile. “Well, maybe I wanted to spend some extra time with you.”
“We share a room,” I deadpanned, shifting the ton of bricks that was my school bag onto my other shoulder. “We already spend enough time together.”
“I love you, Joe,” he threw me by saying. “You know that, right?”
“Youloveme?” Feet faltering, I turned to look up at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” he replied, tone thick with emotion. “I’m just… I need you to know that.”
“Why?” I demanded, feeling unnerved by his sudden declaration. It was out of place and felt all wrong to me. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing.” Smiling, he reached down and ruffled my hair. “Nothing’s happening, shithead. I just wanted to tell you.”
“Okay…” I eyed him suspiciously, not sure if I entirely believed him. “But if you eventhinkabout hugging me in front of all these people, I will kick you in the nuts.”
“Your voice is starting to break,” he chuckled. “My baby brother is growing up.”
“I don’t need a deep voice to kick your ass,” I shot back, hackles rising.
