AllFreeNovel
Share Us
FEBRUARY 25TH 2000
AOIFE
“I don’t get it,”Paul said down the line on Friday night, tone impatient. “I told you that I wouldn’t do it again. Why can’t you let it go and meet up with me?”
“Because the last time I met up with you, you told people about our private business,” I shot back, rolling my eyes at his new ground-breaking level of stupid. “I’m still mad at you. You broke my trust. And if I can’t trust you, then I can’t be with you—“
“You can! Youcantrust me,” he urged, quickly changing his tune from hard to groveling. “I’m sorry, babe. I am. It will never happen again.”
“No,” I agreed wholeheartedly, only half-mad because the truth was I only half-cared. “It won’t happen again, because your hand will never get that close to my knickers again, Paul Rice.”
“But I love you.”
“Oh my god.” I rolled my eyes to the heavens. “Get a handle on yourself. We’ve only been going out for a few weeks.”
There was a long pause before the sound of soft laughter filled my ear. “Too far?”
“Just a tad,” I shot back, grinning. “I love you,” I mimicked his earlier declaration. “You big sap. What if I was one of those girls who actually believe the crap boys tell them?”
“Then I might be one step closer to getting my hand back in your knickers?” he asked hopefully.
“Not so much as your pinky finger will get anywhere near my knickers again.”
He laughed down the line before saying, “Listen, there’s an underage disco at the GAA pavilion tomorrow night. Come with me. Let me make it up to you.”
“So, you want to make up being a sleazebag to me by taking me to a sleezy underage disco, where girls line the walls for boys to grope them?” I arched a brow. “Gee, that is so tempting, but no thanks.”
“You’re really going to make me suffer, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I wholeheartedly agreed. “Yes, I am.”
“You liked the necklace I bought you, didn’t you?”
“It was okay,” I mused reaching up to thumb the shiny stud around my neck. “But buying me presents won’t win me over, Paul.”
He sighed down the line. “Aoife.”
“Now off you go, I’m busy.”
“Doing what?”
“People-watching.”
“You’re out?” His tone was curious and laced with jealousy. “With who?”
“My other boyfriend,” I countered, dangling my legs, from my perch on my front garden wall. “Didn’t I mention him before? He’sverytrustworthy.”
“Not funny.”
“It was a joke.”
“Who are you with, Aoife?”
“Nobody,” I laughed. “Night, Paul.”
“No, wait, who are you really with—"
Hanging up, I slid my phone back into my dressing gown pocket and sighed as a familiar wave of strange frustration settled over me.
