“Are we still on for our morning run tomorrow?” Sam asked, leaning against the locker next to Dylan’s.

“Yeah, but I’ve got to drop into work first, so I’ll meet you at the entrance to Phoenix Park around ten,” Dylan replied as he pulled several books out of his bag.

I tried to feel happy that their runs had become a weekly event, but I was a little distracted by Kirsty and her friends. Like usual, they stood just a few lockers down, whispering to each other and snickering, obviously being mean about me. It was a regular occurrence that I tried to ignore, but ever since Dylan’s public rejection of her, she was constantly shooting me dirty looks and slagging me off to people. It wasn’t so bad when compared with the sheer hatred she aimed at Dylan, but still. The girl could hold a serious grudge. I mean, even after all these weeks she was still feeling sore.

I frowned, distracted, as a lump formed in my throat. I felt like saying something to her. I just hated tension and her animosity was so pointless. It wasn’t going to achieve anything. Before I could summon up the courage, she and her friends walked away. I slumped back against the wall and let out a frustrated sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Dylan asked, sensing my agitation.

He came and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, but I shook myself out of it. “Nothing. Let’s get to class.”

Later that day, on my way to Biology, I crossed paths with Kirsty again. Well, not so much crossed paths. More like I walked by her, and she didn’t notice me. It wasn’t the time to approach and have a word though, because she was snuggling up to Jackson Keegan. Was he her boyfriend now? Ugh.

She whispered something in his ear and he nodded, listening intently. I tried not to be too worried about such a vile pairing, because those two were so awful they probably deserved each other. Or maybe their shared awfulness would cancel itself out.

Yeah, probably not.

* * *

“You’re really pulling out all the stops,” Amy commented as I put together a picnic for Dylan and me. I had cheese and grapes and tiny sandwiches. I even bought a bottle of cheap Prosecco at the off-licence without getting asked for ID. Happy days.

“Dylan’s been studying so hard. He deserves a treat,” I replied. I’d decided to surprise him with a picnic date, and it wasn’t even his birthday. Yep, I was the perfect girlfriend. He was staying late after school for a study session, so I’d gone home to make a head start on my surprise.

“If you ask me, he’ll be happy with a cheeseburger and a handy J,” Amy said and I chuckled.

“Classy. Now why didn’t I think of that?”

Over the last few weeks, Amy and I had become friends. Not best friends, mind, but friends nonetheless. She liked to pop over and comment sarcastically on whatever I was doing. It was our thing.

“Because you lack creativity, obviously,” she replied, teasing me.

“How has everything been going with Eddie, by the way?” I asked.

After our conversation at Conor’s birthday, I’d turned my hand to matchmaking and set Amy up with a boy she fancied from school. They’d gone out a few times, so I wondered if it was getting serious. The romantic in me enjoyed the idea of being the one who brought them together.

“It’s going fine. We’ve had a few snogs, but I’ve decided to keep it casual. I’m not looking for a boyfriend. I mean, I’ll be leaving in the summer anyway.”

My chest deflated in disappointment, both because she was keeping it casual with Eddie and because she was leaving the Villas. When the school year ended, Amy was moving to Wexford to work for her uncle’s company, which sold farming equipment. I couldn’t exactly see her being a good sales rep, but she seemed excited for the job. Or maybe she was just excited to have a regular wage. Either way, I was going to miss her, especially given we’d only just gotten to know each other.

“I’m going to miss you when you leave this summer.”

She rolled her eyes. “Piss off.”

I set down the napkins I was folding. “No, really. I am. You have to let me visit.”

“Sure. If you don’t mind my Steve Buscemi-looking cousins coming onto you. My aunt had five boys. She was so desperate for a girl that she kept trying, but every time out popped another tiny penis.”

I chuckled and grimaced. “Nice.”

“You know I don’t censor.”

“Yes, and it’s why I love you. Come here.”

“No. You’ve got an amorous look in your eye. I don’t like it.”

“I want to give you a hug.”

“Hard pass.”

Before she could protest further, I came at her and threw my hands around her shoulders. She went quiet, but she let me hug her. I knew she liked the affection, she just wouldn’t admit it.

There was a knock at the door, and I let go of Amy to answer it. I flung it open and practically jumped on Dylan when I saw him. He chuckled as he held me in his grip.

“Now, there’s a warm welcome,” he murmured and dipped to give me a kiss.

“How did you do on your chemistry project?”

A grin spread across his face. “Aced it.”

I smiled. “I knew you would.”

I pressed my mouth to his neck, and he made a low rumble. “Why don’t we go into your bedroom?” he whispered just as Amy popped her head around the corner.

“Oh, knock yourselves out. I’m leaving anyway. Well done on your project and all that.”

She slipped by us and out the door. Dylan returned his gaze to me and waggled his brows. “Well, now that we’re all alone . . .”

I poked him in the chest. “No bedroom shenanigans. I have a surprise planned, but first, you need to go home and shower. You’ve been sitting in a stuffy classroom all day and you stink.”

“Hey,” he protested, but he was still smiling.

“You know I’m right. Now go on, shower and meet me on the roof in thirty minutes.”

His grin was devilish. “Is that where I’m getting my surprise?”

“It might be.”

“Okay, but it better be good.” He winked and I swiped him on the arse as he left. He chuckled all the way out the door. I loved when he was like this, cheerful and flirtatious. I was seeing less and less of the cynical, moody Dylan, and I liked to think our relationship made him feel like life wasn’t so bad.

There was something that felt so natural and pure about being with him. When we were together, all our troubles seemed less consuming. It really was like having a soulmate, and there was this constant light and airy feeling inside me now.

The only thing that tainted it was the thought of him leaving. But maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he’d come to realise that forging a life here in Dublin wasn’t such an awful prospect . . . maybe.

I shook myself from my thoughts and changed into my best sundress and a cardigan. Gathering everything I’d prepared for the picnic, I headed to the roof to set up before Dylan got there. I spread the blanket on the concrete, then placed a small arrangement of flowers in the middle. When I was done, I stood back to admire my handiwork.

“You made us a picnic?” came Dylan’s voice from behind. I turned and shot him a smile. He’d changed out of his uniform and into some jeans and a T-shirt, his hair still damp from the shower.

He was so beautiful.

I knew it wasn’t exactly the right word to describe a boy, but he was beautiful to me. I loved everything about his face, from the slightly crooked line of his nose, to the indent between his eyebrows, to his masculine-shaped lips.

“Yep. Do you like it?”

“Of course, I do,” he replied and sat. He tugged me onto his lap and plucked a grape from the container. He brought it to my mouth, and I ate it happily.

“I can’t wait to spend this summer with you,” he said and my heart skipped a beat. Did that mean he wasn’t leaving?

I looked away and bit my lip as I asked quietly, “You’re staying?”

He caught my chin between his thumb and forefinger and brought my eyes back to his. “I can’t leave. Not without you.”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll go full-time at work, keep saving until you finish school. Then we can leave together.”

“But Dylan, I told you I can’t. I have Gran to care for and—”

“Hush,” he said and pressed a finger to my lips. “Let’s not worry about all that right now. You’ve made an amazing picnic and the weather is good for once. For tonight, let’s just enjoy living in the moment.”

Hmm, I did like the sound of that. Sometimes it was exhausting when your brain wouldn’t stop churning over. We ate and chatted about what we might do when school broke for the summer. It was still months away, but it was nice to make plans.

Dylan pulled me to lie down, and I cuddled into his side as we stared at the sky. It was getting dark, but there weren’t any stars yet.

“I got a missed call from my mam a few days ago,” I said, my voice quiet.

Dylan stroked my arm peacefully when his movements stilled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. I just didn’t really know what to think. I can’t imagine why she’d call.”

“Maybe she wants to visit.”

“When she wants to visit she doesn’t call, she just turns up,” I said and fell silent. We didn’t speak for a moment. “I called her the other week, but hung up before she could answer. I was upset with Yvonne and I . . . I don’t know. I guess I was just feeling sorry for myself.”

Dylan’s stroking started again. “Do you want to see her?”

I shook my head. “Not really. She’s not a very nice person.”

“If my mam were still alive, I’d want to see her, even if she wasn’t a nice person.”

“But your mam was nice. You don’t know what it’s like when they just leave. Yvonne’s love was the only thing that stitched me back together. When Mam left, when I realised that she’d been wanting to leave for so long, my heart broke.”

“You can’t forgive her,” Dylan said, like he understood.

“No,” I whispered. “I don’t think I can.”

“Then it’s simple, don’t answer her calls.”

“What if she shows up though?”

“Then you can come stay with me until she leaves again.”

I smiled. “Not sure your dad would agree to that.”

“My dad loves you. He wouldn’t mind.”

I arched a brow. “He wouldn’t love the idea of me sleeping in your bed and that’s a fact.”

Dylan traced the line of my jaw with his finger. “Hmm, you’re probably right. I can’t wait until we have our own place and can sleep together every night.”

I grinned. “Oh really? Tell me more.”

“There’ll be a strict no-pyjama policy. Also, oral sex every night. For both of us.”

“Well, how can I argue with that?”

He bent to give me a kiss and whispered. “You can’t.”

The kiss deepened, and before I knew it I was squirming beneath him, wishing we were somewhere more private. Dylan’s phone buzzed, distracting us. I broke away and caught my breath as I told him to check who it was. He opened the message and grinned.

“What is it?” I asked and peeked over his shoulder. He hid the screen from my view.

“Don’t think I’m supposed to show you.”

“Oh, come on, now you have to,” I said and reached for the phone.

He held it in the air, so I couldn’t get to it. I struggled again, but he only held it higher.

“Now, now, don’t be nosy,” Dylan chided as I stretched across his body, reaching for the phone but finding no purchase. His hard chest beneath me was a little distracting, but I was determined to find out what the text said.

“Fine,” I huffed, giving up. “You keep your secrets. See if I care.”

Dylan let out a sigh. “Okay, I’ll show you. But only because you’ve told me before that you don’t like big surprises.”

I narrowed my gaze curiously as I took the offered phone. It was a group text from Sam.

OKAY, LISTEN UP, PEEPS. It’s our girl Evelyn’s B-day in two weeks and I’m planning a big old-fashioned knees up. Yvonne’s keeping her out of the flat all day so that we can decorate, and I’ll need all your help. Be there at 12pm sharp or consider yourself blacklisted by yours truly. Sam. Xoxo.

“Oh, that sneaky little . . .”

“He just wants to do something nice for you,” Dylan said. “Why didn’t you say your birthday was coming up?”

I blew out a breath. “I honestly didn’t even think of it.”

Dylan rubbed his chin ponderously, a twinkle in his eye. “Now I’ve got to think of something special to do for you.”

“You don’t need to do anything, just be you. That’s special enough for me.”

He grinned and pulled my mouth in for a soft kiss. “God, we make me sick sometimes.”

I chuckled. “We make me sick sometimes, too.”