Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Einin’s Da lives in London, in some posh house with a maid and a swimmin’ pool. Even though I know it’s for the best, for her education, I can’t help but have the anger simmerin’ deep in my gut. No matter which school she goes to, she’ll excel, but he’s convinced she needs to be in the Big Smoke.
We stare at our names. Einin’s hand slides against mine, and our fingers tangle. Havin’ a friend like her has been a challenge over the past few weeks, but I know if I don’t take a chance now, I’m goin’ta regret it all my life.
Slowly, I turn to face her before releasin’ her hand and cuppin’ her face. There are tears shinin’ in her eyes. The moment she blinks, they’ll trickle down her cheeks, much like the day I overheard her ma tellin’ her she’s leavin’. Einin didn’t know I was standin’ at the door, and I ended up walkin’ away. When I should have stayed, held her.
“I made a mistake,” I tell her. “I should have never left you with her that day.”
“It wasn’t yer fault,” she insists, the same way she’s done for the past week since we both realised she’ll not be here for the new school year.
I sigh, knowin’ I’m about to complicate things. But I do it anyway. Leanin’ in, I place my lips on hers. I don’t know if she’s in shock at me kissin’ her, or if she’s reciprocatin’, but she doesn’t push me away. Her lips part, and I take it as an invitation.
Suddenly, her arms are around my neck, twinin’ tightly, and I allow my hands to trail down to her arse. Grippin’ her, I lift her against me. She’s so slight. My body cocoons hers as I hold on to her.
When I pull away, we’re both pantin’. Her eyes glazed over and her pupils dilated. My hands are still holdin’ on to her arse, and it feels perfect to have her against me. Einin fits me. There’s no other way about it. She’s mine. She was made to be mine.
“I…” Her lips are swollen, wet, allurin’. I want to capture them again. But I don’t. Before I can say anything, she whispers, “We shouldn’t have done that. It’s going to ruin every—”
“It’s not ruined anythin’,” I tell her while shakin’ my head. “We needed to know.”
“Know what?” Even though she seems worried, she doesn’t let go of me, and I don’t release her. I don’t want to, ever. But I know the moment we get back into town, she’s goin’ to have to leave. She’ll walk away, and I won’t see her again for at least a year.
“Promise me ye’ll write to me,” I say, ignorin’ the question she posed. “I need to know ye’re okay, wee bird.” The need to protect her runs through my veins. I’m pretty sure it always will.
My request makes her smile. “Aye,” she whispers before pressin’ her lips to mine, briefly. “I promise ye, big man,” she teases, usin’ the nickname she gave me one night.
When I asked her why the name, she explained that when we first met at nine years old. I was so much taller than her. And she was convinced I was all grown up. Einin admitted she’d called me that in her head ever since.
“Good.” I pull her to her feet and take her hand. That went better than I expected. At least she didn’t smack me for kissin’ her. But with every step closer to my bike, the agony in my stomach churns.
She’s goin’ ta walk away, and there’s nothin’ I can do about it.
ONE
TYE
A broken heart is as bad as bein’ gutted while awake.
There are no fairy tales in my world.
On my sixteenth birthday, I said goodbye to my best friend. I watched her walk away, and I let her because I was stuck in a small town with no options but to finish school.
As much as I wanted to follow, I knew I couldn’t. There was never a choice in the matter. She was goin’ to leave, anyway. There were better things out there for her, and I knew it. She couldn’t stay in Ballycastle. As beautiful as the town is, there’s not much opportunity for a free spirit. So, instead of tellin’ her the one thing I knew I should have, I kept my mouth shut, and I focused on followin’ in Da’s footsteps. It’s stupid when I think about it now.
But the name on the computer screen takes me back to that day. Since then, till now, seven years later, she still makes me want more. When I turned away from the bus pullin’ out of town, I knew I would never be the same. And even though I worked for Da until he sold the shop, I was never happy again.