“Withtongue,” another one of the girls from St. Bernadette’s chimed in. This one took a seat next to Hugh and dusted a piece of imaginary fluff from his T-shirt. “Who’s up for it?”
I didn’t know about spin the bottle, but I knew with absolute certainty that I was up for ripping her hand off if she kept touchingmybest friend.
Fury rose up inside of me at a rapid rate, and I balled my hands into fists at my sides to stop myself from grabbing her stupid red hair.
That was a problem I had: obsessing over things I loved the most. It wasn’t something I had control over. When I felt things, I felt them with every part of my heart. When I was sad or cross, it was the same. I couldn’t be steady or still in myself. I felt the full wrath of my emotions at any given chance. And right now, I was feeling incensed becauseshewas touching the personIloved most in the world.
I wanted to stand up, march over to where they were sitting, and shove her away from him. I wanted to screamhe’s mineat the top of my lungs, but Icouldn’tbecause hewasn’t.
Hugh kissed me that day in the cave, but a month had gone by since the trip to the coast, and he hadn’t brought it up once.
In fact, a small part of me wondered if the kiss in the fairy cave really happened or if it was just another figment of my disastrous imagination.
Anxious, I sat cross-legged on the grass and pressed my fingers to my temples. I was doing well this summer, and I’d been taking my medication every day without fail, but I could never be sure of myself. I always had an inkling of doubt.
I was so deep in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed the circle everyone had formed on the grass.
A circle that I found myself in, sitting opposite Hugh.
“You okay, Lizzie?” Marybeth asked in a gentle voice while she and her twin sister sat on either side of me. “Do you have a headache?”
“No, I’m fine.” Forcing a smile, I clasped my hands together. “It’s all good.”
FINISH YOUR TANORA AND SPIN THE BLOODY BOTTLE
Hugh
JULY 31, 1999
“HUGHIE!” ROBBIEMAC SHOUTED. “FINISH YOURTANORA AND SPIN THE BLOODYbottle, lad.”
Feeling uncomfortable, I chugged the last fizzy drop in my bottle, re-screwed the cap, and tossed the bottle in his direction.
No way in hell was I taking the first turn.
Dammit, I should have asked Liz to be my girlfriend when we were on holidays. If I had, then I wouldn’t be sitting in a circle with my friends, trying to mask a panic attack.
Because Iwasfucking panicking.
Every time one of the lads spun that damn bottle, I thought I might die. I wasn’t sure how I would react if it landed on her. Would I be able to sit still and watch someone else kiss her?
I doubted it.
Fourteen spins of the bottle around the circle, and I found myself with the bottle in hand, ready to take my first turn.
Please Jesus, don’t let it land on the touchy-feely redhead.
Please, God, save me from this mess.
I’ll do anything if you just make that bottle stop on…
“Lizzie!” the girls cheered, and my pulse skyrocketed when I saw that my spin had landed onher.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jesus!
“There’s no way you haven’t kissed her before anyway,” Danny challenged, sounding peeved.
I didn’t answer him about whether Liz and I had kissed before because it wasn’t his business. To be fair, though, I would be pissed too if he got to kiss Liz while I had to kissBernadette Brady.
