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“What’s your point here, Gibsie?” Bella demanded, glowering at my best friend.

“My point is fuck off, Bella,” Gibsie told her. “Fuckrightoff, if you want me to get technical. Far, far away to the land ofJohnny doesn’t want to be with you so get a life.”

“You can’t talk to me like that,” she challenged, shaking now.

Gibsie arched a brow. “And why not?”

“Because!” she spat out, flustered. “Because—”

“Because I have a dick and you have a pussy?” he offered knowingly. “Oh, please. I’m a twenty-first-century guy. I support equal rights for everyone, which includes the right for me, a dick owner, to tell a stalkerish female, such as yourself, tofuck off!”

“That was impressive,” Hughie mused.

“I’m an impressive guy,” Gibs shot back with a smirk.

“Jesus,” I muttered, cringing when tears filled her eyes.

“Eight months, Johnny,” she sobbed, looking up at me. “And it’s like this?”

Biting my knuckles, I resisted the urge to scream. “Listen,” I finally said, striving for patience. “This is pointless. I don’t have anything to say to you, and you have nothing I want to hear. I’m not interested. I wasn’t even interested when I wassupposedto be interested. So just…please! I am begging you to just leave me alone, Bella.Please.”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

“And that’s what you want? For me to just walk away?”

Dear god…“Yes!”

“Fine!” she screamed, crocodile tears miraculously gone now as she glared up at me. “You want me out of your life, Johnny Kavanagh? Fine. Consider me gone!”

I released a huge sigh and sagged in relief. “Thank you.” Obviously, I didn’t give Bella the reaction she wanted because she narrowed her eyes and kicked my crutch out of my hand, causing me to stagger backwards. “Thanks for that, too,” I bit out, catching ahold of Feely to balance myself.

“I hope you’re crippled,” she spat out. “I hope the Academy drops your ass and you never play rugby again!” Sneering, she added, “In fact, I hope I never see your face again.”

Lovely.

“Unlikely,” Feely said dryly. “Aside from stating the obvious—”

“That you go to school with him,” Gibsie filled in, stating the bleeding obvious.

“Yes, Gibs,” Feely sighed. “Aside from school, I’m sure you’ll see him again in the summer.” Shrugging, he added, “You know, when he’s on the telly, playing for his country, and you’re sitting at home, watching from your couch.”

“With Cormac,” Hughie added mildly.

“Ah, yes,” Gibsie mused. “How is Judas Iscari-cunt?”

“The four of you can all go to hell!” she screamed before turning on her heel and storming away. “Assholes.”

“We’ll see you there, Devil Pussy!” Gibsie called after her as he bent down and retrieved my crutch and leaned it against the locker. “We’ll see you there.”

“Jesus.” Robbie Mac whistled, stepping aside for Bella as she barreled past him, Pierce, and half the team. “What’s her hurry?”

“She needs to get home before the sun comes up,” Gibsie said loudly. “You know how vampires tend to burst into ash at the first sign of daylight.”

“Fuck you, Gerard Gibson!” Bella screamed over her shoulder.

“Not on your life,princess,” Gibsie roared after her. “I wouldn’t touch you with McGarry’s dick!”

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