Page 87 of Matched Up

‘I broke up with him because there was something he wasn’t telling me.And then he showed up and saw me kissing Hunter, even though I didn’t kiss him.Hekissedme.’

‘Hunter’s a fucking idiot,’ said Niall.‘But, like, I don’t have any secrets from Megan.It shouldn’t be like that.You did the right thing.’

And because it came from Niall it felt like maybe Ihaddone the right thing, even though my heart still ached.

‘What’s that annoying thing Mum always says?’Niall turned to me, and I looked at him quizzically.‘What’s for you won’t pass you.That’s it.Yep, it works here.’

He turned back to the lough, and I thought about it.He was right.If it was meant to be, it would happen.There was still hope.And if it didn’t happen, it wasn’t supposed to be.I pulled myself up and limped over beside him.I picked up a handful of rocks and started throwing them into the water, balancing on one leg.

I picked up a piece of polystyrene that had washed up on the sand.‘Hey, want to make a boat?’

Niall laughed.‘Obviously.’

31

Over the next few weeks my mood plummeted.Mum and Dad didn’t even mention the party any more.It was like, despite what Dad said, they’d just given me a clean slate after what had happened with my calf.

Niall and Megan did their best to cheer me up, but I couldn’t shift the black cloud that had settled right over my head.Even Zoe came to visit one afternoon after school, but nothing helped.All I could think about was the fact that everything had blown up in my face.I wasn’t even studying, despite the fact my exams started soon.So I’d probably fail those too.

At night I’d scroll through Shane’s Instagram to see if he’d posted anything else, so I could get a tiny glimpse into his life.I’d been doing it since we’d broken up, trying to hang on to a sliver of his life.But there was nothing.On WhatsApp he was hardly online.I hovered over his old messages and didn’t even try to stop the tears that came when I did.

‘You need to do your exercises,’ Niall begged me one evening.

‘What’s the point?’I replied, pulling the duvet over my head.

Niall sat on the end of my bed.‘The point is, you could be left with a permanently rubbish leg if you don’t.’

‘I don’t care,’ I replied.And I didn’t.Because even if I had a working leg, I still probably wouldn’t make the team and I still wouldn’t have Shane.

‘What would Sadie think?’Niall went there.

‘I don’t care,’ I said with less conviction.I’d be mortified if she saw me like this.

‘Lexie, what can we do to help?’Niall sounded desperate now.

‘Nothing,’ I said.‘Nobody can doanything.’

And then my phone rang.I held my hand over my mouth.It was Shane.Shane who hadn’t spoken to me since we’d broken up.Who’d ignored all my messages and phone calls, who made my heart stop.

I looked at Niall in panic.He nodded at the phone.

‘Answer.’

I picked it up before it rang out.‘Hello?’

‘Lexie,’ Shane said.

He sounded different.Quieter, like he was tired, or like he’d been crying.

‘Are you OK?’I asked, my heart thudding in my ears, forgetting everything else when I heard the pain in his voice.

‘I want to explain what happened.Everything.I need you.I’m at the hospital, the Royal.Can you come?I’m sorry, I just can’t do this by myself.’He sounded panicked now, his voice shaking.

‘Shane, are you OK?What happened?’And now I was panicked too.

‘It’s my dad.I’ll explain when you get here.I’ll meet you in the cafe.’

‘OK, see you soon.’

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