Page 44 of Matched Up

He came out smiling but his expression immediately changed when he saw my face.

‘What happened?’

I burst into tears.It was so pathetic.

He didn’t ask again; he just walked over and wrapped his arms round me and let me cry into Niall’s hoodie until I’d stopped.Then he led me by the hand over to the bed, where we sat down.

‘Want to talk about it?’He reached up to wipe away a leftover tear that had escaped.

I shook my head.‘It’s stupid.’

‘I bet it’s not.’

‘Megan got invited for Northern Ireland trials.’I forced myself not to cry again.

‘That’s great,’ he said.‘Notgreat?’

‘It would be if shewantedto go.She doesn’t care.Because V-Ball is the same day, she’s actually thinking about not going so she can go to some stupid formal.It’s crazy!’The rage was building again.

‘Is it?’Shane asked and I turned to him.

‘Em, yeah?She’s super talented.Why would you want to waste a gift like that?’I asked, knowing I was right and there was no good answer.

‘Maybe she doesn’t love it?And if you’re going to put your whole life into something like that, you have toloveit,’ Shane said simply.

‘So you think she’s right?To ditch this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for V-Ball?’I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

‘If that’s what she wants to do?Yeah, one hundred per cent.’

I exhaled in anger.

Shane took my hand.‘Don’t be angry, Lex.It makes no difference to you.And at least she’s brave enough to say no,’ he said, lying back on the bed, his hand still attached to mine.

I lay back too.‘What do you mean?’

‘I didn’t want to leave Ferndale United.I was having a great time there, and Raj, our coach, he didn’t take anything seriously.Lost?Didn’t matter; we just had a laugh about it.And football was so much fun.But then Harrison spotted me after one of our games and asked me to join Westing.My dad thought I should go, and I didn’t want to let him down.Imean, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I came because I met you.But I don’t love it either.I wish I had the balls to tell him I was happier at Ferndale.’

I didn’t know what to say, but I wasn’t angry any more.I listened to him explain it, my heartbeat slowing as he spoke.

‘But you’re so good,’ I said.

‘It doesn’t matter how good I am.I don’t think I want football to be my life.And actually, I respect someone who can stand up and say that instead of doing what I’m doing and just going along with it for someone else.’

‘I guess that makes sense.’I turned it over in my head, and even though I still couldn’t fully understand Megan, I felt sorry for Shane.I shrugged.‘Not wanting to let your family down?I get that.’

‘Yeah, and it’s not like my dad puts loads of pressure on me or anything, I’ve always just kind of wanted to impress him, you know?Is it the same for you?’He looked at me, genuinely curious.How could I tell him it was the same for me, except it wasn’t my parents, it was Niall I wanted to impress.But he’d been such an asshole to Shane – he wouldn’t understand.

‘Sort of yeah, but maybe we shouldn’t talk about families any more.’I gave him a tiny smile and moved closer, reaching up to pushhishair back this time.

‘Good idea.’

I kissed him, my hand still in his hair, and I felt all the tension leave my body.

He smiled.‘So tell me about V-Ball then.Is it really posh?’

I laughed.‘I suppose it is.It’s all tuxedos and floor-length dresses.’I rolled my eyes.‘Would you want to go maybe?’Iforced Niall and Megan out of my head and didn’t think about the huge fall-out that would happen if I showed up with Shane.

He looked at me and hesitated, something obviously on the tip of his tongue.And then he exhaled and gave in to it.‘Zoe asked if I wanted to go with her.Like, a while ago, and I said no, that I was sort of seeing someone.I thought you should know.’

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