Page 68 of Matched Up

‘Over here,’ he replied, grabbing my re-mittened hand and pulling me towards one of the millions of stalls.

It was one of those basketball things – throwing them into the hoops and winning prizes.

‘Aw no, I’m so bad at this,’ I said.

‘I’m not,’ he said with a smile, as we queued.‘I still remember my dad taking me to one of these.He was amazing at this stuff, and I’d come home with like, three of the giant teddy bears and a huge bucket of candyfloss and my mum would go mad because there was nowhere to put them.

‘That’s so funny.My parents never took us to fairs.’I gazed around at the lights and breathed in the smoke and popcorn.‘I only ever went with Niall and Meg, and now I’m wondering if they were into each other even then.’I rolled my eyes.

‘But it’s not like they wouldn’t have wanted you there.’

‘I don’t even know any more.’

Shane put his arm round my shoulder and pulled me close.‘I want you here.’

‘Thanks,’ I said with a smile, and he kissed my head.

‘Have you ever been to Liverpool?’I asked, changing the subject, and hoping the hole in my stomach would disappear.The one that always showed up when I thought about Niall and Megan.

‘Never,’ Shane said with a sigh.

‘How come?’

‘Ah, my dad doesn’t like to go back.Too many bad memories.’

‘Football?’

He nodded.‘Yeah.It hit him really hard, he said.I mean, he’ll talk about it and all,lovestalking about it, but I think it’sjust easier when he’s in a different country or something.It doesn’t actually make any sense to me.’Shane shrugged.

‘Does he have a Scouse accent?’I asked, and Shane nodded.‘Ihaveto meet this man.It’s only my favourite accent ever.“Look over there, lad,”’ I said in my best Liverpudlian accent, pointing at some kids who were far too young to be smoking behind one of the tents.

Shane burst out laughing.‘That’s the worst accent I’ve ever heard.’

I gasped.‘How dare you?I’m going to do it for your dad, see what he thinks.What about your mum?What’s she like?’I wanted to know everything.

‘Ah, she’s great too.She works really hard.Obsessed with the Pogues.’

I laughed.‘What?’

‘Yep.On constantly in our house.’Shane rolled his eyes affectionately.

‘Hold on a minute.Is that why you’re –’

‘Yep,’ he said, cutting in, as we moved up the queue.‘Named after Shane MacGowan.She even wore black for a week when he died there.’

‘Amazing.Can definitely think of worse people to be named after.I was named after Alexandra the Great.’I put my hands on my hips and smiled.

He laughed.‘Yep.That fits.’

I loved making him laugh because you knew he meant it.You couldn’t fake a sound like that.

‘Shane.’

He looked down at me.‘What’s up?’

‘You can talk to me, you know …’ I left the words hanging in the air, watched as they landed and waited to see what he would do with them.

He smiled easily, tugging my hand gently to start walking again.‘I know.’

---