Page 97 of Matched Up

‘You know, you don’t have to come on holiday, if it doesn’t work with your dad or whatever.I can say no for you.Or maybe I’ll just stay at home.’I shrugged.

‘I’d love to go, Lexie.Aunt Tammy has promised to help out even more than she does, and Mum has been saying that I need more time to do my own thing.’

I reached up and kissed him.Then I felt his hand slip underneath the bottom of my shirt, and find that space at the top of my shorts.Our space.

My whole body was fizzing with electricity when he left.

35

Shane came to my house loads after that.After school, at the weekend after football.But now it was my turn.I still hadn’t met his family.But today was the day.What would I say to his dad?Would it be awkward?I’d bought some of the expensive cupcakes from town and I asked Megan a million times if my outfit looked OK.I was wearing jeans and a Nike jumper, keeping it sporty, but not one Man United logo in sight.Niall dropped me off outside.

I knocked on the door with my brown box of cupcakes, and waited, butterflies about seeing Shane, nerves about meeting his family.

Shane’s mum answered the door.

‘Hi, come on in.You must be Lexie.’She smiled and waved me in, and I heard Niall drive off.

‘It’s so nice to meet you,’ I said.‘Oh, these are for you.’I handed her the cupcakes.

‘How lovely.Thank you, Lexie.I’m so sorry – I’ve just had a call from work, someone has phoned in sick and I have to go, but I just wanted to say that you’re very welcome here, any time.Anyone who makes our Shane this happy is alwayswelcome.’And this must have been how Shane felt when Niall asked him to playMario Kart.Welcome.She smiled a tired smile and squeezed my shoulder before leaving.

Shane’s house was tidy, and it had pictures everywhere.I glanced at them as I walked past.There were ones of Shane playing football and others that I assume were of his dad.

‘In here, Lexie!’Shane called.

It was a small house, so I followed the voice easily into a little living room, which had been made even smaller by the bed in the corner.Shane was sitting on the sofa, football on the television, and there was his dad, watching from a wheelchair in the corner.

Before I even said hello to Shane, his dad looked up and broke into a grin.

‘So, you’re Lexie,’ he said, half raising a hand in a sort of wave.His voice was slurred, but there was so much warmth in it.

‘I am!And you must be Mr O’Connoll.’I walked over and shook his hand.‘It’s so nice to meet you.Shane has told me so much.’

‘Good things, I hope,’ he said.

‘Oh my God, the best things.’I sat down beside Shane.‘So tell me about the football.From the very beginning.I want to know every detail.I bet Shane left some stuff out.’

‘Shane, why don’t you make Lexie some tea?’his dad said.

‘Yeah, Shane, tea,’ I said.

Shane smiled at me as he got up.

I spent the next hour listening to Shane’s dad tell me the most amazing stories about how he was scouted, all the players he met, how intense it was, and then he told me about theaccident.I held back tears when he told me about the surgeries and how his sister couldn’t visit him for weeks because she was so upset.And I got it.If something like that happened to Niall, I don’t think I’d be able to deal with it.

‘Spinal injury,’ he said.

Shane played with his hair beside me, and I moved closer to him so our legs were touching.

‘I’m sorry that happened,’ I said.

‘It’s just life,’ Shane’s dad replied.

‘I guess it is.’

Then Shane cut in.‘You know, Dad, Lexie’s going to join Ferndale United.’

‘I thought you were at Westing?’his dad asked me, confused.

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