Page 7 of Tangled Up In You

The flirt was clear. He wanted her to choose him over Conor.

But there was no choice. Gavin was the only one she wanted.

It was only remembering that he wasn’t free to speak to her like this that made her hesitate.

“I thought you were Mary’s man?” she said, finding that inner reserve once again. The last thing she wanted was to be the girl who broke up what seemed to be the most popular couple in the school.

His eyes widened and he shook his head, as if he just realized his predicament. Taking a few steps backward, he held up his hands.

“Who knows what the future holds, yeah?” he asked, tossing her a wink before turning away.

Despite herself, she smiled.

3

SOPHIE

The next couple of days followed a similar pattern: Sophie and Gavin continued to exchange heated gazes and mildly flirtatious banter while she and Felicity continued to develop a bond.

But on Thursday, Gavin was oddly cold. He didn’t meet her eyes once in class and was instead focused on writing furiously in a small notebook. The abrupt change was disappointing and confusing. But at lunch that day, the way Mary hung all over Gavin and redirected his gaze anytime it came close to falling on Sophie seemed to be the explanation for his changed behavior.

Felicity was chatting with Conor, so Sophie cast about for something to distract her from focusing on the dull ache that Gavin’s inattention left her feeling. She eyed Shay. He had his head bowed as he got lost in whatever was playing on his headphones, isolating himself once again.

Sophie nudged Felicity. “I’m going to introduce myself to Shay.”

“Don’t do it,” Felicity warned. “He’ll take one look at you, see this pretty blonde, and faint before he can conjure up a word to you!”

“It can’t be that bad!” Sophie said. “And besides, he shouldn’t be left out like this.”

“All right, then. Have at it!”

Sophie stood and headed toward Shay. Glancing back, she saw Felicity and Conor huddling together as they watched the scene unfold. She also saw Gavin interrupt his storytelling to see where she was going.

Stopping in front of Shay, she waited a moment for him to look up and acknowledge her. When he continued to stare at the ground, she heard giggles behind her. Refusing to be dissuaded, she bent over at the waist, inadvertently providing a teasing view down the front of her shirt which was probably what finally caught Shay’s attention, making him jump to his feet, his cheeks flushed. The scene elicited a few hoots and more snickering, which only made Sophie more determined. Wasn’t Shay their friend? This felt too much like the mean behavior she had endured back home.

“I’m sorry,” she said, smiling. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Shay responded with silence and furrowed brows.

She tapped her ears to suggest he remove his headphones so they could speak. He reached up and pulled them from his head.

“Hi. Shay, right?” she asked.

He nodded, dumbfounded.

“I’m Sophie. I’m new here—from America. I just wanted to introduce myself.”

There was a long silence as she waited for him to say something.

“I’m Shay,” he finally said, and then blushed again. “Shite—you already know that.”

The group broke out into riotous laughter and applause at Shay’s awkward response. He looked down and started to put his headphones back on.

“Wait,” Sophie whispered, stopping him. “Take my hand, say something. Anything.”

Hesitating, Shay glanced at his friends who were watching him expectantly. Then he took her hand in his.

“Well, then, it’s lovely to meet you,” he said.

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