Page 22 of Matched Up

And as pissed off as I was at Niall right then, I had to fight the urge to tell Dad to stop.I tried firing him a look, but he didn’t catch it.‘Yeah,’ I agreed so Niall wouldn’t have to.

‘Good game, Niall.’Dad glanced in the rear-view mirror to try to get his attention.

But nothing.

‘So what are your plans tonight?’Dad had clearly given up with Niall and asked me instead.

‘A party at Zoe’s,’ I replied.

‘Are her parentsmad?’Dad laughed.He wouldneverlet us have a party in the house.

I smirked at him.‘I think they’re just out.Theytrusttheir child.’

‘And I trust mine too.I just don’t trust the other teenage tearaways that would show up.I willneverconsent to a party in that house.Unless me and your mum are there.’

‘Oh God, no thanks,’ I replied, my face screwed up in disgust.Not that I wanted to have a party anyway; houses always ended up getting wrecked, someone would throw up on a carpet somewhere or there’d be cigarette burns in curtains.

At home I went straight upstairs to get ready.My tightest jeans, my lowest-cut top.Hair down, make-up that looked natural but actually took ages to do.

I looked in the mirror, happy with what I saw, but as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t ignore the fact that I missed Megan.Getting ready was so much more fun when she was with me.

I shook it off and thought about Shane again.And there it was, the feeling that made my stomach flip and made me smile without telling myself to.

A knock on the door shook me out of my head.

‘Lexie?’

‘Niall?’I replied, confused.

‘Will you drive us tonight?Megan too?’

I knew what this meant.Niall wanted to drink.

I rolled my eyes in the mirror.‘Whatever.’

‘Thanks,’ he muttered.

‘What’s this your dad told me about you and Megan?’Mum asked when we walked in downstairs, her question directed at Niall.

I could almost see his shoulders tensing.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean, is she your girlfriend?’Mum asked outright.

I loitered by the kitchen island, holding my breath.

‘Megan just made a comment that sounded that way,’ Dad started to explain.

‘Yeah, so?’Niall said defensively.

Mum held up her hands in surrender.‘I would just appreciate you telling us these things, Niall, especially when she’s sleeping over here,’ Mum said gently.

‘God, Mum!’Niall screwed up his face and walked out of the house, leaving me standing there with Mum and Dad staring at me.

‘You picked a terrible night to bring that up,’ I said, and walked towards the door after Niall, like it was a reflex.

‘Why?What happened?’Mum asked, concern in her voice.

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