Page 50 of Matched Up

‘London?’I said.

She turned to me.‘Yeah.’She shrugged like it was nothing.But she wasn’t just leaving Niall; she was leaving me too.And it clearly didn’t matter to her at all.

So how could I tell her my news?The news that had made me swell with so much pride I thought I was going to burst.I’d know she wouldn’t mean whatever reaction she managed to conjure.

So I didn’t.

I avoided both of them the rest of the day and hung out with Hunter instead.And even though things should have been super awkward, he was acting like everything was normal.He sat beside me at lunchtime and showed me all the obscure football shirts he’d bought.I even pretended to be interested.I hung out with Zoe too, and let her tell me about her itinerary for the trip she was taking to New York at half-term.And I felt like a bitch, because in my head all I was thinking about was the fact that I was starting instead of her, and that Shane had rejected her offer of a V-Ball date.I’d got one up on her and I was happy about it.

18

I was meeting Shane at Victoria Square.I parked in the underground car park and practically ran up the escalator.I glanced around outside House of Fraser, then I saw him.He was in his St Anne’s school uniform, looking at his phone, his shirt tail out and his tie a mess.I stopped for a second and just looked at him.I’d never seen him in anything other than a tracksuit – or boxers.And as if he’d felt my gaze, he looked up and smiled.

My whole world stopped.

I had Shane.I was starting in the match on Friday, and we were about to go shopping for V-Ball outfits that would blow everyone away.Could life get any better?

When I got to him, he smiled even harder.I kissed him, pulling his head towards mine, making sure he knew how much I wanted him.Then I scanned the shopping centre, checking there was nobody else in our uniform in our eyeline.Safe.

‘What was that for?’he teased.

‘I couldn’t help myself,’ I said.

He stepped back and scanned my school uniform.‘So this is what posh girl uniform looks like close up.’He nodded in approval.‘Pretty hot.’

I smirked and rolled my eyes.‘Donotcall me “posh girl”.’I pushed him playfully.‘And I’m loving the “St Anne’s boy pulled through a hedge backwards” uniform too.’I tugged his wonky tie and pulled him closer to me again, planting a tiny kiss on his lips.Then I quickly looked around to make sure nobody had seen.I had to stop being careless, but it was hard when he looked like that.

‘Where are we headed?I haven’t a clue,’ he said.‘Oh, and I don’t havethatmuch time.’

‘Oh, everything OK?’I asked, hoping he would elaborate.But he didn’t.

‘Yeah, grand, just something I have to do.’

‘Why so mysterious?’I said with a grin, keeping it light, but I really wanted to know.

‘It’s boring, that’s all.This is way more exciting.Where are we going?’He scanned the shopping centre.

‘Hugo Boss?’I asked.

‘Hugo Boss?’ He didn’t hide his shock.And he looked so cute I laughed.‘I was thinking Primark or something.’

‘No.Sorry.I’ve been thinking about how good you’d look in Boss all day.’I smiled and took his hand, pulling him towards the escalators.

‘Oh really?’

‘Really.’I kept checking around me.I couldn’t let this get back to Niall, especially with the state he was in at the minute.

Then we were outside the shop.‘Seriously, Lexie, you can’t,’ he said, trying to stop me pulling him inside.

‘I can.And I will,’ I said stubbornly.

He rolled his eyes and let me pull him in.

I told the shop assistant what we needed.Years of shopping with Mum taught me that you need to be confident for them to take you seriously.Especially in shops like that.

She came back with a couple of different options, and we followed her to the unisex changing rooms, where I sat on the sofa to enjoy the show.I watched the assistant take his measurements and was shocked by how it triggered a pang of jealousy.

When Shane stepped out of the cubicle in the first tux, I had to stop myself from throwing myself at him then and there.I was so used to seeing him in football shirts and tracksuits, playing with a ball, that the beauty of his face sometimes took a back seat to his skills.But now?It was centre stage.

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