Page 57 of Matched Up

‘I sent you a message,’ I said, as I pulled away, steadying my voice.

He felt in his pocket for his phone.‘Sorry, I didn’t check.Everything was a bit chaotic.But I’m here now.’His brow was furrowed.

I reached up and touched it gently, watching the tension disappear.‘Are you OK?’I asked.I was worried.

He smiled and pushed his hair back off his face.‘I am now.’

I pulled him back into the hall where another slow song was playing, and led him to the dance floor.

We didn’t talk.He didn’t explain why he was late.He just held me as we danced in the enchanted garden and kissed like nobody was watching.

21

But everybodywaswatching.I could feel their eyes on us, and I could see couples whispering behind their hands and some openly pointing.This was what I’d wanted.For me and Shane to show up at Blackport like an explosion and for everyone to want what I had.I thought it would feel good.But it didn’t.I wished I could turn back time to when nobody knew about us.When Shane pulled away, he lifted my chin gently like he’d sensed the panic.

‘AreyouOK?’

I nodded, scared to speak in case I cried again.‘I thought you weren’t coming,’ I whispered.

‘I’m sorry.I just had some stuff going on.’

‘Why won’t you tell me anything?’I said without thinking.

He looked into my eyes as the music played and we swayed together, his hand tightening its grip on my back, like he was trying to work out what to say.But why was it so hard?

‘I don’t want to ruin it,’ he said.‘You’d think of me differently, and I don’t … I can’t … I just love what we have – does that make sense?’

I nodded, even though it didn’t make any sense at all.Then someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I pulled away from Shane to see Zoe standing there, still trying to digest what Shane had just said.

‘Hi, Shane.’She smiled sweetly at him.

‘Hey, Zoe,’ he replied.

‘So this is who you were seeing?’Zoe looked to Shane for an answer.‘Lexie?’

‘Yeah, we were just keeping things quiet,’ Shane said.

‘Well, you know the whole school is talking about it.’Zoe looked at me.‘And Hunter said Niall doesn’t know yet?’She pulled a face.

I shrugged, trying to act like I didn’t care, even though every time someone mentioned Niall’s name my stomach lurched.‘Not yet.’

‘Well, I’d say he does now.’Zoe pulled a worried face.She showed me her phone screen.‘Amina just sent me this.’

It was a picture of me and Shane kissing, and I wanted to be sick.What did I expect?

I felt Shane squeeze my hand, and it made me braver knowing he was there.I moved closer to him and whispered, ‘Do you want to get out of here?’

He nodded so I pulled him towards the back of the hall, a million eyes on us.

‘Oh, Lexie?’Zoe called above the music.

I spun round.‘What?’

She smiled.‘Great game last night, wasn’t it?’

And she smiled like she meant it, but how could she?The second half was a total disaster.

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