Chapter 28

I wake up the next morning tangled up with Lucy’s body. I check my phone and reply to all my messages until I need the loo. I slowly get out of bed, not wanting to wake up Lucy because she’s ill, and make my way to the toilet. I wash my face and make my way back into Lucy’s room.

“Conor?” her Mum whispers, just before I get to her door.

“Um, hi”

“Are you coming down?” she asks. I can’t really say no so I just take the easy option and nod at her. “Cup of tea?” she asks when we get into the kitchen.

“Uh, yes please”

“Sugar?”

“No thanks”

“You’re like Lucy. She’s the only person I know who doesn’t have sugar in her tea” she laughs.

“Jack doesn’t have it either” I laugh and she looks at me as if we’re crazy. I’m surprised she’s not pissed off at me for practically barging into her house and arguing with her about seeing Lucy. Great first impression Conor, well done. “I’m um... I’m sorry about yesterday”

“Oh it’s fine. Don’t mention it” she smiles. She forgives me way too easily... I’m not complaining though.

She hands me the cup of tea so I smile and take a sip.

“Why were you down here last night?” she asks.

“Shit, yeah I-“

“Language”

“Shit sorry, I mean um, sorry” I cover my mouth, making her laugh. She rolls her eyes. “I was getting Lucy some water and tablets because she felt ill”

“Oh right. What was up with her?”

“I don’t know. She told me she had stomach ache and a migraine but I just thought it was just alcohol”

“This is why I hate her drinking” she sighs.

“She wasn’t drunk. She told me she didn’t have much to drink. She was freezing though”

“Well I’ll see how she is when she wakes up. She's asleep isn’t she?”

“She was when I went to piss. I mean, wee” I mentally face palm.

“Do your parents let you swear?” she smirks slightly.

“They don’t really give a shit... Um, they don’t mind” I stutter, making her laugh.

“God Conor, I thought Lucy was bad” she laughs, making me smile. I love how she just laughs this off.

“Lucy complains when I do it!” I smile.

“She’s such a hypocrite”

“I know!”

“I can hear you, you know” Lucy croaks from upstairs making her Mum laugh. I smile as a response but I want to go up there so badly to check on her.

“You can go if you want” Marie smiles, knowing I want to go up.

“Thanks” I smile and go upstairs to see Lucy lying under the covers in bed. I sit down and put the covers over my legs. She moves up and rests her head on my lap. I lift up the covers and see her lying there. “Do you feel any better?”

“I just have a headache” she moans. I hate seeing her like this. I’d rather it be me than her. I move my body down so my head is resting on the pillow. I move her head onto my chest and play with her hair to relax her. “What time is it?” she asks, taking her head out from under the covers.

“Um,” I check my phone “half eleven”. She just moans. “Do you want me to get you anything?”

“I want you to stay here”

“I will, but do you want anything?”

“I want ice cream”

“That’s not going to help” I sigh. “How about some water?”

“Whatever” she moans. I roll my eyes and get out of bed. “Don’t roll your eyes” she sighs.

“Shut up” I tease and walk downstairs. “She wants water” I roll my eyes at Marie who’s sat on one of the kitchen stools. She laughs and watches me fill a glass with water.

“Give her two tablets” she says, so I go into the top cupboard and take the box upstairs, not wanting to mess about by getting 2 out in front of Lucy’s Mum.

“I got you tablets too”

“Thanks” she says, sitting up. This is the first time I’ve clearly seen her face all morning and she looks so ill. All the colour has washed off her face.

She takes two tablets out of the box and swallows them down with the water.

“What?” she asks, noticing me staring.

“Nothing” I shrug. She puts her head back down on the pillow and I hear her heavily breathing shortly after. She sleeps a lot.

Lucy’s POV

I wake up from the smell of pancakes filling my room. I sit up and rub by eyes, slowly getting my vision back from my sleep. I notice that Conor’s not in my bed like he was before. I hope he didn’t leave. I don’t want to be away from him, especially not today when I’m not feeling too well and just want someone to talk too. My stomach ache’s definitely gone but my headache sure hasn’t.

I follow the smell of pancakes into my kitchen and see Conor stood in front of the pan, tapping the pancake with the spatula. He’s wearing his jeans loosely around his hips and is shirtless... I slept in his top.

He must’ve heard my footsteps because he quickly turns around and his eyes light up.

“Lucy! Are you alright?”

I’m in love with his mood already.

“I have a headache but I’m fine” I assure him but he still looks worried.

“Well um, I made you pancakes. I would’ve brought them up but-“

“Thanks” I interrupt him and smile. He hands me a plate of pancakes and surrounds me with nutella, butter, lemon juice etc. He sits down next to me and starts watching me eat. “Stop being weird with me. Do you want any?” I ask.

“Go on then” he winks and takes one. He piles almost every topping he can possible fit on top of his pancake and stuffs it in his mouth. I burst out laughing and watch the nutella smear around his mouth.

“Fat ass” I laugh.

“Shut up” I think he said. I can’t tell because his mouth is literally full.

“Ew” I laugh. When he finally finishes, he holds his stomach. “What?”

“I feel sick” he pouts.

“I’m not surprised” I laugh and wipe away the chocolate around his mouth with my thumb. “Where’s Mum?”

“Shit yeah, she went out for the day with Sue” he shrugs. One of my Mum's new friends from work...

“Oh right”

“Has your headache gone then?”

“I think so” I smile.

“Really?”

“Yep”

“Fuck yeah!” he cheers, grabs me off my chair and spins me around in the air. I nearly choke on my pancake. I feel so dizzy.

“I think my headache might come back now” I tease.

“What? For fuck sake”

“I’m joking”

“Fucking hilarious” he says sarcastically.

“I know” I wink and he rolls his eyes.

“You won’t be boring anymore. You literally just sleep when you’re ill and I hate it”

“You could’ve just gone home”

“No” he snaps. “Did you have a good party then?”

“It could’ve been better” I say, aimed at him.

“What? I didn’t ruin it! If anything I made it better. We made the guest have something to gape at. It was like a real life soap opera” he smirks making me laugh. “And we made up”

“I know” I smile and jump on him for a hug.

“Woah” he says, falling back but puts his arms around my waist and spins me around once. He kisses my neck and I just smile into his. I love this. I love him.

“I love you” I tell him, unbored of how many times I've told him this now. I love just saying it.

“I love you too, Luce” he smirks.

“Good” I say and kiss his nose. He scrunches it up and wipes the kiss off it.

“You’re so weird” he laughs.

“You love it”

“Mhmm” he mumbles, cleaning up the pancake mess.

“Don’t you? Conor? You love it, don’t you?” I annoy him. “Conor. Conor guess what?”

“Lucy, I’m going to smash this plate against the wall if you don’t shut up”

“Now you know how I felt in science” I tease.

“What?”

“The first time we properly spoke was in science and you were annoying the hell out of me”

“Fuck, I remember that” he laughs. “Feels like ages ago. I was trying to get you to look at me but you got us a detention instead”

“Why did you want me to look at you?” I frown and he just shrugs.

“I wanted to see your beautiful face” he says in a soppy voice and smirks. I tut and roll my eyes making him laugh. “What do you want to do today then princess?” he smirks.

“Conor, stop”

“What’s wrong baby girl?”

“I’ll start ignoring you”

“But I’m only trying to make my sunshine happy”

“Right I’m going” I cringe and start walking out of the kitchen. I feel two strong arms wrap around my waist and spin me around. I am inches... centimetres away from his face and I start staring into his eyes. My stomach flips when he pulls me closer by my waist and passionately kisses me.

I smile into the kiss and put one of my hands on his toned chest. We eventually pull away, although I could’ve stayed there forever, and I stare into his eyes again.

“Your eyes are... I love them”

“So it’s alright for you to be cringey but not me?” he smirks.

“Yep” I nod.

“Really?” he asks and walks closer to me as I walk away. My smile is huge right now. I love it when he teases me like this.

“Yep” I giggle and turn around to run away. I hear his footsteps following me and I get half way up the stairs until I fall over from his grip and he tickles me there and then. “CONOR STOP” I scream but he ignores me. He eventually sits on a stair and rolls his head back in laughter. I sit up and fold my arms across my chest.

“Aw, I’m sorry” he laughs. “You were just screaming for me to stop and I was just imagining what your neighbours are thinking”

“Oh my god” I moan. My cheeks flush red with embarrassment.

“Well I’m up for it if you are”

“Conor!” I gasp and slap his arm playfully. “I need to go to town” I say, purposely hinting for him to take me.

“Oh right” he smirks, just to wind me up.

“I need to go today”

“What do you want me to do about it?”

“You know what I’m getting at”

“No, I don’t quite understand” he teases.

I moan, "Can we go to town?”

“Where are your manners”

“Please” I beg, making him laugh. “Can we go or are you just going to annoy me all day?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking the second option” he winks but I just stare at him with a blank expression. He rolls his eyes, “Go get ready then”. I smile and run upstairs into my room. “I kinda need my top back though”

“No, you’re fine like that”

“Lucy”

“Conor” I mimic him.

“Just give it me back”

“Come and get it” I tease. He runs into my room and grabs the top off me before I can even try holding onto it.

“Ha” he smiles. “I’m using your shower” he says, walking out of my room.

“Okay” I mumble and start getting ready.