"That's good," he said. "And your family–"
"I really don’t want to talk about it," I said in a small voice. Ever again. "We're moving on from it, so I'd prefer not to be reminded," I added. "If that's okay?"
"Shite, yeah," he muttered. "I won't say another word about it."
I sagged in relief.
"I'm also really sorry," I croaked out. "For the way we imposed on you at your house that day."
"What?" Johnny frowned at me. "You didn’t impose on me."
"I really did," I admitted, embarrassed. "And so did Joey."
"Shannon, I don’t feel that way," he told me, tone gruff. "I don’t – so don’t think like that. Okay?"
"Okay." I nodded. "Well, I should probably get going now." Smiling weakly, I offered him a small wave and said, "Bye, Johnny," before turning on my heels and walking away.
See, progress!
I wasn’t running.
"Wait," Johnny called out, his voice coming from close behind me. "Are you walking home?"
Irrationally affected by his close proximity, I gripped the shoulder straps of my bag and nodded but didn’t stop walking.
"In this weather?" he asked, falling into step beside me.
"No, I'm just walking to the bus stop," I explained quietly, keeping my eyes trained on the footpath ahead of me, careful to avoid the overflow of rainwater that seemed to be bubbling out of every drain.
It wasn’t an easy feat, what with my heart trying to burst its way out of my chest.
That was another thing I needed to work on: controlling my body's reaction around this boy.
He was walking beside me and every time he took a step, his arm brushed against mine.
It was clearly accidental, I doubted he even noticed it, and he was so big I was sure he couldn’t help it, but that didn’t mean my body didn’t react to the feel of him.
At least I was burning up now.
It helped with the damp.
"What time's your bus at again?" Johnny asked, voice deep and gravelly.
Shivering, I swiped a raindrop off my lip with my tongue before replying, "I get the half five bus every day."
"That's over an hour from now."
I didn’t respond.
I just kept walking.
"Are you planning on standing around in the rain for an hour?" he asked, stepping in front of me and halting me in my tracks.
We were both like drenched rats from the downpour, and I had to avert my eyes to stop myself from admiring the way his wet hair clung to his forehead.
He had gorgeous hair.
He had a gorgeous smell, too.
One I couldn’t stop myself from inhaling as he stood far too close to me for comfort.
Lynx deodorant, freshly cut grass, and boy all rolled into one.
Who was I kidding; he had a gorgeous everything.
When I dragged my thoughts back to the present and shrugged, Johnny let out an impatient growl, his piercing blue eyes burning holes through me.
"Come on," he said gruffly. "I'll take you home."
Oh no.
Sweet baby Jesus, no.
"No." I quickly shook my head. "You're grand."
He arched a brow, getting all up in my personal space with his gigantic frame. "Why not?"
"Because you dropped me home," I replied, taking a safe step back.
"So?" he countered, taking another step towards me.
"So, that's enough." I tucked my chin into my chest and tried to step around him. "Thanks anyway."
Again, Johnny blocked my path, caging me in with his huge frame.
And just like before, I had to crane my neck up to look at him.
"You'd rather stand in the rain for an hour than take a spin from me?" he asked, eyes wild and heated. "Why?"
Because your on-again/off-again girlfriend may or may not want to cause grievous bodily harm to me.
Because the first time I got in a car with you, it ended badly.
Because the second time I got in a car with you, I almost told you secrets.
And mostly because the way you make me feel scares me.
When I didn’t respond, because I honestly couldn’t, Johnny let out another growl but this one sounded like he was frustrated. "Are you mad at me?"
"Mad at you?" I shook my head, eyes wide. "No, no, of course I'm not."
"Then why are you being like this?"
"Being like what?"
"Avoiding me," he said quietly.
"I'm not," I lied. "I just…I just…"
"You just what, Shannon?"
I shrugged, at a complete loss for words.
He shook his head, dropped his bag on the ground, and then reached forward, swiping my schoolbag off my shoulders – both shoulders, and with minimal effort.
Shocked, I watched as he tossed my bag on the ground alongside his before lowering the zipper on his designer looking jacket and shrugging it off.
"Wh-what are you doing?" I strangled out, teeth chattering from the cold.
"What do you think I'm doing?" he countered as he reached behind me and placed the hood of his jacket on my head and wrapped it around my shoulders. "You're getting soaked out here."
"But you won't have a jacket," I blurted out.
"But you will," he shot back. "Now, are you going to put your arms in the sleeves, or am I going to have to do it for you?"
When I failed to assist him, quite frankly I was too stunned to do anything other than gape at him, Johnny grabbed both ends of the jacket and zipped it up to my chin, leaving my hands trapped at my sides, the empty sleeves swaying beside me.
He pulled the hood forward, covering my hair from the rain, and then reached down and grabbed both of our bags.
"Now," he said, nodding his approval, as he tossed a bag over either shoulder. "Let's go. I'm taking you home. Ma's probably waiting down by the gates."
"Your mother?" I squeezed out.
"Yes," he replied. "My car's in the garage for a service."
"But I don’t know your mother," I blurted out. I tried to flail my arms out for emphasis, but the zipped jacket gave me little room to do so.
"You know me," was his response.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but Johnny strode off down the footpath – with my school bag.
"Move your legs, Shannon," he called out over his shoulder, not looking back at me. "Before we both get struck down with pneumonia."
I was so gobsmacked by his actions that I did exactly what Johnny told me to.
I moved my legs.
Hurrying after him, I weaved around the rain puddles and cracks in the pavement.
It was hard enough to keep up with him in my two-inch heels, and damn near impossible to keep my balance with my arms trapped to my sides.
"Crap," I squeaked when I miscalculated a jump and landed in the freezing puddle.
It wasn’t a regular puddle either.
No, this was an Irish puddle, consisting of a good five inches of muddy, sludgy, ice-cold rain water.
Immediately, the water began to fill my shoes, making it unbearable to walk.
Hopping on one foot, I wrestled an arm out beneath the jacket and pulled off my shoe.
Tipping it upside down, I watched in dismay as a slosh of water spilled out.
My poor sock was drenched through.
My calves were specked with leaves and brown slush.
I groaned in dismay as I slipped my foot back into my shoe, then proceeded to empty the other shoe.
"What are you doing?" Johnny called out from up ahead of me.
"There's water in my shoe," I called back, while muttering a string of curse words all directed at the Irish weather. "I can't walk in them like this. Just give me a sec– whoa…"
My shoe slipped from my grasp and I lunged for it.
Bad idea considering I was balancing on one foot and my arms were trapped.
Feeling like a noodle, I managed to snag my shoe mid-air, only to lose it again when I couldn’t find my footing.
My shoe flew out of my hand and I flailed backwards, trying and failing to keep myself upright.
Knowing it was a lost cause, I gave up the battle and braced my body for the impact I was sure to feel.
I fell backwards, my ass grazing the concrete for the briefest moment, before I was heaved back up.
With one hand fisted in the front of the jacket I was wearing, Johnny quite literally held me hovering off the ground like my body was something obscenely miniscule and weightless.
It wasn’t.