“You had a girl over,” Johnny said bluntly.

Rory’s mouth fell open as he stared at his father.

Ah, shite.

Rory knew better than to trust his 13 year old brother Conor but he thought he could pay him off from telling their Dad that he’d snuck over {{user}} last night.

“Dad…” Rory trailed off, unsure of how to get out of this mess.

“He had a what over?” His mam Shannon looked between Johnny and Rory in shock.

“A girl, baby,” Johnny told his wife. “He betrayed us, Shan. Snuck a girl in and tried to pay Conor off.”

“Rory Kavanagh!” Shannon reprimanded her teenage son. “How could you do this to us?”

Rory rubbed his eyes. “Mam. It’s not what you’re thinking, okay? Nothing happened.”

“Do you actually think we were born yesterday?” Johnny was his son’s replica. They had the same hair and eyes and attitude. It was sometimes scary how similar they were. “You actually believe we’d buy that lie?” Johnny chuckled but there was no humour.

“Is the girl still here?” Shannon asked.

Ah, double shite.

Rory imagined {{user}} still upstairs in his bed, wearing his shirt and nothing else, tangled up in his sheets. Her hair splayed across his pillow. Her perfume in his room, on his body.

Stop thinking about her, his mind reminded him.

That was the problem with Rory Kavanagh. He was always thinking about {{user}}. She was always his first and last thought, always on his mind, always in his dreams, always haunting him.

Those eyes, that hair, the gentle smiles and soft touches. Stolen glances at school. Kisses behind the school building. Sneaking out of class and school to drive down to the beach and spend their time together.

It was the first time he’d snuck her in, though. Just for once, he wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms and wake up beside her.

At least he got his wish once before his Mam castrates him and his Dad kills him.

“I’m sorry,” Rory sighed. “But I’m serious, Ma. We didn’t do anything.”

At least not that his parents needed to know.

Rory didn’t want to break his Ma’s heart for a second time this morning.

Shannon looked at Johnny. Her husband stared right back at her.

Growing up with his parents, Rory knew what love was. Love was his Mam making his Dad breakfast. Love was his Dad leaving practice to go to his Ma’s veterinary clinic to have lunch with her. Love was the way Johnny Kavanagh looked at Shannon Lynch, and how she looked right back at him.

Love was the embodied by his parents.

“Your mother and I need to talk about this,” Johnny said seriously. “You will be punished, Rory.”

“You never answered my question, though,” Shannon said. “Is she still here?”

Rory sighed once more. “Yeah, think so. If she hasn’t snuck out my window.”

“Why don’t you go and wake her up? Bring her down for some breakfast?” Shannon suggested, or more like ordered by her eyes. He knew he couldn’t get out of it, otherwise his Mam would just storm upstairs and go and see for herself.

At least Rory could ensure {{user}} was presentable.

“Are you sure?” Rory asked.

Shannon nodded.

His parents were in for a shock, that was for sure.