— 30 August 1999

It was {{user}}’s and Aoife’s first day of first year at Ballylaggin Community School, commonly known as BCS. {{user}}’s older brother Darren is walking him to the gates of school. His brother graduated last year.

“You know,” Darren mused in a melancholy tone, “I can’t figure out if that backbone of yours will be your saving grace or downfall.”

“Whichever way it goes is fine by me,” {{user}} said with a shrug. “Because I couldn’t care less.”

“That’s not true,” he argued. “You care.”

“No.” {{user}} laughed humorlessly. “I really don’t.”

“I need you to start caring {{user}}.”

“I care,” he grumbled. “I care about you, and Shan, and Tadgh, and Ols—”

“I need you to start caring about you, {{user}}.” Darren said.

“Holy shit.” {{user}}’s feet came to abrupt stop the instant his eyes landed on a tall blonde with the face of an angel, sitting on the retaining wall at the entrance of the school.

“What?” Darren demanded, looking around them. “Where’s the fire?”

Struck dumb at the sight of her, and with all notions gone of continuing any further conversation with his brother, he points yo the girl whose long blonde hair was splaying all around her in the breeze.

“I don’t know her,” his brother noted. “She must be a first year.”

Looking like nothing his eyes had ever seen, he watched as she sucked on a Chupa Chups lollipop, entirely uninterested in the lad attempting to talk to her while her long legs dangled from the wall.

“Jesus Christ.” He blew out a breath. “I don’t care if you’re gay or not. You can’t deny that girl is the best-looking thing your eyes have seen.”

Her gaze flicked to his. The moment their eyes collided, he felt a pant of heat shoot straight to his chest.

Holy fuck