Sweet Contradictions

Chapter Five: Honest Lies

        "I'm so sorry." He tried to get off of me, but our legs were tangled together and it didn't help that I was struggling to get up as well. 

        I was trying not to laugh out of pure embarrassment when I heard a click and looked up, mortified, into Cam's phone camera. 

        "Are you taking pictures of us, you bitch!?" 

        But then Cam burst out laughing and Callaghan, who was still trying to get off me, was laughing, his blue eyes crinkling. I couldn't help, but give up the struggle and laugh. 

        "We're a mess, love." 

        "Hell yes, we are," I laughed, suddenly extremely aware of his closeness. 

        "Does anyone want tea?" My mom piped up. 

        ***

        After the awkward situation between Callaghan and me, we sat next to each other on the couch, sipping some of mom's warm tea. 

        My mom brought in a cup of her own, before sitting across from us, next to Cam, who seemed to have nothing better to do with her life, than to sit around and watch my pathetic love life unfold in chaotic glory. 

        "I'm so glad to officially meet you, Mr. Callaghan," She said, smiling too warmly for my liking. 

        "Please, call me James. And I'm pleased to meet you as well." 

        There was a little chatting between the sipping, and I noticed that Callaghan's accent wasn't so heavily Irish as Pace's or even Gus's. 

        "Where did you grow up?" I asked, suddenly curious. 

        "Actually, I was born in Ireland. I moved to the U.S. when I was four and lived in California for some years, then New Mexico, then I moved back to Ireland when my grandmother died, when I was 17 and I've lived there since then. Gus's family and ours used to be neighbors in Ireland after we moved back, so naturally, my sister fell in love with Gus's brother and they live here, now." 

       No one said a word as he took the floor, answering Cam and Mom's questions with full detail and a little teasing. 

        I drifted off slowly, my eyes so heavy I could barely keep them open. 

        "I should probably go." I heard him say and I opened my eyes, somewhat disoriented. 

        "Are you leaving?" 

        "Yah, it's late." 

        "Thanks for coming," I mumbled. 

        I felt a kiss on my forehead and I fell into a sleep filled with Callaghan's face. 

        ***

        The light seemed way too bright and I tried to close my eyes to it. 

        "FRANKIE." 

        "Mom, damnit, stop yelling," I put my hands over my ears, trying to block out her voice. 

        "I'M NOT YELLING. DO YOU HAVE A HANGOVER?" 

        "No." I lied. 

        "FRANKIE, DID YOU GET DRUNK LAST NIGHT?" 

        "Mom, stop. You're voice is so loud." 

        "FRANKIE HAGAN." 

        "Please, leave me alone, please," I begged.

        I didn't hear anything else for a while and I fell back asleep.