Needing 13 - Johnny Kavanagh

GROOVY BABY

JOHNNY

"You're going to be late," my girlfriend whispered softly, her hand resting on my chest as she looked up at me through her long lashes. The warmth of her touch sent a familiar tingle down my spine, but her words made me groan.

"Come on, get out," she insisted gently, her lips pulling into a teasing smile that had the power to stop my heart every single time.

"I thought you were staying to see your sister off to school?" I murmured, dipping my head to steal another kiss, savoring the sweet taste of her lips for just a little longer.

We were parked in Tommen's car park, so I technically wasn't late—yet. In fact, we'd arrived a good half hour early, thanks to Tara working her magic on my ma. She'd promised Ma that she'd drive, and Gibsie would take me home after school. Ma had argued at first, but my girlfriend's charm worked wonders, and she'd finally agreed—on the condition we didn't go over the speed limit and text her the minute we got to school.

"And that's exactly what I'm going to do," Tara replied, her gaze flickering to the rearview mirror as she adjusted her hair. "But you need to get out of this car and head inside, because if I'm not mistaken, your friends are already waiting for you."

I glanced through the windshield, spotting the familiar figures of my friends loitering near the entrance. "They can wait," I said, turning back to her with a smirk. "I'd rather spend time with you. Alone."

I wasn't in any rush to face the day when all I wanted was to be close to her. Last night had been a nightmare. Ma hadn't left Tara's side for more than a second, and when it wasn't Ma, hovering and fussing like she was the queen. The only time they let her out of their sight was to sleep in my room, and thank God for that, or I might have lost the head entirely. Tara was my girlfriend. Not theirs.

"I'd rather you didn't ruin my makeup," she teased, flipping down the sun visor to reapply her lipstick with a quick, expert hand.

"You didn't seem to mind when we were snogging just now.".

"Yeah, well, that was then, and now is now," she quipped, giving me a wink before flipping up the visor. "Different verb tenses, Jonathan," she added. "Learn to tell them apart, love." With a flick of her wrist, she popped on her sunglasses, the motion smooth and casual, before pushing the door and stepping out of the car.

"Oi, wait!" I called after her, scrambling to grab my crutch and haul myself out of the passenger seat. Thank God I didn't need both of them anymore, just the one to keep me steady. My leg still ached like hell, but I wasn't about to let that slow me down.

Her laughter floated through the air as she strode confidently toward the school entrance, where my friends were standing like they didn't have a care in the world. Gibsie, leaning against the wall with a cigarette hanging from his lips, caught sight of her and his face lit up like Christmas morning. He dropped the cigarette, crushed it under his foot, and bolted over.

"You're alive!" he shouted, throwing his arms around her like a madman. "Fucking hell, I was about to drop a few quid on a Ouija board to see if you'd kicked the bucket!"

Patrick grinned, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "A week in Sleeping Beauty mode didn't do you any harm, Britney Spears."

"Katie told you?"

"And about your grand arrest while telling the Gardaí to tighten the cuffs."

"You wish you could pull off a deadly rendition of Baby One More Time drunk and in your sister's school uniform, Freddie."

"Any time you're ready, we'll give it a go and see who wins."

"Hey," I greeted, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close, enjoying the warmth of her body against mine.