Haunted

o f f i c i a l

𖤣𖥧𖡼𖤣𖥧 Gabriella 𖤣𖥧𖡼𖤣𖥧

Since the fight Joey was in, I hadn't seen him.

Or spoken to him for that matter.

I had resisted the urge to march to his house and bang on the door, by instead, staying in my pyjamas all hours of the day and studying.

Rumours had been flying but apparently Marie Lynch pulled Shannon out of BCS and had enrolled her to start at Tommen after Christmas break.

I hoped it'd be better for her there, god knows it wasn't for me, but she'd have her friends to look out for her.

So, when my phone chimed and it was a text from Joey asking me to meet him at Biddies for a drink and to talk, I finally changed out of my pyjamas. I felt slightly on edge, as I had no idea what the hell we were going to say to each other.

I made it to Biddies and spotted him in the back corner of the bar, my stomach twisted with nerves as I made my way over to him.

"Hi," I smiled, yanking off my coat and placing it on the back of my chair.

"Hey," He looked up at me, his green eyes burning into me, making my stomach do summersaults.

"Aw, you got me a drink?" I smiled, wrapping my hands around the glass in front of me.

"Yeah," He nodded, "Thank you for coming. You look beautiful, Gabs."

"Thank you, Joe," I grinned, unable to stop the blush from forming on my cheeks, "So, how have you been?"

"Not too fucking good," He sighed, "How about you?"

"Not too good, either."

"I'm suspended again," He drummed his fingers on the table.

"So, I've heard," I nodded, "What about expulsion? Have they mentioned anything about that?"

He shook his head and took a sip of his drink, "But Shannon's moving to Tommen after Christmas, so at least something positive has come out of it. She won't have to deal with those girls anymore."

"That's amazing! I think she'll love it there. She's friends with Claire, right?" I confirmed.

"Yeah and another girl, Lizzie, I think her name is. Mam took a loan out from the credit union for the tuition. Herself and Shannon have been over to the school to meet the principal and look around, and she seems to be excited," He shrugged, "Could be a life changer for her."

"I really hope it is. If you need me to, I can tell a few of the lads to keep an eye out for her," I offered, knowing full well my friends at Tommen would do anything for me.

"You'd do that?" He widened his eyes, "That'd be grand."

"Of course I would," I chuckled.

A moment of silence fell over us and we locked eyes. I had missed this boy so much in the days we weren't talking—so much so that it was almost alarming. Somehow, without even trying, he'd made me fall in love with him.

I was in love with Joey Lynch, and I had no idea what to do with that.

"So..." I inhaled a deep breath, "What's going on with us? I mean we were kind of together and then you disappeared. I guess I'm just wondering where we stand."

"I don't know," He mumbled.

"So," I shrugged, "What exactly does that mean? Are we friends? Are we dating? Do you want nothing to do with me? Give me something, Joe."

He tipped his drink back and drained the contents before blowing out a breath, "I'm not good at this, Gabs."

"At what?"

"Talking about shit," He admitted, "My feelings."

"Well fine, just give me a yes or no," I offered, "Do you want to be with me?"

His eyes met mine again, and he nodded, "Yes."

"Then it's settled," I smiled, "You're mine, Joey Lynch, and I'm yours."

He grabbed my hand off the table and entwined our fingers, before placing a kiss to the top of my hand.

"Yeah, it's settled," He agreed.

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When we made it back to my house, I changed back into a fresh—and much cuter—set of pyjamas. Joey headed into the bathroom and was gone for a suspiciously long time.

So, letting my curiosity get the better of me, I pushed open the door and found him with a rolled-up tenner pressed to his nose.

Snorting some sort of powder.

I felt my heart break in two at the sight. I knew he wasn't clean but seeing it live in action made it so much more real.

I was in love with a drug addict.

"What are you doing?" My voice came out as a
hoarse whisper.

He finished snorting the substance and inhaled multiple deep breaths, before his eyes trailed to my face.

"Gab-" He spoke but I shook my head.

"Just come to bed," I heard myself say, "Please."

I used to hate my mam, for allowing herself to date someone like my father, because when I was little I only ever saw him high out of his mind.

But now I understood. I saw a side to Joey that no one else did.

"Are you mad?" He asked, following me to my bed, and dropping down onto it.

"Yes," I nodded, crawling in next to him.

"Then why aren't you yelling?"

"What's the point," I sniffled, "Yelling won't make you stop. I know what it's like for addicts, my father is one."

"Really?" Joeys eyes lulled back in his head, bringing me a sense of dread and fear.

"Yeah," I nodded, "Just sleep it off. I'll be here in the morning."

I meant it. I wasn't going anywhere, not without him. I ignored all the alarm bells going off in my body and clung to him.

Because as long as he was here in bed with me, I knew he was breathing.

I knew he was safe and alive.

And that's all I could ask for when it came to him.