The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 14

I tapped the steering wheel in time with a love song on the radio as I pulled into my grandparents' driveway. The song itself was upbeat, but the message was that two people in love were lost without each other.

I shifted into park and climbed out into the oppressive mid-August heat, my thighs sticking to the seat. This was the kind of heat that kept my grandparents in the house all day, especially since Pop had started having the discomfort in his chest. I hadn't had a choice, though—the graduate program I would be starting in the fall was holding orientation, and I couldn't miss it. I reached across the seat to grab my backpack, the words to the song still echoing in my ears.

The sound of Ethan's laughter came through my open window from Nicole's pool area, causing my heart to hiccup in my chest. I stood, grabbing the top corner of the door, trying to ignore that sound I loved so much. I hadn't seen him in the week we'd been back from Tír na n'Óg as we'd both been laid up with "mono." I'd only convinced Gram I was feeling better two days ago.

I shut the car door and looked over at the fence surrounding the pool area. In a split second, I made a decision. I was tired of lying to myself and to everyone else. It had been a mistake to tell Ethan I didn't want him. That much was clear after everything that happened in Tír na n'Óg. I couldn't even remember a time in my life when I didn't want him.

The thought of him not giving me that stomach-tightening grin every time I saw him made my chest feel like a black hole. I couldn't be his friend, not now that I knew what it was like to be more.

I couldn't get to the gate fast enough. I fumbled with the latch, and it creaked as it swung open. I felt a ridiculous grin spreading on my face as I imagined telling Ethan how I really felt.

Nicole stood on the diving board, waiting to see who was coming in. Jeff was holding himself up with his arms resting over the side of the pool, and Ethan sat with his legs in the water of the shallow end. He was still laughing at something a petite blonde said as she stood gazing up at him from the water between his legs.

Dizziness flooded over me, as if all the air had been stolen from my lungs, and I froze as her hands moved suggestively up his thighs. When he turned my way, his smile fell, and for just a second we stared at each other.

"Hey, guys," I said, looking at Nicole and Jeff. "I just wanted to...let you know that I'm back from orientation." I tried to back away but stumbled, and my elbow hit the gate in a way that jarred my entire body.

Tears burned behind my eyes as I spun on my heel, and let the gate swing closed behind me. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could but skidded to a halt when I saw the three familiar men standing by my SUV. Liam, Aodhan, and Deaghlan watched as I made my walk of shame back from my cousin's house.

"Liam?" My mind registered that they must be waiting for me. Immediately my thoughts went to my mother. She should be in the house; I hadn't heard anything otherwise from Gram. "What's wrong?"

I vaguely heard the groaning of the gate opening behind me, and a voice calling out to me, but I was caught in Deaghlan's blue stare again, and he was pulling me toward him like a tractor beam.

"Al?"

The trance was broken when I realized it was Ethan saying my name.

I turned and saw him walking toward me, raking both of his hands through his damp hair.

I couldn't trust myself to speak, so I turned back to Liam, avoiding Deaghlan completely.

"Hello, Allison," Deaghlan said anyway as he sauntered over and kissed my forehead. As he pulled back, he stared hard at Ethan.

I peered back over my shoulder to see Ethan's eyes widen with surprise. He quickly looked over at Liam, his gaze questioning.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Why are you here?"

Liam cleared his throat, looking down at the ground. When he raised his eyes up to mine, his face was ashen.

"Aoife has escaped."