I stroll along the corridor, halting at the main doors. I stare out at the cold breeze blowing the trees and contemplating escaping to the cold or staying here and having to face Flynn.

"Wanna go get drunk?" Natalie asks, She and Summer appearing each side of me.

I glance at each of them before giving a nod of my head.

Each link my arms and we strut careless out of the school, getting curious glares from fellow classmates who are looking out the windows, one of which is Flynn.

"So you wanna tell us everything that's been going on with you and Flynn?" Summer asks as we saunter through the field toward Natalie's house.

I glance at her but there's no denying it, it's as obvious to her as the nose on your face.

"What's been going on? How have I not noticed? When did you start dating? Is he good in bed? What went wrong?" Natalie speaks without taking a breath, which never fails to amaze me.

"They haven't been dating.." Summer says confidently, "Right?" She asks questioning herself then.

I shake my head. "We haven't dated, we've just hung out"

"You fell for him!" Natalie says sympathetically.

I slowly nod my head.

"When? How?" She adds.

I shrug my shoulders, "Somewhere between us being arrested and him buying me a dress" I confess.

They both come to a sudden halt, I slip out from their linked ares and turn to see them stare at me with wide eyes.

"Yas got arrested?" Natalie gasps.

"He bought you a dress!?" Summer exclaims.

I nod my head and look at Natalie. "In around the time I was dating Anthony. Flynn and I went bowling. Long story short I punched a girl I used to know and Flynn punch her fella. It was epic, except for the Gardai who were there to witness it and arrest us"

I glance at Summer, who's also stunned by my story; they were details I'd left out when I told.

"As for the dress.." I smile at the memory, "Linda insisted I get one for the wedding and well Flynn picked it and paid for it"

"Are we still talking about the same Flynn?" Natalie giggles and links my arm again. "because it certainly doesn't sound like the same Flynn Murray we know"

"That's just it; I don't know. it's like when it's just us, he's a totally different guy. We still torment each other but we have fun and I feel like I can trust him. He even promised he wouldn't let me go to jail" I smile timidly at the memory. "but then he turns back into the Flynn Murray yas all know and I feel like it's just my stupid emotions that are making me think he cares about me. I'm sure he treats every girl like this" I look to Summer who's really quiet.

She shakes her head and looks at me. "Nobody really knows Flynn, but we've never heard of him treating anyone this way"

"Please don't tell me that; at this stage, it's easier for me to hate him if I think he treats everyone the same"

My phone vibrates in my pocket and although I know it's him. I still take it out to check.

Flynn: Wer yas goin? Need to tlk to u.

"I think you should talk to him" Summer says, glancing at my phone in my hand.

I shake my head. three whole classes I waited for his reply and now I only get one because I walked out of school.

"I think I should drink until I can't feel anything" I say, shoving my phone back in my pocket.

"I'm with Leah on this one" Natalie chimes and opens the door to her house.

"And don't you dare tell Benji because you know he'll tell Flynn" I warn Summer, who's phone just received a message too.

"Can't I tell my boyfriend where I am?"

"Not if you want to keep your friends" Natalie says, backing me up.

After filling our bags with the alcohol from Natalie's parents press, we set off towards the deserted part of the park; cackling at the silliest of things.

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket but choose to ignore it. I don't care who it is calling and texting, even if it's my parents.

"Mel just text me, she said she's heading to Zack's, apparently his parents are away for the night so he's throwing a last minute party"

If there's a party going down, Natalie is guaranteed to know when and where it's happening, whether she gets an invite or not.

"Who throws a party on a Monday?" Summer questions.

"Who cares, It's a party and it's warmer than a field. Let's go" Natalie chuckles, linking our arms and stirring us in the right direction.

...

"Benji's going to take us home later" Summer tells us, struggling to see her phone in her hand. "At least I think that's what it says" she cackles loudly.

"You told him where we are?" Natalie looks at her in disgust.

"Seriously, anyone that knows you, knows you're at this party. You're at every party" Summer debates.

"True" Natalie breaks into laughter.

I hear a familiar noise and my laughter quickly subsides. I may be drunk but not enough that I couldn't identify the sound of a motorbike outside; And If Benji knew that Natalie would be here and that we'd be with her, than I'm sure Flynn knows too.

In the doorway a motorbike helmet appears above people's heads and I freeze. Sensing my fear, and seeing what I see, Natalie and Summer stop laughing. I feel them squeeze my hand and knee, assuring me that they're there for me.

When the helmet is taken off my eyes widen.

"AARON!" I squeal excitedly leaping from my seat, I rush towards him.

He catches me as I pounce unstably at him. With his hands holding my sides firmly, he guide me through the house to the front garden. "What are you doing here?" I slur once at a distance where I can hear myself speak.

"I got a call from a little birdie"

My eyebrows knit in confusion, "But my mam doesn't know where I am"

"That's also a problem" He says bleakly, "What's going on Leah?"

"Just like you said, my stone heart got a crack in it" I cackle like I'm the funniest person on the planet. "But it's okay, my old friend Vodka is helping" I hold up my half empty bottle of vodka. After finally completing one with mixers and still feeling sad, I decided to just drink it straight.

"How much have you had to drink?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Of this bottle, that much" I shake it, showing him how much is empty and then take a gulp of it but before I can finish it, the bottle is whipped from my hands.

"Are you trying to kill yourself" Aaron growls furiously. "Come on, you're going home"

"No I'm not" I yell, attracting the attention of everyone around us. "You moved away Aaron. You and Holly left me.."

"I know you're only saying shit because you're drunk.."

"..Drunk or not, it doesn't change how I feel" I snap. "You were my best friend Aaron and you left me for a girl. I'd never have done that to you" I spit angrily. Tears spring to my eyes. I hate being this angry at someone I love. "You weren't there for me when I got arrested or when I drank so much I had to have my stomach pumped, you weren't even there when Davey died" I wipe the tears from my cheeks. "So you can't just turn up now when.." In my peripheral vision a familiar figure catches my attention. I turn and even through blurry, tear-filled eyes I recognise Flynn standing there. "..when my heart's been shattered"

Flynn's expression softens under my words and his gaze flickers to Aaron.

I glimpse between the both of them, my head working over-time.

"You called him" I accuse, staring furiously at Flynn. "You had no right to call him"

"I thought you..."

"You don't know me!" I yell, looking around, noticing Natalie and Summer now stood in the doorway and I feel a heaviness in my chest. My stomach slowly churning. "None of you know me" I turn back to Aaron. "I love you but I need a friend who knows when I need them, not when some ass calls them" I spit venomously.

I watch as Aaron's lean figure deflates. I know he's crumbling inside and I should feel bad but I don't. I can't.

A heavy silence lays between us all.

I somehow manage to saunter past Aaron and make it out of the garden before I feel my insides crumble and my legs give in under me and then... darkness..