about – well, sex, really. It’s starting to seem that everything is, really.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I don’t want to rush things,” Hugh said. “I mean, what we have, it’s something really special, and I don’t want to ruin that.”
I nodded. “Of course. We’ll take things slow.” I smiled at him. I’d been smiling non-stop for the past week or so, ever since New Year’s. Roisín had told me that it was truly sickening how happy I was, and had taken to making “awww” noises every time Hugh and I were near her.
It was vaguely irritating but mostly just appropriate for how we were both feeling.
“This is going to be perfect,” he said.
“Perfect,” I echoed.
***
“Barry, you’re my best friend in the whole wide world, right?”
“Right,” he nodded.
“Sleep with me.”
“What?” he said, looking appalled.
“I’m not that hideous, am I? Come on, as a favour to me. I don’t think Hugh has been told about the birds and the bees yet and I’m feeling incredibly deprived. He won’t mind if it’s you.”
“Emily, you’re being ridiculous.”
“Maybe if we watched some porn,” I mused. “That’d do it. Do you have any videos I could borrow?”
“No! Do I look like the sort of person who has a porn collection?”
“Male, teenage – yes!”
“Emily.”
“Help,” I said dramatically, throwing myself into his arms.
“I only hope you know how melodramatic you’re being,” he told me.
“Yes, I’m sadly aware of that fact. But seriously, Barry, we’ve been together for two months, and – nothing! We never even get the chance to do anything. It’s depressing. I’m starting to think he’s not remotely attracted to me.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. You’re gorgeous. He’s crazy about you.”
“Really?”
“He’s just nervous.”
“About –”
“Well, you know he hasn’t ever – you know.”
“Seriously?” I was truly taken aback by this. Hugh had always hinted at encounters, and I’d assumed he’d slept with girls before.
“Yeah. He talks big, but –”
“I can’t believe he never told me that,” I said.
“It’s not that surprising.”
“Yes, it is! He’s very attractive, and –”
“No, I mean it’s not surprising he hasn’t told you about it.”
“Do you think he feels inferior or something?”
Barry nodded. “Well, obviously. I mean, you’re so laid-back and casual about everything, and you’ve had all this experience –”
“Not that much.”
“ – and although you mightn’t think it, occasionally guys get insecure about that sort of thing.”
I feigned amazement. “No way. Guys have feelings?”
He smiled. “It’s true, I’m afraid.”
“So what do you think I should do? I don’t think he’d want me to tell him, ‘Don’t worry, I don’t mind if you’re a virgin’. Even though I don’t.”
“Do whatever feels right.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do. That’s why I’m here propositioning you,” I laughed. “Speaking of which, I’m very hurt that you turned me down.”
“Only because of Hugh, I assure you.”
“Oh, well, in that case.”
***
“It’s going to be great. You know how talented Shane is, and then Sarah has that amazing voice, and . . . I mean, don’t you think that we have a chance of making it?”
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” I said, smiling enthusiastically.
“It’s always been my dream to be in a band,” he continued.
I decided not to point out that he had actually wanted to be an actor at the age of eleven, and that by the age of twelve he’d decided he was going to be a doctor and save thousands of lives, and that because Science was too much work, he had decided at thirteen to be a professional skateboarder, and at fourteen he wanted to be like the guys on Jackass.
“You know,” I laughed, “all the girls will be after you now that you’re in a band.”
“And they’ll be jealous of you for having me,” he replied, putting his arm
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I don’t want to rush things,” Hugh said. “I mean, what we have, it’s something really special, and I don’t want to ruin that.”
I nodded. “Of course. We’ll take things slow.” I smiled at him. I’d been smiling non-stop for the past week or so, ever since New Year’s. Roisín had told me that it was truly sickening how happy I was, and had taken to making “awww” noises every time Hugh and I were near her.
It was vaguely irritating but mostly just appropriate for how we were both feeling.
“This is going to be perfect,” he said.
“Perfect,” I echoed.
***
“Barry, you’re my best friend in the whole wide world, right?”
“Right,” he nodded.
“Sleep with me.”
“What?” he said, looking appalled.
“I’m not that hideous, am I? Come on, as a favour to me. I don’t think Hugh has been told about the birds and the bees yet and I’m feeling incredibly deprived. He won’t mind if it’s you.”
“Emily, you’re being ridiculous.”
“Maybe if we watched some porn,” I mused. “That’d do it. Do you have any videos I could borrow?”
“No! Do I look like the sort of person who has a porn collection?”
“Male, teenage – yes!”
“Emily.”
“Help,” I said dramatically, throwing myself into his arms.
“I only hope you know how melodramatic you’re being,” he told me.
“Yes, I’m sadly aware of that fact. But seriously, Barry, we’ve been together for two months, and – nothing! We never even get the chance to do anything. It’s depressing. I’m starting to think he’s not remotely attracted to me.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. You’re gorgeous. He’s crazy about you.”
“Really?”
“He’s just nervous.”
“About –”
“Well, you know he hasn’t ever – you know.”
“Seriously?” I was truly taken aback by this. Hugh had always hinted at encounters, and I’d assumed he’d slept with girls before.
“Yeah. He talks big, but –”
“I can’t believe he never told me that,” I said.
“It’s not that surprising.”
“Yes, it is! He’s very attractive, and –”
“No, I mean it’s not surprising he hasn’t told you about it.”
“Do you think he feels inferior or something?”
Barry nodded. “Well, obviously. I mean, you’re so laid-back and casual about everything, and you’ve had all this experience –”
“Not that much.”
“ – and although you mightn’t think it, occasionally guys get insecure about that sort of thing.”
I feigned amazement. “No way. Guys have feelings?”
He smiled. “It’s true, I’m afraid.”
“So what do you think I should do? I don’t think he’d want me to tell him, ‘Don’t worry, I don’t mind if you’re a virgin’. Even though I don’t.”
“Do whatever feels right.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do. That’s why I’m here propositioning you,” I laughed. “Speaking of which, I’m very hurt that you turned me down.”
“Only because of Hugh, I assure you.”
“Oh, well, in that case.”
***
“It’s going to be great. You know how talented Shane is, and then Sarah has that amazing voice, and . . . I mean, don’t you think that we have a chance of making it?”
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” I said, smiling enthusiastically.
“It’s always been my dream to be in a band,” he continued.
I decided not to point out that he had actually wanted to be an actor at the age of eleven, and that by the age of twelve he’d decided he was going to be a doctor and save thousands of lives, and that because Science was too much work, he had decided at thirteen to be a professional skateboarder, and at fourteen he wanted to be like the guys on Jackass.
“You know,” I laughed, “all the girls will be after you now that you’re in a band.”
“And they’ll be jealous of you for having me,” he replied, putting his arm
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