Eire.(chapter 21)

The next week wasn't one of my dreams. N. didn't speak to me at all (but why should that bother me? I guess I should be happy...), he ignored me, avoided my gaze. I missed his smile, his eyes fixed on me. I still couldn't forgive him, last Friday. Gemma, that fight, and the words he'd said—for the first time, I felt so... empty at the sight of him. No emotion, no hatred, no happiness, nothing, just that I liked looking at him, at his body. But as a person, he didn't interest me at all. I flirted with guys, fooled around, laughed as if nothing had happened. And yet, one day at lunch, something inside me snapped. I saw him hugging Gemma again, hugging me the way he hugged me. Then Ross pulled up in his car.

"Hop in, baby."

Without thinking, I got into his car. Piotrek wouldn't like it, he didn't like me riding around in cars with guys, but it was Ross, he needed to talk, just like me. "

I heard what happened in the Centre, that's why I didn't come. I saw N. at her house and I knew he was going with her.

Gemma was watching me drive away, with Ross. Let her be jealous, let N. feel a hint of envy at the sight of us.

"Ross, but how did you break up? You and Gemma were such a good couple, what happened to her? I admit she was crazy, but not a make-up doll, and now she looks like Rosin, or Marion, and you know what it means to look like her.

" "I don't know what happened to her. I picked her up at her house, she got in the car, and on the way to school she said it was over." That she doesn't see the point in us going out together anymore, since I'm not continuing at our school. And I only took a year off, I'll be back next year.

"Ross, I'm sorry to tell you this, but when you were gone, she was hitting on N. and Duffy. I thought it was just friendly banter, like Kellie (Piotrek's good friend) is constantly hugging all the boys.

" "Listen, I didn't even know she was always sitting on their laps. Nobody bothered to tell me she was acting like…" "

Because she was acting like Kellie, what can I say? I thought she was being silly, but she seriously had a thing for N. Now you see. Listen, he'll dump her, she's not stupid. She'll wake up, she should have. After the way N. shouted at him when he was fighting, I don't think she meant much to him. Talk to her, you'll see, it'll be okay." Maybe he promised her mountains of gold and messed with her head, and all you need to do is show her you miss her.

We pulled up to the school, the bell rang in five minutes, I didn't even notice the hour had passed.

"So, what, talk to her, you'll see, you'll meet again.

" "What about you and N?"

"Nothing, it's over, I'm disappointed in him and I have no intention of getting back together with him. Besides, I don't think he misses me; he completely ignores me.

" "Oh, don't be surprised yet.

" "I have to go, thanks for the ride."

I wonder what Ross meant by 'you'll be surprised yet.' I don't think N. wants to play with an old toy; he's found himself a new one, poor Ross, a wonderful guy. He was so serious for the first time, yes, but I've always seen them together, only at school I've seen her alone...

Everyone in the whole school has started gossiping; they have nothing to talk about. Lately, everyone's been thinking about N. and Wiktoria, Wiktoria and N., and the people they're supposedly dating." They used to gossip about how I was secretly seeing N., how we were together but no one was supposed to know. All week long, everyone was talking about how I'd snapped at N. and what a female dog I was. Girls from my younger years whispered to each other every time I passed. But now they'd found a new topic. N. started hanging out with Gemma, and I with her ex-boyfriend, Ross. I ignored them; the gossip made me look even more like a bitch, though I admit it was tiring sometimes. Especially when I lost my cool during an English lesson...