It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to Alex Ryan when she finds herself falling head over heels for Connie O’Reilly. How could she not? There isn’t a person alive who wouldn’t be drawn to the irresistibly beautiful and charming Connie. It seems impossible she could reciprocate -- not when Alex is so awkward, so timid, so very much a girl -- until what starts as a sweet friendship blossoms into something so much more than Alex could have dreamed of. Alex knows what they have is a momentary thing, not enough to be called forever. Connie’s the most popular girl in the school, wealthy and admired. She’s going to go to Trinity, maybe marry a lawyer. She’s going to have everything Alex could never give her. She isn’t stupid, after all. Status and reputation might mean nothing to Alex, but to Connie they are everything. The only out-lesbian they know is ridiculed by everyone she meets, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before Connie lets that be her. But when rumours spark and new faces enter the picture, they’re both set to discover that, while it may be easy to walk away, it’s a lot harder to move on.

The Night Belongs to Us

“I should probably get going,” she eventually said, shattering the unholy silence. “Emily will be getting home soon.”


Connie stood us and stretched out her arms before reaching down to pick up her bag. “You don’t have to walk me out.”


“Relax, I know my way.” She smiled stiffly.


“I hope I do,” I whispered back, but she was already in the hallway. I waited and listened for her footsteps retreating before the slamming of the door echoed throughout the house.


I switched the record off before I finally exhaled, and spent the rest of the evening lying on the couch in silence.  7


“Are you gonna do something with your hair?”


“Come here, let me curl the ends of it or something.”


“What’s the point? You know I don’t—”


“Alex,” she whined, pouting as she set the curling iron down to cross her arms. “Come on. Don’t be stubborn.”


Chapter 28