No Angels

Chapter 17

Before I went to meet Kian at the gate, I rushed to the bathroom to sort myself out. I'm sure his family wouldn't care all that much about how I looked, but I always thought it paid to make an effort. I took my brush out of my rucksack and pulled it through my hair, before pinning two front sections back. Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened behind.
"Woah. Don't make me run again, please. Why did you sprint out of French?" Nina panted. Within seconds she joined me at the mirror and started applying Chanel mascara.
"I'm going over Kian's. I need to hurry because I'm meeting him at the gates." I said as I tweezed a stray eyebrow.
"I thought we were planning the art project tonight?" Nina pouted.
"Shoot! I forgot all about that. Do you want to come over tomorrow and sort it?" I asked.
"Can't. My mum said I have to mind Danni and Katia." Nina said. I smiled thinking of Nina trying to control her little sisters. The twins -Daniella and Katia - share Nina's beautiful Italian looks, but they are scarily cute and devilishly cheeky.
"Okay, well, why don't we FaceTime or Skype or something?" I asked.
"Sounds good." Nina declared and gave me a thumbs up.
"Now, let me apply some of my new bronzer on you!" Nina said, and brushed some of the shimmering powder across my cheeks. She then carefully swiped a dark nude pink colour on my lips. I looked into the mirror, and my face instantly lit up.
"You are a miracle worker, you know that?" I hugged her quickly.
"Darling, I know. And you can't go wrong with M•A•C cosmetics. Now, come on we can't keep the boy waiting." Nina said, grabbing my hand, and soon we were sprinting between students to get to the gate. When we got there, Kian was leaning against the fence and he shot me one of his content smiles.
"Took you long enough." He remarked. I slapped him quickly in the arm.
I turned to Nina who was staring puzzled at her iPhone.
"What's up?" I asked.
"That's the same question Harry just texted me. I assumed since he broke up with Sophie I was meant to be the intimidating and protective best friend of the dumpee, not his new friend?" Nina replied.
"That's weird. We should probably get going, but keep me updated, yeah?" I said.
"Sure. Have a nice time!" Nina winked and I rolled my eyes. Kian put his arm around my shoulders and we set off.
"How far is your house?" I asked him, leaning my head against his arm.
"About ten minutes driving." Kian replied.
"So, let me get everything right. You live with your mum, little sister and brother?"
"Yep." He answered.
"Okay, and you're sister is Fiona and she is five and your brother is Liam and he is in year eleven?"
"Yeah, and my ma's name is Catherine." He said.
"It's nice that you all have Irish names." I remarked.
"My Dad's name wasn't Irish. He was an Anthony." Kian told me. I went quiet for a moment, not knowing how to reply to that.
"Anyway, I'll leave you to try and survive with my living family before I bore you with a sob story." He said. I smiled, grateful.

****

I was greeted at Kian's house by a little girl with flame red curly hair. She looked like that Scottish Disney princess. Her smile was bright upon seeing her brother.
"Hi!" She beamed, her voice just an innocent Irish accent. Kian picked her up swiftly and twirled her around as she giggled. Honestly, I could have melted in a puddle right there. He set her down on the ground and gestures towards me.
"This is Ava." I smiled at Fiona and gave her a little wave.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Fiona asked.
"Yes, she is." Kian replied, shooting me a smirk.
"I thought I was your girlfriend." Fiona flipped her hair. She was far more adorable than Lauren ever was, I swear.
"Not quite. Now, come on, its freezing out here." Kian said, and Fiona took his hand and led him through the hallway as I followed. We entered a really cosy living room where a warm fire was blazing. A tired, but beautiful looking woman who had ringleted dark hair like Kian's rose from her arm chair. she extended a hand to me and offered a kind smile.
"Hi, Ava. My name is Catherine. It's lovely to meet you!" She said.
"Nice to meet you too." I said, a slight tone of nervousness in my voice.
"Why don't you make yourselves as home? I thought we'd have a treat and get fish and chips for dinner?"
"That sounds great, thank you." I replied. Kian flopped down on the sofa behind us and I joined him.
"Liam will be back in about half an hour, Ma." Kian told her.
"Ah, right." Catherine said, and returned to her seat.
"So, Ava, Kian tells me your brother is in Liam's year in school."
"Yes, he is. I think he said that Liam is a really good athlete." I replied. The living room door opened, and a tall and gorgeously toned boy entered the room.
"Football was cut short, Ma." He announced.
"Liam, we have a guest." Catherine turned his attention to me.
"Hiya. I'm guessing your Kian's girlfriend?" He asked with the same smile that made my heart skip a beat.
"You guessed right." I told him.
"Well, that means I can get the dinner on anyway. And by that I mean that you're going down the chip shop, Liam." Catherine said. Liam rolled his eyes, dumped his bag on the floor and left, shutting the door behind me.
"You know you love me!" Catherine called. It occurred to me then that I didn't have to be a pristine teenage girl for the McCabes. I was just part of the family, which I was really happy with.

*****

I decided with certainty, that I loved dinner time with Kian and his family. At home, everyone was coming and going so much that we only really ate together once a month. But here the five of us sat around an oak table, our sides splitting with laughter. Liam was hilarious, and it was no wonder when I found out he was in with my brother's crowd, the popular boys in year 11. Catherine, and Kian had said, was always insisting that I ate more since I was "skinny as a twig" which was a nice difference to the usual "watch what you eat" that girls get. Fiona was a just little cutie, and Kian was just Kian, the same boy I knew and loved.

After dinner Kian and I helped clean up.
"So, what do you think?" He asked, scrubbing a plate.
"I think your family is much more entertaining than mine!" I replied, still giggling from one of Liam's jokes. Kian took some of the paper white bubbles from the sink and blew them into my hair.
"Damn it, McCabe." I said, smacking him with the tea towel. I heard Fiona's voice from the living room.
"Put on the Christmas CD!" She demanded.
"Okay, okay!" I heard Liam say, and soon All I Want Christmas Is You was playing through. Kian tugged my hand and soon we were dancing like drunk adults on New Years Eve around the kitchen. Kian spun me around endlessly as Mariah Carey's voice rung through the house.
"This song is so cheesy!" I said, trying to get my balance back again.
"Don't be such so negative!" Kian replied before grabbing me and lifting me up by the waist. I wrapped my legs around his waist to steady myself, laughing. As the shrill last note played we spun around even faster. The track ended and switched to Band Aid and by then my hands were on Kian's face and I kissed him as he held me up. The kitchen door opened, and fast as lighting I hopped down and stepped away from Kian. I tired to see Liam who was smirking as he leant against the door frame. I looked at Kian who rolled his eyes at his brother.
"Now that doesn't look like washing the dishes, does it?" Liam asked.
"Shut up. No girlfriend, no comments, man." Kian said. Liam shrugged and left. I looked at Kian again and we erupted into laughter.
"No privacy in this house, guys!" Liam called.