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“Oh, he does, does he? Well, that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a drug dealer. He’s bad news.”

“He’s not doing that anymore. He’s gotten out of it, and his uncle has given him some work on a construction site here in Dublin. He’s really cleaned up his act. I’m impressed.”

The light in her eyes made me feel ill. She was impressed? In that moment, I realised that she was going to take him back, and there was nothing I could do or say to stop her. Everything inside me wanted to scream and lash out. But my sister didn’t respond well to yelling, and I couldn’t afford to fight with her. I had to keep calm. Sloane was the only thing standing between me and homelessness. I was eighteen now, and she no longer had any legal obligation to care for me.

“So what does he want?”

Sloane chewed her lip, at least having the grace to look apologetic when she replied, “I’m giving him another chance, Erin.”

I knew it. All the blood drained from my face as the feeling of betrayal multiplied. This was a nightmare. “I don’t understand.”

“I know it’s difficult to get your head around, but you’re still young. You’ve never been in love.”

I blinked at her. “You still love him? Even after all he put you through?”

She nodded, wringing her hands. “I do.”

It confounded me that she could feel love for a man like him. He wasn’t particularly handsome or intelligent. All he had was misplaced confidence and a bad boy persona—but not the sexy kind. It was the kind that landed your girlfriend in the hospital with her life savings taken. A whole lot to love, right?

“I really think you’re making a terrible decision here.” It was the most diplomatic way I could put it, especially since on the inside I was thrashing and screaming.

Something in her expression shifted, her face hardening. “I’ve given so much to you, Erin. I practically raised you. The least you can do is support me in this.”

“How can I support you when his actions got you hurt? We moved here for a fresh start, and now you’re letting him back into our lives.”

“My life. I’m letting him back into my life, Erin. He’s made a huge effort to change and be a better person in the hopes that I’d give him a second chance. I’m not asking you to welcome him with open arms, but at least be cordial. We’re going to have to live together and—”

“Wait a second,” I held up a hand, “Live together? He’s moving in?”

My blood froze in my veins. And I thought this situation couldn’t get any worse.

“You know how hard it is to find a place these days. It was a stroke of luck that I even found somewhere that accepts the housing assistance payment. This way, there’ll be another adult to pay half the rent. It’s really difficult covering all the bills on my own.”

“But I’m going to get a part-time job. I already applied to a bunch of places around town, and I’m sure I’ll hear back soon. Everything I make can go towards the bills. You don’t need to take him back just because you need help paying for things.”

“That’s not the only reason. I love him. I want to be with him.”

As she said the words, I wondered how she could be so blind to Graham’s true nature. She put him up on a pedestal where he didn’t belong, and I had no idea how she couldn’t see reality. He might’ve given her a big speech about having changed, but I didn’t believe it for a second. Maybe it was the trauma of Mam leaving when we were so young, then losing our dad and having to step up and become my guardian. Perhaps that made her seek love from the wrong people.

I wasn’t judging her. If it weren’t for Sloane, I would’ve been put into the care system, where my life would’ve been way worse. But still, the thought of living with Graham again made me physically sick to my stomach.

“Look, come inside and say hello. You used to like him. I’m sure you can get back there once you see how much he’s changed.”

I never liked Graham. I’d just put on a smile and a brave face for Sloane’s sake. The thought of going in there and doing it all over again made every cell in my body scream in protest. I just couldn’t.

“I promised some friends from school I’d meet them at the library for a study session. I was just coming back for a quick change of clothes, but I’m late now, so I better go.”

Before she could argue, I turned and started walking away from the apartment building.

“Erin, wait,” Sloane called but I waved her off.

“I’ll say hello to Graham later,” I called back before quickening my pace. I had no idea where I was headed. There was no study session with friends from school. In fact, I’d made approximately zero friends so far, but I hadn’t been too bothered. It was everyone’s last year. They all had their groups already and weren’t going to go out of their way to get to know the random new girl who’d enrolled only a couple months before the end of term.

I wandered in the direction of the village and noticed a ‘Help Wanted’ sign outside a small but busy café named Christine’s. Peering inside, I saw a girl around my age standing by the register taking orders. With her heavy black eyeliner and dyed blue-black hair, we had a similar style, and I wondered if maybe she’d put in a good word for a fellow ‘alt girl’.

Honestly, one thing that could brighten up this crappy day would be getting a job. I might make enough money to rent a room in a house share and get out from under the oppressive cloud of Graham’s reappearance. I hated the idea of leaving Sloane with him, though. She said she loved him, but he wasn’t a good person. Why couldn’t she see that? What was it going to take?

As I stepped inside and joined the end of the queue, my gaze fell over the selection of cakes and pastries under the glass display. My stomach gurgled just looking at them because I hadn’t eaten since lunch. I’d been planning on reheating the leftover pasta from yesterday, but there was no way I was going back to the apartment while there was a chance of having to interact with Graham. I could survive until breakfast. Graham had always been a late sleeper so if I got up early, I could eat and also continue avoiding him for a little while longer.