"Are you at the hospital all day?"
When Branna wasn't in college doing a million assignments, writing essay papers, or studying for crazy hard tests, she was at the maternity hospital volunteering. All medical students in her chosen field had to volunteer so many hours to get some live experience of childbirth. It's not required that she get paid, because she has to volunteer for experience, but her hospital did pay her. It wasn't much but it was enough for us to live on. We didn't really need Branna's wages to get by. We still had lots of money left to us by our parents, which would get us by until Branna became a midwife and had a steady income. Once I finished my final year in school and graduated, I'd get a summer job that would hopefully roll into a permanent job by the time I started college so that I didn't have to leech off Branna for everything.
"Yeah, I get to see babies come into the world today, isn't that brilliant?" Branna beamed and clapped her hands together, getting my attention again.
I gave her a deadpanned look making her snort. "Well, okay, I know you don't like it because you flip out at stuff like what I do but just think, one day you will be givin' birth, and I could be helpin' you deliver!"
Branna sounded way too excited about that thought.
"I will never have children! Why have kids only to worry about their health and safety for the rest of your life? That's way too much stress for me to deal with, thank you very much."
Branna rolled her eyes. "Someone is going to change your way of thinkin' one day, little sister. I won't be the only person you love and care for. Someone will claw their way into that boxed off heart of yours and set up camp for the long haul, and there won't be a thing you can do about it."
"Don't threaten me!" I snapped.
Branna laughed and asked, "Wishin' you find love is a threat?"
"Yes!"
"Bronagh, you really need to get out more."
I rolled my eyes but decided to humour her. "Okay, sis, I'll make a start on findin' love by goin' to the supermarket and doin' the shoppin'. You never know, I might find him in the poultry aisle."
Branna laughed while shaking her head at me. "Wow, great start," she said sarcastically before giving me a wink and leaving my room.
I rolled my eyes heavenward and fell backwards onto my bed. Groaning, I closed my eyes. I stayed that way for so long that I eventually dozed back off, and when I awoke it wasn't so bright out anymore. I checked the clock in my room and saw it read 4:32 p.m. I yawned and got up from my bed and stretched; I held my belly when light cramp pains attacked. I went into the bathroom and groaned. Sure enough, my period had arrived as predicted. I got cleaned up, washed, and dressed before heading downstairs to take some painkillers.
Branna had already left for work hours ago and had left the shopping list I needed on the counter along with cash to pay for the items. I tucked the list and money into my jeans, and then plaited my hair back out of my face.
I didn't bother with putting makeup on because I felt like shite and would be going to bed when I got home anyway, so I left the house barefaced. I put my earphones in my ears as I walked down the street and hit shuffle on my iTouch.
I passed two people on the pathway, but if I passed more I didn't notice because I was too busy taking in the stunning view I had on my left. I sighed a little, living on the bottom side of the Dublin Mountains really did have its perks. I would never tire of the view it offered; the mountain cliffs, the trails, the multiple shades of green, the huge trees, and of course, a few sheep off in the distance. Content and happy I looked away from my left and glanced to my right, which only deepened my feeling of happiness. To my left I had a mountain view and to my right, a town view.
My housing estate was higher up than the rest of the estates in my area because we were right on the mountain side. That meant I overlooked the entire town which was brilliant. I never usually thought where I lived was beautiful, but it was, once you looked hard enough.
My walk to Citywest Shopping Centre was a quick one and before I knew it, I was in Dunnes Stores walking around pushing a trolley. I took out the list Branna made and began picking up the items she wrote down. I added some cookies and other treats into the trolley, because it was that time of the month, and I needed them.
I was bending down to get the triple chocolate cookies - best cookies ever - on the bottom shelf. I had to go down on my knees, because there were only two packets left, and they were at the very back. I got them though, and when I stood up and turned to toss them in my trolley I froze mid-step.
"What the fuck are you doin' here?" I growled.
Dominic Slater's smirking face morphed into a smiling one. "What do you think I'm doing in a grocery store? Taking a shower?"
I pulled a face at him. "It's called a supermarket, you bloody eejit," I said coolly before moving towards my trolley.
Dominic stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
I blew out a big breath. "Move. Now!"
"Why weren't you in school today?" he asked, ignoring my demand.
He noticed I wasn't in today?
Probably because he had no one else to bully since I wasn't there.
"I'm sick," I said and tried to get around him once more.
He blocked my way again by stepping to the same side as me at the same time.
"You don't look sick," he commented.
I glared at him.
"Shows how much you know, doesn't it?" I growled.
I hunched forward a little when pressure erupted across my lower abdomen and caused me immense pain.
"Dominic, move out of me way!"
"Are you going to puke?" he asked, still blocking my way.
"Yeah, I'm goin' to puke, and I'm aimin' for you so move!" I warned.
Dominic snorted. "Nah, you don't look like you will be sick. You're obviously having stomach pain though."
"Thank you for that observation doctor Fuckface, now move!" I spat.
Dominic laughed at me then glanced to my hands. "I'll happily move… when you give me those cookies."
I cuddled the cookies to my chest as I would with a newly born infant.
"No fuckin' way, I got them first!"
Dominic rolled his eyes. "They are mostly likely the last triple chocolate cookies in the entire store since you had to get them from the very back of the shelf. If you want me to move, then you will give them to me."
"They were the last two packets in the shop, but I'm not givin' you either of them, and if you don't move I'll scream rape and have you arrested!" I warned.
He tipped his head back and laughed, so I took the opportunity and manoeuvred around him. I used one hand to hold the cookies to my chest and the other to grab my trolley.
"Oh, no you don't!"
When I felt hands come around my stomach from behind, I almost died.
He was touching me!
Dominic Slater had his hands on my stomach and had his body pressed into my back.
Oh, my Jesus.
Did this motherfucker have a death wish?
"I'll give you three seconds to get your hands and body away from me, otherwise I will knock you the fuck out!"
Dominic's chuckle in my ear made my body tense up even more than it already was.
"You think you can take me, pretty girl?"
Pretty girl?
Was he trying to be funny or something?
"I do!" I snapped then said, "Don't call me that again!"
"I can call you what I like and say what I like to you, freedom of speech and all that."