The well was pretty dry yesterday and I didn't reach my word goal and I am now on my third day of a seemingly endless migraine. It was pretty bad this morning, enough to make me cry out in pain. I took a fist full of ibuprofen and it seems to be helping. I have actual migraine medication but it doesn't really help. So here I am.
*
Ray smiled when recognised me. I don't think my heart has ever beat so hard. I didn't know what to say next and the music was so loud any way. He said something that I couldn't hear. I stood on tip toes and leaned in.
'Can I get you a drink?' he shouted, pointing his thumb towards the bar. His Cork accent was broad and earthy. I nodded towards my orange drink on a table and said, 'No thanks.'
He said, 'Ok, you get a seat then and I'll come over and join ya.' I almost did another twirl. Some of his friends had just vacated their mustard yellow couch to prowl around the club. I grinned at Ray and grabbed my drink.
I sat myself down at the table waiting for him. It was a bit quieter here so we could have an only slightly shouted conversation. It was taking Ray a while to get to the front of the queue at the bar and the butterflies in my stomach were threatening to burst out like that scene in Alien. My hands were sweaty. Who even was this boy? What was I doing here? I fiddled nervously with the straw in my drink.
Ray finally appeared with a pint of guinness and laid if on a bar mat on the cream coloured table. It was already sticky with pink and brown drips and circles. He took a long sip of his drink and lick away the foam. Condensation dimpled the side of the glass. I could hardly look at him.
'Are you going to tell me your name?' he laughed.
'Oh, uh yes!' I said, nervously. I looked up into his delicately featured face. 'I'm Khalilah. Khalilah Khan.'
'Well I'm pleased to meet ya Khalilah Khan. I'm Ray Kane.' My eyes flitted around his, never locking directly on to them.
'I'm guessing from your accent you're not from around here,' he went on, taking another draught of his beer.
'That's right,' I said. 'Well spotted. I'm from Edinburgh. My dad is from India, but my mam is from here in Cork. I'm here for the summer, until September. I'm staying with my grandparents.'
He nodded. 'That's cool. So you're half Irish and half Indian but brought up in Scotland?'
'That's right. It's a weird mix. Very celtic with a bit of the old...' I waved my hand over my right arm, 'dusky razzle dazzle.'
Ray smiled and looked down into his beer.
'What about you, what do you do?' I asked.
He brightened and started telling me about football. He loved it. A lot.
I got him on the dancefloor a few times. He seemed to enjoy it but I could tell he was self conscious. A few more pints of guinness and he loosened up. The dancefloor was my happy place and he could sense that. He enjoyed dancing with me I liked feeling him watching me.
It was too loud in Taboo for Ray and I to talk so I suggested we go for a walk down by the river Lee. He had been in the club with some of his football team mates and one his brother Jack. I noticed them elbowing each other and looking our way. Turns out he has a large family, three brothers and one sister. He couldn't believe I was an only child. He loved having a big family and couldn't imagine it any other way. I hadn't really given it a great deal of thought. The company of another sibling would be nice but then I'd get less attention.
Ray fetched our jackets and we slipped out of the club. The bouncers were putting a drunk girl into a taxi when we went past and didn't notice us.
We meandered slowly along the waterfront. It was properly dark now. I was shaking and a bit sweaty but I felt strangely calm and like I was exactly where I was meant to be. We walking slowly side by side, the lights of Cork glittering on the water. We hoped we might spot a seal, but in the dark it was too difficult tell a bit of driftwood from a sea creature.
We stopped and leaned over the fence and watched the black water roll by beneath us. We were so close to each other. I could smell washing powder and aqua sea foam body spray from him. We were silent for a few minutes. I turned round and leaned against the railings so I had my back to the water. He was still looking at the river. My elbow touched his hand and he looked up and noticed me. Our eyes locked for a moment. He blinked twice then put his hands on my waist. We kissed.
Our fate was sealed.