Page 29 of Should Our Stars Collide

She clicks her tongue. Jesus fucking Christ, what now?! “You never go anywhere, always holing up in that apartment of yours. Have you met any nice girls yet?”

She was just complaining about him spending time outside with other people…

“Nope. I told you, I don’t have time for that.”

“You keep that attitude up and, before you know it, you are fifty and alone.”

What’s new? He’d rather be alone forever than end up with a string of asshole partners like his mum.

“I’m twenty-six. Maybe calm down?”

“Watch your tone.” She hisses, making his stomach knot up despite them being in different states. “And when I was your age, I was already pregnant with you.”

As if he could forget. He’s heard the story about what a difficult child he’s been, ever since leaving the uterus, more times than he can count.

“Sorry, but I’m not planning to get knocked up anytime soon.”

“Don’t be distasteful,” she chides. “Since you never do anything, why don’t you ever come visit your old mother?”

“You’re not old and I’m busy,” he reminds her.

“You’re always busy,” she complains. “I was busy for 18 years taking care of you, but you can’t spare one weekend.”

Taking care of him. Right.

“You didn’t hesitate to visit your father,” she throws in his face.

“He was at the hospital after having a stroke.” And his dadiseasier to handle. He also never demands Kieran visit him. In fact, he has little interest in keeping in touch. And why would he, having a whole otherfamily to play dad for?

“So you’re saying I need to be on my deathbed before you’ll come to visit?”

“Oh my god,” Kieran cries, short of banging his head against the wall.

“Well, that’s what you’re saying?—”

Nope. He can’t do this. Not now. Ideally never, but especially not now. “Mum? I gotta go. I’ll call you next week, okay?”

“But—”

“Bye.” He scrambles to hang up, feeling so out of sorts and shaky he expects his legs to give out any second. “Fuck.” It doesn’t matter how much time passes, how old he gets; he’ll never be over his parents’ bullshit. He fucking hates it. At least he’s at a pub already, so he can drink himself stupid and forget about that blasted conversation for a while. Things are starting to look up.

Or not.

Putting away his phone and turning around, he freezes on the spot, feeling the blood drain from his face. “Fuck.”

Ash’s unusually concerned expression gradually morphs into an amused one.

“I mean, if you insist…”

“Don’t fucking start,” Kieran warns, heading back inside without waiting for a response.

Seriously, is he fucking cursed, or what? How does he always run into Mr. Asshole at the most inconvenient of times? Did he put a tracker on him or something? Or is Kieran really just the unluckiest bastard in the whole world?

Back at their table, he angrily sinks into his chair, earning a few confused glances. He ignores them, pulling out his phone to order.

“You alright, mate?” Shane asks, an eyebrow raised.

“Fine.” He can feel everyone’s gaze on him. He ignores that too.