I do not own the Gallagher Girls.
.We Could Never Work Out.
"Abby," he nodded at me nonchalantly.
"Joe," I flashed him a smile, hoping I didn't seem desperate.
I was in my junior year, he was in his senior. Gallagher was doing an exchange with his school, Blackthorne, and the only reason I knew him was because of my sister. Apparently, Joe Solomon was Rachel's boyfriend's best friend.
And as that brunette continued striding down the hall, disappearing amongst the mull of students, I sighed like a lovesick teenager and kept walking.
We could never work out.
--
"Abby," he grinned, giving me a mock salute.
"Joe," I laughed, thrilled with my new job.
The CIA had sought me out after my Gallagher graduation -- me, Abigail -- and asked me to be an agent. So here I was on my first day, on the way to the Director's office. Rachel would be so proud…but Rachel was currently away in Hungary on a classified mission I know nothing about.
So that brunette continued striding down the hall, disappearing through one of many sliding glass doors, and I sighed like a lovesick teenager and kept walking.
We could never work out.
--
"Abby," he acknowledged me.
"Joe," I responded right back.
Though the floor was filled with dancing, CIA couples -- the most special of whom were my sister and her new husband Chris -- neither of us were moving from our positions on the wall. We didn't speak, we were just content to survey the blissful wedding scene. Then it ended, and the agents parted ways with small smiles and hopeful half-waves.
When that brunette started striding out the door, disappearing out the towering, oak-wood frame, I sighed like a lovesick teenager and started walking.
We could never work out.
--
"Abby," he said, and smiled half-heartedly..
"Joe," I quirked my mouth up into a sassy smile.
Back at Gallagher Academy with Joe Solomon -- who would have guessed? But things were different now; I was on a mission to protect the Senator's teenage, spy daughter, not a reckless junior with her whole life ahead of her. No, that title had passed onto rambunctious Cam now. Meanwhile, I hadn't known Joe was here when I accepted the mission from my sister. This was the first time I'd seen him since…well, since Chris.
Because of my deceased brother-in-law did that brunette stride away down the hall, disappearing around the sharp corner and making me sigh like a lovesick teenager and start walking.
We could never work out.
--
"Abby," he whispered a farewell.
"Joe," I murmured back, subdued.
I was leaving. My arm slung in a cast and Macey McHenry as safe as she'll ever be, I was going to walk out those doors again, like so many years before. I wouldn't look back, I wouldn't miss…oh. I can't lie to myself. Rachel, Joe and I…we're the only ones who can do it. We alone have to protect Cammie -- I don't trust anyone else to the job, not anymore. As I mentally began building my walls again, the walls that were crushed when I'd stepped back into my home, my eyes met Joe Solomon's. My bags slid from my hands as I thought, Chris can't be the only one. So I grabbed his collar with both hands and kissed him silly, like I should have done in my junior year.
This time it wasn't that brunette striding away from me; this time I turned and walked away from him, as the leaden doors of the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women clashed shut behind me and I sighed like a lovesick teenager, starting to walk away.
We could n e v e r work out.