In light of recent events, I had planned to stay home today. There was NO way I was going to leave my parent's house. My decision had been final. I would not be going out tonight.

Unfortunately, Lisa, my best friend, was very persistent. She managed to finagle me into nicer clothing and a pub.

Her convincing statement was "screw Mark! By not going out, yer letting the arse win! I say you go out with me and party! Meet a nice guy, get it on, and regret nothing!"

I simply sighed and reluctantly put on a dark blue, knee-length dress. I slipped on a pair of black flats.

————

When I came to Ireland to visit my parents, I really didn't expect to be dumped by my American boyfriend because I "chose to go to Ireland instead of hanging out with" him. What a loser.

At the time, however, Mark was the love of my life. I thought we would get married and start a family. We had been dating for six years. I had hoped something would have happened by now.

In those six years, my parents moved to Ireland. I was unable to go visit them due to Mark and work. When I finally had a chance to visit them, I took it.

Because Mark couldn't be bothered to come with, I left his tail in America. Really, it's not my fault he didn't come. It's his. I realise that now. At the time, I didn't.

Still, my heart is broken. Even though that mess happened two weeks prior. Since then, I'd been staying in my parents' home.

Fortunately, I'd made a friend, Lisa. She and I had grown very close. I met her when my mom forced me to go to the neighbours to ask for an egg. Mom was trying to get me out of the house.

Lisa met me at the gate to her property.

"Whaddya need, lass?" She asked. I told her that my mom had sent me to borrow some eggs. She grinned brightly and took me by the arm.

She led me into her house, and she disappeared into her kitchen. I stood there awkwardly, wondering whether she would return soon or not.

Eventually, she returned with five baskets of eggs.

"I don't need that many," I said, attempting to reject some of it. She merely shoved them toward me, and she insisted upon driving me back to my parents' house.

I didn't know it then, but she would become my best friend and a major part of what was to come only three nights later.

————

Lisa led me by the arm into the pub. As soon as we entered, she pulled me into a booth in a dark corner. I looked around, a bit bewildered. It was small and quite crowded. I could hear someone playing a guitar behind me. They were playing some tune about their murdered mama.

I gave up trying to decipher the words. Lisa's grin brightened when a certain fellow with a leather jacket walked by. She nudged my arm, pointing to him.

"That's Gerry Kennedy! He plays here a lot. He's a cheeky bloke, and he can carry a tune very well. Ye should talk to him! It'll help ye get over Mark!" Lisa exclaimed. I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'm too sober for that."

"No problem!" Lisa exclaimed. She raised her hand in the air, signalling a random guy over.

"Hey, bud. Can ye order us ladies some drinks? Ye might get lucky tonight if ye do," she said, smirking. The guy nodded as Lisa ordered the most detailed drink I had ever heard of. Then, she said "and a gin for me, thanks."

I gave her a bewildered look.

"What on earth am I drinking?" I asked. She only winked. I sighed. This girl was going to kill me at the rate she was going.

A few minutes later, the guy returned with Lisa's gin and a somewhat normal-looking beverage for me, which confused me. I figured it would be some fancy shmancy cup with a whole bunch of junk jutting out at the top.

The guy sat, and Lisa shamelessly flirted with him. I only watched, feeling like a major third wheel. Bored, I got up and decided to check out the pub some more.

I finally took a sip of my drink, only to wince at the burning of the beverage as it slid down my throat. Whelp, I'd get drunk sooner if I consumed the entire thing. And so, I chugged it, ignoring the burn.

My head felt a little fuzzy, and my stomach felt queasy, but I kept exploring the pub.

And then, I heard an amazing voice and the sound of an acoustic guitar being plucked. In my trance-like state, I followed the voice. My eyes locked onto the guy in the leather jacket. He was strumming the guitar, singing Galway Girl.

In that instance, I felt butterflies dance in my stomach— or maybe it was that weird drink Lisa ordered for me—but anyway, I felt it. I felt this with Mark when I first met him, but it had gone away after a while.

Now, the familiar feeling crept into my stomach, chest, and soul. The void that Mark had left was suddenly closing.

What did Lisa say this guy's name was? George? Gary? Gerry? Gerry! His name was Gerry. I smiled at the thought.

She was right; the man could sing! Holy cow!

I watched him singing. He sang so passionately. It was beautiful.

His eyes locked onto mine, and I knew—somehow, whether by the stars, God, fate, or something—that he and I were meant to be. He sent me a cheeky little smile, which I returned to the best of my abilities in my drunken state.

When the song was finished, Gerry thanked everyone for coming out to the pub, wished them a good time, and he got off the stage. I remained standing where I had been originally; somewhat in the back of the crowd.

I watched as Gerry sought me out, nodding and sending smiles to some of the ladies whom tried to block his path. His eyes were locked on me the whole time.

I smiled drunkenly.

And then, I was being pulled away. I struggled within the grasp of my captor, attempting to go back to Gerry.

"Stop yer wiggling! Yer parents are callin' me!" Lisa shouted. Her accent became more prominent the more irritated she got. She led me outside the pub.

Reluctantly, I stopped struggling. Lisa handed me her phone.

"Answer 'em. They're makin' me go insane!" She exclaimed, clutching her head. By this point, she was far more drunk than I could ever have dreamt to be.

I sighed, answering the call.

"Hello?" I asked, irritated. They ruined my fun. I was so close to chatting up Gerry! SO CLOSE! And my parents had to ruin it by calling Lisa.

"Where are you? Are you safe? Have you met anyone? Where's Lisa? Is she okay?" Their onslaught of queries made my head hurt.

"God, we're fine! Look, we're going to get a ride home. Lisa's drunk, and I'm tipsy. Please leave the door unlocked. Go to bed, and please stop worrying. We'll be there soon. Love you, bye." I hung up, tucking the phone in Lisa's purse.

At this point, Lisa had slid down the side of the pub, and she was laughing uncontrollably about something. I sighed. Neither of us were sober enough to drive, but I was more sober than she.

"What're ye doin' out here?" I heard a male voice ask, amused. I turned to retort, but the sight of the man before me had my movements falter.

"We're not sober enough to drive," I said simply. His eyebrows raised, and he licked his lips.

"I could drive ye," he said. A slight smirk rested on his lips. I glanced at Lisa, only to find her passed out. Smirking, I looked back at Gerry.

"Okay."

And so, Gerry and I moved Lisa into the back seat of her car.

I hopped into the passenger seat, while Gerry hopped into the driver side.

"Where are ye livin'?"

————

When I woke up the next morning, I heard voices in my parents' kitchen. I groaned, climbing out of bed. Lisa was dead asleep in the floor. She probably fell out of bed.

Sluggishly, I made my way downstairs. I managed to walk into the kitchen without falling over.

"Hey, hon. Here's some pain meds and water. Go sit at the table. I'll bring your plate to you," my mom said. I nodded, accepting the glass of water and little pill. I took the pain med and chased it down with the water, then seated myself at the table.

"You look rough." I looked up to see Gerry at my table, a jammed-up toast slice in one hand, and his glass of orange juice in the other.

"Thanks. It's the new fall look," I said sarcastically. Gerry chuckled. My mom placed my plate in front of me, eyeing me dirtily.

"Be nice to Gerry. He's a real good man," she said. Gerry coughed to cover a laugh. I only glared at him.

"I suppose I could thank you for driving Lisa and I home," I say, buttering up a slice of toast. Gerry chuckles.

"Anytime. Wouldn't want anything bad to happen to two lovely ladies," he said, chewing toast simultaneously. I ignored the disgusting gesture and gave him a small smile.

"You know, yer smile isn't all that bad. You should do it more," he said, swallowing his toast. I flushed bright red.

"Uh, thanks," I said nervously, stuffing an egg in my mouth. Gerry chuckled, leaning in really close to me.

"I'm starting to like this 'new fall look'. Maybe I'll jump on it."

He smirked and backed away.

I had to admit, the man knew which buttons to push to make you melt.

————

Lisa pulled me into the pub once again, claiming that Gerry was "up to 'ere with love fer ya." As if I believed her! I had only just met Gerry the week before. Love can't form that quickly.

You have to get to know that person first; you have to fall in love with the things they say, things they do, the way they do things, the way they say things, and just aspects of them that you typically don't see by just looking at them or meeting them one time. Lisa didn't understand that like I did.

Don't get me wrong, Gerry was a nice guy. He was handsome, his accent was sexy, he had beautiful eyes, and he certainly knew how to make me smile. However, I wasn't in love with Gerry, and I'm sure he wasn't in love with me.

But, as I always do, I went along with what Lisa had to say, if only to get her to shut up. She didn't know what she was talking about. Or did she?

She pulled me into the booth we had occupied last time. She called over another guy, who happily came over to us.

"I want ye to git us two Jamesons. Ye might get lucky if ye do," she said, winking at the poor guy. He gulped nervously and went off to get our drinks.

"Must you always have someone else get your drinks?" I asked, amused. She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Of course!"

At that moment, a familiar leather jacket went by us, then halted, and came back to us.

It was Gerry.

"How are ye two ladies doing?" He asked, sidling up next to me. I scooted over to make room. Gerry grinned widely at my invitation for him to sit, and he sat next to me.

"Are ye singin' tonight, Gerry?" Lisa asked. He nodded.

"Yep. Are ye two going to watch?"

"I'm sure she will! She's got the hots fer ye!" Lisa exclaimed as her boy of the night appeared with our drinks.

She smiled at the lad and took our drinks.

"Thank ye! You'll get yer reward later," she said lowly, giving the poor guy another wink.

Gerry peered down toward me.

"Is it as she says?" He asked, grinning like he'd won a pot of gold. I shoes away from his gaze, trying to hide a blush.

"Perhaps you'll have to see," I said cheekily, attempting to hide my blush.

His smile only grew.

————

After Gerry's little show, I was actually able to meet with him. After he'd walked me out of the pub, he turned to me, a wide smile on his face.

"Ye know, Irishmen are lucky blokes," he said. I raised an eyebrow at the direction his statement could be headed.

"Since I'm Irish, and I have luck on my side, I was wonderin' if I could kiss ye?" He asked.

Although he could come off as cheeky, this was not one of those times. He asked sincerely, his blue eyes piercing into my soul.

"Only if you do one thing for me," I started. He looked as if he was considering it for a moment, before he nodded.

"Okay. What'll ye have me to do?" He asked, a small smile appearing.

"You have to say 'kiss me, I'm Irish' without smiling. And look into my eyes," I said. I would've let him kiss me even if he didn't do it, but I wouldn't tell him that.

Did I mention that I was a bit tipsy?

Gerry chuckled, and moved closer to me. He reached his hands out and cupped my face. He masked his smile, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Kiss me, I'm Irish."

I couldn't take it anymore. I reached up, and I planted my lips right on his. His hands wandered to my waist, where he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck in an attempt to bring him closer.

His lips were soft and warm.

I wanted to kiss him forever. If my lungs had allowed me, I would have. Unfortunately, the need for air caused us to part reluctantly.

I breathed in deeply, and breathed out slowly.

And then, his lips were on mine again. Our lips moved in sync, melding together as if they had been made to go together.

Our reason for parting this time was the ringing of my phone. I sighed, and looked at the caller ID.

"It's my mom," I said. He chuckled.

"She's probably wondering where ye are. Go 'head an' answer it," he said. Reluctantly, I accepted the call.

"Hey, hon. Are you okay? Where are you? When are you coming home?"

"Don't worry, mom. I'm with Gerry," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. Mom chuckled on the other end.

"Oh! Well take all the time you need, then. Don't mind me! Go back to whatever the two of you were doing! Love you, bye!" And she hung up. I sighed, putting my phone away.

Gerry took my hand and pulled me into his chest. Once again, his lips were on mine.