Sunburn

Summer ends, and Eimear invites everyone to her 18th birthday party. Lucy enjoys playing with Eimear’s sisters and fears that Deirdre, Eimear’s mother, knows her secret. Deirdre takes a picture of Lucy and Susannah, in which Lucy is sure that her desire is apparent. After the party at Eimear’s, the girls do their makeup and change outfits for another party. They drink vodka, and Lucy thinks that one drink might be enough to make her confess her love to Susannah. When Patricia insults Lucy, Susannah tells her to back off. It does not sour the mood, but Lucy wants to thank Susannah later. Martin and some boys join them, and when one of them makes a rude comment about Catríona, Martin tells him to shut up. Lucy resents that Martin took her chance to defend Susannah, and she worries that Martin might get too close to her after drinking. Rita and her friends leave, upset that Martin ignored them, but Lucy wonders if feigning attraction to Martin will conceal her feelings for Susannah. When another girl, Lauren, arrives, Martin tells Lucy that he is not interested in Lauren. Lucy tells Martin to give her space, and he leaves.