Keeping 13

by Chloe Walsh

  "Go me," I bit out, ignoring every smile, wave, and 'Hey, Kav,' and 'How's it going, Johnny' as I stalked through the hallway on my way to my locker.

  "Just give yourself time," Feely replied calmly. "Everything will work out."

  "Exactly," Hughie added, patting my shoulder. "Rome wasn't built in a day."

  "Yeah, well Rome needs to hurry the fuck up, lads," I muttered, leaning heavily on the crutch in my left hand. "Because I'm a little short on time."

  "You still have two months, Cap."

  "I have forty-six days," I corrected, agitated. "And counting."

  "At least they're letting you work out again," Hughie offered, tone optimistic.

  "Upper body only," I muttered. "That'll be handy when I need to run a fucking drill, won't it?"

  "Jesus, you're a moody bastard," Gibsie quipped. "There's no pleasing you."

  "Well, lad, if you spent your morning with three old doll's feeling you up while you're Da was in the room, you wouldn't exactly be shitting rainbows."

  Gibsie scoffed. "If I had three women feeling me up this morning, I can guarantee you that I would be shitting rainbows."

  Hughie and Feely laughed.

  "Trust me, you wouldn't," I grumbled.

  Gibs arched a brow. "When you say old…"

  "I mean geriatric old," I barked, stopping in the middle of the hall to glare at him. "Mrs. Lovell old."

  Gibsie paled. "Lad."

  Encouraged by the sympathy in their eyes, I continued with my sorrowful rant, "Think up the best possible sexy nurse fantasy you have."

  He grinned. "Got it."

  I nodded in approval. "Now swap that nurse with your granny."

  All three of my friends groaned in sympathy. "Fuck."

  "Yeah," I confirmed grimly, walking again. "Fuck is right."

  "Did you at least get your cum card?" Gibsie asked then, and not quietly, when we reached the fifth-year locker area. "Surely, you got the green light for –"

  "You had to do it, didn't you?" Hughie sighed, resting against the locker next to mine. "You always have to go that little bit too far, Gibs."

  "I'm worried," Gibsie shot back huffily. "I'm being a concerned friend."

  "You're being a freak," Feely offered dryly.

  "I got the cum card, Gibs," I decided to say, knowing that if I didn't tell the eejit, he wouldn't give me a minute's peace. "It's all good."

  "You did?" His eyes danced with excitement. "Then what the fuck are you doing at school, Johnny?"

  "Exactly that," I shot back. "Because I have school."

  He arched a brow. "I'm still waiting for an actual reason, lad."

  "Because I could hardly tell my Da to take me home so I can fuck myself," I sneered sarcastically. "Get a handle of yourself."

  Gibsie stared blankly back at me. "I see no problem with that."

  "Don't encourage him," I snapped, glaring at Hughie and Feely who were snickering.

  "You're the one who needs to get a handle of yourself," Gibsie countered, still staring at me in disbelief. "With both hands."

  Give me strength…

  Jaw ticking, I turned my attention back to my locker and yanked the metal door open, only to gag when I was hit by a god-awful smell.

  All four of us jerked away from the locker simultaneously.

  "Jesus," Hughie choked out.

  "Uh, lad," Feely groaned. "That's bad."

  "You dirty bastard," Gibsie strangled out, his words muffled, as he covered his mouth with his hand. "Jesus Christ, Johnny." Glaring at my locker like it was his mortal enemy, he hissed, "Ever heard of a rubbish bin?"

  "I forgot it was in there," I laughed, retrieving the plastic container that was now growing fur. "Didn't exactly have time to clear out my locker for the holidays." Holding it as far away from my body as possible, I walked over to the waste bin and tossed it in before turning back to the lads. Grinning sheepishly, I asked, "What do you think it once was?"

  "Chicken," all three lads groaned in unison.

  "Hey, Johnny," the bane of my existence's voice peppered through the air then, as irritating and unwelcome as always, and taking with it any semblance of humor. Now, I was the one to shudder in pure, unadulterated repulsion as I watched Bella Wilkinson swagger towards me, all hips and tits and pain in my hole. "How are you feeling?"

  "Keep walking," I instructed coldly, hackles rising. Dick move or not, I made a beeline for the lads, finding sanctuary – and safety – in numbers. "I have nothing to say to you."

  "Come on, Johnny, I just want to –"

  "I'm not doing this with you again," I grumbled, interrupting her. "We've had this talk a million fucking times. It's done with –we're done with – so just walk away."

  "So, what, I can't even talk to you?" she shot back, looking wounded. "I can't ask how you're feeling?"

  "I'm fine," I deadpanned. "Thanks for asking. Now leave me alone."

  Her breath hitched in her throat. "Johnny…"

  "You heard the man," Gibsie ordered, good mood forgotten, as he pointed a finger towards the hallway. "Just keep on walking."

  "Fuck you, Gibsie," Bella growled before turning her gaze on me. Batting her blue eyes, she smiled up at me, expression hopeful. "I know things ended badly between us, but I was so worried about you."

  "I'm sure you were," Hughie mused. "And I bet Cormac really eased the worrying for you."

  "Just stop." Exhausted from months of back and forth with the girl, I scrubbed my face wearily and said, "I don't want to fight with you. I'm done, okay? So, please just walk away."

  Bella cast a scathing look towards Hughie before looking back to me. "I was just hoping that we could talk for five minutes –"

  "And I was hoping to win the lotto at the weekend," Gibsie interjected and then frowned. "But it didn't work out that way because I forgot to buy a quick-pick."

  Feely snorted. "You're under eighteen. Who's going to serve you?"

  Gibsie waggled his brow. "I have connections."

  Feely rolled his eyes. "Dee?"

  Gibsie winked. "Maybe."

  "What's your point here, Gibsie?" Bella demanded, glowering at my best friend.

  "My point is fuck off, Bella," Gibsie told her. "Fuck right off, if you want me to get technical. Far, far away to the land of Johnny doesn't want to be with you so get a life."

  "You can't talk to me like that," she challenged, shaking now.

  Gibsie arched a brow. "And why not?"

  "Because!" she spat, flustered. "Because –"

  "Because I have a dick and you have a pussy?" he offered knowingly. "Oh, please. I'm a twenty-first century guy. I support equal rights for everyone, which includes the right for me, a dick owner, to tell a stalkerish female, such as yourself, to fuck off!"

  "That was impressive," Hughie mused.

  "I'm an impressive guy," Gibs shot back with a smirk.

  "Jesus," I muttered, cringing when tears filled her eyes.

  "Eight months, Johnny," she sobbed, looking up at me. "And it's like this?"

  Biting my knuckles, I resisted the urge to scream. "Listen," I finally said, striving for patience. "This is pointless. I don't have anything to say to you, and you have nothing I want to hear. I'm not interested. I wasn't even interested when I was supposed to be interested. So just…please! I am begging you to just leave me alone, Bella. Please."

  "Really?"

  "Yes!"

  "And that's what you want? For me to just walk away?"

  Dear god… "Yes!"

  "Fine!" she screamed, crocodile tears miraculously gone now as she glared up at me. "You want me out of your life, Johnny Kavanagh? Fine. Consider me gone!"

  I released a huge sigh and sagged in relief. "Thank you." Obviously, I didn't give Bella the reaction she wanted because she narrowed her eyes and kicked my crutch out of my hand, causing me to stagger backwards. "Thanks for that, too," I bit out, catching a hold of Feely to balance myself.

  "I hope you're crippled," she spat. "I hope The Academ
y drops your ass and you never play rugby again!" Sneering, she added, "In fact, I hope I never see your face again."

  Lovely.

  "Unlikely," Feely said dryly. "Aside from stating the obvious –"

  "That you go to school with him," Gibsie filled in, stating the bleeding obvious.

  "Yes, Gibs," Feely sighed. "Aside from school, I'm sure you'll see him again in the summer." Shrugging, he added, "You know, when he's on the telly, playing for his country, and you're sitting at home, watching from your couch."

  "With Cormac," Hughie added mildly.

  "Ah, yes," Gibsie mused. "How is Judas Iscari-cunt?"

  "The four of you can all go to hell!" she screamed before turning on her heels and storming away. "Assholes."

  "We'll see you there, Devil Pussy!" Gibsie called after her as he bent down and retrieved my crutch and leaned it against the locker. "We'll see you there."

  "Jesus," Robbie Mac whistled, stepping aside for Bella as she barreled past him, Pierce, and half the team. "What's her hurry?"

  "She needs to get home before the sun comes up," Gibsie said loudly. "You know how vampires tend to burst into ash at the first sign of daylight."

  "Fuck you, Gerard Gibson!" Bella screamed over her shoulder.

  "Not on your life, princess," Gibsie roared after her. "I wouldn't touch you with McGarry's dick!"

  "Stop," I groaned, holding a hand up towards Gibs. "Just let it go, lad."

  "You're a bad bastard," Feely chuckled. "That was savage, Gibs."

  Gibsie shrugged. "Sometimes you have to be a bad bastard when you're dealing with a bad bitch."

  Robbie, Pierce, and the lads from the team surrounded us then, each taking turns slapping me on the back and welcoming me back and asking questions I would never in my wildest dreams give them genuine answers to.

  "Lads, let Cap's misfortune be a warning to us all of the dangers that lurk behind a decent pair of tits," Gibsie announced. "When in doubt, rub one out."

  His comments drew a laugh from everyone – myself included.

  "You're a lucky boy," Pierce agreed with a shudder.

  "Dangerous pussy," Robbie offered.

  "I'll fucking say," I muttered, rubbing my temples.

  "And you guys gave me shit for getting with Katie in second year," Hughie mused, sounding awfully fucking smug, as he pushed off the lockers and puffed his chest. "Steady and sensible doesn't look so bad now, does it?"

  "After that outburst, you're not looking so bad," Gibsie offered.

  Hughie grinned, while the rest of us sighed heavily.

  Don't take the bait, Hughie…

  You're walking yourself into it…

  "Are you saying that you want my dick, Gibs?" Hughie teased.

  "I'm saying I want your sister's pussy," Gibsie shot back, waggling his brows.

  There it is…

  "Around my cock," Gibsie continued.

  "Gibs," I warned.

  "On my face."

  "Gibsie!" Feely groaned.

  "All over me."

  The smile on Hughie's face morphed into a furious scowl. "Take it back."

  "No."

  "Take it back, asshole."

  "No."

  "Just take it fucking back!"

  "Just accept it," Gibsie laughed, bouncing back on his feet when Hughie took a swing at him. "It's going to happen, brother-in-law."

  "Over my dead body," Hughie snarled, lunging. "She's too good for you –"

  "Don't be an eejit, Gibs," I snapped, grabbing the back of Hughie's jumper and dragging him back to me. "Ignore him, Hugh. He's only messing with you."

  "He's not messing." Furious, Hughie glowered at Gibs. "He's been obsessed with her since junior fucking infants!"

  "Tell him you're messing," I growled. "Tell him, Gibs."

  "I'm really not," Gibsie laughed. "And it's not just her pussy I want – although, that's high on the list. I want the whole lot of her, lad, and she wants me back." He grinned devilishly. "Badly."

  "My sister doesn't want you," Hughie sneered. "Claire can't stand you. She only puts up with you because you're friends with me."

  "She wasn't saying that last night," he replied, completely unfazed. "When I was –"

  "Filter, Gibs!" I barked. "Jesus Christ, lad! Filter."

  "You better keep your filthy cock on your own side of the road," Hughie hissed, jabbing a finger in Gibsie's direction. "Sister-fucker."

  "Not yet," Gibsie snickered, thoroughly enjoying Hughie's discomfort. "But I'll take that title soon enough."

  "I'm going to kill ya –"

  "Pack it in, the pair of ye!" I snapped, keeping a hold of Hughie's jumper as I gave my best friend a withering look. "And use your bleeding brain before you speak, Gibs. Not everything you think in that fucked up head of yours needs to be verbalized."

  "I'm joking – I'm joking," Gibsie laughed when Hughie broke free of my hold and tackled him to the floor. Rolling onto his back, he held his hands up, still laughing. "I haven't touched her."

  "You fucking better not have," Hughie snarled, bitch slapping him. "There's a code that you don't break! You don't mess around with your friends' sisters!"

  "I thought that rule was about our mothers," Gibsie shot back, laughing too hard to defend himself. "Isn't that right, Kav?"

  "Watch it," I warned, glaring at him.

  "It's the clothes," Feely sighed wistfully.

  "And the hair," Pierce agreed.

  "She's the best cook," Gibs offered.

  "And she always smells fantastic," Robbie interjected.

  "And that body –"

  "That's my mother, ye sick bastards!" I snapped, bristling. "You don't hear me talking about any of yer Ma's like that!"

  "Because none of our mothers look like your mother," Gibsie snickered. "Mammy K." He sighed dramatically. "Mmm."

  "Jesus, yeah." Hughie paused, mid-strangling. "To be fair, Cap, your mother is a pure rid –"

  "Finish that sentence and I'll shove my crutch up the highest part of your hole." Turning to Gibsie, I said, "You know what? Go ahead and fuck all of their sisters, Gibs. In fact, go fuck yourselves while you're at it."

  "I don't want their sisters – no offense, lads. I'm sure they're all lovely girls," Gibsie snickered. "I only want his sister."

  "See!" Hughie barked before turning his focus back to Gibsie. "I was only messing about your mother. This prick is serious about my sister!"

  "I think you're looking at this all wrong, lad," Gibsie continued to goad while Hughie resumed his throttling. "I'm loyal. I'm beautiful. I'm told I give five-star oral. I'm a solid bet."

  "You're a solid whore is what you are!" Hughie snarled. "Don't forget I've known you your whole life, asshole. Which means, I know all about where your cock has been!"

  "I was just biding my time, and practice makes perfect," Gibsie laughed and then groaned when Hughie's fist connected with his jaw. "Lad, not the face. Your sister likes me pretty."

  Hughie's face turned a deep shade of purple. "She's innocent and good and fucking pure, dammit, so you just keep your goddamn hands off!"

  "Ah, Johnny?" Feely muttered, tapping my shoulder. "We have company."

  Tearing my eyes off the two eejits rolling around on the ground, I glanced over Robbie and Pierce's heads just in time to catch a glimpse of Shannon as she hurried away.

  From me?

  Oh, hell fucking no.

  Shoving my way past the lads, I stalked after her, feeling the burn shoot up my thighs as I moved, but too worked up to slow my pace or turn back for my crutch.

  "Shannon?" My heart slammed against my chest bone so fucking hard that I thought it would leave a bruise, as I called after her, "Shannon like the river, come back here!"

  27

  Are You With Me?

  Shannon

  When Darren pulled into the carpark at Tommen a little after 8:45am, I felt like a creepy stalker as I wordlessly sought out the familiar Audi A3 only to come up empty. My heart plummeted into my stomach
and I felt myself shrinking into the seat, wishing for nothing more than to just vanish into thin air and float away.

  "What do you think Tadhg would like for his birthday?" Darren asked as he drove around in circles, looking for a parking spot. "It's this coming Friday and I have no idea what to get him."

  "I don't know." Numb, I stared out my window and felt my anxiety grow with every Tommen student that filed into the main building. "Ask Tadhg."

  "I'm asking you," he replied quietly.

  "Football boots," I mumbled, feeling too sick to pay attention. "It's not like he'll be expecting anything." My stomach was rolling; my palms clammy. It almost felt like someone was holding an ice cube to the back of my neck.

  "Good idea."

  Breathe, Shannon.

  Just keep breathing…

  "Do you want me to walk in with you?" Darren asked when he finally found a parking spot in the maze. Killing the engine, he unfastened his seat belt and turned to look at me. "Because I will, no problem."

  My head snapped back to him and my eyes widened in horror. "Do you remember secondary school?"

  "I'm not that old," he quipped.

  "Then you would know that the last thing anyone wants is their big brother walking them into school," I strangled out. "Like ever."

  He smiled.

  I eyed him warily. "What?"

  "You called me your big brother."

  "Yeah, well." I sighed and leaned my head back. "That's what you are."

  "It was just nice to hear you say it."

  His words hung heavily in the air, like deadweight around my neck. I couldn't do this with him. Not this morning. Not when I was this close to begging him to turn the car around and take me home.

  "I should go," I whispered, feeling resigned, eyes still glued to the swarm of students all piling into various buildings.

  You can do this.

  You can absolutely do this!

  "I'll be here at four," Darren said when I pushed the car door open and stepped into the rain. "I'll try and get a parking spot close to this one, okay?"

  Nodding, I grabbed my bag. "Thanks for the spin."

  "Shannon?"

  "Yeah?"