Sweet as honey • James Maguire

1,3• Oh shit, it's Maureen Malarkey.

We were all sat up in Erins room studying for the upcoming history test. Well, some people where studying, me and Michelle were sharing a bottle of Pernod that she brought along, While Erin was crying over a photo of Toto, her recently deceased dog. "It's so sad, it really is. It is so, so sad. But at the same time whats done is done, so let's crack on." Clare said, looking like an absolute wreck. "Well I'm sorry, Clare. Has his sudden, tragic death interrupted your studies?" Erin had a go at the sleep deprived girl. Clare nodded "it has a bit, actually, yeah".
Erin looked shocked "how can you be so heartless?" She asked Clare. "Don't cry, Erin. He's in a better place now. Unless he's not, you know, because unless he's gone to hell" Orla said to our cousin.
"Aye Erin, He'll be grand I bet" I tried to reassure the girl. "Can we please talk about something else?" Michelle asked "I'm half torn. This is wrecking my head." She continued, causing me to nod along with her. "What? Have you been drinking?" Erin asked Michelle, causing me to giggle from my position on James lap. "Yes, I have, but so's she" The curly haired girl responded while pointing to me. "Which by the way, talking about you, what's up? You've been cuddled up to him all night as if you'd die if you left him. You a thing now aye?" Michelle angrily asked me. "No Michelle we ain't, it's just here is more comfortable then the floor aye?" I told the girl truthfully. Not fully knowing what me and James class as after our kiss. "Right, and for future reference, if any of you invite me to a study sleepover again, and I'm desperate enough to accept the invitation, there's a good chance I'll have a litre bottle of Pernod in my bag." Michelle told Erin. "I shouldn't even have to sit the exam, on, you know, compassionate grounds." Erin said, acting sad. "He was a dog, Erin!" Clare shouted, throwing her now empty energy drink can on the floor. "Toto was much more than a dog. Toto was my best friend!" Erin told Clare. "Christ I feel a bit bokey." Michelle said. "You can't ever hold your drink Michelle, what have I told you?" I said giggling, knowing full well that she drank a lot more than me. Michelle pulled back the curtains, much to Clares shock.

"Sweet suffering Jesus. It's the morning already? What are we gonna do" Clare said, going into panic. "Maybe we could start with calming the fuck down." Michelle told her. "Calm down? We're still on William of Orange! We haven't so much looked at the famine!" Clare shouted. "We've got the gist. They ran out of spuds. Everyone was raging" Michelle simply explained, causing me to nod in agreement. "Well, I can't tell my rebellions from my risings" James told everyone, making me look up at him. "And whose faults that? If your lot stopped invading us for five fucking minutes, there'd be a lot less to Wade through, you English prick." Michelle shouted at him, causing me to giggle again, and him to playfully push me off his lap in mock sadness. "Nothings going in, nothing is going in. Every time I try to make notes, it..." Clare started while holding her hand up, watching it shake vigorously. "What's happening to me" Clare whispered, as if she was being over taken by an alien. "There's quite a lot of Caffeine in those, Clare. How many of them have you had?"  James questioned her. "I don't know. Five? Twenty-three?" Clare responded, chucking what looked to be her nineteenth can into the pile. Michelle laughed, "we are all so fucked" before we all headed downstairs for breakfast.

Granda Joe offered us all more food, but when Gerry asked for another cup of tea, he was refused. James then walked in to the kitchen, doing his tie up, causing me to smile at him. "You stay over too? Son." Joe questioned him. "Yes I did. That's correct sir" James said to my grandad, which made me laugh at how formal he was being. "What? In your room?" He questioned me. "No Granda, in Erins" I told him, not knowing why he'd think we were in mine, considering it's the smallest. "Have you nothing to say about this, you slack southern shite?" Grandpa Joe then shouted at Gerry, causing me to jolt back. "Look love, I know the fellas gay" Granda Joe started, looking towards me. "I'm not gay." James told him. "But gay or not..." Grandpa Joe started to walk towards James. "Who said I was gay?" The young lad asked. "He's still a fella... I've seen the way he looks at our Caoimhe. There's still a good chance that he's a rapist" Granda Joe finished, causing me to spit some of my drink out. "I mean no offence son" Grandpa Joe finished, leaving my jaw wide open.