Just Friends

Chapter 6

 It was Thursday, nearly 3 weeks since the cinema, Vicky was out sick and it was home time. Keith had walked home with Maria and Vicky most days. Today he walked outside to wait for Maria with two of his friends while she packed up her bag. As she stood up to leave Kelly and Sinéad, the gruesome twosome blocked her way. 

"What's going on with you and Keith? Do you think he actually likes you?" 

Kelly sneered at her as Sinéad laughed. 

Maria ignored them and tried to step around them. 

"Oi! I'm talking to you. Do you really think that the most popular boy in school would be interested in you or your mousey friend?" 

She turned to Sinéad and laughed 

"I bet he's trying to win a bet or something, why else would he want to spend time with her"

Maria looked up when she heard a voice from the doorway

"Actually, there's no bet. She's fun to be around, she's beautiful and she's a nice person....unlike you two. Now can you move out of the way and let her pass please." 

Kelly and Sinéad went beet red and started stammering out an apology to Keith.

"I don't know why you're apologising to me, it's Maria you need to apologise to."

They looked at each other in horror, then turned to Maria

"Sorry..." "Yeah...sorry, we were just messing about" 

Maria stepped around them.

"Yeah sure" 

As she walked to the door she heard the girls behind her arguing with each other over what just happened. She smiled as she got to the door 

"Thanks Keith, you didn't have to do that though. They'll probably start annoying you now." 

He laughed and rolled his eyes

"They've been annoying me since I started here. I don't know how you cope with them. I hate talking about people but those two really are the worst."

As they walked home Keith asked her if she had any plans for this weekend. 

"No, not really. I was supposed to go out with Vicky but she's sick so doubt that will happen now" 

 "Oh ok, there's an art and music festival in Malahide on Saturday..would you be interested in coming with me?" 

Maria thought about it for a moment

"Uh yeah, that sounds like it could be fun. What time?" 

He smiled at her, they arranged a time and he said he'd pick her up from her house and they could get the bus or walk together as it wasn't that far. 

They were just at the corner of her road when she heard 

"Hey Maria" 

Looking up she smiled when she saw Colm walking towards her. They had been getting along a lot better since the cinema. He wasn't as annoying anymore and they had even spent a few hours talking about horror movies. 

"Hey, where are you off to?" 

He stopped and looked at Keith but didn't say anything to him. 

"Just running to the shop, want anything?" 

Maria told him to surprise her, then laughed and told him a good surprise. She knew what he was like, he'd come home with nothing and tell her that's her surprise.

He laughed as he walked away

"I'll see what I can do, see ya later" 

Shaking her head she laughed at him then turned back to Keith.