𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐄 ; 𝙳𝙴𝚁𝚁𝚈 𝙶𝙸𝚁𝙻𝚂

𝟎𝟗

-✮-

᠆᠆᠆᠆᠆᠆᠆ "It is mental out there, everybody's talkin' about us!"

Tucked between Michelle and Clare, Robyn let out a harsh sigh as her best friend continued to rattle on about the free pick-n-mix Dennis so graciously gifted them. Her mind wasn't all there at that moment, if anyone had actually taken a look at her face the distant, glazed over look in her eyes would've proved that, but nobody did. She was simply ushered into the hallway with the rest of the group. 

"Okay look, this has got way out of hand!" Erin rushed, unable to keep herself still. "What are you wearing?" She suddenly looked to James, brows furrowed. 

"What did I say?! You look like a fucking ball bag!" Michelle yelled, barely stopping herself from flicking him in the head. 

Cringing at the thought, Robyn spared him a quick glance and grimaced, just as Orla reached out to touch his hair. 

"I just put a bit too much mouse in it, that's all!" He desperately tried to defend himself, to no avail.

"Aye, you could say that again..." Robyn huffed under her breath. 

"Listen, girls!" Erin finally called, grabbing everyone's attention again. "It was piss"

A beat of silence filled the hallway, then another moment, until they all stood slightly dumbfounded. 

"What was?" Michelle finally questioned. 

"The tears on the statue? Well... I actually have good reason to believe they were actually dog piss" Erin's voice slowly lost volume as her eyes raced everywhere but her friends' faces.

Widening her eyes, Robyn had to stifle a laugh until she just couldn't hold it anymore. Letting out a delirious sounding chortle, the blonde doubled over as her laughter continued. Though that did leave the rest of them looking over at her in concern. 

Glancing around at the others, Michelle mouthed a quick 'the fuck do we do?' to Erin before poking the girl's arm. "Birdie, this really isn't that funny-" 

"Oh but it is!" She continued to howl as tears of laughter welled in her eyes. "It-it is because... this whole thing is.. over a bit.. of p-piss!" Robyn roared, eventually standing to height and letting out a long sigh, still stifling a few giggles. "I was so anxious! God, it felt like I was dying!" 

An odd mix of anxiety and delirium fuelled the girl's stark confession, just the rest of the group all exchanged worried looks, with Orla reaching over and giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. 

"Y'know, it sort of makes sense... I mean I'm not even that sure I saw her smirk. I had a lot of caffeine so-" Clare finally regained the group's focus, the typically frantic look reappearing on her face. 

"I definitely didn't see her smirk, I was lying so..." Michelle admitted with clearly zero remorse. 

"This actually just gets better!" Robyn let out another laugh, throwing her hands in the air. "So, Erin saw a dog piss, and you two were lying! Guess that means we're done here!" She then turned around swiftly, squeezing herself between James and the doorframe until she felt a hand grab her bicep. 

Peering back over her shoulder, she saw that the owner of the hand was James. He had an unreadable look on his face, it seemed like an odd mix of concern and annoyance, but she couldn't piece it together. 

"You're not getting out of this Birdie, you need to stay! You're in this just as much as the rest of us!" Erin whisper-yelled at the girl. 

Reluctantly she turned back around, her teeth knawing on the inside of her cheek as she reached up to remove James' hand, though her own lingered near his for a second longer than it should've.