Hurry Up and Wait

Chapter 20

It was break time and it had been Erin, Michelle, and James's first chance to catch up with Orla and Clare that day.

"Where were you this morning Erin?" asked Orla.

"She stayed at mine. She's giving me grinds. In English," said Michelle. Here we go yet a-fucking-gain she thought to herself.

She decided to change it up a little this time. Clare wouldn't buy the French grinds thing. Erin had only was only a little bit better than her in French but not by that much.

"Her?!" said Clare pointing at Erin.

"Who is her? The cat's mother" muttered Erin. God she was turning in to her ma.

"It's just I thought you would have asked me given I am the smartest and clearly the scholar of the group," said Clare.

"Stop calling yourself a scholar Clare!" scoffed Erin.

"Aye burning for ya Clare. Can you see why I why didn't ask you?"

"Well don't coming crying to me when you fail Michelle," said Clare.

"It's English Clare, I might do shite but I'm hardly gonna fail am I?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it past you Michelle," said Clare.

Orla was staring at James.

"Are you alright Orla?" asked James.

"Aye" she leaned towards him, inspecting him until her face was just inches from his. "You just seem different James"

"Ok" said James nervously. He tried to hide the smile that had been plastered all over his face all day.

Orla sniffed him. Life an animal surveyed its prey: "Aye, I'll be watching you James," said Orla.

"Ok...I guess" replied James

"Does she know?" whispered James to Erin.

"I don't think so, but she's always had a weird six sense for things," said Erin.

The group fell into a weird silence, like they all sensed that there was some tension in the air.

"I better get to...," said Erin

"I'm going to head to the...," said James.

They had both spoken at once. God, could they embarrass themselves anymore this morning and make it even more obvious.

"I'll see you guys later" said James as he walked off to class.

He gave Erin the quickest of smiles. She watched him go. After all that happened the previous night, she had been really disappointed that they hadn't had a moment to themselves.

She thought back to the night before. It had been perfect from start to finish. Including that.

She had imagined it happening like it did on tv after some big dramatic moment between them.

But in reality, it had been more simpler. There had been no big dramatic moment.

It hadn't been like what she had pictured it would be. In way it was better. It had been a little awkward but nice. Really nice.

She had felt happy and safe, and she had experienced a closeness with another person she had never felt before.

She was glad it had happened and that it had happened with James.

"Erin!" Michelle snapped her fingers in her face. As if trying to wake her from some sort of trance.

Erin jumped: "Jesus Michelle!"

Michelle just laughed and gave her a knowing look. God, she really had it bad.

"Don't mind her," said Michelle. "She was up all night shiteing on about your man that really loves bins"

"I hope you don't mean Beckett Michelle! The man was a genius!" replied Erin.

"He was boring as fuck, that's what he was" replied Michelle.

The bell rang and brought their break to an end.

"Come on Erin, shift your hole" said Michelle as she practically drag her to class.

Erin began counting the minutes until school was over for the day.