SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Angry confrontations and weird new friends

I had only one plan for the upcoming school year, to get through it as quietly – and as safely – as possible. Making noise was something I couldn't afford to do, knowing that anything I did would be directly reflected onto Shannon.
I was aware it would be difficult to get through everything silently, and I predicted a few hiccups here and there, but none as big as Johnny Kavanagh.

Looking every bit the trouble, I knew he was, Johnny Kavanagh grabbed me by the arm and – knowing I would escape him as soon as I had the chance – dragged me into a janitor's closet and got in front of the door.

"What a gentleman." I muttered sarcastically. "Hasn't your mommy taught you that you don't kidnap girls, Jimmy."

"For the last time it's Johnny and what the hell is your problem?" He stated looking mad and bit confused, like he seriously couldn't figure out why I was angry at him.

"You're my problem. All you have done since the five minutes I've known you is annoy me, not only that, you just trapped me in a closet with you. Are you demented?" I replied, wondering if the newspaper article I had read about him had neglected to mention some sort of mental problem that was clearly affecting him.

"What happened with Shannon was a genuine mistake, she even forgave me for it, and I said I was going to fix things with the team, so I don't understand why you're still acting like this. As for the closet, it was a necessity since you looked like you would rather shoot yourself in the head than engage in a conversation with me." He said, making me think he had a brain after all.

"So, you're not completely clueless, good for you." I stated.

"Jaysus, you're a ray of sunshine, do you know that?" He mumbled exasperated. "We've known each other not ten minutes and you already decided to hate me. I don't even know your name."

"I don't give out personal information to strangers." I said, already over this whole conversation. The sooner Boy Wonder got out of my face the better.

Knowing Johnny wouldn't get whatever he was looking for out of me, he got away from the door and gestured that I was free to go. Not missing a beat, I headed out into a random corridor and hid. I waited to see where he was going and followed him, because – like the stalker I was – I wanted to see if he would truly set things straight with his team. Once we got near what I recognised to be the boys' locker room, I waited for him to go inside and then I put my head on the door in the hopes it would help me hear whatever was being said inside.

"What you saw out there, it stays between us. You don't tell what happened to anybody, not to your friends, your sisters or your pillow pals." Johnny said with a stern tone of voice. "And while we're on the subject don't talk to her, in fact don't even look at her, or at her cousin."

"Her cousin, Cap? Do you mean Maeve Connor?" Said the voice I recognised as Hughie Biggs. "Tall, very skinny with black hair, right?"

"Yeah, that's her. How do you know that?" I heard Johnny ask, no doubt he was curious as to how I met one of his teammates.

"She's in our year. When we were young on the rare occasion Shannon would come over to our house, Maeve would follow, and while Shannon hanged out with Claire, Maeve would hang out with me. I haven't seen her much these last few years, if not for some disco nights at Biddies and a few parties organised during the year."

"Well, to everybody else, stay away from them. I'm not kidding about this." Announced Johnny.

"I heard the Maeve girl has a boyfriend from BCS. Some Podge guy that's in the same class as that hurler, Joey." Said one of the players. I can't believe that relationship is still following me even here.

Suddenly I heard the voice of what seemed like a younger boy, clearly trying to rile up his captain, I wouldn't have paid much attention to him had it not been for what came out of his mouth next. "Why? Is one of them yours Kavanagh?"

I was about to hear what Johnny replied when suddenly I was interrupted by a voice.

"Well, look who is being a creeper." Said an amused looking Gibsie. "You do know stalking is illegal, right?"

"I was passing by and happened to hear something, I was just going now." I said, hoping he would believe what was very obviously a bald-faced lie.

"Liar, you were spying on Johnny." He stated, keeping his voice down as not to be heard by the rugby players inside.

"So, what if I was, I have the right to know if he was setting the situation straight with all those clowns." I said, faking nonchalance.

"If that's the case, then I suppose you won't mind if I go in and announce to the clowns you've been listening in to their conversation." He said, still smirking.

Knowing I was beaten, I sighed and said "Okay, what's it going to take for you to keep your mouth shut?".

"I want to be your friend." He said, as though it was obvious.

"Why?" I said baffled by this boy. Between him and his captain I didn't know who was the more mental.
"What do you think you can gain by being my friend? I don't have any money, I am a terrible wingwoman and have a general dislike for human beings." I stated serious, wondering what this lad could possibly think I could or would offer him.

"Well, I'm loaded, can charm the panties off any girl I like and happen to like people, most of the time." He announced. "There you go, we're meant to be friends, we complete each other. As for what I can gain, that's for me to know and for you to find out." He winked, leaving me even more confused than before.

In that moment I began to hear nearing footsteps, so I grabbed Gibsie and dragged him near a secluded spot in the corridor with me. I saw most of the rugby players leaving the locker room, one of them – probably the one that had been talking back to Johnny – had been holding his face in his hands, trying and failing to hold back tears.
"That's Ronan McGarry, he's on the team only because he's coach's nephew and he likes to push boundaries, especially Johnny's. Usually Johnny ignores him, but to have gotten such a reaction out of him, McGarry must have crossed some serious lines." Said Gibsie noticing who I was looking at.

In that moment I understood I had severely underestimated the power Johnathon Kavanagh could wield. Not only could he go around and accidentally maim people, but he could also intentionally beat up a teammate, the coach's nephew at that, and face no consequences whatsoever. No wonder he wasn't even fazed by my threat.

Almost as if sensing my discomfort Gibsie said "Don't feel sorry for him, McGarry is a real son of a bitch. He probably said something disturbing about your cousin, or you. There's a reason none of the lads on the team helped him."

Noticing Johnny still hadn't come out I returned to my previous position, this time accompanied by Gibsie, and once again put my head on the door. Since it was just those two it was much more difficult to hear what they were saying, since neither of them now needed to scream to get their point across.

The only thing I managed to hear was "Look out for them Cap, especially Maeve, god knows someone needs to."