Helping 11

Tadgh

The girl sitting next to me in the principal's office is gorgeous, her brown hair lays over her shoulder perfectly and her eyes seem to shimmer though that could just be from her crying. She was trying to hide it when I walked in but I could see her red eyes. She reminded me of Shannon and how she would always come home from school trying to make it look like she hadn't been crying all day, trying to put on a brave face for people, trying to act okay. That is exactly what it looks like Nora O'Brien had been doing.

I could bet money on why she was crying. Connor fucking Smith. It doesn't take a genius to guess that she heard him and broke her heart. When I saw her trying to keep the tears from spilling down her face, I felt the need to comfort her so when she walked out of the bathroom, I followed and that is how we are now both in Mr Tommy's office.

" You know we have a low tolerance to people not being in class" he reminds us as if we haven't been told our whole time at school.

" But mr we were only going to miss 10 minutes of our class" I argue because I've been here before and they are way too strict for their own good.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Nora nodding her head as if she agrees with me but it also looks more like it calms her down, a repetitive action.

" Yes but you knew the rules and I have no choice but to call your guardians" Noras head stopping nodding and she freezes but as soon as it happens she fine again, nodding her head along

" and you can't be getting trouble with these being important school years for you, Tadgh your in 5th which mean you have tests to do and Nora you need to start prepping for your ones in the next two years" He adds

If she starts test in the next two years that must mean she is in 3rd year which is only 2 years younger then me. It makes sense since Mickey is 15. A two year age difference for us. I think that is a perfectly fine age gap.

" Anyone in practical I could call, a ma,da or maybe a sibling" he asks us reminding us that our parents have to pick us up

I shrug. I think my ma and da will still be at work but Joey might be home to come over, you know to reminisce in his year he had here.

"No," Nora says, shaking her head. Her voice cracks from trying not to cry and when she says it, it sounds more like a plea than an answer.

" Right, I'll go call and then be right back" he stands up and walks away to call.

Nora releases a shuddering breath and I turn towards her. She really is beautiful even when she's been crying.

" So O's what I was saying before we were rudely interrupted was were you crying because of what Connor said" I throw the nickname in there to hopefully lighten up the mood.

That finally gets her full attention but when she turns to fully look at me her eyes start to fill up with tears again and I hope it wasn't because of what I said.

She takes a deep breath. " Umm yeah I heard" hearing her breath become uneven and seeing the tears that she can't hold back anymore breaks my heart.

" I promise one day it will get better, that someone will treat you right" I say because I truly hope she finds it.

" You think so" she replies sniffing

"I know so" and when I say those words she slightly smiles and it makes me want to continue what I'm doing if it means I could see her smile again.

5 minutes later we were told that Joey will come get me but nobody had answered at Nora's home.

" Nora, are you sure there is nobody else who could pick you up?" Tommey asks, slightly concerned.