HAVING 13

3. Not a bully

JOHNNY
January 10th 2005

Fucking well done, Johnny. Hitting a small girl in the head with a rugby ball. She fell to the ground and her bleeding skirt fell.

As I was bringing her to the nurse, we ran into principal Twomey and he led us to his office.

He phoned the girl's mother, whom I learned was pregnant when she stormed in. She berated me, threatened me and ordered me to stay away from her daughter.

The girl's name was Shannon Lynch, like the river, I'd learned. She mumbled incoherently about her older sister and father, and how she was going to be so worried and he was going to kill her.

When her Mam arrived, I was berated and eventually warned, sent to class. The woman was about to lay a hand on me, I swore.

After the endless day, I got home and walked through the door limping, grateful my parents weren't home to witness it.

What a fucking day.

My best mate, Gibsie, called me when I was resting on my bed to ask if I knew anyone named Melissa Lynch. Apparently, she was looking for me. The name was awfully familiar to me, but I couldn't grasp from where.

"Lad, what do you mean, she's looking for me?" I furrowed my brows.

"She spent all afternoon asking around BCS if anyone knew a Johnny Kavanagh, and where to find you," He explained. "Then she went to Biddies, asking everyone and their bleeding mother in which year you are."

"Wait, did you say Lynch? Melissa Lynch?" I emphasised. Shannon's last name was also Lynch, that's probably where I've got it from.

"Yeah," His grin was audible through the phone. "You know, Lynch Vicious?"

Fucking amazing. Shannon like the river's sister, apparently, was after me. And she was vicious, Gibsie said so.

'Missy's gonna drop everything to transfer here...'

I remember the half-knocked out girl saying that. Well, shite.

"Why Lynch Vicious? Like Sid Vicious?" I scoffed. I didn't believe she was actually dangerous.

"Well, not just that, Cap. It's because she's vicious with her words," He explained. "She goes batshit on girls who bully her sister. Their brother goes mental on their boyfriends or brothers."

"What's she gonna do to me?" I rhetorically asked.

"She's gonna get in your head, yeah." Gibsie coughed, the muffled noise sounding through my phone. "She's known for her sharp mouth."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I scoffed, wincing in pain when I stretched and forgot about my problem.

•

JOHNNY
January 12th 2005

I should've believed Gibsie, because Lynch Vicious was here, in the flesh.

On Tuesday, a day after I accidentally hit the girl with my rugby ball, she was nowhere to be seen.

Gibsie explained to me that she was Claire's best friend. Claire was Hughie's little sister and Gibs' twin flame. Shannon was lightly concussed and was being kept home.

On Wednesday, she wasn't there either, but another Lynch was. I showed up to school and a familiar girl with fire in her eyes immediately stormed up to me.

I thought I recognised her because she had been blocking the entrance door on Monday, and I'd cleared my throat to snap her out of it. She was wearing a BCS uniform then, and was wearing a sweater, scarf and jeans now.

She cleared her throat. "Jonathan Robert Kavanagh Jr.?"

I could see she was nervous, but she kept her chin up. I don't know how the fuck she figured out my middle name, but I presumed that she was going to get real with me.

"I prefer Johnny, actually," I said, sarcastically retorting. "Who are you? Do I know you?"

"I'm Melissa." She scooped a strand of hair behind her ear. Her furrowed brows kept, but she looked more cute than stern. "You hurt my sister. Why? Did you think it was funny? Why are people so fucking cruel?"

She sounded an awful lot like her Ma, I'd give her that.

"Jaysus," I sighed. "It was an accident, for god's sake."

"I've heard that excuse a thousand times too much." She was getting more frustrated. "If you hurt my sister again, I'll make your life hell. Leave her alone, and don't talk about her at all. Don't you dare to even breathe in her direction, you sanctimonious asshole."

"It was a bleeding accident!" I burst out at her insults. "I'm not a bully."

She shrunk the second I raised my voice. Fuck, that wasn't helping my case.

"Look, tell her I'm sorry, okay?" I asked, softening my tone again. "It was an accident, I swear."

She sighed. There was a serious minute of silence as she thought about her next words. "If you're lying to me right now, I'll shove a chainsaw up your arsehole."

She looked me up and down, stood there with her arms crossed, brunette and green-eyed. If I was right, she had dimples. She hadn't smiled at me, but I could see the faint lines. I could imagine her cheek-to-cheek grin in my head.

"Thank you?" I hesitated.

"This was a misunderstanding," She started, looking at the floor. "I guess I'm sorry."

"Wait, are you apologising right now?" I smiled cockily at the situation. "After talking to me the way you just did?"

Her cheeks flushed. She looked up from the floor and held eye contact with me. She was very fucking pretty.

"I'm just telling you to keep quiet about this." She bit her lip, a nervous habit I had, too. "And sorry."

"It's okay." I nodded.

"Also," She continued. "Where is the office?"

Was she going to the principal? To complain? About me?

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"None of your business," She sassed, returning to her harsh exterior.

I sighed. It was hot and cold with this girl. "It's over there, down the hall and take a left past the corner," I continued telling her where the office was, but she just looked confused.

"Can you show me?" She asked. "I have dyspraxia. I'm bad with directions."

"Fine," I agreed. Usually, I'd be annoyed at a girl wasting my time, but I was glad she was asking me things.

What? Snap out of it. Just walk her over there and never see her again. She goes to a different school either way, I thought.

We reached the principal's office's door and the brunette turned to me one last time.

"Thank you, Jonathan." She smiled slightly now, trying to be grateful enough. I had been right. She did have dimples, and lord, have mercy. I would've dropped to my knees if we weren't in public.

"It's Johnny." I scratched my palm with my other hand. "And you're welcome, Melissa."

"It's Missy." She turned and knocked on the door, disappearing inside without giving me a chance to say anything more.

Missy.

NOTE

Hihihi!!! New POV unlocked :P I almost forgot it was publishing day, so I'm really sorry if it's already Tuesday for you :(

But they met for the first time ;)! I finished writing chapter 23 and I'm not too happy with it all but we'll see since I've got plenty of time. If you've got any trope requests (?) or suggestions, just let me know Xxx

Comments mean the world + motivate me so much, and I am so grateful for all the voting you guys did <3

Love, Rhiannon