HAVING 13

7. High school crush

JOHNNY
January 14th 2005

She finally called me Johnny.

I wouldn't ever admit it out loud, but hearing her say that I wasn't her friend? That hurt.

Every time she called me Jonathan, it felt like she had put up another wall. I am my mother's son, though, so I was a bulldozer. I'd take them down eventually, at her pace.

We'd basically only talked three times before, but I thought she liked me enough to call me her friend. She was my friend.

She was one of the few people I actually wanted to be around. She was honest with me. I doubted she even cared about my rugby.

Exactly, Johnny, a voice told me.

I should stop caring that she doesn't care, because it was taking my focus away from my future.

I had a bigger problem; this fucking surgery wound that wouldn't heal.

Holy shit, did it hurt...

It burned bad.

But I couldn't slow down.

•

JOHNNY
January 15th 2005

Gibsie was on the phone.

"Lad, she's one of the biggest rides in the entirety of Cork," He exclaimed.

"Don't fucking-" I sighed and lowered my voice again. "Don't talk about her like that."

"Why? Is she your girl now?" He joked.

Fucking ironic, because, yes, I needed to claim her before any of my prick teammates got their dirty hands on her when she came to school Monday.

I would make sure no one else had cryptic conversations with her like I did, and nobody would mess with her or her sister.

They were damaged, I figured, after borrowing and reading Shannon's student file.

The amount of times 'incident in the bathroom' imprinted those pages...

I finally understood why Mel was so protective.

"I mean," I said, not needing to elaborate further.

"No way," He gasped. "Cap has a crush on Lynch Vicious!" He was cackling maniacally now. I ignored it. "You know that Tag Brady is the only lad that has ever gotten in her knickers, right?" He questioned. "Christmas of 2002. A nineteen year old at the time."

"How old was she then?" I furrowed my brows. How is this a known fact and not something people are grossed out by?

"Fourteen," Gibsie said, suddenly stern.

"That's well fucked up, mate," My eyes widened. "Was she with him?"

"On and off for a year. Their arguments were loud enough for the entire neighbourhood to hear," He explained further. "More him yelling than her."

"Why did it end? Who ended it?"

"No can say, I dunno. Melissa left him," He answered both of my questions.

"When was that?" I was confused as to why I never heard anything about it, but Gibsie knew their whole story. "How do I not remember any of this?"

"Calm your tits, Kav," He laughed. "Like a year ago. I know all this because I was there and I helped Missy."

"But it was on and off, how did you know when they were together then?" I had no idea why I was so invested in Missy Lynch's first relationship, but I was. "And how were you there?" I raised an eyebrow defensively.

"It was never really over with them," He said. I nearly wanted to scoff. I sure hoped it was over now.

It must have been one of those toxic relationships you read about in sad books. Where the main character's parents never divorce, even though they're miserable.

"I was worried because when I saw them around at parties, he was always keeping her on a leash. Deciding who she did or didn't talk to, what she wore. Everything about her." He audibly coughed, interrupting himself before continuing. "Brady controlled her, lad, and his sister's telling everyone that he used to have a temper with her. You were buzzed out of your mind that night, but while he was busy with someone upstairs, I lent her my phone so she could call her brother."

"This prick ever learned a lesson for what he did?" I seethed.

"Joey, her brother, gives him a good beating when he runs into the prick. That's only a slap on the wrist compared to what he did to her, though," Gibsie sighed. "That's also why she asked if he hung around Biddies."

"I've never wanted to punch anyone more," I spoke.

"You and me both, cap."

NOTE

Missy has actual lore?!?! Okay well happy Monday everyone. Xx

It's my birthday on Wednesday so I'll give you all a gift and publish :)

By the way!!! Follow my TT (onethreadofgold) for exclusive content like snippets from the Tadhg book I'm writing and this one 🫶🏻

Love, Rhiannon