SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Broken glass, broken girl

Maeve's Point of View

A bitter taste of regret sat in my mouth just as I was walking to the front door.
As I thought back to my earlier interaction with Johnny, I felt empty, like I'd already used up all of my mental energy to try and keep him out.
He's so infuriating.

I got my key, put it in the door and stared at it for a good couple of minutes, not ready for what was to come.
I took out my phone, like the coward I was, and contemplated texting Joey before putting it away.
I can do this.

Just as I was about to turn the key, my phone chimed and I – grateful for the distraction – opened it and saw the text message.

Main hoe
Can't believe you ditched before my maths test.
To who am I going to complain after I fail?

A feeling of both relief and disappointment passed through me once I read the text.
Stupid.
After how I had treated him this morning, and all the times before, I don't know why I thought he was going to reach out again.

I threw open the door and walked in the house, hanging up my coat on the coatrack and taking off my shoes before heading to my room and closing the door.
Then I picked up my phone and texted Gibsie back.
Your other friends.

He responded almost immediately. They're boring, they'll just tell me to study if I don't want to fail.

What do you think I'd tell you? I texted back.

I don't know, I just failed this test and I'm texting you to complain. What are you telling me? He wrote. If you tell me to study, I might actually kill myself.

I looked around my room before replying, sure I was going to regret what I was writing next. Do you want me to tutor you? I know Johnny's apparently a genius too, but I'm not half bad either. Actually, scratch that I think I'm better.

Is THE Maeve Connor offering to help me. I think I'm feeling dizzy.

I rolled my eyes once I read that.

So, yes or no? If you don't answer fast I'm rescinding my offer.

I will take the tutoring sessions, thank you very much.

You're welcome. With that I shut off my phone, charged it and went downstairs where I started taking out what I needed to prepare dinner.
I looked at the mostly empty cupboard and settled on the only thing that didn't look out of date, pasta.
So I took out my pot, filled it with water, put it to a boil and salted it.
Once everything was done, I drained the pasta, mixed it in with the sauce and left it to rest on the turned off stove, to be eaten in a few hours.

I checked the time and it was half past two, which meant I had another 3-and-something hours before my uncle decided to make his presence known.
It's going to be okay.

So, I turned on the television and waited.
At 5:46 I heard the door opening and smelled it.
The stench of alcohol.
Teddy's home.

I gripped the edge of the table and tried to relax.
Maybe if I pretended to be invisible, he'd just trip over his own feet and pass out on the couch.
No such luck.

"Well, look who's finally decided to show her face." A taunting voice slurred from behind me. "I thought you were too high and mighty to stay in this house with us now that you go to that cunty school."

"I earned my place there." I rebuked without looking at him the eyes.

"You're a whore, you've opened your legs for them. That's how you got in." He responded. "Where were you Saturday night?"