Seeing You - Boys of Tommen

First Argument

October 1st, 2001

Katie: 

I'm not quite sure how I found myself crying while Patrick, of all people consoled me. I hated that I was crying, I was already the youngest in the group and the only girl I didn't want to be known as the cryer. Aoife wouldn't have cried when Gibsie made that comment, she would have been laughing with him, giving it just as good as he gave, but I wasn't quick and funny like Aoife I was just me. Just Katie. 

The introduction of Lizzie Young had also thrown me off, she was stunning and utterly captivating. There must be some history between her and Hugh because the tension between the two was palpable. Even though I was older than Lizzie, I still felt small in comparison, and not just because she was taller, she appeared more mature, and I couldn't help myself I had begun comparing myself to her and I fell short.

I was so lost in thought and in the comforting strong arms that were wrapped around me, I completely lost track of time. 

"Hey, Katie" Patrick asks "are you feeling better? My Mam is going to be picking me up soon, we can give you a spin home."

"Will your Mam mind?"

"No, it's not a problem." We then untangle ourselves from each other and move apart, I feel an instant loss being away from him.

The door opens then and out comes Lizzie with Claire behind her, saying goodbye. Lizzie quickly walks away from the property. Claire speaks up, "Oh, I didn't realize you two were still here, Gerard is going to stay for dinner, do you two want to join us?" I look at Patrick and we stand there before I answer.

"Sure, that sounds nice" we reenter the house following Claire, "Um...Where's the bathroom?" I ask, desperately needing to freshen up, I can only imagine what my face looks like after my crying. 

Claire points me in the right direction. Looking at myself in the mirror, I note my puffy and swollen eyes. I can't help but think of how Lizzie and Claire look so naturally perfect. Claire has this energy about her that's contagious and she just glows from within. And Lizzie, she looked cold and distant, but so perfectly put together, her blonde hair was shiny and styled. I brushed through my hair roughly with my fingers and splashed cold water on my face. I hated when my mind got like this, I sometimes felt this way about Aoife and Casey, like my mind was one black hole of comparison and jealousy. 

Deciding there wasn't much more I could do about how I looked in that bathroom, I exited and joined the others at the table. 

Before I could sit down Gibsie walked into the hallway, blocking me from leaving with a sympathetic look on his face, "Hey, I just wanted to say sorry for what I said, I was just being stupid and I didn't mean anything by it." He let out a long sigh, "Liz just makes me act weirdly and I shouldn't have made you uncomfortable, will you ever forgive me?"

"Yeah, I was being overdramatic, it was more to do with something that happened yesterday." I offered, "But, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why was everything so weird with that girl Lizzie, why does she make you act different, and make Hughie act like, how he's been acting? I haven't seen him like this."

"Um... well maybe not anything I guess, you should really ask Hugh he knows her better and yeah...just ask Hugh."

"Umm....okay." We walked back to the table together, I sat in between Hugh and Claire, Patrick was on the phone to his Mam.

"So Katie, your choice what should we order?" Claire asks expectantly.

"Oh...um you can choose, I'm not picky." I stammer out, nervous of all of their gazes directed at me.

"How about Chinese? How does that sound Katie?" Gibsie asks.

"Perfect" I say trying to deflect the attention from me as soon as possible. 

Claire picked up the phone and started placing an order, and Hugh tugged on my sleeve, "Hey, I'm really sorry about earlier with Gibs and....uh." His expression had warmed and his warm hand lingered on my wrist "He was way out of line, and I was kind of out of it, but don't show up wearing a bow to my birthday okay, he was just joking, I don't expect anything okay? Don't even put it in your mind."

"It's fine, I knew you wouldn't I was just kind of in my head about it from something my friends said, it all kind of piled up."

"We're good?"

"Yeah we're good."

"Thank fuck for that." I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek and he smiled, "Our first argument, as a couple, I think we handled that well."

I laughed at that, "Yes, we're very mature." He pulled me in for a hug, he was sitting and I was standing so I was able to rest my head on top of his, we stayed that way for a few minutes.

"Get a room will ya?" Gibsie asks, Claire clips him on the ear "Jesus, what is it with you people, leave my ears alone, I'm like that fucking dog experiment, I make a sexual innuendo directed towards Katie and I get hit on the ear, violent the lot of you!"

"Did you hit Gibs for saying that to me?" I asked Hugh, as Claire asked Gibsie what innuendo meant.

"No, it was that psycho" Gibsie said pointing towards Patrick "He hit me bloody hard too."

"You were being an asshole." Patrick replies unapologetically. Patrick defended me? Why would he do that?

After about twenty minutes, our food arrives and we have a fun time just sitting around talking, I notice how if the conversation veers toward Claire's friend Lizzie, there is an abrupt conversation change. 

I know I should ask Hugh, about Lizzie but I'm just too tired, I end up taking Patrick up on his offer for a spin home and his mom is one of the loveliest people I've ever met, I could tell she didn't care about where I lived, there was no judgement in her tone when I gave her directions. "Goodbye Katie, it was great meeting you" 

"You too, thanks for the spin, um... See you tomorrow Patrick."

"See ya, Katie."

Thanks for reading! I'm going to do a few more chapters set in October 2000, and then I'm going to start doing larger time jumps.  - H <3