Seeing You - Boys of Tommen

The Kid's Table

December 31st, 2001

Lizzie:

"Why can't we come to the party?" Claire asks for what felt like the thousandth time.

"Yeah, Hugh why can't she come?" Gibsie asks.

"Because you're too young Claire."

"We came to the last party."

"It was hosted at our house, and this party has older people coming, not just second and third years."

"Remember how annoyed you were at Christmas, when you got put at the kids table? This is what you're doing to me!"

"Well, you are a kid."

"This is totally unfair, first we can't go to Johnny's party and then, Shannon can't even hang out with us tonight."

"She can never hang out with us outside of school, why did you think tonight would be any different?" I ask, also wishing we had the company of our small friend.

"I swear, her parents keep her locked up." I nod, "She's like Rapunzel."

"Should we go save her then?" Gibsie asks, humouring her as always. I hated that he wasn't always a complete asshole, if he was then it would be easier to completely hate him.

"No, that won't help." Claire says. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of Shannon and Claire's friendship. But I was more disappointed that this would be our last year with her, before Claire and I went to Tommen and Shannon went on to BCS. Shannon struggled with bullies, and at BCS we wouldn't be there to protect her, she would have her older brother Joey, but Shannon was so secretive, unless he watched over all the time, there were bound to be incidents he couldn't save her from. 

"Well, I guess we'll have to do our new years kiss early then Claire Bear." Gibsie smiling at a blushing Claire. 

"Like hell you are." Hugh said pulling Gibsie out of the room by his collar, "See you later."

"Bye Claire Bear, Love ya!" Hugh and Gibsie piled into Gibsie's Mam's car and left to attend their precious secondary school party. 

I was honestly glad that I wasn't attending this party. It was too much seeing Hugh hanging onto every word Katie said and how his friends had all accepted her into their little group. I used to be part of that group, I pushed them away and it still stung. I hated that they replaced me, with someone so different than me no less.

"Gibsie does not love you," I say.

"Yes, he does." Claire says defensively.

"He just says it to get a rise out of Hugh."

"Why are you saying this to me?"

"It's for you sake, he's just using you, like everyone in that family."

"Gerard is nothing like him."

"If you say so." The air between us was tense, we definitely functioned better with Shannon as our buffer.

"Let's just have fun, my Mam bought the ingredients to make cookies and then we can watch a couple movies til midnight."

"Okay, that sounds good." I concede. 

It had been a hard few months, Hugh had been helping more than he should, as much I wanted him to stop and just let me rot, I got a sick sense of satisfaction that he was spending time with me instead of her. And I really did need help.

Thanks for reading!  - H <3