SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Let her come to you

Johnny's Point of View

It's official, I'm going crazy.

It was Friday morning and I had spent the last three days looking at Maeve's empty desk in the back like it was my worst enemy.
Every time I walked into class and didn't see her sitting there, it sent a spike of irritation straight through me.
The worst part?
I had no idea why it bothered me this much.

"Lad, you've got to stop. This is getting creepy." Gibsie stated as he caught me once again. "Niamh told me she's coming in today."

"She is?" I asked, a little too quicky.

"Shannon told her yesterday." He shrugged. "She also texted me this morning to let me know."

Well, ouch.

"I can see what you're thinking." Gibsie said looking at my face.

"No, you can't." I rebuked.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, lad." He continued.

I didn't respond.
Gibsie had knack for telling when something was wrong with people and he'd been watching me brood over this girl for days now.
It was just driving me nuts.
I didn't understand her.
She didn't want to be friends – hell, it seemed like the girl could barely stand my company.
Joey Lynch had told me to give his sister space, so I did, but it didn't seem to make her like me any better.
Every time I thought I had gained an inch, she took back a foot.

Most of all I hated that she hadn't bothered to reach out, to say anything.
She'd texted Gibsie, for God's sake, but couldn't send me so much as a Hey, I'm still alive?
The most I got from her was some cryptic message earlier in the week that gave me more questions than answers.

Minutes passed and the bell that signalled the beginning of the lesson rang.

"She'll be here." Gibsie smirked. "You can take your eyes off the door."

In that moment, as though she was magically summoned, Maeve walked through the door.
Or at least I thought it was her.
As she walked past me and Gibsie to sit down to go sit down next to Niamh there was none of her usual bravado.
No wink, no sarcastic smile, not even a half-hearted glare my way.
She just kept her head down, face blank, and sank into her seat like she was trying to disappear.

"Told you she'd be here." Gibsie said proudly.

"Doesn't she look weird today?" I whispered next to him.

"Lad, you don't say that about girls. It's like telling them they're fat." Gibsie explained. "Do you want to have your already damaged balls, nailed to the wall?"

I flinched at the reminder of my injury, that still was not showing any signs of getting better.

"That's not what I meant." I rolled my eyes. "I mean, doesn't she look off? She's wearing a lot of make-up, that's not like her."

"Never try to figure out what's going on inside a girl's head, Johnny." Gibsie sighed. "You'll drive yourself mad."

"I think something's wrong, Gibs." I told him.

"She's been sick for the last three days, that's probably why she's wearing make-up, to look less sick," Gibsie looked at me like I was nuts.

"Or maybe something's wrong." I muttered under my breath, more to myself than to him.

Gibsie's grin faded, and he gave me a sideways glance. "You serious?"

"Yeah, I am." I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling more frustrated than I should. "She's wearing way too much make-up. And look at the way she's holding herself."