In His Shadow

Punishment

Johnny's P.O.V

My Ma had bestowed upon me the dubious honour of making sure that my headstrong little sister ate lunch and took her medication. But when I arrived to big break she was nowhere to be seen and neither was her sidekick. Depending on the flavour of destruction she had chosen today there were two places she may be. Since, Ailbhe was also absent my first port of call was the pitch but I found it empty. My second port of call was detention, where I did not find my little sister however I did find my best friend. I dropped down into the seat beside him to pick his brain.

"Well, you aren't the Kavanagh I was expecting" My favourite eejit grinned at me like I was the best thing he had ever seen.

"Have you seen Maya?" I reached out to ruffle his curls as I asked knowing that he was a sucker for affection.

"Not since morning break but she had maths and she always ends up in here with me after maths" He shrugged. Clearly, they had a whole routine together that I was clueless about.

"Excuse me!?"

I turned around, to find a girl who looked like she was a third year. She had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and an attitude that screamed I do not give a shit about anyone or anything.

"Maya walked out of maths, McGarry said that her skirt was pornographic then our maths teacher sided with him and essentially said girls who dressed inappropriately deserved to be raped. Maya was putting him back in his box but then Twomey showed up and blamed Maya. She was meant to go to his office but I am pretty sure she didn't"

I bit back the string of colourful swear words that threatened to escape me and gave this helpful soul my best media trained smile. "Thank You"

With that I grabbed Gibs by the arm and hauled him out of detention. If Maya was not on the pitch, in the dining hall or in detention then I was willing to bet that she was not in school at all! So I was going to need all the help I could get in mounting a search party. This gave me deja vu, it seemed this week was a constant game of where is Maya!? Still, it brought me some comfort to know that on Tuesday she had given herself space by walking in the back garden. It was not as though she had hitch hiked a ride to Dublin to see Da. Hopefully that meant I could find her before our Ma found out although if Maya was in a world of trouble no doubt Principal Twomey had already rang her.

"Can you check Twomey's office?"

Gibsie did not have to be told twice, he darted off down the corridor. With a strong suspicion that she was not in Twomey's office - I fished my phone and my car keys out of pocket and dialled her number as I walked towards the carpark. I was not surprised when my little sister did not answer the phone. But I was surprised when I stepped into the carpark and came face to face with my Ma. That was quick...

"She is not in his office! But Twomey has called your Ma" Gibsie shouted as he barrelled through the door. Only to realise the woman in question was standing right in front of him. "Hi Mammy K..." He strangled out looking at me as if to say what do I do!?

Jesus Fucking Christ! Let the ground open up and swallow us whole.

"Johnathan! Gerard! What is going on here?" She gave us THE look! You know, the look everyone's Ma does that bores into your soul and has you singing your sins like a canary.

"Maya's maths teacher said that girls deserve to be raped if they are wearing a short skirt. Isn't that disgusting Mammy K!?"

I momentarily wanted to throttle my flanker for having such a big mouth. But then I watched as a hard glint entered my mothers eyes and I knew exactly what he had done.