𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ✹ 𝐠. 𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐱 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞!

Six Years Ago

The noise in the room settled down after 5 painfully long minutes that allowed the grade 5 teacher to speak. He called the attention of the class and announced that a new kid was joining them. Small curious heads all turned to the front and they all stared at the new boy, who inspected everyone with a critical eye and made everyone begin whispering when he opened his mouth and everything that came out was laced in a thick Dublin accent.

The boy walked off into a table at the back where he sat next to a grinning kid with swift blonde curls sticking in 5 different directions. The young Dub noticed the constant staring and turned to introduce himself. "Hi, I'm Johnny" he held out his hand to shake "Johnny Kavanagh"

The blonde boy took it gracefully and introduced himself "Gerard Gibson but everyone calls me Gibsie"

Johnny looked around when the class erupted in noise again "so Gibsie, is everyone in this class a bleeding eejit like that one?" Johnny asked, giving a stink eye to a specifically loud redhead boy

"Well there's a couple of good ones" Gibsie said, looking around "but yeah, pretty much"

Johnny hummed and seemed to think good about the comment for a couple of seconds "do you want to be my best friend?" Johnny asked, looking back at Gibsie "i don't think i'll be returning to Dublin any time soon so might as well make some friends"

"Me?" Gibsie asked with a curious expression

That made Johnny laugh "yes you"

"Okay" Gibsie replied with a smile.

✹✹✹

One decision as simple as saying you'll be someone's best friend can alter the fate of someone's life and little Gerard Gibson was about to find out how fate has a funny way of getting to you.

Sadhbh Allen, Gibsie's mom, urged him to go over and knock on the giant double door leading to the Kavanagh house. Gibsie was shitting his pants, literally. With shaky hands he brought his hand to knock on the door twice while her blonde mother stood behind him clutching her purse to her side. The big door opened after a little voice that sounded like a girl's came muffled by the thick wood. The door clicked and creaked softly on its hinges and when it opened, little eleven year old Gibsie's mouth went agape as a small girl with wide blue innocent eyes and freckles marking her fair skin appeared on the other side of the door. She batted her eyelashes and pushed her dark hair off her face, making it move rhythmically to her side. "Hello." the little girl spoke, her voice sounding melodically childish "I'm Haven, who are you?"
Sadhbh smiled behind her son and urged Gibsie to talk. "Hi." Gibsie spoke after getting pushed forward by his nagging mother, "I'm Gerard but everyone calls me Gibsie. Is Johnny home?"

The little girl inspected the blonde's face and looked briefly at the woman behind the boy. "Yes, he's my brother, he's inside." She replied, opening the door more. "Do you want to come in?"

Gibsie eagerly nodded and followed his new best friend's little sister inside the huge house. She waltzed into the kitchen "Ma Johnny's friend Gerard is here." She announced, stopping in the archway with Gibsie behind and Gibsie's mother behind him. Mama Kavanagh turned around and gave them a warm smile.

"Oh you must be Sadhbh." She said, approaching. "I'm Edel, Johnny's mother. He should be downstairs in a sec, he was showering from rugby practice. Could I offer you some wine perhaps?"

The two women moved towards the terrace, leaving nine year old Haven and eleven year old Gibsie standing in the kitchen. "Do you want to go see my dog?" She asked the boy, turning to look at him. His eyes brightened. "Yes." he replied, and followed behind her as she led him outside, pushing the sliding door open and into the big backyard. A big black labrador came rushing to the girl, almost tackling her to the ground which made Gibsie lean over and avoid her from falling. They sat on the outdoor couch, quietly talking while they pet the dog which Gibsie learned belonged to Johnny. Between giggles and soft natured comments, the door slid open again, revealing Johnny on the other side, a skeptical look on his face. Gibsie smiled at him.

"Haven leave Gibsie alone." He groaned in classic eleven year old manner, annoyed his little sister was nagging his best friend. But Gibsie didn't find her annoying, he found her charming and wholeheartedly adorable. Haven's face fell at her brother's words and she got up from the couch "Sorry for annoying you." She mumbled almost inaudibly to the blonde while walking towards the sliding door "Nice to meet you Gerard." She called out before disappearing and leaving the two boys alone.

Gerard watched her leave and suddenly ached not having her soft nature around. He didn't like what she said before she left. She hand't annoyed him, if anything, he wanted her around. He ignored his mind for the next couple days, which kept spinning around with thoughts of little Haven Kavanagh and he wondered if she thought about him too.

✹✹✹

author's note;
hi loves! I wanted to give everyone a little backstory about how haven and gerard met, from when he first met Johnny in school and the events leading up to him deciding how he felt about her. I hope you enjoyed this and the first part of the story is the meeting of Johnny and Gibsie according to the author of Boys of Tommen, Chloe Walsh.
stay tuned for the next chapter!

word count; 910