Choosing 13 | Johnny Kavanagh

chapter forty three

Johnny

Swear when you want the week to go slow, it will go by fast.
Saturday came around too quick for me to not be prepared for the "lunch" thing with Lilie today.
It's —I look down to my phone— 1:50, and we agreed to meet up at my house at 2. I offered to pick her up but she said she liked taking the bus, so that's why we're meeting here.

Like the past few weeks, we haven't seen much of each other, just in class or when the girls were waiting for the lads one time this week.
We exchanged some nods and smirks, even texts on some occasions.
I want to go, I don't know, it feels weird.
I'm not expecting anything, it's for our project like I intended it to be, but come on now, we're talking about Lilia fucking Grayson.
You're downright wrong if you assume one thing, but she thinks the complete opposite, then you're just stupid in front of a pretty girl who doesn't even give you the time of day in the first place.

I was just lying if I didn't want it to be a date, I just don't want to get my hopes up.
"Why are you stressing?" Shannon says, laying upside down on the couch, playing GTA on the living room TV, "Lilie doesn't seem like the girl who would assume a hang out with a guy, a date."
I narrow my eyes at her, slumping deeper into the beanbag, and dragging my hands down my face.
Tadhg snickers from his place on the floor, also playing. "That's because she's cool," he shrugs nonchalantly, hitting the buttons on his controller harder.

"Or she just hangs out with guys occasionally," Joey smiles dryly at his phone screen.
I flip him off, at the same time Shan sighs softly, "you're not helping, Joe."
The eldest Lynch's smile turns into a cocky grin, "I know," he tells her.
"Does Nessa ever get sick of your ass?" Tadhg asks mockingly, smiling.
I raise my eyebrows, looking at the three of them, "wait, how do they know about Nessa?"

"Nessa?" Ollie walks in with his colouring book and pens, sitting next to Tadhg, "is she coming?" he looks at Joey, a curious look on his face.
Joey gives Ollie a small smile, "no mate, she's pretty busy these days."
Ols' little smile falters, "we haven't seen her in ages, is she okay?" he whines.

"She..." Joey sighs heavily, searching for the right words to give to his little brother, "Nessa is..."
"She's not dying, is she?" Tadhg rushes out, not looking too bothered if she is, Ollie looks at him with a horrific expression.
Joey nudges his brother with his foot, said brother smirks. "What the fuck Tadhg, why would you say that?"
"You are making it seem like it," he shoots back sharply.
Shannon shakes her head, "you just saw her yesterday at school, you menace," she gets up and sits up properly, then looks at Joey. "You guys have a fight?"

I frown.
Because I feel like I just walked into a family discussion and it runs a lot deeper than I know.
How long does The Lynches have known Nessa Park?
A flicker of sadness flashes across Joey's face, as he shakes her head, "she's just dealing with a lot, she told you about her diagnosis?" All three of them nod, "she's been dealing with that, it's been hard on her.."

Before any of us could reply, the front door unlocks and Mum's voice comes into earshot, "oh no love, you're not intruding. Johnny did tell us about your visit, and we love to see you, especially that little one."
More shuffling comes from the front door, as we all wait patiently, footsteps coming closer.
"You want all of the shopping coming in?" Dad's faint call came next.

I hear Mum tuts and two pairs of laughs are with it, making me smile a little more.
"Yes, John," she calls back, I can picture her rolling her eyes, as she enters the living room, "we're back, and look who we found walking up the street."
Mum steps aside, revealing Lilie holding Sean, smiling gently at the little lad, who is playing with her earbud that she got in.
Lilie looks at us, at me and I give her our usual egotistical smile we keep giving one another every time we see each other. She quickly focuses on the boys when Shannon starts talking.