NAVIGATING 5 - tadgh lynch

KAVISINGREEN

TADHG

mid-summer, 2005.

I think I'm doing better. I've managed not to miss any training in weeks. It's not the same without Joey around, but it could be worse. Lilibeth has helped, obviously. She's a saint, considering her cousin is moping around like a sulking toddler while Johnny's away, and poor Lily has to live with the fat bastard, on top of trying to get me to be human again.

Now, though, we sit in Biddies watching Kav's last game. I'm under a close watch from Shannon, since I'm not really supposed to be a bar according to her, but she could pass for younger then me, so I'm not sure what she's waffling about. Lilibeth's here as well, Sitting between Gibsie and Patrick Feely. There has been a number of occasions where Feely has tried to slip her some Guinness and a glare from Gibs every single time. She looks beautiful, as always. Her skin has developed a golden brown tan like it was the first time I saw her, and she sits in a denim blue skirt with what I assume to be an old jersey of her cousins on her back. It's fake, obviously, but it's a green jersey with 'Gibson, 7' on the back. It suits her. Everything does. 

The match doesn't actually start until an hour later, and me, Lilibeth, Oisin and Annalise, who we had met coincidently, (apparently, they were with their parents) sat at the edge of the booth, talking and talking about random shit like Tommen. Edel is sending me there, and I have no complaints. Maybe I'll be slagged from going from rags to riches or some bullshit like that, but at least I'll know people. 

We sit in anticipation almost the whole game. I don't know if she realises, but Lilibeth is squeezing my hand so tight I feel like I'll have no bones. I haven't seen her on the edge of her seat this much since Derry made it to the all - Ireland hurling  semi final. But I suppose, judging by how much time she spent at Johnny's house growing up and how she knows the big ass manor off of the back of her hand, Johnny wasn't just her cousins best friend. He was a role model for her. I would be excited for him too.

Ireland won. Poor Shannon is taking the brunt of it, with claps on the back and handshakes from people she doesn't even know. Maybe summer isn't that bad after all. School starts in about a week and a half, and I would be lying if i said I wasn't a bit uneasy. Big new posh school and I know about 3 people bar the fifth and sixth years. Oh well, it has to get worse before it gets better, right?

second last chapter, i love ye all x