SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Character development

Maeve's Point of View

The week had been going well.

Niamh had started dragging me to the coffee shop near school during break, where she bought me tea every time, no matter how much I insisted she stop wasting her money on me.

At lunch, we mostly sat outside when we could or hid in the fifth-year wing, away from the crowds.

I'd torn into Gibsie first thing Monday morning for spying on me for Joey, and he'd promised he wouldn't do it again. (Not that I believed him, but at least he looked guilty about it.)

Teddy had decided to play pretend this week, acting like he was actually trying to stay sober, which meant I hadn't been beaten up.
All was right in the world.

Well.
Almost.

I still hadn't given Gibsie his gift.
Not because I didn't want to, but because every time I tried, it felt like I was handing him proof of how much of a charity case I was.

At least the bruises had mostly faded.
The shiner on my cheek barely needed concealer anymore, and the rest of the marks were old enough to be covered by my sleeves.

The only thing that could still ruin my mood was the scar on my abdomen, the scabs still healing, standing out against my skin like an ugly reminder.

"Earth to Maeve." Niamh spoke next to me on Thursday, eating her lunch. "What are you going to do about the project?"

"What project?" I asked her.

"The one Mr. Sullivan assigned last week." Niamh tried to remind me. "When he made me and Johnny switch seats, does that ring a bell?"

"Kind of, I wasn't really paying attention."

Niamh's lips curled into an evil smile. "You're going to love this."

"I already don't."

"It's a partner project."

"Great. We'll do it together, then."

"That's the thing." She said, grin widening. "We have to do it with whoever was sitting next to us when he assigned it."

I frowned. "We were sitting together."

"Were we?"

A sinking feeling formed in my stomach.

"Fuck." I sighed.

"You got the better end of the deal – at least Johnny's a genius." Niamh sighed. "Gibsie, on the other hand, begged me to handle the entire project on my own."

"And you caved?"

"What do you think?"

"I'm wondering if he's still alive right now."

"Barely." She muttered. "I doubt he'll ever try that shit with me again."

I smirked. "Want to switch partners?"

"You know we can't." Niamh shot me a knowing look. "Are you avoiding Johnny again? I thought you were past that."

"I am." I rolled my eyes. "I just don't know how to act around him."

"You could start by saying hello when you see him in the morning."

I glared at her.

"Just a suggestion." She said, all too smug. "The lad's been waiting for you to give some kind of signal."

"Signal?"

"A nod, a wave, even a sigh." She listed off. "Anything to let him know he still exists in your world."