SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

Things we left unsaid, yet we knew anyway

Maeve's Point of View

"You alright?" He asked, voice quieter now.

"Peachy." I said flatly. "Remind me never to stand next to you after a match again."

His mouth twitched, but it didn't quite make it into a smile. "Sorry about that."

"Not your fault." I shrugged. "I just forgot you're basically a local celebrity."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Don't start."

I didn't say anything.
I didn't need to.
He already looked uncomfortable enough.

He glanced toward the crowd again then his eyes returned to me.

"There's a thing at Hughie's place tonight." He said, casual but deliberate. "Everyone's going."

"Everyone?"

Johnny nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Team, Gibsie, Feely, Niamh, most of our year, really. It's supposed to be a proper blowout."

"And you want me to go?"

He hesitated just long enough to make it obvious. "Yeah."

I turned slightly, scanning the field behind him.
Niamh was gone.
I frowned and looked again.

She'd drifted toward the sideline – toward Feely, who was talking to a few of the lads.

But Niamh wasn't just talking to him.
She was smiling.
Laughing at something he'd said.

And Feely was looking at her like there was no one else on the pitch.

"Looks like she's already celebrating." I murmured. "Think she'll actually go to the party?"

"She already said she was."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You asked her before you asked me?"

Johnny's smirk deepened. "I asked her this morning. Hughie figured both you and Feely would have refused on principle if she wasn't there."

"He would be right."

"So?" Johnny asked, turning back to me. "You coming?"

Every instinct told me to say no.
No to being in a room full of people who'd whisper and speculate and glance too long in my direction now that a camera had caught us side by side.

But another, louder part didn't want to go back to the house.
Back to him.

I turned back to Johnny.

"Is it one of those bring-your-own-everything situations?" I asked.

His eyes lit up just a little. "Gibsie's bringing a cooler, and Hughie's dad stocked the fridge before he left for Galway. So, no."

"Alright." I said after a beat. "I'll go."

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You're taking the bus, then?"

It wasn't really a question.
Just an acknowledgment.

Because he already knew.

And for the first time, I realized he hadn't even offered.

Hadn't asked, Are you sure?
Hadn't said, I can pick you up.

Most people didn't think.
Didn't realize what they were asking.
Didn't know what it did to me.

But Johnny knew.

And instead of pushing, he just accepted it.
Like it was a fact.
Like it was as normal as me saying I'd be wearing black boots or carrying my school bag.