SKYFALL, Johnny Kavanagh

The blue/red combination

Maeve's Point of View

The air outside was colder than I expected.
Just enough to remind me that the weekend was over.

I pulled my coat tighter around myself, fingers tucking into the fabric.
The hoodie underneath was warm.

Johnny's hoodie.
One of three I'd apparently accumulated over the last two days.

It wasn't red I'd chosen.
It was blue.
A deep, familiar kind of blue.
A colour that reminded me of rugby jerseys and old ink stains, of the way Johnny's eyes darkened just before he smirked.

I didn't think about it when I grabbed it.
Didn't think about it when I pulled it over my head.
Didn't think about how it smelled like him, or how the sleeves were just a little too long, or how it made me feel like I'd taken a piece of something I shouldn't have.
Something that wasn't mine to keep.

I exhaled, shifting my bag higher on my shoulder.
Johnny was standing a few feet away, hands in his jacket pockets.

Gibsie, still lingering by the doorway, huffed dramatically. "I still can't believe you're abandoning us."

I rolled my eyes. "I have to go back eventually."

"Debatable." He muttered. "You could just live here. I wouldn't mind."

Johnny shot him a look. "You don't live here."

"Details." Gibsie waved a dismissive hand.

Johnny sighed. "Go inside, Gibsie."

"Fine." Gibsie grumbled, trudging back toward the house.

The door clicked shut behind him, and just like that, the last bit of noise disappeared.
Leaving just me.
Just Johnny.

His eyes flickered slightly, like he was debating something.
Then, finally. "Just be safe, okay?"

I smirked, trying to shove down whatever strange feeling was rising in my chest. "What, worried about me, Boy Wonder?"

He exhaled through his nose, a quiet almost-laugh. "Always."

I blinked.

He said it so easily.
So casually.
Like it wasn't something that should make my heart stumble over itself.

I forced a scoff. "That's tragic for you."

Johnny shook his head, but the corner of his mouth twitched like he was holding back a smile. "Go catch your bus, Sunshine."

I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then I nodded.

Shouldered my bag.
Tucked my hands into my coat pockets.

And walked away.

But even as I made my way down the street, even as I heard the bus approaching, even as I stepped onto it and found a seat near the window.
The hoodie stayed warm around me.

The bus jolted forward, shuddering slightly as it pulled away from the curb.

I kept my eyes on the window, watching as Johnny's street blurred past – watching as the last two days disappeared behind me, block by block, turn by turn.

I exhaled slowly, shifting in my seat.

Stupid.
All of this was stupid.

I shouldn't have let it happen – shouldn't have let myself get comfortable, shouldn't have let myself have a weekend of soft mornings and ridiculous board game wars and horror movies.
I shouldn't have let myself feel safe.