Man of Fire

Let me introduce myself, I am Aghna O'Shea. Yes my family are Irish, hailing from Dublin, mind you now we live in Liverpool, have done for three generations, yet we are constantly reminded of our heritage by the parents, through our names or our attendance to the Catholic Church down the street. You see, as is typical of Irish families, we have what is classed as a large family, there is me, Aghna and I am 17; next is Aoife who is 14, and has the true Irish red hair; Abiageal who is 10 and is of a medium complexion, and then Aengus, the youngest only 5 and has inherited the same fair skin and dark hair as I. And Mam is expecting again, you see my Mam, Adylline, met my Pa, Ardal, when she was 15 and he 17, by the time she was 18 they were married and I was on the way. The coincidence that their names both began with A started the trend for us children. Anyway back to me.

I am short, I am 5"3 and it annoys me to no end, yet all of my family are petite, so genes are to blame for that one. I have long black hair that is in barrel curls past my bum, and thick enough to break a bobble. Stormy blue eyes sit under my heavy fringe, shrouded in thick black lashes, and fortunately enough my skin is clear. I'll admit I am not ugly, but I am nothing special. I am due to begin my first year in college, taking AS Early Modern History, Chemistry, Biology and Maths, yes some of the most academic subjects you will find, but I enjoy them. I am not really very sociable, with only one friend who I am close with. Melanie Slater, the sterotypical blonde bombshell, she took the world by storm, and to this day it confuses me as to why this whirlwind of energy, befriended me, the loner whose nose is forever in a book. For the last five years Mel has been there coaxing me out of my hole of isolation. 

Anyway, today is the day before my first day of college, and as usual my parents are AWOL. Looks likes its up to me to take the siblings to school. Wait. Its 8:30 am. Oh Snap! We are going to be late. "AENGUS! ABIAGEAL! AOIFE! Wake up!" we are going to have to run. I run to the bathroom and slam the door in Aoife's sleepy face, while shoving the toothbrush in my mouth and dragging a comb through my hair.

"Aghna, I need a shower, hurry your bum up. I am meeting up with Jason after school" She moans from the otherside. I mumble something undistinguishable through the minty pink foam. Now I can hear Aengus complaining that he needs to use the toilet from the other side of the door. Rinsing my mouth out I rush out, as the two complainers enter the bathroom to relieve their needs, while Aoife rushes Aengus so she can shower. Looking into the disarray that is my wardrobe I pull out some stonewashed skinny jeans that Mel forced me into buying, and a plain black vest top. Sliding on some ballet flats I lauch myself onto the landing where I see Abiageal holding a brush and bobble, I quickly pull her hair into a neat braid theat rests at the small of her back, and rush her down stairs. "Aengus, we need to leave. Aoife bus fare is on the mantel. Abi, where are your shoes?" Gosh iIsound like their mother. As I think that, the familiar tune of my text tone floats to my ears, grabbing the beat up phone I usher my younger siblings out of the door, and rush them toward the local primary school a few streets away.

As we arrive, Abiageal leaves to head toward the Junior school, as the Infants and Junior are separate. Spotting the entrance to the reception, I guide Aengus toward the double doors, as he turns to look at me, he begins to sprint in the opposite direction "Aengus O'Shea, what do you think you are doing. We are late, come back here, now. I'll take away Eoghan"  Trust me, that is the biggest threat to Aengus. Eoghan is his green teddy bear, without whom he cannot sleep. Glancing in Aengus' direction, I spot him fawning over a girl who could be maybe a year older than him. He runs over to me, dragging the poor girl with him. "Aggie, this is Carolina, she is in my class, and she is already 6! can she come to our house sometime, if we ask Mam?" He babbes, as I take a good look at the girl infront of me. Her latte complexion is complimented by stormy grey eyes, and glossy brown hair waves over her shoulders as she gazes up at me, butterfly lashes brushing her cheeks as she blinks. I smile, and catch a glimpse of pearly white milk teeth behind her rosy lips. "Maybe Gus, we will have to ask Mam and Pa"

As I say this, I am made aware of a new bystander to our conversation. Scuffed black converse are planted in my gaze, and I glance up into the most enticing set of eyes, and I am frozen, drawn into the swirling depths of the slate grey orbs. I look down and catch his full, but still masculine lips pulled into a smirk, I feel my cheeks burn. " Well, hello Princess, is school closed today?" he drawls   lazily, his lazy accent reminding me of a sleek black panther. As his words sink in, my brow furrows. "Hey, I will have you know I am 17 years old" he laughs, pats Carolina's head and slinks off toward the gleaming motorbike leaning against the curb. I hand Aengus his lunch and send him on his way. "Bye Aggie" he calls loudly and he skips off toward the entrance. "Hasta Luego, Señorita O'shea" Carolina calls. So they are Spanish.

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I am jolted awake by the small body now pressed against me. "Carolina?" she must be upset which can mean only one thing. "Juan?" her nod was enough of a sign, that bastard was back. I know it is hypocritical to call my own brother a bastard, but he deserves it. Speak of the devil, he staggers into the room, causing Caro to hide her tiny body behind me, ¿Qué pasa, Cabrón? I growl out, causing Caro to fist her hands into my hair as she whimpered. I glare at him noting his dilated pupils, and the pungent smell of vodka that followed him into the room, he lurched towards the pair of us, the far off gleam replaced by the fouler one of hatred. 

"I see you are also a slave to fathers killer. Ignatio," he slurs, his flat brown eyes glaring at the cowering doe behind me. "¡Que te pires, Coño!" I stand and drag his sorry arse into the hovel he calls a room and punch his lights out, leaving him lying amongst the dirty underwear and mould frosted cups and bowls. I return to my princess, and begin to get her ready for school. Throwing on a plain white stretch T-shirt and dark jeans I grab Caro's helmet and get us situated on my Motorbike. 

The ride to the primary school was uneventful as usual. When we pull up at the red brick building, I remove her helmet, and straighten her headband, wiping the remaining tears. Grabbing the pink Barbie lunchbox I begin to walk toward the office. Spotting the frame of a girl, leading a small boy, who bares a striking resemblence to herself, but who could only be her brother for she looked 15, at a push. Jailbait. But worth it, from the shape of her nicely rounded 'culo', and her silky black locks that tumbled way past her ass. She is seeming exasperated as she calls for her brother, who is running toward Caro. He babbles animatedly as he leads her to his sister.

I lazily stroll over and stand opposite this Cierva, yet she doesn't appear to notice me. I smirk and shift my feet into her sight, causing her head to snap up, tilting her head back, her stormy blue eyes locking on to mine. Her skin is perfectly clear, like porcelain, and free of the overpowering sludge of makeup used by girls our age. A dainty snubbed nose sits just above the sexiest lips I have ever come across, full and inviting, the colour of the sunset at home in Girona, a peachy pink.

As her eyes search my face, my smirk widens. If the parting of her lips and the flushing of her cheeks was anything to go by, she was under my spell. " Well, hello Princess, is school closed today?" I put on play up my accent, hoping to lure her in with the foreign mysticism. A small furrow appears on her forhead, "Hey, I will have you know I am 17 years old" she states angrily, pushing her fringe out of her eyes. Patting Caro on the head, I make my exeunt. Hoping to see the spirited young mare again. Paying mind to my posture I slid onto my bike and threw a lazy wave to the onlookers and sped off toward home, where I would undoubtedly be faced with a sulky Juan, you wouldnt believe that he is 24 and just as insufferable as a constipated child.

Walking into the house I noted the grass needed a trim and the path needed weeding. I head straight into the kitchen and begin to clear up the mess left from the breakfasts, and peered into the fridge, as I expected, the leftover Paella was gone, Mama has eaten atleast. After preparing my lunch I head out the door, "Hasta Luego, mamonazo" I call as I slam the door, heading off to work, at least today is pay day.

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So tell me what you think.