𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 ‚ Derry Girls

fifteen

It was the end of the summer. One of the strangest summers of Esme's life.

She'd gone to stay with family in Australia for most of the summer so she hadn't seen James at all.

When she got back, she had slept if we jet-lag and then sent to the Quinn household, ready to go to the Friends Across the Barricade event.

"For the love of God don't forget your waterproof trousers!" Mary shouted "I can safely say they nearly bloody bankrupted us"

Erin sighed, placing the trousers in her bag as she frowned

"Do the Protestants have to bring waterproof trousers?" Mary asked "Or will the Catholics be expected to do all the dirty work?"

"What dirty work? It's an outdoor pursuits weekend" Erin frowned

"I thought you said you were be building bridges?" Mary asked

"Not real bridges, Mammy" Erin shook her head "Metaphorical bridges"

"Then why can't you wear metaphorical trousers?" Mary asked.

Sarah turned to Clare, frowning slightly as she glanced at her with wide eyes.

"Will any of your crowd be going?" She asked

"My crowd?" Clare frowned

"Or can you not get Protestant lesbians?" Sarah frowned

"No" Clare shook her head "I think you can get them all right"

Orla walked into the kitchen, dressed in full camo with a torch in her hand and wearing an army hat.

"Right, has anybody seen my bow and arrow?" Orla asked

"Orla really thrives in the wild, you know" Sarah said "That time we went camping in Portsalon, sure she was like Mowgli running around them woods".

Orla nodded, walking over to Esme and shining a torch light in her eye making the girl whine and push her away.

"She was that happy, Mary" Sarah said with a small smile "I honestly thought about just leaving her there"

"Ach, Mammy" Orla smiled

"Shit" Esme mumbled "I've left my straighteners on"

"Go and turn them off, I can't be doing with this wee house burning down, not at this time of day" Mary said.

Esme nodded, running upstairs to switch her straighteners off and grabbing a few other things for her bag.

A knock at the door made Erin walk over to the door and swing it open to reveal Michelle and James.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo" Michelle said

"Hi" James grinned.

"Bet that's what he said when he was nabbed" Michelle's voice echoed through the kitchen