This Town |NH|

Chapter Three

From that day on, she and I were friends. My dad and I helped them finish unpacking, although Siobhan and I mostly played and explored. She wasn't much of a girly girl which I liked because it meant she wasn't afraid to get dirty. All that week, we both came home covered in dirt and mud. My father just rolled his eyes while her father laughed.

The following week, school began. Because she was the new girl, everyone was interested in her. Although she had opened up a little bit with me, she was quite timid and shy. But, of course, because she was new and because of where she had come from, she instantly had enemies. I didn't understand what anyone's problem with a six year old girl was, but the ring leaders were Conor and Rory, of course. They decided to be the punks that they were and bully her from the get go. And all I could do was tell them to stop.

At the end of the first week of school, my dad invited them over for dinner. We had a nice meal, nothing too fancy. We weren't exactly the richest of people either. During dinner, Siobhan was fairly quiet except for a few times where she kicked me with her foot and I kicked back.

"Aww, look at the two of them playing footsie," my dad said. We both immediately threw a disgusted face at him and stopped. They both laughed at us.

After dinner, she and I went out to play. It was a Friday so we could stay up a little later than usual. We went to the playground nearby. She hopped up onto the roundabout while I pushed it to enough speed before I jumped on. Besides those few kicks under the table, she had been quiet all evening.

But as soon as it was just the two of us, under the stars, she became more giddy. She laughed as we spun around, getting dizzy. As it slowed down, she hopped off and pushed it a little to go faster before she jumped back on. We both laughed.

After we finished spinning, we invented a new game - who could walk straight after all that spinning. Neither of us, apparently. We instantly collided into each other and fell to the ground, laughing.

We laid there for awhile looking up at the dark sky. "Niall, thank you for being so kind to us. Not everyone seems to want us here and I can't tell you how much my dad appreciates you and your father's kindness."

I sat up, "Of course. I don't even know why people don't like you. It all seems so silly to me."

She smiled and turned her head to face me, "It is silly, isn't it?" She sat up and gave me a hug.

A few weeks later, the county fair was being put up. Siobhan and I begged my dad to take us. He finally relented. Her dad had to work, so it was just the three of us. My brother, Greg, was too cool for it, apparently. He was also spending more and more time with Conor and Rory. He was an ass at school but nice to her inside our home which would've irked me had I known better at the time.

Anyway, when we got there, the first thing we wanted to do was ride the Swings that spun around in the air. We had to ride the one made for kids our age but unfortunately, so did Conor and Rory. Siobhan and I sat one in front of the other. As the ride started, she began to giggle. She held her arms out wide beside her as her blonde hair flew back from the wind. She turned around and yelled, "Look, Niall, we're flying!"

I smiled at her and did the same thing. Once the ride was over, we barely made it through the exit before Conor and Rory stepped in front of us. My dad was on the other side, out of sight. 

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Conor said.

"Go away, Conor," I said, trying to duck past them.

"Oh, I don't think so little man. Where's your brother? We want to hang with him at this stupid thing," Rory said, blocking her as she tried to get past.

"Just leave us alone and go bother someone else," I said, getting angry.

"Or what?"

"Or I'll be making a phone call to yer father later, boys." I heard my dad from behind me. "Run along now."

"We're not afraid of you," Conor responded.

"But you are afraid of yer father, so get."

They both walked off but not before pulling Siobhan's dress up over her head and laughing. While walking away they sang, "I see London, I see France, I see Siobhan's holey underpants!"

She pushed the dress back down and looked at me. I could see tears were forming in hers eyes as she looked at everyone watching her. Before my dad could get her hand, she ran off. "Siobhan, wait!" I shouted, as I sprinted after her.

"Niall, Siobhan, both of you come back here!" I heard my dad yell. But I didn't pay attention. I needed to find her so she wasn't alone.

I found her sitting on the ground watching the Ferris Wheel. Crying. I sat down next to her and stayed quiet. I put my hand on her shoulder so she knew I was there. She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face.

"Why are people such assholes?" she asked.

"Who knows?" I responded. "Don't ya worry bout 'em, Siobhan. They're just annoyed because they already know they won't ever amount to much in life. But, us, you and me, we'll break free of this town."

She looked at me again, her crying subsiding. "Thank you, Niall, for being my friend." She gave me a hug.

"There ya two are," I heard my dad say, "I don't need either of ya ever running off from me like that again. Ya hear me?"

We both nodded. We got up and it was time to go. As we were walking out, she noticed a place to take photos. She pulled on my arm and pointed. "Dad, can we get our picture made? Please?" I begged.

My dad looked at us and softly smiled. "Of course ya can, son. Go ahead." He handed the man running the booth some money while Siobhan and I went through the box of props. I chose a stick-on mustache and bowler hat. Siobhan chose an old-timey looking camera and tutu. We looked ridiculous but we didn't care. The man took our picture and we waited while it developed. He handed it to Siobhan and smiled, "Pretty little girl, aren't ya?" he said.

It kind of crept us out the way he said it. Siobhan backed away slowly, "Thank you, sir," she said before getting back into the safety of my dad's arms.

That night, she stayed over with me. Since we were six, no one saw it as a problem for us to share a bed. She snuggled in with me and we talked for what seemed like hours, telling stupid six year old stories. My dad popped his head in, "Alright you two, lights out and voices down," he said as he shut off the light and closed the door.

We laid there in silence for a couple of minutes before she said, "Niall?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's always be friends. Let's always go back to the fair every year and have a picture taken."

"That sounds like the best idea ever!"