GIBSIE
DECEMBER 3RD, 2004

WE WON—Obviously. We haven't lost a match in a long time.

Somehow, I didn't manage to get distracted by the brunette in the stands once. I mean, I thought of her—a lot—but, unlike that one practice on the first day I met her, it didn't seem to mess with my head.

The moment her and Katie walked into the stands to join everyone else, my eyes seemed to find her. Katie was saying something to her that confused her—I could tell, even from how far I was. Despite that Michelle continued to follow along with the red heads gossiping.

"How you feeling?" I rested my back against the wall of lockers, glaring up at my best friend as he slammed his locker shut.

"I'm fine, Gibs." He said, even though he had started noticeably limping.

"Yeah? You sure look fine."

Johnny narrowed his eyes, his jaw tensing "what's that supposed to mean."

There was no one left in the locker room, so I didn't need to be vague. "Johnny, lad, you are visibly limping and, as much as you refuse to admit it, it's starting to effect your playing—which I know is important to you."

"I'm fine, seriously dude. Stop worrying, it's pissing me off."

I rolled my eyes as I followed him to the exit "I'm your best friend, Jonathan, I'm afraid I'm always gonna worry about you."

Johnny nearly flinched "Jaysus, don't go all soft on me, Gibs."

A smirch found its way onto my face as I pushed through the door, spinning around to grin at my best friend.

"So you want me—"

Johnnys eyes locked on something behind me and his annoyed expression immediately morphed into a smile. "Michelle."

The joke I had been ready make slipped from my mind and I spun in the direction he was looking.

She was standing about ten feet behind me, leaning against the wall. Beside her was the little red head that always found ways to make fun of me without actually making fun of me.

"Hey you two." Michelle stood up straight, a bright smile forming on her face. "Good game."

Maeve shrugged "it was average."

"Thanks Mikey." Johnny wrapped an arm around Michele, giving her a side hug while mumbled something that wasn't loud enough for me to hear.

Then she looked at me and I might as well have been doing backflips down the hallways with how fast my heart was beating.

"I saw you." She smiled, pulling on a strand of her hair. "Wasn't exactly sure what you were doing, but I saw you do it."

"Well, I might have saw you too." I had to bite my cheek in order to stop myself from smiling like an eejit.

"It was so annoying." Maeve rolled her eyes. "She wouldn't stop asking question." Then Maeve put on her best Michelle voice "What's that? What's going on? Why did he do that?" her hands slapped her cheeks "oh my God, is he dead!"

"That's not how I sound." Michelle growled at her sister as Johnny and I laughed.

"Yes it is."

Instead of arguing, Michelle just rolled her eyes and focused back on me. "I think you were good." She said, her smile now back on her face.

"He was average."

"Maeve."

"Fine," Maeve rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest "I'll stop."

"We should probably head out, huh?" She glanced back at her sister, who now seemed very uninterested in our conversation. "You guys are probably going out with your friends." It took me a second to realize she was talking to me again. "Like, celebrating, or whatever."

Johnny spoke before I could "We're just going over to Biddies."

And a light bulb turned on in my head "you should come." I made sure to look directly at Michelle, so she knew I was talking to her.

A wave a panic washed across the girls face. She had the same 'deer in headlights' look on her face that she always wore when I'd ask her to hang out with me.

"I should?" She finally let go of the strand of hair.

"Yes." Maeve butted in "You definitely should." and for the second time since I met her I actually didn't mind her existence.

Michelle's panicked eyes flashed towards her younger sister before landing back on me once again.

"It'll be fun." Actually, it'll probably be pretty boring, but if she came, she'd make it seem a lot less boring.

"Go, Michelle." Maeve lightly nudged Michelle's shoulder. "I'll call mom to pick me up."

Michelle went to interject again, but Maeve cut her off with a simple glare.

Michelle let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, but you text me the moment you get home, understand."

Maeve nodded, a big smile forming on her lips. "Deal." The small red head turned to skip down the hallway, but paused, turning back and pointing at her sister from half way down the hallway. "No drugs." Then she tapped her temple "Remember."

Remember what?

I glanced over at Michelle, who now had this strange faraway look in her eyes.

She looked like she was gonna be sick.

There was still a lot I didn't know about her past and why she moved here. I've always been curious, but I've never gained the courage to ask.

Shaking off her discomfort, a smile immediately formed on Michelle's lips and she turned back to us. Not saying anything to Maeve as she continued to skip the rest of the way down the hallway. "Are we walking or. . ."

Johnny fished his keys out of his pocket, dangling them off his pointer finger as a reply.

Before we could start walking, Michelle paused again "You sure your friends won't mind?"

I nearly rolled my eyes. Our friends actually really loved her. The only person who might have a problem with it was Claire, but that was just because she's gotten kind of jealous of Michelle over the past few months. With our luck, her and Lizzie decided to have another sleepover instead of joining us.

"Trust me, Michelle. They'll be fine," Then just to make her feel a little better, I added "plus, Katie should be there, too."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her to my side, hoping that would stop any more overthinking as we made our way to Johnny's car.

AUTHOR TALKS!!
The things you guys don't know. My goodness. This chapter is like the first domino in Maeve's in Tadgh's story.

Also, twentieth chapter. Iykyk😏

Last, but not least, I'm sorry, but I likely won't be updating till the holidays are over.