This is a former one-shot that fits here. If it sound familiar just skip ahead.

One Week Earlier.

Rory Flanagan saw the boy with the odd-ball haircut heading his way and braced himself for impact. So far this school was the worst experience of his young life. To think this, this was supposed to be some kind of an honor. A nightmare is more like it. Just as the kid reached him and started to lean in for the shove against the locker, a mullet – that's what the haircut is called Rory remembered, he heard a voice behind him. A girl cursing like a sailor.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Mullet boy hesitated. "Isn't there a kindergarten somewhere you're supposed to be terrorizing? I can take care of this myself, you know that asshole, but if you're thinking of coming back with company remember, I've got company too! 6 foot 4, 300 pounds of company! So why don't you just skip off and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened!"

Mullet boy liked that idea and Rory turned around to see a short black browned-eyed girl standing behind him.

"Mercedes. Mercedes Jones." she said extending her hand. "Sorry for that. Why some people want to spend their time spreading hate and discontent, I'll never know, but if you're in a jam just drop the name "Shane". He's a friend and I'll ask him to watch out for you."

"Thank you." he said in a thick Irish brogue, looking at the girl in wonder. Besides Brittany, who doesn't seem very bright and Santana, who is pure evil, she's the only girl to have spoken to him. And black people are in short supply back home. "My name is Rory. Rory Flanagan."

"That's not English, is it?" He looked irritated so she added. "Of course I know you're speaking English. What I meant is that's not an English accent. It's not Scotland or Wales either. Ireland?"

"Yes, it's Irish." Thank god she's not going to make fun of his accent.

"Like Sinead O'Connor?"

"I know that living with you, baby, was sometimes hard but I'm willing to give it another try. 'cause nothing compares, nothing compares to you " he sang. She smiled, this Mercedes had a very nice smile. He wondered if the Shane she mentioned was her boyfriend of her brother. Brother, he hoped.

"The Cranberries?"

"You know I'm such a fool for you. You've got me wrapped around your finger. Do you have to let it linger? Do you have to? Do you have to? Do you have to let it linger?" he sang. She smiled even more broadly.

"U2?"

"I have climbed highest mountains, I have run through the fields, Only to be with you, Only to be with you. I have run, I have crawled. I have scaled these city walls. These city walls, Only to be with you. But I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

"Sorry, I'm all out of Irish bands but you're good."

Slipping and a-sliding
All along the waterfall
With you, my brown-eyed girl,
You, my brown-eyed girl.

Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
Just like that
Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah
La dee dah.

"Van Morrison, he's Irish." he said.

"Oh, you ARE good, you're very good. I have someone I want you to meet." She linked arms with him. Shelby's gonna love him. "Rory, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca at the same time?" he asked.

Oh, she thought. He knows movies too? That Maltese Falcon quote was tricky. Sam Spade used it to complement Bridget O'Shaughnessy on her super sweet bald-faced lying skills. Only Sam Evans would have caught something like that. She looked closely at the baby-faced Irish kid. Please don't let him start spouting Na'vi!

Nope, she decided. She'd been down that road before, and she's not going back!

Nothing Compares to You – Sinead O'Connor
Linger – The Cranberries
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For – U2
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

Any one of which would have been better than "It's not easy being green."