"Erin, can I ask you something?" James whispered to her as they walked just slightly behind Clare, Michelle and Orla.
"Why are ye whispering?" Erin said loudly. Michelle turned around and stared at the pair of them.
"Why are ye whispering, dick?" Michelle asked him. He'd been meaning to avoid this. Perhaps he should have done this when they were alone.
"I was just…" James stammered, not able to come up with a good reason that wasn't because he didn't want Michelle to know about it.
"Just what?" she prodded, a smirk on her face.
"He just wanted to ask me something," Erin interrupted. "I dunno what though because you keep fucking interrupting him."
"Why just you?" Michelle continued to push.
"Forget it, it's not important," James said, knowing it was probably too late for that now.
"Aye it's not. Go on James. Ask her," Michelle said with a nod.
"I was only asking Erin cause I…"
"I don't care why ye was only asking Erin, ask the question motherfucker."
"I really don't like it when you do that Michelle," James reminded her helplessly. That only resulted in Michelle mimicking him.
"Fine. Erin, if you like someone…what do you do?" James asked. He looked at her, hoping maybe she got it and when her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes, locked on his, it seemed maybe she did.
"I'd go right up to 'em and tell 'em what a ride they are," Erin said proudly.
"You would not," Clare interjected. James had almost forgotten she was even there. But he also laughed because she was right. Erin talked big a lot, but he didn't see Erin doing what she'd just said. I mean, she always seemed awkward and lost for words before when she'd been near a boy she thought was a ride.
"Aye I would. And then I'd snog his brains out," Erin added with a wicked smile.
"Would that make you a zombie then Erin?" Orla asked as she twirled a piece of hair round her finger.
"Christ Orla," Erin yelled "it's a bloody expression innit?"
"Who do you like James?" Michelle jumped in.
"I didn't say I liked someone," James replied.
"Ye didn't have to. You're asking what we'd do if we liked someone which means you need help…cause you like someone," Michelle teased. "Who is it dicko?"
"I was asking Erin what she'd do actually," James reminded her, ignoring the question. Praying Michelle would drop it even though he knew she never would.
"Which brings me back to who do you like?"
"Also why did you only ask Erin?" Clare said. Great. He knew that was coming.
"I just thought…well she'd be the best one to help."
"I woulda helped ye," Orla said. "I'm very good at telling people the truth."
"That ye are Orla," Erin said, rolling her eyes.
"Could we stop going off track here? I wanna know who James wants to ride. And then I'll tell him that no girl from Derry would wanna ride his English ass anyway."
"Again, thank you Michelle."
"Welcome. Who is it?"
"I'm not telling you Michelle," James groaned, running his fingers through his curls.
"So there is someone," Clare said. "Come on James, it can't be as hard as coming out and I did that."
"I think that's almost blackmail Clare," James responded.
"Are ye gonna tell us or not?" Michelle said, planting herself in front of James and staring up at him.
"Not." James said, crossing his arms. "I'm not telling you."
"I'll find out," Michelle said, glaring at him. "Come on girls."
"Come round later and I'll help ya," Erin whispered quickly before she bounded after Michelle. James smiled and he felt his cheeks redden just a little. Thankfully, they were all facing away from him and so they missed it.
Erin looked at James standing in her doorway. Orla had opened the door when the bell rang and brought him up. She was pretty sure she already knew who he liked, although that could be wishful thinking on her part, but she was about to find out. And fuck Michelle and Clare, they could believe she was too scared or awkward to just straight out tell someone she liked them. She wasn't scared.
"Can I come in?" James asked.
"Sure," Erin said, gesturing for him to walk in and sit down. Orla followed after him until Erin stuck her hand in her face.
"Erin, did ye know ye've put your hand on me face?" Orla asked, tilting her head to stare at Erin's hand.
"Get out," Erin said. "It's not like you were any help earlier."
"Oh, is this about the boy you like James?" Orla asked.
"What?" Erin said.
"Ye know, the gay thing," Orla said.
"For the last time, there is no gay thing," James said and Erin stifled a laugh.
"It's alright, I'll read about it in Erin's diary later anyway," Orla said, turning on her heels and closing the door behind her.
"I won't write about it in me diary," Erin said, sitting on the floor beside James.
"Thanks," James said. "Might be a bit awkward if she read about it."
"James…" Erin started and Christ almighty maybe Clare and Michelle were right after all. What if he didn't like her? What if she'd imagined the look between them earlier? And Prom…he'd have done that for any of the girls.
"Erin," James tried, but the words wouldn't come out.
Erin took a deep breath and said "James, IthinkIlikeyou," speaking so fast it sounded like one big word. James just kinda of stared at her. "I mean, James…I like you. Like…a girl likes a boy like you."
"I am a boy," James said and then wanted to smack himself because that was a stupid thing to say in response. He saw her face fall and put his hand on her cheek. She leaned into him and she pressed her lips against his. It was warm, and somehow both exactly as he'd imagined and like nothing he'd been able to imagine at the same time. He kissed her back, her mouth opening just a little. Erin could feel his breath, feel his hand touch her hip. She wrapped her hands around his neck, one hand sliding up into his hair.
"So I guess you figured out who I like," James said as they broke apart for a moment. Erin giggled, pulling him up and toward her bed. He lay down on the bed, Erin straddling him as she leaned down to kiss him again. He knew Erin had done…some stuff as she said but he'd never really considered the difference in their experiences. Erin ran her hands along his chest and to the bottom of his sweater. And then they heard the sound of several footsteps on the stairs and leapt apart as though they had been shocked. Erin silently thanked the Lord she hadn't started to undo her own blouse, and that James still had his sweater on, especially when Orla, Clare and Michelle filled the room a moment later.
"Why do you two look so suspicious?" Michelle asked immediately, looking at Erin and James, both of whom had their eyes on the floor.
"Erin, did you know you're lipstick is smudged," Orla said.
"No it isn't," Erin said too loudly, rubbing her hand over her lips.
"Aye, it is," Clare said, looking between the pair of them with wide eyes. "Wait, James…Erin is the girl you want to ride?"
"I don't want to ride her," James blurted out. Then he looked over at Erin, who looked clearly insulted and added "I mean I do, I didn't mean it like that, I just…"
"Righto James. Don't tell us," Michelle laughed. "You don't need to lie and drag Erin into it though."
"I'm not lying."
"You, James Maguire are telling us that you want to ride Erin Quinn?" Michelle stammered, looking between her cousin and her friend.
"Far out Michelle can you not make it sound so coarse?" James said. "I fancy Erin alright."
"Can you believe this?" Michelle said, facing Erin.
"I like him too Michelle," Erin sighed, stepping closer to James and taking his hand.
"No you don't," Michelle said.
"What'll it take for you to believe me?" Erin asked.
"Snog him. Right now."
"Are you okay with that?" Erin asked him. She could tell by his stupid smile that he was.
"You won't just take our word for it," he asked Michelle. He was quite happy to prove it, but he knew Michelle would absolutely boke at the sight.
"See I knew she didn't like you. She'd do it otherwise."
Erin rolled her eyes, held onto the collar of James undershirt and kissed him hard. She heard Michelle say something like "Motherfuckers. I'm gonna boke. Get out of the fucking way Orla!" but for those seconds it didn't faze her at all.
Until of course, she heard her Ma say "What in Christ's name are you doing Erin?"
She pulled herself back, looking at James with a stunned expression, then turning to her Ma and saying "Nothing Mammy. Just messing with Michelle."
"The hell ye are. Right the lot of you, downstairs now," Ma Mary said and when she told you to do something well, you did it.
"We was just messing about," Erin insisted. James wasn't sure exactly what she was going for here but he trusted her enough to play along.
"I swear Mrs. Quinn, we just wanted to annoy Michelle. She kept prying and Erin thought it'd be a laugh to pretend…" James said, and Erin winked at him.
"Did you just bloody wink at him?" Ma Mary yelled at her daughter. "What are you winking at him for?"
"Mammy, please calm down."
"Calm down! That wain has been sleeping in your room with the lot of you girls. That won't be happening anymore."
"Mammy, you're embarrassing yourself," Erin said. Orla and Clare just stood there, not sure what to believe. Michelle still looked pale, and very angry. "I promise, it was just a laugh. I mean, he's English."
"And then there's the gay thing," Orla mumbled.
"Right, the gay thing," James smiled, jumping on it. Anything to end this.
"I'll be watching you wains. If you're lying to me I'll find out, ye hear?" Ma Mary told them.
"Yes Mammy. Sorry Mammy," Erin said, ushering the whole group out the door. "Won't happen again Mammy."
As soon as they were outside, Michelle slapped James square across the face with a scowl on her face.
"What the fuck you dick," she yelled at him.
"Hey," James said. Erin reached up and touched his cheek, and for a moment that made it sting slightly less.
"I don't understand. What is going on here?" Clare asked.
"I do like James," Erin said. "I just didn't want Mammy to find out about it."
"So you're not gay?" Orla said.
"No, never have been," James sighed. He actually didn't mind this time, since Orla had saved his skin back there. He actually thought Ma Mary might tear him apart.
"I can't deal with this. I'm going home," Michelle said, throwing her hands in the air and walking off. Erin could hear her muttering something but aside from the word motherfuckers being repeated she didn't know what she said.
"If you don't mind, James and I might take a walk. I'll talk to you later," Erin said to Clare and Orla. Orla wasn't even listening, looking at a bee that had landed on a flower in the garden. Clare shrugged and said "Okay, but do us all a favour and sort out Michelle at some point?"
"I'll talk to her," James agreed, and so Clare left towards her own home.
"Come on," Erin said, taking his hand in hers again. "I know somewhere we can be a bit more alone."