Back for Good
...
Whatever I said, whatever I did
I didn't mean it
I just want you back for good
Whenever I'm wrong
Just tell me the song and I'll sing it
You'll be right and understood
I want you back for good
~Back for Good, Take That.
...
Cold hands buried deep inside the pockets of blue denim jackets, Erin Quinn and James Maguire trailed a few feet behind their fellow Derry Girls. Michelle strutted out into the night as aggressively loud and shit faced as ever, hands thrown drunkenly up into the air. Clare was hot on her trail, struggling for the life of her to keep up.
"For God's sake, Michelle", she hissed warningly, shooting an anxious glance up at the bedroom windows of their neighbours. "You'll wake up the whole street."
"Ach piss off, Clare. Learn to live a little, will ya!"
Meanwhile, Orla floated along ahead, mumbling softly about Coco Pops and cocktail sausages...perfectly happy in her own little world.
It had been just over a week since James had jumped out of the taxi his mother had ordered, declaring himself a Derry Girl and refusing to leave his friends.
Silently, Erin tossed him one of her headphones, offering him a lopsided half smile that eased his mind and let him know that whatever happened from now on, they'd be just fine.
Wordlessly complying with her wishes, James slipped proffered headphone into his ear and watched as she pushed the play button on her Walkman.
Within an instant, he found himself grinning foolishly as the familiar melody filled his left ear, complete with the unmistakable voices of Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow. James quietly hoped that Erin's song choice had been every bit as intentional as he dared to imagine; 'Back for Good' by Take That.
"You were right, you know? I do love it here."
Erin nodded curtly, as though she had expected nothing else. However, when she finally responded, her tone was cocky in a way that James wouldn't call entirely genuine.
"Of course you do. I'm always right, eh?"
"You definitely like to think so", he teased gently, earning an elbow in the side that drove him stumbling clean off the footpath. Still joined by the wires of Erin's headphones, he watched her for a moment from the edge of the curb...completely unable to look away.
Even in the semi-darkness, James saw Erin perfectly; the curve of her button nose, her light blonde hair, the slight glint in her blue-grey eyes.
His heart swelled slightly at the look of happiness and affection on her face. It made his toes curl inside his shoes, as un-macho an admission as it may sound.
Vaguely, James wondered to himself when Erin had stopped being one of his four favourite Derry Girls and started to become the first girl he ever really truly fancied.
Was it when he'd seen her all quietly confident in her Easter dress, ready to tackle whatever faced them at their school prom? Was it when she'd determinedly stood up for Orla at the talent show, putting family and friendship before everything else? Or was it even earlier on when she'd ruthlessly dogged him at Jenny Joyce's party, adamant he wouldn't loose his virginity to someone who didn't love him properly?
In all honesty, James wasn't sure, all he knew was that there was absolutely nothing he could do to erase the strange, mad, wonderful way Erin made his heart race.
"I'm glad you're here", she said softly, linking her arm through his as they began making their way towards the others. "...even if you are an English fella."
James smiled sheepishly, looking down from the bright edges of Erin's playful smile to their feet side by side on the pavement, shadows stretching out behind them into the Derry night.
"Me too."
A/N: Would anyone be interested in reading more? What did you guys think?