Chapter 25: Lost and Found.

Marco was now due to go home to England tomorrow. There had still been no news from Sister Michael's friend at Belfast college. The mornings had been miserable as he walked around Derry on his own. Even seeing Orla couldn't raise his spirits, in fact, it made him feel worse. As he walked back into the Mallon house to emptiness, he felt a strange sense of Deja-vu. The silence in the house had been his life since his Nanna's passing. He hunched sadly over as he sat at the kitchen table. His emotions were everywhere as he rubbed his eyes. He looked around for something to distract himself with. Suddenly, he spied the Belfast college prospectus. Marco shook his head aggressively, refusing to allow himself the chance to dream again of the possibility of a way forward, a path to follow, a chance for himself. He then defied himself and grabbed the prospectus towards himself. He stole the chance to finally open the book and he managed to read down the contents list. But none of the courses jumped out at him. Nothing caught his attention. Even the Art section couldn't lure him into seeing what might have awaited if, maybe, just maybe…. He shut the prospectus and slid it away.

Marco then looked at the clock, it was only gone midday. He slowly gazed around the kitchen. A place that had always been a sanctuary for him when he lived with his Nanna. He began reminiscing on her abilities to bake or cook a masterpiece out of anything. But that sanctuary was now only a memory. He then remembered something that his Nanna said about how cooking was her way of making herself feel better when things got too bad. He then flashed an idea. He got up and prepared himself to go out again. He'd just finished putting his trainers on when there was a knock at the door. Marco exercised caution.

"Who is it?"

"Marco? It's me!" Marco went to open the door.

"Orla?"

"Hi." She said sheepishly.

"… Hey…. What are you doing here?" He asked as he stepped out, but Orla just threw her arms around him, Marco wrapped his arms around her, resting his head into her shoulder, and her likewise.

"I just needed to see ya." Orla said sadly.

"OK… Tell you the truth. I really wanted to see you too." The young couple stood still, as they entrenched themselves in their embrace.

"Have ye been lonely?" Orla asked.

"Yeah, a bit. Do the others know you're here?" Marco asked.

"No."

"You'd better get back to school, they'll be worried." Marco warned her.

"Aye, I know." Orla admitted. "Where were ye going?" She spotted he had his trainers on.

"Hold on." Marco went to grab his jacket and keys. "Come on, let's go." He said as he shut the door behind him.

They walked out of the front garden with Orla holding onto Marco's arm, their hands intertwined. As they began walking back to the school. Orla asked Marco if he'd heard anything. Marco sadly told her no. Orla, somehow remained optimistic and began to list the different things that would be possible if Marco was able to study at Belfast. But as much as he wanted to dare to dream, Orla's optimism began to feel like she was torturing him.

"Wouldn't it be class? You'd only be a couple of hours away, and ye can visit at the weekends.

We can see each other and go on a proper date?

Ach, you and James could hang out and it'd be like you're in England, but ye'd be here hi?

Ye could join a football team or something?

Ye can be here for Christmas and new year's!"

Orla's excitement grew bigger and bigger as she tried to get a reply of agreement from Marco which didn't come. Eventually, Marco drew a deep breath.

"Orla…." Marco began but Orla wasn't paying attention.

"Wouldn't it be grand. Wouldn't it?!" She asked again, seemingly fit to burst. Yearning to hear him say yes.

"Orla!"

"…. What's wrong?" Orla turned to see Marco's face was drained.

"…. I would love… to say yes to everything you just said…. But…."

"Ye don't want it to happen, do ye?" Orla shot at him, she grimaced with agony.

"No! I never said that!" Marco shot back, annoyed.

"Then, what's wrong?!" Orla took a step forward and stood her ground.

"Sister Michael said that it was only a small chance!" Marco stressed, while hating himself for doing so.

"Aye… so?" Orla refused to back down.

Marco huffed in despair. He searched to find the right words without upsetting Orla.

"Orla. I don't want you to be upset. But I haven't heard anything back from this friend person; If I start believing this is going to happen, but then it doesn't, I'd…."

Marco stopped as he saw Orla clench her eyes shut, she grabbed the side of her head in despair, covering her ears. Marco stepped forward and held Orla's head, gently stroking her hair back to massage the pain that she felt in her head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…. Is it hurting a lot?" Marco asked, wishing he could take all the pain away.

"No; Just a wee bit." She said, her voice cracking. Marco gently cradled her head. They stood there in silence. Orla then spoke up.

"If I ask you a question, Marco. Would you tell me the truth?" She asked.

"Yea?"

"If…. IF…. They said ye could study at Belfast, would ye go?"

"You already know the answer." Marco said.

Orla opened her eyes and looked up at Marco. Smiling at his admission of wanting the same thing she did. They could both see that the other had glazed eyes.

Orla then asked. "If I ask ye to do something for me, would ye do it?"

"Well… it depends on what it is; What do want me to do?"

Marco began to feel his chest tense, and his heart pounded fast as Orla looked at him lovingly. Her hands rested behind his ears. He could feel the gentle touch from the tips of her fingers.

"Kiss me. Please?" Orla said.

The young couple smiled at each other as they kissed each other tenderly. They cradled each other after their lips parted. Marco felt like he could hold her forever, but regrettably he knew Orla had to be back in school. They walked on. As they got closer to the gates, they saw James suddenly come into view.

"Ach, It's James." Orla pointed.

"James?" Marco called out. James turned and saw them.

"Thank god, Orla." James said as he approached them, he hunched over, out of breath.

"Why, what's wrong, mate?"

"The girls got me to go and look for Orla. You weren't here for lunch. I must've been round this bloody school about four times." James said to them both.

"Ach, I'm alright, I was with Marco, Sorry James." Orla went forward and hugged James, who smiled and put his arm round Orla.

"She's alright mate. Breathe!" Marco assured him. James smiled.

"Alright. I kept a sandwich for you, just in case." James told Orla.

"Ach thanks James. Aye, I'm feeling a wee bit hungry now." Orla admitted.

"Go on then, you better go." Marco said.

James and Marco clasped hands, Orla kissed Marco goodbye and they walked back into the school.

"Oi, James!"

"Yeah?"

"Don't lose her again!" Marco joked. James laughed as he went back in. Marco turned back around and jumped to find himself staring at Joe.

"Hello, son." Joe said.

"Alright, Joe?" Marco replied nervously.

"Where ye off to?"

"I was…. gonna go to the shops and get something in to cook. Get my mind off tomorrow; but then I bumped into Orla."

"I know. I saw ye both leaving the Mallons house." Joe said sternly as he walked methodically towards the young man.

Marco felt his stomach turn as Joe looked him square in the eyes.

"Joe…I promise... not-nothing happened! Orla just turned up, and-" Marco began to step back, feeling truly fearful of the McCool patriarch.

"I saw Orla knock on that door, and I saw you bring her straight back here." Joe said more softly, smiling.

Marco released the biggest breath of his life.

"Why don't ye come back to the house with me? Ye must be fecking bored." Joe suggested.

Marco admittedly nodded in agreement and started to walk back with Joe. Back in school, James and Orla walked towards their usual spot. James spotted that Orla seemed lost in thought. James beat himself when a sudden, suggestive thought entered his mind, but he shut it out as soon as he thought it.

No-She'd never… but then again…. Michelle would think so if she knew how I found Orla.

"Orla, you, ok?" James asked.

"Aye, fine thanks, why?" Orla asked back, turning to James, tilting her head.

"You just seem quiet, that's all."

"Lot on my mind, that's all." She said.

"Marco, I take it?" He asked, smirking. Orla scrunched her mouth in embarrassment, trying not to smile as she turned and looked at James. The two friends smiled warmly at each other. James delved a little deeper.

"How did he find you?"

"Ach, He didn't. I went round to your place." Orla replied.

Orla's statement knocked James for a loop. He gawked in utter shock at Orla. "What?!" James asked loudly as he felt his own cack attack coming on. His overexaggerated thought was true?

"Lucky, I caught him, Marco was on his way out when I called round." Orla revealed.

"OH…. Oh, I see." James replied and he felt a huge relief off his chest. Orla noticed that his eyes were all a goggle and looked at her wee English friend very confusingly.

As he regained himself, James advised Orla; "Don't say you went round my place to the others, ok?"

"Why not?" Orla asked, confused more by James's advice.

"Just… don't. If you tell Michelle that you went round to our place, she's only gonna think that…. You know…"

"What?" Orla quizzed with a slight look of distain.

"…That you and Marco…." James strained; he hoped that Orla would eventually catch on to what he was saying without saying it. Orla's face searched to find the missing pieces of the puzzle, her eyes widened as it dawned on her what James was hinting toward.

"Ye think we had SEX ?!" Orla shouted. Stepping back.

"NO!" James insisted loudly.

"Who had sex?!" Came a shout.

James and Orla found themselves amongst the others. Orla's face went red, while James's went white.

"No one, No one Michelle!" James attempted to divert the subject.

"Shut up Dicko!" Michelle's radar was too razor sharp to be diverted.

"Where have ye been Orla?!" Erin jumped in. She stood up to confront her cousin.

"What are ye raging for Erin?" Orla asked.

"I am raging cos ye disappeared without saying a word. I have been worried sick here, Orla!" Erin snapped back.

"I was only away for a wee bit." Orla answered.

"A wee bit?... Where were ye?!" Erin demanded, her clenched hands on her hips in annoyance.

"I…." Orla glanced at James, and then slowly turned to face an angry Erin. "I just bumped into Marco." She said. Michelle spotted something was off.

"What was Marco doing so near the school?" She quizzed. Orla struggled and quickly cracked.

"OK. I went round your place…." Orla admitted.

"What the feck!" Erin snapped.

"Orla!" Clare shouted.

"Oh God!" James despaired.

"Ye went to my house? To see Marco…. On your own? Did yous two do the nasty?" Michelle gawked in amazement.

"Orla! Ya didn't! -"Erin shrieked.

"Now; Hold on girls!" Clare tried to calm things down.

"Yes. Please, hold on!" James begged.

"Orla, de ya-"Michelle began, sounding almost pleased; but Orla snapped back angrily.

"NOOOOO! We didn't have sex if that's what ye gonna ask?! And that's not why I went round to your place! All I did was go round to see if Marco was alright! I wish ye'd all stop treating me like I'm a fecking wain!"

Orla shoved through Erin and Michelle and threw her bag down in frustration; she thumped down into a chair and crossed her arms in utter frustration. Erin and Michelle stood in embarrassment as James gritted his teeth in his own frustration at the pair of them. Erin was aghast that Orla had made such a statement about not wanting to be treated like a wain. She regretted her former harshness and felt a deep empathy for her cousin and her sad predicament with Marco. James walked through the gap between Erin and Michelle as he and Clare took a spot and sat on each side of Orla.

"It's alright, Orla. Calm down. It's alright" Clare said gently as she put her arm around her.

James handed Orla the sandwich he saved for her. Orla smiled at both Clare and James as she began to simmer down. She took the sandwich and consumed it ravenously, avoiding any gaze from Erin or Michelle. James turned to them both and motioned them over to make up with Orla. The sad reality was hitting them all. Their newest friend would be leaving tomorrow, they would be losing one of their own for certain this time. But Orla was losing more than that. The two girls glanced at each other, and then walked over, pulling up their chairs closely.

"Sorry, Orla." Erin said.

"Aye, me too. Didn't mean to be such a prying bitch." Michelle said.

"It's alright." Orla said quietly. She held out a hand each, which Erin and Michelle held, and they gripped each other's hands in unison.

"I take it Marco still hasn't heard anything?" Erin asked Orla, who shook her head and looked down.

"Well, these things do take time, Orla; you just need to be patient." James tried to reassure her.

"Wise up, James. It's a simple yes or no…. isn't it?" Michelle stated, turning to Clare for some clarity.

"I don't think it is, Michelle. It might be too difficult, given that Marco's English, and all." Clare replied.

"Well James was allowed easily enough, and he's English!" Erin spoke up.

"James' parents are both Irish, Erin, ya great dose. Remember? He's only English on his passport." Michelle stated.

Erin grimaced as she remembered. She looked at James sheepishly. "Sorry I forgot." James smiled and held her hand.

"But he is an English prick by nature." Michelle then quipped.

"There it is. Thanks Michelle." James sighed.

"Plus, there is that whole punch up thing that he had. They might not look too kindly on that?" Clare added.

"That can't be right!" Erin said. "I mean… Marco... he doesn't seem the violent type." She quizzed.

"He knows how to throw a punch, so he does." Orla spoke up.

"How do ye know that Orla?" Erin asked.

"I saw him in the gym one time. I just finished my dance classes, so I went to look for him. He was wearing a pair of white boxing gloves. He was hitting this large baggy thing. He was hitting it hard!" She exclaimed, her eyes deep in memory.

"How did he look when he was hitting the bag?" Michelle asked.

Orla's eyes became distant. She grimaced as she held the side of her head. "…. Angry." She finally said.

The group absorbed what Orla had said. As they sat in silence the bell suddenly went for the end of lunch.