Erin and Orla's joint birthday party was a couple hours in, and everyone was having a cracker time. Sure, they were still sharing a parish hall with some wains having their first communion, and they had hijacked the guests and entertainment from Jenny Joyce's swankier party. But it was still a great time! James was of course going around recording as much as he could, wanting to know what it felt like for all of them to be adults. Naturally, he interviewed Erin.
"So, we're all 18 now," James began. "We're all officially adults. So, tell me Erin. How does that make you feel?
"It's good," she replied.
"Very profound," he teased.
"No, shut up," she chuckled. "No, it's good. It's exciting."
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Yeah. And maybe a wee bit scary too, you know," she continued. "There's a part of me that wishes everything could just stay the same. That we could all just stay like this forever. There's a part of me that doesn't really want to grow up. I'm not sure I'm ready for it. I'm not sure I'm ready for the world. But things can't stay the same, and they shouldn't. No matter how scary it is, we have to move on, and we have to grow up, because things... well, they might just change for the better. So we have to be brave. And if our dreams get broken along the way... we have to make new ones from the pieces.
"You should write that down," he said with a warm smile as he stopped recording.
"Well, maybe I will someday," she smiled back.
The two shared a dance, with everyone else caught up in the music as well.
At some point in the evening, Erin was sat alone at a table, not smiling like she had before.
"Aye, but this is a cracker party, so it is!" Orla exclaimed with a big smile, sitting down next to her cousin.
"Aye, it turned out better than I could've imagined," Erin replied with a slight smile.
"Ye look sad, Erin," Orla pointed out.
"I'm fine, Orla," Erin replied. "Just... thinkin' of things."
The two sat there for a couple minutes in silence. Orla couldn't help but notice her cousin sharing a couple stares with James, who was sitting across the hall at another table with Michelle. Just how much Orla noticed around her was anyone's guess. At times she seemed completely oblivious, but other times sharp as a tack.
"How come ye and James aren't together?" Orla suddenly asked.
"What are ye goin' on about, Orla?" Erin side eyed her cousin. "We were just dancin' together earlier."
"No... I mean how come ye two aren't in some kind of relationship?" Orla made herself more clear. "Ye two seem really fancy each other, so ye do."
"Catch yourself on, Orla!" Erin chuckled sarcastically. "What... what in God's name gave ye such a silly idea?"
"Ye two shared a kiss that time in Donegal," Orla pointed out.
"I swear to Christ, Orla," Erin groaned. "How many times have I told ye not to be readin' my diary?"
"I didn't know from readin' yer diary," Orla replied. "Although I did read that entry. Very poetic, it was."
"Then... ye saw us?" Erin asked, glossing over the fact Orla was STILL reading her diary.
"Nah," was all Orla said in reply to that. "But I heard Michelle have a cack attack over it, I did. Pretty sure Clare was still asleep. She hasn't said anything about it."
"How come ye never said anythin' till now?" Erin asked.
"Been quite rude to bring it up, I figured," Orla shrugged in response.
Erin was more than a wee bit shocked. She figured only Michelle knew about the kiss. But Orla knew this whole time, and that was over a year ago, and she hadn't gone blabbing about it. She wasn't exactly known for being able to keep secrets. She wrote a book report on Erin's Diary for feck's sake!
"Well, if ye heard Michelle's cack attack, then ye know why James and I aren't together," answered Erin. "So why mention it now?"
"Why would you have Michelle get in the way of a fella ya fancy and fancy's ye back?" Oral asked.
"Cuz James isn't just any fella, Orla," Erin retorted. "He's Michelle's cousin! If we broke up... it would cause problems with our friendship!"
"Do ye think you'd ever break up if ye got together?" Orla asked.
"I... I can't say for sure," Erin admitted.
"Doesn't seem possible to me," said Orla.
"Why?" Erin asked arching an eyebrow.
"Cuz of the way James still looks at ye," answered Orla.
"How does he look at me?" Erin asked.
"Ye ever see the way Granda looks at a pic of Grandma?" Orla asked with a warm smile.
"Aye, I 'spose so," Erin answered, she had in fact noticed on multiple occasions.
"Or the way Uncle Gerry glances at Aunt Mary when she's not lookin'? Orla asked without answering the previous question.
"Aye, I 'spose so on that too," answered Erin, having also witnessed this on several occasions. "What are ye gettin' at with it, Orla?"
"James looks at ye the exact same way, he does," Orla answered, her smile growing. "Like yer the most special thing in the whole wide world! As if nothin' else matters 'cept ye."
Erin wasn't sure how to feel about this revelation. She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't think about that kiss in Donegal. She thought about it constantly! It was her first! And she initiated it! James said she was beautiful! He said he could wait, but how long would he wait? Was it too late now? The look he was giving Erin across the hall made her think otherwise, but she was scared to do anything after Michelle's objections.
Little did she know, James had very similar thoughts going on in his wee English head. That kiss in Donegal may not have been his first (Katya saw to that), but it was the first that truly meant something. He told Erin he could wait, and he meant it. How long that would be was unknown to him. He hoped it wouldn't be a long one, it was agonizing after only a year!
"Oi! What the fuck are ye lookin' all sad about, Dicko?" Michelle suddenly asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"What are you on about now, Michelle?" James asked with a sigh.
"Ye got a face like a slapped arse, ye do," she so eloquently put it. "Ye were having' a fuckin' blast earlier when ye was interviewin' us yer camera, plus when ye was dancin' out there with... out there." She hoped the English prick wouldn't notice that last part.
"I'm just... thinking about the future," he replied. "We've only got a couple months left of school. Then we graduate."
"Aye, and thank fuck for that!" she exclaimed. "Finally gettin' the fuck outta there! Why would be sad 'bout that?"
"That isn't the part I'm sad about, Michelle," he replied. "And I wouldn't say I'm sad. It's just... we'll all most likely go on to separate universities. That's gonna make it really hard to see Er... everyone... on a regular basis." God he hoped she didn't notice that!
Michelle looked at James, then she looked across the hall at Erin. The two had barely kept their eyes off each other all night. It was damn near impossible not to notice. It'd been over a year since she saw them snogging in Donegal. It was an absolutely disgusting site! There's no way she could let that become a thing! It would only cause problems when they broke up!
But... would they break up? Michelle was so certain back then... but now. Over a year later, and these two eejits still seemed to be pinin' after one another. Michelle has never pined for a fella that long. Jesus, she didn't pine for a fella more than a week usually! She was startin' to feel guilty now. They could've had more time as a couple before school ended if she hadn't had a near Clare level cack attack over it.
"Fuck's sake!" Michelle exclaimed under her breath, but loud enough for James to hear.
"What's wrong?" James asked.
Always worried about others. It sometimes annoyed the shit out of Michelle, but she had to admit it was admirable of him.
"Nothin'," she said. "Just... go out into the hallway there. I'll meet ye in a few."
"Are we leaving?" he asked.
"No, we're not leavin', Dickface!" she exclaimed. "There's just somethin' I wanna do and I need ye out in the fuckin' hallway! That a fuckin' problem!?"
"I... guess not," he replied with confusion.
"Good, now get the fuck on out there," she motioned him to the doors.
Once James stepped out into the hallway, Michelle walked over to where Erin and Orla were currently sat.
"Oi! Erin!" Michelle exclaimed, causing the cousins to jump a little. "Need ye to go out into that hallway out here."
"What for?" Erin asked, apparently not noticing James going out there.
"Jesus! What is this, a kuckin' inquisition!?" Michelle exclaimed, throwing her arms up.
"That Spanish Inquisition was a real nasty time, it was," Orla chimed in.
"Just fuckin' come with me out there already!" Michelle hissed, grabbing Erin's hand and yankin' her towards the hallway.
"Jesus, Michelle, alright!" Erin exclaimed in confusion.
Orla shot Clare a look, the two nodded in a way that said "We are definitely seein' what's up, we are!" The two immediately followed.
James was leaning against a wall, when Michelle practically kicked the big double doors open, pulling Erin along.
"Calm yer tits, will ye Erin!" Michelle exclaimed. "Not like yer arm popped out of the socket."
"Still, ye didn't have to pull me so hard!" Erin shouted back. She drew her attention to James. "Any idea what the hell's goin' on with her?"
"No bloody idea," James replied.
"I just wanted to discuss some shite privately," Michelle chimed in, when Orla and Clare stumbled out through the doors. "Fuck's sake, ye two! I don't recall tellin' ya to join us!"
"We just wanted to know what was goin' on," said Clare. "And why ya needed privacy for it."
"Seemed awfully suspicious, it did," said Orla in a tone like she was on some police drama.
"There's nothin' fuckin' suspicious goin' on!" Michelle said defensively. "Just go back into the parish there and enjoy the fuckin' party!"
"Why can't they be here for this, Michelle?" James asked.
"Aye, I don't really get it either," said Erin.
"It's... it's just... fuck!" Michelle shouted in frustration.
"Just say what you need to say," said James in a comforting tone. "Whatever it is, it's probably best we're all here."
"Oh yeah, Dicko!?" Michelle exclaimed. "Even when it has to do with yours and Erin's relationship!"
There was a moment of near silence. If not for the music and celebrating going on next to them, it'd have been dead silence.
"What!?" Erin shouted first.
"Excuse me!?" James shouted next.
"What in the name of God are ye on about!?" Clare shouted.
"Oh, aye! This is cracker, it is!" Orla grinned.
"I think ye need to seriously cut down on the drinkin', Michelle!" Clare exclaimed, putting a hand in Michelle's shoulder. "Now yer makin' up romantic relationships!"
"These two snogged in Donegal!" Michelle snapped back, smacking Clare's hand off her.
"What!? When!?" Clare asked. "Last time we were in Donegal was when... we stayed the night in that creepy house! Ye two kissed!?"
"Aye, they sure did!" Orla chimed in.
"Ye saw it too!?" Michelle asked.
"Nah, just heard ye shoutin' about it from upstairs. Yer voice tends to carry, so it does."
"Why am I the first to find out about this now!?" Clare shrieked.
"I didn't know Orla knew till just now," replied Michelle.
"Orla only just told me a moment ago," said Erin.
"Holy shit! Orla kept a secret for over a year?" James asked, genuinely shocked.
"There's plenty I don't tell you lot," Orla replied. "Like that I took up archery not too long ago."
They all chose to come back to that subject later. This current matter was far more pressing.
"So, ye two have been goin' steady since... and keepin' it secret?" Clare asked, tears already forming.
"James and I aren't goin' steady, Clare," replied Erin. "And I wouldn't have kept it secret if we were."
"Then... why is Michelle actin' like ye two are in one?" Clare asked.
"I'm wondering the same thing," said James.
"Because the two of ye should be!" Michelle exclaimed.
"Yer the one that said it couldn't happen in the first feckin' place!" Erin shot back.
"Why would ye do that, Michelle!?" Clare asked, her voice cracking further.
"Cuz I was fuckin' scared these two would break up and fuck up the whole friendship!" Michelle admitted to Clare, her own eyes getting misty. "But... I can see I fucked up! Ye two... Christ but yer always eye banging each other whenever you see each other!"
"Eloquent, Michelle," James dryly remarked.
"Stuff it, Dicko!" Michelle shot back. "Ye both know I'm right!" Erin and James briefly looked at each other and blushed. "Now fuckin' talk it out! The rest of us will wait back in the party area!"
Michelle shoved Orla and Clare back into the parish hall, leaving Erin and James alone. The two nervously stood there for God knows how long.
"Well... that was definitely awkward," James finally broke the silence.
"Aye, it was," Erin agreed.
They still weren't sure what to say.
"Look, I..." they both said in unison, laughing that they did.
"Do ye... really still have feelins for me?" Erin asked, her eyes full of fear but also hope.
"I do, Erin," James answered blushing like mad now. "A day doesn't go by where I don't think about that kiss."
"Aye, I think about it constantly too, I do," said Erin, also blushing like mad. "Been hard for me not to admit my true feelins for ye..."
"I think I can guess what they are," he smirked.
"I like me, James," she smiled widely, parroting what James had said to her in Donegal.
The two burst out laughing, both bending over a little to catch their breaths. They grabbed hands, then looked intensely at each other.
"You," Erin smiled. "I... love you, James."
She said it, there was no going back from that, and she didn't want to. James placed his hands on her cheeks, stroking them gently.
"You," James parroted. "I... love you, Erin."
Tears freely fell from both their eyes now. They leaned in for a kiss. It was even better than the one they shared in Donegal over a year ago, because this time it was a kiss of love. They're lips parted, they leaned their foreheads together, smiling so brightly, never taking their eyes off each other.
Because of the intense staring, they failed to notice the double doors wide open. Orla, Clare, and Michelle were not the only ones standing there. The rest of Erin's family, plus a few other acquaintances had also joined in on the watching. Upon hearing some sniffling, the new couple turned their heads to the source. Clare crying her eyes out.
"Jesus, that was beautiful!" she exclaimed before blowing into a tissue.
"How long have ye all been standin' there?" Erin asked, her expression one of clear embarrassment.
"Pretty much at the point ye two were laughin' like mad, love," answered Mary.
"Although we clearly saw ye both walkin' out here," Gerry chimed in. "Not exactly a big parish hall. Plus Michelle loudly pulled out into the hallways."
"Oh my god," Erin groaned, palming her face with both hands. "Just kill me now."
"Calm your tits there, Erin," chuckled Michelle. "Not like ye could hide this shit from your family anyway.
"So now we've got even more reason to celebrate!" Gerry exclaimed. Our eldest daughter is all grown up, and she found herself a fella!"
"And he's a fine fella, he is!" Mary agreed.
"Might be English, but he's a good lad," Granda Joe smiled. "Certainly better then the useless prick my Mary ended up with.
"There it is," sighed Gerry, knowing his father-in-law would find a way to put him down. "Let's continue this celebration back in the parish hall then."
They all walked back into the parish hall to finish the party. Erin and James walked in last, hands interlocked, her head resting against his arm. The last couple months of school would be significantly happier ones.