Michelle had been working at Dennis's Wee Shop part time for nearly a year now. While the volatile shopkeeper didn't care much for Michelle as a customer (or her friends for that matter), he found having her as an employee far more enjoyable than expected. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she was also temperamental and her no qualms telling customers off that questioned the prices. Working there meant she didn't get hang out as often with the rest of the Girls, but she at least saw them at school, plus they visited the shop often. There was someone else who frequented the shop on a daily basis as well.
Finbar Finnegan (aka Fin Fin, aka Fidgety Fin, aka the Fidgety Ginger Fella or Fucker depending on who ye ask) was a local lad who was known for not saying much. When he did talk. he was often a giant ball of awkwardness, fumbling his words and fidgeting a bunch (hence the nickname). He was a gangly sort, 18 years of age and 6'2, with thick black rimmed glasses, and dark wavy red hair (hence the other nickname). He wasn't exactly unpleasant to look at, but not someone you'd call a ride (as Michelle would say). Still, he never causes any harm, many heard of him being very helpful about town in fact, but he didn't appear to any real friends, despite being from a fairly well off family.
Fin frequented Dennis's Wee Shop like anyone else in town on a regular basis (it was a social hub for many), but once Michelle began working there, it was way more than even her friends. His mother, Fidelma, taught Math at Our Lady Immaculate College, so he'd seen Michelle a few times thanks inter school events. He'd had a crush on her for quite sometime now, he figured a lot of other fellas must have. He found her to be the most enchanting looking gal in all of Derry. He thought her bright blue green eyes were her best feature, but he thought all of her was beautiful. He even admired her outspokenness, harsh language and all. He desperately wanted to talk to her, but he only ever managed a few measly words, usually regarding a purchase or what she thought of the day. Today was no exception.
"Oi! Ya gonna make a purchase or what, ya Fidgety Ginger Fucker!?" Michelle shouted at him.
Fin gave a series a quick nods, then adjusted his glasses, and went up to the counter with a bag of crisps.
"Do-doin' well... are ye?" Fin asked through his stuttering and mumbling.
"Bout as well as expected, considerin' I'm workin' at this here shithole," she nonchalantly shrugged.
Her remark have Fin a mild chuckle, making him smile ever so slightly. Michelle noticed, but wouldn't point it out.
Popping into the shop now was Orla, a ray of sunshine as always. She had her archery equipment slung around one shoulder, no doubt back from practice.
"Absolutely cracker seein' ye, Michelle!" Orla exclaimed.
"Fuck's sake, Orla, we saw each other most of the day like usual," Michelle pointed out.
"So I can't be excited to see one of me best friends?" Orla asked in a faux pouting tone.
"I s'pose I can't blame ye fer bein' excited to see me," Michelle sighed. "I am a fuckin' blast to be around."
"Aye, ye are!" Orla smiled widely.
"Where's Erin, Clare, and Dicko?" Michelle asked.
"Clare's back at our house studyin," replied Erin n' James are havin' themselves a date, so they are."
"Boke-o-rama," Michelle groaned and rolled her eyes.
She was plenty happy for her best friend and cousin, finally accepting their genuine feelings for one another (plus helping them get together), but that didn't mean she didn't find it all disgusting.
Orla then noticed Fin standing next to her.
"Not sure I've seen ye here b'fore," she addressed him.
"Christ, but I see 'em 'bout as much as you and the other Girls," Michelle pointed out.
"Then ye must be good friends with Michelle, so ye must," Orla smiled big again, putting her hand out for a friendly shake. "Orla McCool!"
"Oh... um... p-pleasure. Finbar Finnegan," he answered, reciprocating the handshake. "Or... um... Fin."
"Are ye any relation to a Mrs. Finnegan that teaches at Our Lady Immaculate?" Orla asked.
"Oh, aye, that's... um... that's my Ma," Finn answered.
"Christ, but that woman makes math more boring' than it usually is," groaned Michelle, then realizing she just said that to her teacher's son. "Shit! That was rude of me..."
"I... um... actually found it quite funny," Fin chuckled.
"Thank God fer that then," Michelle chuckled back.
This was the closest thing to a conversation the two ever shared.
"OI!" Dennis shouted as he came to the register. "This ain't some feckin' rec center for ye wains to chit chat! It's a place of business! Make a purchase or GET OUT!"
"I... uh... was p-purchasin' some crisps," Fin replied, lifting the bag into view.
"An' what about ye, McCool?" Dennis asked with clear annoyance.
"Oh, I'd love to buy Wham Bar, Dennis, I really would," Orla replied with her usual smile. "But I gotta be savin' up for some better archery equipment. I only stopped by to give Michelle a hello. How are ye doin' on this grand day?"
"GET OUT!" Dennis shouted as usual.
As Orla slipped out of the wee shop, Fin followed after.
"Oi! 'S-scuse me!" the gangly ginger exclaimed.
"Aye? Whatcha be needin' Fin Fin?" Orla asked.
"Y-you... um... you've known M-michelle... a long time, right?" he managed to ask.
"Oh, aye! Ages now!" she exclaimed. "She's one of me best friends, so she is!"
"What are... um... s-some things she l-likes to do... for fun?" he asked.
"Why not ask her yerself?" Orla replied, not really understanding his question. "Ye apparently see her every day, don't ye?"
"W-w-well... a-a-ye... that's true," he fumbled. "But... um... I j-j-just..."
It was impossible for Fin to explain how Michelle made him more nervous than pretty much every other person in Derry, and no doubt the entirety of Ireland. He'd never been so thoroughly enchanted by a woman before. Plus he felt there was no way she'd be interested in him of all people.
"Oh, I think I understand what's goin' on, so I do," Orla grinned.
"Y-y-ye... un... do?" Fin asked. He supposed it was pretty feckin' obvious.
"Ye're a bit scared of Michelle, cuz she yells a lot," replied Orla.
"Huh?" Fin asked. That wasn't exactly untrue...
"It's understandable," Orla shrugged. "She scares most people, she does. Even her cousin, James, would get massively nervous 'round her, he would. But the two are a lot closer, so now he's not quite as scared of her anymore. Clare's nervous 'round her too, but she's a walkin' cack attack, so she is. Doesn't take much to rattle her nerves. Just be friendly like ye are now an' she'll no doubt wanna be friends!"
"Oh... um... thanks, Orla," was all Fin could say in response.
"Ye are very welcome, Fin Fin!" Orla exclaimed. "I best be headin' home now, I should! Betcha we'll see each other again soon! 'Specially since ye also frequent Dennis's Wee Shop! Have a cracker rest of yer day!"
The ever chipper Orla gave the Fin a final wave and skipped her way home. The fidgety ginger fella could only wave back, feeling a wee bit better he'd managed (in his own way at least) to have a conversation with someone that wasn't a mere couple words.
The next day at school was fairly typical mornin' assembly that began with Jenny Joyce and company singing some popular song (today it was Joy to the World by Three Dog Night), with Jenny being wildly off key as per usual, followed by Sister Michael giving the mornin' announcements.
"Thank ye, Jenny, for that... interesting rendition," Sister Michael commented in her usual dry wit. "Makes me once again appreciate the talented people who wrote and performed these classic songs." This causes some quiet snickers in the audience. "We have one student announcement: Miss Orla McCool came in first in a recent amateur archery competition. I think we should all give her a round of applause."
The students and faculty happily obliged, causing Orla to grin ear from ear.
"Lastly, finals will of course be approaching in the coming weeks. I once again beg ye all to not come to me for any sort of guidance on the matter. That'll be all."
"Yes, Sister Michael," the students all said in typical deadpan fashion.
Mornin' periods went along as they usually did, no major upsets of the sorts. At lunchtime however, things took an amusing turn. The Girls were set at their usual table. Erin and James were holding hands and smiling widely at each other most of the time. Michelle thought she was gonna boke up her lunch.
"Fuck's sake," she groaned. "Can't ye two not be all lovey dovey for five fuckin' minutes!?"
"I'd say ye're just jealous, cuz ye don't have a fella of yer own," giggled Erin.
"Oi! I could get a fella if I wanted, I could!" exclaimed Michelle. "Plenty of 'em are interested!"
"Oh, aye, so they are," Orla chimed in. "Specially that Fidgety Ginger Fella from the other day. Fin Fin I think his name was?"
"What the fuck are ye goin' on about?" Michelle asked in confusion.
"Who's Fin Fin?" asked James.
"I think Orla means Finbar Finnegan," replied Clare, taking her attention away from a textbook.
"That's his actual name?" James asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Aye! Jesus, but his parents must not be huge fans to curse the fella with that shite name," Michelle chuckled.
"Any relation to our math teacher?" Erin asked.
"Aye, he's Mrs. Finnegan's wain," replied Orla. "Lovely fella! Though a bit fidgety, so he is."
"That's the understatement of the fuckin' century, it is," Michelle said with an eye roll.
"How do you know him, Michelle?" Jakes asked.
"I don't know him, Dicko," Michelle retorted. "He just loiters in Dennis's Wee Shop every fuckin' day! Fidgety Ginger Fucker can barely string a couple words together without soundin' like a skipppn' record!"
"I had a cracker conversation with 'em outside the wee shop, so I did," beamed Orla.
"Ye've had cracker conversations with walls, Orla," retorted Michelle.
"What did ye talk about?" Erin asked, although she had a good idea as to what it was.
"He asked what Michelle likes to do for fun, he did," Orla answered.
"Oh my," squeaked Clare.
"What the fuck!?" Michelle exclaimed.
"So then I says, why not ask her yerself?" Orla continued, seemingly ignoring Michelle. "Ye apparently see her every day, don't ye? He then stuttered a bit more, so he did, to which I then said I get what's goin' on here."
"Which is?" Clare asked, unsure how much Orla understood the situation.
"I said yer a bit scared of Michelle, cuz she yells a lot," replied Orla.
"Oh dear," squeaked Clare.
"What the fuck!?" Michelle exclaimed again.
"Which I said was understandable," continued Orla. "She scares most people, she does."
"Who the fuck do I scare!?" Michelle asked, none of them answered this question.
"But then I said just be friendly like ye are now an' she'll no doubt wanna be friends!" Orla concluded with a bright smile. "He then thanked me and I was on me way home."
Orla then proceeded to go back to eating her lunch, seemingly unaware that she dropped a huge feckin' bomb.
"What the fuck?" Michelle exclaimed a third time, albeit quieter this time.
"Sounds like ye got a fella that fancy's ye," shrugged Erin with a coy smile.
"Lots of fellas fancy me, Erin!" Michelle proclaimed. "I'm a massive ride!"
"But this one seems to be more active in seeking your attention," James retorted with a slight smirk.
"I swear I'll fuckin' yank that pathetic sausage of yers off, I will!" Michelle exclaimed. "Then ye and Erin can't have any of yer bedtime fun!"
Clare let out a slight noise at the unpleasant mental image.
"I never ate sausage b'fore bed," Orla chimed in. "I bet it's cracker!"
"Shut up, Orla!" Erin exclaimed this time.
To say Michelle was fumin' the rest of the day would be an understatement. At every class she couldn't take her mind off what Orla had said about that Fidgety Ginger Fucker, Finbar Finnegan. She knew she'd be havin' some words with him when she saw him at Dennis's Wee Shop later in the day, so she would!
It was close to 5PM when Fin finally showed up at the wee shop. Per usual, he started off at the back, not really lookin' at anything in particular. Michelle watched him the whole time, she was reachin' a boilin' point.
"OI! FIDGETY GINGER FUCKER!" Michelle shouted far louder than intended, not caring there were other customers. "GET YER GANGLY ARSE OVER HERE!"
Fin had no idea what was happening, even lookin' around to see if she was makin' a mistake.
"Ye see any other Fidgety Ginger Fuckers in this here shop!?" she rhetorically asked, her volume going down a few decibels at least. "Over here! Now!"
Fin immediately complied, practically sprinting up to the counter.
"S-s-sorry... um... I w-w-wasn't just gonna loiter," he stuttered, holding up his usual bag of crisps.
"I don't give a fuck about that!" Michelle exclaimed. "What's this shite I hear about ye shootin' yer mouth off about me with Orla!?"
"W-w-what!?" Fin exclaimed louder than anyone probably ever heard him do, blushing brightly in the process.
"Don't act all fuckin' innocent!" she went on. "Orla mouthed off about it at lunch today! Said ye were asking shit about what I like to do for fun! What the fuck are ye on about!?"
"W-w-well... um... I," he again fumbled.
"OI!" Dennis chimed in. "What the fuck are ye two doin'! I'm tryin' to run a business here, and ye two are havin' some sort of lovers spat!"
"Catch yerself on there, Dennis!" Michelle shot back. "This Fidgety Ginger Fucker is mouthin' off to my friends about me, he is!"
"Then talk about it outside and not in my wee shop!" Dennis exclaimed, the other two just paused there, seemingly waitin' for his usual declaration. "GET OUT!"
The two walked a couple feet away from the Wee Shop. Michelle lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply and let out a huge puff of smoke. Fin just stood there awkwardly lookin' about. He noticed some folks watching.
"So, out with it then," she glared at Fin. "What the fuck are ye doin' mouthin' off to Orla?"
"I... um... w-w-wasn't mouthin' off," he finally spoke. "I... um... just w-w-wanted to ask yer friend... s-s-some things about ye..."
"Why the fuck didn't yet just ask me!?" she exclaimed. "Or are ye too fuckin' scared like Orla said!?"
"I... um... am n-n-not scared of ye," he replied.
"Then what the fuck is it!?" she shouted some more. "Ye come into Dennis's Wee Shop every fuckin' day! Ye barely say a few fuckin' words! Ye meander about like some eejit, then buy some crisps!"
"It's j-j-just... um... y-y-ye make me nervous," he admitted.
"What the fuck for!?" she continues exclaimed. "Just fuckin' come out with it already, for Christ sake!"
"Because I find you incredibly beautiful!" he finally proclaimed.
"Huh?" was all she could say. She wasn't expecting him to say that!
"It makes me nervous bein' around ye!" he went on. "Cuz lookin' into yer dazzlin' eyes makes it feel like my heart is gonna feckin' burst out my chest! Ye got such... a fiery passion that it makes it hard fer me to even breathe! Those conversations we have... however brief they may be... are the highlight of my days! But... I know a woman as stunnin' as yerself... would have zero interest in the likes of m'self..."
Michelle stood there absolutely dumbstruck, eyes as wide open as they possibly could be! She had never heard any fella say such things to her, nothing close! These weren't crude comments made about her rack (something she rarely minded), or generic shite about her general good looks (of which she was plenty confident of)! No, this was massively different! Finbar Finnegan (aka Fin Fin, aka Fidgety Fin, aka the Fidgety Ginger Fella or Fucker depending on who ye ask) had just laid it all out to Michelle Mallon of all people! And the gangly eejit thought he didn't think he had a chance with someone like her? Why!? It's not like he was terrible lookin' (despite the ginger thing), plus he was apparently from a well off family (even with his Ma being a dull math teacher). Sure he was awkward as all fuck, but he was still friendly to everyone. What was she suddenly feeling!?
Michelle was startin' to feel dizzy, she had to get out of there fast!
"OI! DENNIS! I'M TAKIN' OFF EARLY!" she screamed.
"WHAT!? YE BARELY BEEN HERE AN HOUR!" he screamed back.
"SO DOCK ME FUCKIN' PAY!" she retorted, flippin' double birds as she ran in the direction of the Quinn household, leaving Fin standing there utterly confused.