DREAMS - JAMES MAGUIRE

IV - MICHELLE DROPPED A SCENTED CANDLE

"You were drunk?!" Clare screeched.

"Michelle Mallon, everyone." Maira gestured to the girl.

"Brilliant!" Erin huffed.

"Look! We're not like Jenny Joyce." Michelle reminded. "Nobody's just gonna hand us things. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have things."

Maira raised a brow at the way Michelle was acting, she was never like this. "I'm terrified." Orla mumbled to Maira, who nodded in agreement.

"Come on, Clare." Michelle walked over to her shorter friend. "I know how much you've dreamed of seeing the Arc de...whatever the fuck it's called." She spun around and walked over to her cousin. "James...I know how much you want to practice the shit out of the past participle."

James looked over at Maira and Orla. "What?" He whispered, Maira shrugged.

"Orla...you really, really buzz off those Renault Clio ads." Michelle pointed out. "Maira...I know that both our fanny's want French fella's." She winked, Maira furrowing her brows in confusion, unsure when she actually said that. "And you, Erin. Well...you're just riding Charlene Kavanagh."

"I'm not riding her. I just think it might be time I moved on, friendship wise." Erin explained to them.

"You are aware you've talking to your current friends?" Clare snapped at her, she had every right to, Erin always believed like she was better than everyone in the group, which was quite frankly a load of shite.

"Dick." Maira glared at the girl before they all went and stood in front of Michelle, who was waiting for them at the top of the steps.

"We can't give up on Paris." Michelle demanded. "Let's do this, girls. Let's just make it happen."

"God, I've never seen you so fired up." Erin pointed out with a smile.

"I will buck a French lad, Erin." Michelle announced to the group, Maira rolling her eyes playfully at this. "I will buck a French lad, so help me God."

•••

Maira has been invited to come over to Erin's house to have a look at what jobs they were gonna go for, but Maira was late. She had spent too long trying to get ready and was now rushing over to Erin's. Mrs Quinn let her in, and she ran upstairs to burst into Erin's room. The group all jumped at her entrance. "Alright?" She breathlessly asked, walking in and sitting beside James on the bed.

"Why are you so late?" Erin questioned her.

"I'm here now." Maira shrugged, but Erin didn't seem too pleased with her response. "I was just getting ready."

Orla moved her head between James and Maira, making Maira shuffle away slightly. "You're wearing a lot of makeup." She pointed out.

Maira let out an awkward laugh, Orla knew her too well. You'd think she wasn't paying attention and she comes out with that. Maira was wearing more makeup today, no particular reason why at all...She just thought, why not? "No more on than I normally do."

Orla shrugged her shoulders and rested her back on the headboard again. "So, firstly we have the tutoring." Erin read out. "And out of everyone, I thought you might be best suited to that, Clare, because-"

Clare shrugged like it was obvious. "I'm the brightest." She replied.

The group all looked at her, sure she was smart but than all of them? Maira wasn't sure, maybe James had taken Clare's spot. "Well, in the conventional sort of way, I suppose." Erin awkwardly answered, Clare glaring at her. "There's also some babysitting. The child will be in bed, so you should just about be able to manage that, Michelle."