DREAMS - JAMES MAGUIRE

V - WHO, BIG M?

"He might do something." Erin pointed out to them, Maira had to let a small smile form on her face, James had only just started to argue back with Michelle, he wasn't exactly a scary fella.

Orla pulled away from James at Erin's words, a shocked expression on her face. "What's he gonna do?!" She questioned.

Erin and Michelle didn't seem to have an answer at first, the two girls whispered and then looked right at Maira. "Might drug you, Maria, we can't have that." Michelle pointed out.

Clare and Orla looked opened mouthed at James, who looked a complete loss for words at what Erin and Michelle were even suggesting. Meanwhile, Maira let out laughter. "James isn't gonna drug me, he has no reason to whatsoever." She wiped the tears forming in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"A lot of people don't have a reason." Clare reminded the blonde girl.

This stopped Maira's laughter. "True enough." She nodded. "But this is James." Maira gestured at the fella. "What would he really gain from that? Nothing." She explained to them, something else coming to mind. "He's not gonna do it in front of you anyway Michelle, he knows you could fucking deck him."

Michelle nodded at that statement, James on the other hand looked slightly offended. "I could take on Michelle." He disagreed.

Orla roared with laughter at that, smacking her hand roughly on James' shoulder as she calmed down. "That's a good one James!" She smiled.

Maira nudged the boy. "Good craic." She agreed, but it seemed that James wasn't joking. Poor fella was delusional.

Michelle folded her arms over her chest. "I still don't want him there." She announced, glaring at her cousin.

"I'm with Michelle, plus anyway, it's my house." Erin reminded them, Maira rolling her eyes.

"Well me and Orla..." Maira looked at the girl, who wasn't paying any attention. "Think he should be there."

All of them bar Orla looked at Clare for her answer, who was rapidly shaking her head. "No!" She exclaimed. "I'm not being swayed!" Clare waved her hands about, Michelle giving her a dangerous look, which made the blonde girl falter. "He shouldn't come."

Maira huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest. "Dickheads." She mumbled.

•••

Maira made sure her bad mood stayed the entire day, just to show how pissed off she was about the stupid sleepover. But as always, when Maira was pissed off the group left her be to not give her the satisfaction.

Poor James was getting Maira bitching about their group in his ear all day, he sometimes objected and reminded her that 'Michelle was his cousin', but Maira always pointed out she wouldn't defend him. He would quiet down and listen to her again.

Later that night, Maira turned up at Erin's deciding to try and not let the bad mood ruin her night. And to look at the positives, this was the first time they had hung out without James and back to their own wee group. Erin had invited Maira in, Clare and obviously Orla was already there.

Course Michelle was late as per.

They had all started to study without her, they knew she would distract them and probably wouldn't get much done herself. Maira was trying to utilise non-Michelle time as much as she could, but sooner than they'd hoped she'd burst through the door with a grin on her face.

As soon as she got in, her and Clare got in an argument about something small and Erin reminding them to be quiet because of her Ma. This set Orla off and she turned to Maira rambling about how they couldn't fail the exam because the big fella in the sky was always watching over us.