LIKE USUAL SAOIRSE was around at the Quinn's household, however she wasn't just there to hang out with Erin and Orla. She was there because the group of teens were away for the weekend to attend an outdoor pursuit as part of a peace initiative between Catholics and Protestants. Their bags were packed ready to go just wait on the others to arrive.
Clare, Orla and Erin already in the kitchen eating breakfast when Saoirse walked in along with Sarah, Mary and Joe. The brunette placed herself down at the table and watched the TV as the news appeared on ther screen.
As soon as she sat down the doorbell rang. "I'll go." Erin spoke up placing her tea down and walking over to the front door, Saoirse following behind knowing exactly who was there. "Cock-a-doodle-doo." Michelle said grinning as Erin opened the door. "Hi." James greeted them quietly from behind his cousin.
Over the summer, Saoirse and James fell completely and totally in love with one another, though they never said it to each other. The two hung out every chance they got and made up elaborate plans to be with each other without anyone knowing.
So when James stepped through the front door a smile could not help but invade Saoirse face. God, had he gotten hotter since she last saw him? Was that even possible? They still hadn't told the rest of their friends. Scared how they'd react. Especially how Michelle would react.
Their eyes met and didn't leave each others even when they sat down. Both of them ignoring Michelle's inappropriate rambling until Clare nudge the girl and gestured her body towards Erin whos eyes were narrowed on the two.
"Good Morning, Michelle." Mary speaks up with a disapproving look. "I am buzzing for this weekend. Them waterproof trousers do wonders for my hole." Michelle continues talking while munching down on a slice of toast.
"Mine are pink. They're bright pink." James told them, his tone sad and embarassed. Saoirse let out a snort but showed him a pout when he playfully glared at her. "They were two for one, James, stop crying." His cousin scoffs shaking her head.
Mrs Quinn's head could not have whipped around faster at her words. "Two for one? Where?" She said with a gasp. "Kay's catalogue. And my mammy said to tell you..." The young girl was cut off when Mary rolled her eyes and said, "Her big bowl. I know, I know, I keep forgetting, I'll drop it round today."
The two continued to talk about the bowl for a few moments longer while Saoirse subtly and playfully nudged James' leg several times causing him to do the same to her. Both laughed under their breath and continued nudging each other while everyone else was talking.
"Right. We need to shift ourselves." Erin tells the group catching the 'lovebirds' attentions causing them to stand up from their seats and grab their things.
"Listen, wains, I've already said this to Erin. No funny business with these Protestant lads. Is that clear? I don't want anybody landing back here pregnant." Mrs Quinn warned the teens her eyes darting back and forward between James and Saoirse. Did she know?...no she couldn't. Could she?
"Not very likely in my case." James joked nervously with a small laugh spotting the older woman's eyes on him. "I wouldn't rule it out, son." Joe teased from behind the boy and James' smirk dropped from his face the amusement no longer present on his face.
Mrs Quinn ignored the two and continued on lecturing them to be safe and careful. "We're not doing this to get off with some protestant boys, Mammy. We're doing this to reach across the divide." Erin began telling her mother who just rolled her eyes and spoke to Michelle about her mums bowl.
"We're doing this for peace!" Erin continued even though her mother grew bored and was no longer listening. "All right, Erin. No need to make a big song and dance about it." Mary shut her daughter up.
✞
Shortly after Erin's big 'speech' the teens left with their bags. They headed off to meet with the others and leave to go on their trip while they did that Michelle informed the group on how she wanted some 'fine Protestant ass'.
Like usual Orla was in her own little world reading a map paying no attention to the others. "So we need head south=east for 0.5 Miles and you'll receive further instructions shortly." She announced in a leader like manner. "We haven't even left the estate yet, Orla." Erin scoffed.
"These Prods have some serious moves up their sleeves, you know. They're not as fucked up
about sex as we are. They've put the work in, they know what they're doing." Michelle continued on with her rambling. "They're people, Michelle! They're not sex toys!" Clare scolded her friend. "I beg to differ."
"I'm really looking forward to making friends with some lads." James spoke up smiling which Saoirse thought was absolutely adorable and smiled up at him. "Lads aren't going to make friends with you, James. Lads make friends with other lads." Michelle's comment caused both Saoirse and James' faces to morph into a frown.
"I am a lad." The boy said in a soft tone. "Aye, so you are, James." Erin let out a breathy laugh. "He is. Be nice, Erin." Saoirse rolled her eyes receiving a confused look from Michelle and Erin and just shrugged back to them.
Clare rummaged through her pockets and pulled out some change. "Okay, how much money do we have?" She asked them. "Look the riding of the Protestants is one thing, but I really don't see why we have to buy them a present. They already have all the land, all the jobs and all the fucking rights." Michelle ranted.
"Aye, Michelle, that's definitely the attitude we should have entering into this weekend." Erin sarcastically remarked.
✞
The group quickly nipped into Dennis' shop for a gift to give to the Protestants. Saoirse had no clue as to what kind of gift the others had in mind but she went along with it anyway. "A present for Protestants. Now my next 'Protestant gift delivery' isn't due to arrive until Wednesday. And as it stands I'm completely out of stock. What, with there being such a high fucking demand for that sort of thing around these parts."
"That's a shame." Orla commented completely missing the mans sarcasm. "How much for the Subbooto, Dennis?" Clare reached over pointing above the man. "We'll call it 16 quid." Dennis said.
Saoirse realised with the way he said it that he was lying and trying to get more money off of them, he was always doing that. "No way thats 16 quid. I'd say it's around £10 or under." Saoirse furrowed her brows looking at the box. "Well this is my shop and you dont get a say. I say it's 16 quid, it's 16 quid." He glared down at the younger girl.
"Could we call it £1.76?" James looked up with a hopeful expression. "No, we fucking couldn't." The man immediately shut down the suggestion. "How about, we give you the £1.76 and we pay the rest off in instalments?" Erin then suggested with a smug smile.
The teens continued to try to persuade the man but he would not budge. The more they continued on the angrier Dennis got and eventually he kicked them out of his shop.
✞
Defeated and embarassed the girls plus James began walking to meet up with the rest of the people who were partaking in this trip. "Come on, girls! This is embarrassing." Clare burst out anxiously.
"Well, it's all right for you, Clare, but we want to buck these lads. We have to offer them some kind of incentive." Michelle fumed still angry with Dennis. "I dont want to 'buck' these lads." Saoirse added as Michelle was motioning to her and the others apart from Clare and James. Her words made a bright smile appear on the curly haired boy.
"They're not prostitutes, Michelle." Clare voiced before Michelle could question Saoirse, a situation Clare did not want to hear, scared that she'd expose her best friends. She's never been good at keeping secrets but she was determined to keep this one for Saoirse.
"And even if they were, I think a half-eaten packet of Rolos and an Ulster Bank key ring is a pretty insulting form of payment." The blonde carried on telling Michelle. "I have a HB pencil." James spoke up joyfully try to add to the pile of 'gifts', Saoirse could not stop thinking about how incredibly cute he was.
They reached the school and saw the bus waiting along with a very chirpy Jenny holding a rather large wrapped parcel. "Hi, guys." She greeted them, Saoirse internally groaned and clenched her eyes shut for a moment, irritated just by the sound of her voice.
"That's not...That's not what you're giving to the Protestants, is it?" Erin looked at the parcel in disbelief, even though she didn't know what it was the mere size of it that shocked her. "It's just a little token, really." Jenny smiled, 'little, it's bigger than her' Saoirse scoffed in her head.
"Yeah, so's ours." Orla responded smiling and nodding. "Is that an Ulster bank key ring?" Aisling, Jenny's friend, asked the bunch spotting the iteams in the small bag Michelle was holding. "It is indeed, yep." Erin quickly said slightly embarassed.
"I must admit, I had a bit of an advantage when it came to the whole present buying thing, because-" "You're loaded." Michelle cut the girl off the irritation slipping from her tongue. "-because I know what they like. I happen to be very good friends with a half-Protestant."
"They don't come in halves, Jenny." Michelle shakes her head. "They do, actually. I met her at ballet class, her name's Zara. And she has horse. " Jenny boasted with a smug smile.
Saoirse was close to jump for the girl and wiping that smile straight off her face. She despised the girl. "Good for Zara. Bye-bye now." Erin huffed and pushed past Jenny. "Aye piss off Jenny. Smug rich bastard." Saoirse hissed quietly knowing Jenny would cause a scene if she heard it.
The curly haired boy heard her and chuckled nudging her slighty which caused the anger to fade from Saoirse and a smile replace the sour expression on her face. "Of course she's friends with a half-Protestant! Of course she is!" Clare spat in frustration and clenced her fists.
"She has been fucking unbearable since them braces came off." Michelle comments."She's always been unbearable. She's just more vocal now." Saoirse crossed her arms over her chest and felt a hand brush against her back and knowing who it was she immediatly calmed.
"Well, I'm going to make friends with a full Protestant, see how she likes it. Zara won't seem quite so impressive next to my thoroughbred, will she, Jenny?!" Clare very dramatically let out in anger. "Relax, Clare."
The group shared a look as Clare stormed in front of them. "Why has she got so much money, anyway? Who's her da? Pierce fucking Brosnan?" Michelle asked. "I think my da looks a bit like Pierce Brosnan." Saoirse adds nodding her head along.
"Your da wishes." Erin jokes with a scoff of laughter before continuing. "He's a surgeon over at Altnagelvin, he took Orla's tonsils out." She finishes as they enter the bus.
"And not a day goes by when I don't think about them."
✞
The bus eventually reaches their destination and Saoirse could not be more thankfull. For the whole journey Jenny and Ainsley would not shut up shouting about giving peace a chance. Saoirse ended up curling up into a ball at the back of the bus and lay on James holding ears closed.
"The Prods have landed!" Michelle says excited upon spotting the other bus come to a stop. The boys begin making their way off the bus. Every time a boy steps off equals another hit on the arm for Clare off of an overly excited Michelle.
James inched closer to his girlfriend sheilding her from the boys, feeling intimidated by some of the rather attractive boys. The girl simply couldn't care less and allowed him to do so, turning to chat with Orla.
Sister Michael and the teacher from the other school lead the teens inside to a room to begin. "So our Lady Immaculate Girls have been split into groups - A through to F - as have The Londonderry Boys Academy." Sister Michael spoke for all of them to hear.
"We'd like As to find As, Bs to find Bs, etc, and so on. It's very straightforward. However, if that isn't clear, feel free to say so." The teacher from The Londonderry Boys Academy instructed them. "But know that you will be judged." Sister MIchael added.
"Lads, you really shouldn't have." Erin grinned down at her gift from the boys, a small teddy bear. "I'm starting to see that all right." One of the boys scoffed at the groups 'gifts'. "I'm going to keep mine on my bed. Where I sleep, in my knickers." Michelle attempts to flirt grinning at one in particular boy.
The one who slagged off the groups 'gifts', Dee was his name, stared at the keychain in distaste. "I mean, these are free, for a start. My dad has, like, 45 of them." He held it up complaining. "Good for him, you can add that one to his collection." Saoirse sends him a fake smile.
"We were told it was an all girls' school. You've been a bit short changed there." Jon, other one of the boys, laugh handing the teddy to James. "Nah, it's fine, mate. It's all good, man. I'll...I'll just give it to my bird." James replied, his words causing Saoirse eyes to nearly pop out.
"Your bird?" Jon asked confused looking at the boy with furrowed brows. "Yeah, she's really fit...and stuff." James trailed off glancing slightly at Saoirse who blushed but acted like she heard nothing. "Right. Okay, great." The other boy just shrugged not caring at all.
Saoirse turned to the boy she stood across from. "Hi, I'm Saoirse." She showed her friendliest smile as she greeted him. "I don't care." He replied with a bland expression, his name tag had 'Aiden' written on it. "Right then." She scrunched her face and averted her gaze."Course I get left to talk to the moody bastard."
Clare stared at one boy who had remained silent the whole time and finally she broke. "I'm sorry, but is he okay?" She asked the others. "Philip's actually deaf. In one ear." The boy Michelle was trying to flirt with, Harry, explained. "He's deaf in one ear. Which ear?" She asked curiously.
"That's actually a very inappropriate question." Philip spoke up narrowing his eyes. "Is it?" Clare tilted her head. "It is, yeah." Harry placed an arm around the half deaf boy. Saoirse hated how the boy Harry acted and his tone when he spoke to them.
"My God! This is the best present ever!" The sound of that caught the groups attention. 'Jenny' Saoirse groaned rolling her eyes seeing boys gushing over Jenny's present.
Just after that Sister Michael made her way over to them. "According to this, you're going to need a...well, they've used the term...'buddy', for tomorrow's activities." She said in a bored tone and walked off again. "I bagsy Harry!" Michelle screamed out before anyone could say anything.
"What? But that's not fair, he's the only good-looking one." Erin whined very loudly which led to the rest of them to look at her with annoyed expressions. "The rest of us are right here." Dee pointed out but was ignored. "You snooze, you lose, Erin." Michelle smiled standing next to Harry.
The blonde girl threw her hands up in defeat. "I suppose I'll have you, then." She motions to Dee. "Aren't you a charmer?" He sarcastically remarked smiling at Erin.
"So should us two bad bastards hook up or what?" Saoirse cringed at her boyfriends attempt to be a 'lad'. "I'm sorry?" Jon stared at him. "Um, will you be my buddy, please?" James said much softer and natural this time. "Sure."
Clare jumped forward to Philip with a small apologetic smile. "Listen, Philip, about the whole 'which ear' thing-" "It's fine. I'll be your partner." He interrupted her with a sigh. "Great! And, just to be clear, are you a fully blown Protestant?" She asked him hopefully. "Of course." He looked at her weirdly.
"Guess that means I'm stuck with you...Great." Saoirse lets out a big sigh looking at Aiden. "Whatever." He plainly said. "Well aren't you chatty." She sarcastically stated with a fake smile only to receive a shrug.
Orla rasied her hand suddenly and waved it around. "Sister Michael! I don't have a Protestant!" Sister Michael didn't even look up to answer the girl. "Well, you'll have to share with James."
"What? No!" James started to complain only to be shut down by Sister Michael. "Look, there just aren't enough Protestants to go round." She huffed. James frowned when Orla made her way over to Jon smiling and tapping him on the nose with her teddy.
Moving to stand next to James, Saoirse sighed heavily. "This is gonna be one shite weekend."