𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍
"You've got to be shitting me"
Teagan O'ryan liked to believe she was a morally grey character. Too bitchy and cynic to be a saint, but not evil or sadistic enough to warrant the shitty cards the universe dealt her.
The only way she deserved this, she reasoned, was if she was a serial killer in a past life. Even then, hell would be the less painless option.
Sister Micheal and the Protestants teacher had announced they all needed to divide up into groups From A — Z.
Teagan assumed she would be with the others as they were all together, but no. Of course she wouldn't be. Instead she was in Jenny Joyce's group. When she read the piece of paper containing all their names, she seriously considered just walking the three hours back home.
Jenny Joyce! Of all the girls in class, sister Micheal for some unknown reason decided to group her with Jenny, Aisling, and two other girls that she couldn't remember the names of in her rage.
This must of been sister Michaels way of dealing with Teagan's ma's complaints about the sleeping arrangements all summer, and appeasing James's auntie who simply asked sister Micheal assure her that her nephew wouldn't return a father. Even thinking about it made teagan want to crawl into a deep hole .
"It's not that bad Teagan" James wearily tried to reassure her. Inching to peer over her shoulder at the others and their group of lads. it was easy for him to say. He wasn't the one sharing a room with Jenny Joyce for the night.
An annoying screeching sound across the hall made them both flinch and grimace.
"You're not the dealing with mini hitler" she whined like a little kid stomping her foot, leaning closer to him and dropping her voice. "I'm the one who's got to share a room with her!"
She couldn't help eyeing the others with disdain, all talking to their Protestants. Together. Erin and Michelle were practically shaking with glee.
The screeching sound, now more of a wailing, made them both want to cover their ears like usual.
" look tea-" he rushed in, shaking his head.
But Teagan just placed her hand on his chest to stop him, slightly pushing him away. Already knowing what he wanted. "no its fine, go make your lad friends, and leave your poor wee girlfri-" before she could finally say the G word, and test the waters, the owner of the abysmal screech tapped her on the shoulder.
"Did you not hear me Teagan? I've been calling you" Jenny asked as Teagan turned around and plastered on her best attempt at a smile.
James took his chance and swiftly swooped to kiss Teagan on the cheek before legging it across the small hall.
" you'll have to shout next time, Jenny" Teagan replied, too busy scowling over jennys shoulder as she watched James run over to the others. leaving her all alone.
Jenny scoffed "I did"
Teagan snapped back to reality and glared down at Jenny. "Look somethings wrong with my hearing" she began, trying to piece together a excuse to hopefully get her out of talking all weekend. "Yeah... the doctors said something ... about ... a ruptured disc in my ear?" She gestured around her ear.
As they approached their group Jenny turned around slightly to stare at Teagan in utter disbelief "that's in your back"
Teagan blinked, and then again, and again until she returned Jenny's snide look, and finally responded with, "Ach, Jenny that's what's wrong"
"Teagan's a nice name,"
the aptly named girl jumped out her skin and the arrival of the new voice. A boy from her and Jenny's group towered over her. Ew. She didn't want her name associated with Jenny's ever again.
"Do people call you Teeg for short?" The ballsy Protestant asked her.
Teagan copied him and glanced down at the white name tag on her T-shirt. Or she hoped that was where he was looking.
She had broken away from their small group and perched herself on the edge of the stage after receiving her gift from them. Shitty Mini shampoo and conditioner bottles that one of the lads had nicked from a hotel. Suddenly her contribution to Erin and Michelles gift was slightly less shit. At least theres wasn't stolen. Well, the lipgloss was actually a gift from Michelle, who Teagan wasn't sure sourced it ethically.
She eyed him up and down, scrutinising the way his strawberry blonde hair stuck out at odd angles that seemed to defy the laws of physics. not one piece seemed to have ever seen a hairbrush, and his stark skin resembled that of a marshmallow. Freckles dimly littered his face and forehead that wasn't covered by his wild hair.
"Not twice" a stern look sent his way and raised eyebrow didnt deter him, however. Which greatly shocked Teagan. Protestants were a different breed, this she knew, but apparently they were very sociable creatures.
He glanced down to the shampoo bottles she had carelessly dropped down next to her and grinned. "Shane's Bit of a klepto, he is" he gestured back to a ginger boy talking to Jenny. Poor lad, had more than enough problems.
Teagan looked away from him, hoping he would get the hint. He didn't give in, instead taking her lack of response as a invitation.
She failed to suppress her gasp of horror as he plonked himself right down on the stage next to her. Apparently personal space wasn't a thing to them either.
" my names Joseph"
the next thing Teagan knew, a hand extended in front of her. She reluctantly went Against her whole body shouting to ignore the attempt at socialising, and met him half way.
Their hands awkwardly shaking mid-air, for ten seconds too long. Teagan prayed her palms weren't sweaty. James had never complained before, but he wouldn't.
They both looked over at the rest of their group as they exclaimed in excitement over jennys gift to them. Apparently a keyboard was what all Protestants wanted
"Do people call you joey?" She quipped back.
Subtly trying to wipe her palm on her jeans, not caring if he saw or not.
"Only my ... close friends" he grinned and raised a eyebrow as if she was meant to find it appealing somehow. She read in between The lines. Not that it took a Einstein to figure out his intention.
"What a lucky bunch" she scoffed, before Quickly shuffling away further down the stage.
"Listen. I'm not looking for," she grimly gestured to him, "this. But there's a curly haired girl over there who is, but you might have to pry her away from the other fella" she pointed over to Michelle who was not so subtly flirting with the lads.
They all seemed to be holding something in their hands and Teagan held herself up on her hands to try and see. But a hand settling on the bare skin of her arm made her whip her attention back to Joesph.
"What do you actually think you're doing?" She asked almost incredulously.
She shook his hand off her with such haste that he almost fell forward off the stage and onto his face. Sadly he steadied himself just in time to save his face being damaged by the hard concrete floor. Unfortunate Teagan jeered.
"Christ" he panted, wiping a hand over his head, "what's your problem?"
Her problem? He had no right to question her when he was the one who couldn't follow simple enough instructions to leave her the feck alone.
Teagan had never wanted to be one of those girls who parade around the fact they have a boyfriend, or did she need a lad to save her, but she suddenly wished James would show up just to see the smug look wash off Josephs face.
But it looked like she would have to get herself out of this alone. Ach, getting sent home for punching a Protestant in the face would surely anger her Mammy, but her Da would see the funny side to it. He might even reward her if she made it hurt enough.
But before she could lift her fist up quick enough, a familiar accent calling her name broke her concentration.
James. She grinned and whipped around in delight to see her English fella striding towards them. Literally, he seemed more confident than usual, it almost seemed put on.
Once he approached, Teagan noticed a cute teddy bear dangling from his hand and he used to the other to pick hers up.
She obliged and happily stood next to him.
"Alright lad?" James Saïd to Joseph. Teagan's smile faltered and fell at his forced deep voice.
"just gonna take the bird for a bit"
Teagan had to resist the urge to pull her hand away and boke up her breakfast. If this was James's jealousy she never wanted to see it again. Before he had time to respond, Teagan pulled James away from Joseph.
Sadly not getting to see the look she had wanted to.
"Your bird?!" She harshly whispered to him as they made their way hand in hand to the others.
She despised that word, and never wanted to hear him say it ever again.
He frowned and walked up to a boy standing next to Orla. Teagan noticed they all had the same bear as James. At least they had received something nice, all Teagan had to show of this weekend was the shampoos that she left with Joesph, and Shane would probably try steal them back again.
James cleared his throat and spoke to the other boy "this is my bird, Teagan" he looked at her, with a wide grin on his face.
Teagan grimaced, why was he showing her off to the Protestants like she was some prize on a game show. It quickly dawned on her that James didn't pull her away from Joseph in jealousy, but so he could show her off.
The other lad didn't seem to be all that impressed by James's brags either. Teagan didn't know whether to appreciate his distaste for James's behaviour or be offended by his lack of attention to her. Ach it had been a long day and it was only One pm.
James quickly handed the bear over to Teagan awkwardly and she rushed to not drop it on the ground. Luckily securing the poor thing from falling to the floor.
"Right ... cool" the boy replied, scratching his neck.
"Told you she was fit ... and stuff" James boasted, puffing his chest out to stake a claim to her.
A rushing wave of crimson raced to Teagan's cheeks and painted her whole face a embarrassing rosy colour. She prayed for the ground to swallow her up, or for a ceiling beam to miraculously plonk her on the head and put her out of this misery.
James complimenting her always made her feel gross and blush ... but a good gross ... sappy, lovesick, gross.
But this. Him only dragging her away just to showcase the fact he had a 'bird'?
And yes, Teagan knew there was more feministic things to be pissed off about his comments , but she couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of ... she couldn't place it. Irritation, perhaps?
Fit and ... stuff.
Stuff? What the fuck was stuff ??
Could he seriously not think of anything else.
Sure, the alternative would be him spewing more embarrassing compliments at her in order to make the other boy jealous, or maybe make Teagan swoon? She wasn't truly aware of his intentions. Just severely pissed off by them.
Sure, she knew James had more than that to say about her. When they were alone he was a waking talking, well, whispering compliment factory. But she would rather die than him repeat anything uttered in private.
James knew just by the placid look on her face that he should shut his mouth if he wanted to survive this weekend.
Teagan just smiled through her teeth and bared it. The less stressed she made herself the better. So she simply clutched her new bear securely under her arm as she and James took their seats to listen to sister Micheal.
When Peter arrived Teagan nearly bucked it out the doors, not sure if Peter was still harbouring a grudge against them all, for the whole 'resurrection of Toto' thing.
But it seemed like he didn't. Instead he was all too eager to talk them them. Asking Erin to point out some similarities between Protestants and catholics. Erin stammered and stuttered for a while before admitting deafeat. Then everyone started shouting and yelling out differences.
"Cant anyone think of one similarity we all, here today share" he begged.
To be anywhere but here, Teagan groaned.
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I actually split this chapter in two so if the ending feels kind of rushed its because technically ... it's the middle <3 the next part should be out soon
also season three?? Jerin is canon?!? I cried. I love them so much <3
I pictured Joseph as Nick Nelson because I've been watching heart stopper all week. It's an obsession
Not edited, the might be some mistakes.
10/5/22