꧁ 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ꧂
𝐀𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 as they entered the school hall Teagan accidentally made eye contact with Jenny Joyce who returned the unwanted gesture and added in a little wave. She put one finger in the air and mouthed "just a minute"
Teagan spun around and groaned at her group of friends and James, they hadn't even been in school for ten seconds before Jenny Joyce happened to notice them and now she was going to bore them to death. "Jenny Joyce at 9 o'clock" she warned the group, Orla whipped round to look at the large clock mounted on the assembly hall wall Expecting to see Jenny Joyce up there.
"Hi, guys" Jenny waltzed over to them and smiled "Could I have a quick chat?"
The girls sarcastically returned the smile and nodded at her question.
Jenny Joyce scanned over them and noticed that Teagan had cut off a huge amount of her bleach blonde hair over the summer and the girl behind her had also done the same.
"You must be new. I'm Jenny" she pushed past Teagan to shake James's hand
"Great hair. Very bold I'd love to go that short but,sure I don't have the bone structure"
Teagan coughed to hide her laugh from James. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, no more than the others already had.
Michelle groaned and rolled her eyes "She's a fella Jenny"
Jenny recoiled back almost like she was disgusted "Anywhoo" she singsonged
Michelle copied her.
"Seriously, shoot me in the fucking face" she whispered to Claire and Teagan they both nodded in agreement.
"This is a bit awkward, but a part of my role as prefect is welcoming the new first-year students and its come to my attention that there was some sort of an incident on the bus this morning."
Michelle quickly jumped into defence mode
"There was no incident!"
Jenny shook her head and gave the group a condescending look "apparently, you guys threatened one of the new girls. Said you were gonna beat her up"
"That's lies!"
Teagan nodded in agreement " Yeah it's more like the other way round, she was an aggressive little fuck" claire and Erin groaned Teagan had truly dropped them in it now. There was no more denying it,
"No, I mean, we said it, but...as a joke" - "As in, 'we're gonna beat you up' but, like, in a jokey way."
Jenny scowled and Teagan began to think that was the only facial expression jenny could show. "Right. Well, the thing is, that's not actually funny, is it?. Like at all"
"Well, humour is subjective, really so..." claire replied whilst trying to stop her heart from exploding from fear.
"Now, the wee girl claims that she's not bothered,but reading between the lines.."
"Why are you reading between the lines?" Erin asked, offended
"I'm just not sure I believe her. I don't want to report you guys"
Teagan called bullshit, she knew jenny would love nothing more than to report them to sister Micheal. Jenny had always been a little snitch even when she was a kid that's half the reason why Teagan ended their friendship.
Claire freaked out and pleaded with jenny. It was sad to watch really.
"Please don't report us, jenny. Please! We'll do anything. Anything at all" claire practically grovelled to jenny joyce.
Michelle pulled claire back by her blazer covered arm and glared at her "speak for yourself, sugar tits"
Jenny pulled a sour face and thought about her decision for all of one second " think I'll just have to mull it over"
Before anyone could stop her, Michelle stuck her middle finger up in front of Jenny's face "Ach Jenny, mull this over"
Each member of the group had a different look on their face. Erin was shocked and annoyed whilst Claire was probably seconds away from shitting herself, Orla didn't seem to know what to do and James was the same, Teagan was loving the chaos of the situation and was smiling uncontrollably.
Jenny stomped off and muttered under her breath but Teagan couldn't of cared less about what she was saying.
"Jesus, michelle!" Erin cried before walking away. Orla and claire soon followed but Teagan and james stayed with Michelle.
Jenny's assembly dragged on as usual and Teagan admittedly nearly fell asleep on five separate occasions which was shocking to her friends because they were standing up.
In her sleep like state she had picked up pieces of information from the speech Jenny Joyce gave and the conflicting one that sister Micheal delivered straight after.
She had woken up at the mention of James's name and quickly explained the 'Mr Mullen affair' to him before she dropped off again. Soon enough Teagan found herself being dragged to first lesson by an agitated Erin
"It's the first day and you've already become narcoleptic, Teagan!" She raged as they weaved their way through the crowd towards the maths corridor.
"I didn't get much sleep last night Erin, ya know living above a pub 'an all it's a bit loud" Teagan mumbled but Erin didn't take pity on her
"It's not my fault your parents run a pub is it?"
Erin replied coldly.
Teagan really liked Erin she was one of her best friends but she could be a self righteous cow somedays.
The first three lessons of the day seemed to drag on and Teagan couldn't stop herself from staring at every clock and counting down like a madman. When the school bell finally rang out, telling that it was lunch time, Teagan practically ran out of her art class.
She was extraordinary at art but didn't enjoy the class.
"Over her Teagan" Michelle called out to her from where she sat with the others. Teagan hurried over and took a seat next to Orla.
"Where's James?" She asked
Michelle groaned and shook off Teagan's question. Erin carried on begging Michelle "please Michelle!"
"No" she huffed out
Erin groaned "please?"
"I have no interest in David Donnelley's spazmo band" Michelle bit into her snack and Clare lost a little bit more of her sanity.
"I can't go on my own, Michelle"
"Bring Bobby Sands"
Clare jumped out of her hunger induced trance and snapped back to reality "Sure, how could I go? I'm so weak I can barley Walk" Clare whispered hoarsely.
"What about Orla?" Michelle Asked but Orla soon reminded everyone why she couldn't go
"I love my wee fingers" she giggled.
Ay they'd all forgotten that Orla was mental. a nice girl but a mental case.
Michelle huffed and pointed to Teagan, who until now has purposely stayed quite through the conversation. "What about Teagan?"
"No not her." Erin grim faced
Michelle questioned why, Teagan crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at Erin's behaviour "because Erin thinks David fancies me"
"He does!" Erin protested
"Aye fair dues he does but it ain't my fault is it!?" "And you can calm down I won't be coming, I'm babysitting Aylish"
Erin perked up now that she knew David wouldn't be distracted by Teagan being there.
Erin begged and begged Michelle until she had finally worn her down into agreement
"Fine! But you won't actually do anything you'll just be a frigid fuck"
"I am not frigid!"
"You haven't even kissed a boy. Sometimes you practise on your pillow but you don't think it's the same" Orla quoted from it seems like her memory
Their conversation was soon interrupted by a desperate James who needed to go the toilet but Michelle pointed out there was no toilets for him to use and he sulked down into a seat.
"This is unfair!" He moaned.
Teagan patted his shoulder.
The school tannoy system squeaked as a voice spoke through it "can the following pupils please report to sister Michaels office immediately" "Erin Quinn, Orla McCool, Clare Devlin, Teagan O'Ryan, Michelle Mallon, and the wee English fella. Thank you"
The group all turned to look at Teagan and Michelle, Teagan shifted uncomfortably in her seat under the gaze of her friends.
"Don't know what that could be about" Michelle shrugged.
After sitting outside of sister Michaels office for what felt like an eternity, they were finally allowed in and were definitely in trouble.
Clare made them all swear to stick together and not rat each other out. They all agreed
"So it had nothing to do with me! Yes, okay, I was there. I admit that, but I didn't do anything. It was Michelle and Teagan! It was all Michelle and Teagan. I'm not going down for something I didn't do. If anyone deserves to get punished, it should be them two!"
Clare took a few seconds to catch her breath. Everyone in the room stared at her and Michelle and Teagan glared harshly at her.
"So much for sticking together, Clare" she muttered
"Well, I think it's safe to say we all lost a little respect for you there, Clare" said sister Micheal
The girls nodded their heads and scowled at Clare. Teagan knew Clare always caved under pressure, however, this time it was out of line.
"All respect" Teagan whispered
"This is just so disappointing, girls. I mean, threatening a first year"
"We didn't threaten her. We're not stupid. Big Mandy is her sister"
"She's a right, little shit, sister Micheal, if anything she threatened us" Teagan protested
"Miss O'Ryan!"
Teagan sank back into the group and went to stand at the back to avoid the watchful and disapproving eye of sister Micheal.
"This has all just been a misunderstanding" Erin reasoned with sister Micheal.
"I promise, sister"
"Is that right, Tina? Was it all just a misunderstanding" sister Micheal Asked
"Look, I didn't even report them. I'm not a grass I'm saying nothing" the little shit said
"Is that because you're intimidated by them?"
The girl laughed but scoffed when she realised sister Micheal was serious.
"No, I'm not intimidated by them, sister"
Their punishment was to apologise to Tina and they all said it in tight voices "we're very sorry,Tina"
Teagan roller her eyes.
Sister Micheal went back to looking at her papers " and Tina, do you accept their apology?" She asked uninterested as she started marking her papers.
"No"
Sister Micheal looked up from the stack of paper and was shocked "you don't accept their apology?"
"Do I have to accept their apology, sister?"
"I suppose not"
"Then I don't" Tina crossed her arms and smirked at the girls.
They all shifted uncomfortably, Teagan went for Tina but Erin restrained her.
"Well, I need to draw a line under this somehow, so......"
Detention. They were put in detention all thanks to that little shit. Sister Micheal put them in the room and forced them to sit there for three hours.
Teagan looked at the clock and it read, quarter past six, great she was late for babysitting and her parents were most likely going to murder her when she finally got home.
From her desk next to James's she could see that he was still struggling.
"You know, everyone's gone home so you can just sneak into the girls toilets now" she suggested to him
James's hand shot up and he sent Teagan an appreciative smile.
Her cold icy heart started to warm and she put a hand over it to check she wasn't dying.
False alarm she was perfectly fine, James had just made her actually feel something.
She didn't like it
Erin jumped up out of her seat and tried to pry a orange book out of Orlas hands. Teagan kne𝗐 it must've been Erin's infamous diary that Orla always stole.
The nun got up from her seat and took the diary from Orla.
Erin smiled triumphantly and held out her hand for the nun to return her property.
"Sit down!" The nun ordered
Erin stuttered and protested but the nun was having none of it.
She sat back at her desk and started to flip through Erin's diary.
James's hand shot up again and he helplessly waved it
"Mr Maguire, I won't worn you again" she warned
"This is disgraceful!" James protested against the nun " I should have access to a lavatory. What about my civil rights?" He ranted
"Corner!"
James cried out and wobbled over to stand in the corner.
The nun read Erin's diary once again.
Teagan looked over at James Who was struggling against the wall and she nodded her head as she made up her mind about what she was about to do.
"Sister" she asked
The nun replied with a warning
Teagan tried again "sister!"
"If I have to tell you one more time Ms O'Ryan you'll be in the corner with Mr Maguire!"
Teagan smirked "Sister....." she dragged out the syllables
"Corner now!"
Teagan abruptly stood up from her desk and sauntered over to join James in the corner.
But in typical Teagan fashion she muttered an insult as she passed by the nun. "Old hag"
"Hi, James" she whispered when she was finally close enough for only them to hear.
He was too busy trying not to piss himself that he could only groan in reply.
"I think it's totally barbaric what they're doing to you and my parents pub isn't that far away from the bus stop so you can pee there if you want?" She offered.
James nodded
"Oh, look. You're boring fucking diary sent her to sleep" Michelle said. And with that simple comment all hell broke loose.
Teagan turned away from the wall and aided Michelle with looking for her stolen lipstick inside the sisters handbag.
"Jesus, that's disgusting. Stop it." Erin said and Teagan looked up to see what she said it about. She kind of wished she didn't because she saw James pissing into a bucket on the floor.
"James!" She protested
"That's the English for you.fucking savages!" Michelle shouted and harshly pointed at James.
Clare snatched the nuns sandwich and took a huge bite out of it.
"Don't look at me like that, Erin you'll get your two pounds back"
"But will you ever get yourself respect back Clare?"
"Right, if I leave now, I might still catch David" Erin jumped up from her seat and walked over to the window, obviously intending to climb out of it.
"Wait I'm coming with you. I'm late for babysitting"
Together the two blondes climbed onto the window ledge and opened a separate window to climb out of.
"Isn't it funny how she sleeps With her eyes open?" Orla laughed.
Everyone turned around and gasped
"What?" Erin Asked
They had both of her legs out of the window when, suddenly, sister Micheal walked into the room and Teagan was so frozen in fear that she couldn't escape quick enough.
"Sweet suffering Jehovah" sister Micheal gasped
Everyone turned to face her and tried to ignore James's groans. Well Teagan didn't.
For the second time that day, Teagan O'Ryan was sat in sister Michael's office, looking like a scolded puppy.
Not only were her parents going to kill her because she got detention now they'll kill her for killing the nun. Allegedly!
There wasn't enough room for her on the bench so she stood at the back and lent on James's shoulders.
The was a knock at the door and one by one every member of Erin and Orla's family walked
In.
"Erin, what in God's name?" Mrs Quinn Asked
"Did you kill the wee nun,girls?" Asked mr Quinn
"Of course we didn't!" Erin Yelled
Her aunt Sarah asked a question but Erin's grandfather told them not to talk until they've seen a lawyer.
If this is what Erin's parents were like she really didn't want to see her own parents reaction.
The office door opened once again and Michelle's mum rushed in "sorry I'm late, sister. Couldn't get over the bridge. This bloody bomb" she complained
"I begged the brits to let me take my chances,but the awkward bastards made me take the long way"
Michelle's mum turned to look at her daughter, her gaze was cold and even Teagan was scared of her. "What are you playing at, rifling through a dead nuns handbag"
"She stole my lipstick, mammy"
"Don't lie. Sister Declan was a woman of god"
Sister Micheal butted into their conversation "actually, she was known to be a bit light fingered"
"Where's my mum, auntie Deidre? James smiled
Mrs Mallon scoffed "she's away back to London"
"What, without me?" James Asked sadly
"Oh, dry your eyes James" Mrs Mallon scoffed again.
Teagan felt bad for James and hated to see him so upset. She stroked his shoulder in a comforting style. He was obviously sad but he still leaned into her touch and appreciated her comfort.
Clare's father came in next but Teagan didn't really pay attention to what they were saying. She was more focused on what would happen when her own parents came through the door.
Finally the door opened for the last time and there was no questioning who it was. Mr and Mrs O'Ryan walked into, sister Michael's office side by side and scanned the room for their daughter.
When they saw her hand on James shoulder Teagan quickly retracted it and shoved it into her blazer pocket.
"Sorry we're so late, sister. There was no one to look after our wain, Aylish. Had to give her to one of the bar staff" her father explained
"Committing crime now are we?, I know you were complaining that your life's boring but this a bit extreme!" Her mother scolded.
"Obviously, sister Declan's death was extremely shocking and unexpected" sister Micheal, began
Teagan scoffed, unexpected her arse. Sister Declan looked like she had the grim reaper on speed dial.
"We're still struggling to understand what happened" she nodded sadly
Erin's hand shot up and everyone turned to look at her.
"Can I just ask, what age.....was sister Declan?"
"She'd have been 98 on Friday" sister Micheal told everyone. The grown ups talked about how she was too young.
"98...she was nearly there" Teagan laughed to herself quietly
Erin talked about how her age was a major factor.
"Does anybody else have any thoughts on the whole 98 years of age thing?"
"Struck down in her prime" Erin's grandda muttered.
"The hospital are saying it's heart failure, but I have my doubts. As I said on the phone, the circumstances in which I found her body were.......strange, to say the least"
Sister Micheal stood up and faced the teenagers.
"So I've decided to carry out a full investigation into the incident"
Teagans mother stood up "surely, sister Micheal there's no need, the girls aren't killers. The worst thing they've probably ever done was hand in their homework late. They're innocent"
Teagan smiled at her mother and then smirked at sister Micheal. But her smirk soon dropped from her face when sister Micheal said,
"Did I not inform you what happened on the bus this morning Mrs O'Ryan?"
"None of this makes sense!" Erin Yelled
"The woman was almost 98 years of age. She had a heart attack! Why has everybody gone absolutely mental?" Erin through her hands in the air with frustration
"Less of the cheek, Erin" Mr Quinn warned
Erin huffed and sank down into her seat with her arms crossed
"We didn't do anything. It's not fair!" She cried
"But the thing is, life isn't fair. You see, injustice is something I have become accustomed to." Orla spoke.
Teagan turned to look at Orla. The speech sounded to smart to be Orla's
"I am, after all, a child of the crossfire, surrounded by conflict. But I choose to rise above it. The path to peace is paved with tolerance and understanding. Violence is never the answer"
Erin soon caught on and glared at Orla.
"I am going to ram that so far up your arse!" Erin Yelled and she lunged to attack Orla.
And once again all hell broke loose.