Derry Girls: Impossible to Ignore

Chapter 16: Emotions

The walk towards the Mallon household was a tense filled one. Niall was feeling more anxious the closer they got to his childhood home. In prison, a week wouldn't go by without him experiencing some form of night terrors or panic attack. This was common among many of his inmates, a lot of them having survived some kind horrible injury. He hadn't experienced any night terrors or panic attacks since his release, but he was now feeling one forming the closer they got.

     But then that wave of comfort suddenly washed over the eldest Mallon child, soon realizing the cause. Orla McCool. As if sensing his plight, the quirky Derry Girl had gone from simply holding his hand to hugging his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. This simple gesture was all it took to calm his nerves.

     This Golden Princess was such an enigma to Niall.  She seemed clueless at times, but then could say the most profound and comforting things. She'd been friends with Michelle for as long as he could remember, but he'd only interacted with her maybe a couple times. He remembers those interactions being about as strange as they are now, but things were different this time. She still perplexed him at times (nearly all the time of he was being honest), but hated the thought of being separated from her.

     Would they have ended up this way if he'd had a regular adolescence? Not getting caught up in all this inter turmoil shit? The circumstances that led to this bonding certainly weren't ideal, but, given all that'd happened in just these two days, he hated the idea of it never happening at all. Silver linings, he supposed.

     "Are ye doin' alright there, Niall?" Orla suddenly asked him in a soft tone, looking up with those enchanting eyes.
     "Aye," he replied simply. "Just lost in thought, I am."
     "Ach! I know what that's like," she sighed.
     Niall didn't doubt that, this girl was clearly more perceptive than others probably gave her credit for. He then saw Erin walking towards him.
     "So... I just wanted to talk a moment," Erin began awkwardly, shaking a little. "Seein' as Michele mentioned us in her letters... which is how ye knew about me n' James. I was wonderin' if she also mentioned the terrible thing I said about how ye shouldn't be let out?"
     "Aye, she did," he casually answered. "I don't blame you's for thinkin' that. I thought it plenty myself, I did."
     "Really?" Erin and Orla asked in unison.
     "Aye, I did," he said. "Not a day goes by I don't think about what happened. Takin' a life, intentional or not, it changes you's. I had so much anger b'fore prison. I didn't have a close group of friends like Michelle to keep me in check."
"Well... now ye do!" Erin said enthusiastically. "If ye're ok with that."
"Like I said, Erin, I don't blame ye for those feelin's," replied Niall. "Based on those letters, havin' you's and the others for friends is the best thing someone like me could ask for."
"Aye! Ye're a grand friend too, ye are!" Orla exclaimed, nuzzling her Champion's arm.
Michelle and the others could hear the conversation, it brought a smile to all their faces.

They were now at the front door of the Mallon household. Niall hadn't seen this house in a wee bit over 5 years. There was comfort in seeing it looked the same, but the dread was still there.
"Pretty sure Mammy and Daddy are on a day shift today," said Michelle. "Give us time to prepare for the shit storm."
"Grady home?" Niall asked.
"Should be," said Michelle. "Wee shite doesn't go out much. Kinda become a recluse. I think Dicko is his only friend. Fuckin' tragic, aye?"
"Thanks, Michelle," chuckled James.
"He's 16 now, aye?" Niall asked.
"Aye, that's correct," sighed Michelle. "Shot up like a weed, he did! Almost as tall as James!"
"Christ, did the time go," sighed Niall.

Walking in, Niall took note that his childhood home had looked like it always did. His Ma kept a clean house, even with hyper wains running about and her busy schedule.
     "OI! GRADY!" Michelle shouted, making some of the others jump a bit.
     "THE FUCK YE WANT MICHELLE!?" Grady's voice came from upstairs.
     "SHIFT YER SHORT HOLE DOWN HERE!" Michelle shouted back. "GOT COMPANY WE DO!"
     "I COULDN'T GIVE TWO SHITS 'BOUT YER FRIENDS OR YER FIDGETY GINGER FUCKER COMIN' OVER, MICHELLE!" Grady shouted back, which gave Niall a chuckle.
     "ACH! GET YER ARSE DOWN HERE NOW!" she continued to shout. "OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL BE TELLIN' MA WHAT YE AND DICKO HIDE UNDER YER BEDS!"
     "Why are you including me in that!?" James asked, Erin shooting him a look.
     "Stuff it!" Michelle hissed. "GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE NOW, GRADY!"
     "CHRIST, FINE!" Grady shouted in defeat. "CALM YER TITS!"