𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐒 • DERRY GIRLS

3.75

TEENAGE KICKS
Season One : Episode Three
'An Empty Cardboard Box'
(warnings : quite short)

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Lara hasn't realised how sunny it actually was today, the chaos driving her mind to other things. She looked up to the blue mass above her, a few white clouds scattered amongst the landscape whilst a bright white light hit her eye at the corner.

"Keep an eye on that kitchen window you !"

"I want no part of this !"

"Well you're in too deep now Clare."

The youngest blonde looked away from the peace towards the heptic situation Erin had gotten them into, the other two blondes of the group whisper-shouting back and forth as the rest of the group carried on shivering up Toto's grave with the sticks and baby toy spades they could find in the short notice.

"I mean, we're literally stealing a body."

"Let's just get it over with and never ever speak of it again."

Lara gave James a raised eyebrow before he pushed his head back down and carried on aimlessly digging.

"Because the totally doesn't sound dodgy... at all."

Erin gave her younger sister an eye roll, scowling at the girl who was just smirking back.
"Less talking more digging Lara, get your arse over here."

Lara groaned, popping her lollie in her mouth so she could push herself off the light brown wooden fence to unfortunately join the havoc of grave-robbing.

Just as she was about to join in with the crime,

"I've got something."

All the rush seemed to slow down as Orla pulled up a dulled red cardboard box from underneath the masses of soil they'd brought up and scattered across the garden.

"Give it here," Lara's face twisted into amusement as she watched Erin grimace, snatching the box reading "Christmas '89" out of their cousins hand before remembering what was supposedly in the box. "Right. Me and Michelle will go stash him somewhere and the rest of you will fill it back in."

"Open the box Erin."

Upon the speedy arrival of the priest, Clare instantly ran to hide behind James, Erin tried to hide the box and Lara just went back to leaning against her fence with a scowl on her features and a lollipop in her mouth.

"God !"

"Yes, he is with us. Do not be afraid child."

The urge to slap that pretty man to Ballybofey was strong, but Lara managed to hold herself back before watching her sister mutter half excused before pulling the lid of the box up, Erin keeping her own eyeliner far away from the contents.

The gasps off Clare probably didn't help Erin's nerves much.

"Listen I can-"
Lara caught her sister's attention as the older blonde looked up, signalling for her to look in the box. Erin pulled a slight face at her sister before reluctantly dropping her eyeline.
When she looked down, the oldest Quinn was met with the bare insides of the cardboard box, a few crumbs of dirt being the old things inside.
"Oh no actually, I can't. I can't explain."

"Thanks be to God !"

"Thanks be to God !"
Lara gave James an unimpressed eyebrow raise when he started copying the father and for the first time since he'd arrived in Derry, the boy didn't notice her enough to care.

☆

Lara squashed herself around the kitchen table, between Michelle and her Grandda. Across from her, her sister was still in some kind of state of shock, it was quite funny to watch.

"I don't understand it."

"The lord's work is often difficult to comprehend."

"No. I mean I really, really don't understand it ."

"You're right Father. He has risen. It's truly... a miracle."

Erin managed to peel her eyes away from the empty box that sat in the middle of the kitchen table, Lara doing the same but with her older sister and the two girls turned to look to their mother with a mixture of confusion, curiosity and surprise.

"So what happens now Peter ?"

Lara's Aunt Sarah managed to gather most people's attention, Erin still giving a jaw dropped gawp at her mother.

"Well I think the next stage is Rome. Audience with the big man."

"Pavarotti."

"John Paul II."
Jerry turned to his niece with slight concern as he corrected her, the curly haired brunette just dimming her smile.

"But first let us pray, please join hands."

Lara held onto her Grandda's hand, watching with confusion as her mother left the dining room with little words, Erin quickly following after her.

The prayer was quickly forgotten by the Preist since nobody was listening to him, Lara turned to her Grandda with an intrigued expression and a whisper.
"Do you think ma's acting odd right now ?"

"How'd you mean ?"

"Well before she refused to even listen to Mr hair gel over there, and now she agreeing with every word that comes out his mouth. When did you last see my ma agree with someone ?"

Their conversation was cut off by Erin's shout from the hallway.
"Maureen Malarkey !"

"Don't you mention that lowdown, deceitful, cheating, auld witch !"

Lara just blinked, turning to the hallway door.

Because that was normal ?

☆

"But now I have to actually sit my exams. Fucking Erin."

Lara dropped backwards onto the double bed, the dark covers scrunching underneath her as she did.

"How cruel. You have to be like everyone else ."

Lara's eyes dragged over to the other side of the room where David was dusting off his guitars. Honestly, sometimes she felt like asking if he'd like to get a room when I came to those things.

"You know what I mean. I'm going to smother Erin in her sleep."

☆

Word Count
942