the derry girl || james maguire

one

Niamh's pov

I had been woken up by the dreadful alarm, reminding me it's the first day of school, although dreading it I decide to get up and put on the dark green uniform which itches at the neck. I then hear my cousin Erin yell at my other cousin Orla, no surprise there. I keep my hair down today, due to the fact that I can't be bothered to do anything with it, and then go down the narrow staircase and walk into the kitchen seeing my aunt Mary, uncle Gerry and grandpa Joe.

"Ah morning Niamh, your cousins up yet?" she asked.

"Aye I heard them yelling about something so I assume so." I replied.

"Would be those two" she shakes her head.

I put the stale bread in the toaster hoping it makes it taste slightly better, and hear Erin and Orla coming down the stairs, arguing about something.

"Shes gone too far this time mummy, I mean, what next? Will I catch her trying on me knickers?" Erin says coming into the kitchen.

"Dont say knickers infront of your father he cant cope." Aunt Mary scolds.

"Aye, he can't cope." Orla repeats. "Sure what's a pair of knickers between cousins?" She said rolling her eyes.

"Less of the knickers please." Aunt Mary was getting agitated now.

"I wont put up with it anymore, teenagers have rights now, you know." Erin says.

I was just trying to enjoy my toast but world war three was happening over a pair of damn knickers.

"Dont be ridiculous."

"They do ma it's true, sure, Macaulay Culkin might be divorcing his parents." Erin exclaimed.

Erin why would you bring him into this, now all Aunt Mary will go on about is Macaulay.

"Do you hear this? This'll be someone shes met at that stupid summer scheme you insisted we send them on." Aunt Mary put her arm on her hip and looked at Gerry, waving her other arm in Erin and I's direction.

"Their bloody friends across the barricades thing" Just as Aunt Mary leaned over to grab a plate she hesitated and stood back up. "I have nothing against protestants, I'm all for integration, I am, But if there letting their wains divorce them." She stopped and looked at me.  "Its only gonna give our wains ideas."

"Well he might be." Said Erin.

"Aye" I piped in.

"And I dident meet him at friends across the barricades ma." Erin argued.

"I dont care where you met him. Your not to see him again, understood?" Aunt Mary told her.

"Fine ma." Erin walked of angrily.

"Look at this." Grandpa Joe shouted from the living room.

"Joe what is it now." Gerry asked.

"There bombing the bridge apparently." Said Joe quite calmly.

Does this mean no school. Please make this mean no school.

"Oh dear God, no." Aunt Mary complained. "Does this mean Erin, Orla and Niamh can't get to school?!" Aunt Mary started at Gerry and Grandpa.

"I've had a whole summer of it Gerry, they're melting my head, the three of them!" Aunt Mary yelled.

Ah thanks Mary, nice to know I'm appreciated.

"Their bus can go the long way around hun." Gerry said putting his hand on Mary's shoulder.

A knock came from the door.

"I'll get it" Mary said hurringly.
Erin stormed off with a disgusted look on her face.

The news was still on about the bomb "Major traffic disruptions are anticipated.."

"The wains shouldn't have to take the the bus to school." Said Joe. "You should be driving them you useless shite."

"Calm down Grandpa" I mumbled.

"I have to work Joe" Gerry yelled back.

"Work is that what you call it Gerry?" Joe chuckled again.

"Yes Joe it is." Gerry said.

"Why dont you just leave my daughter alone?" Joe argued.

Oh god not this again.

"Because we've been married for seventeen years Joe!" Gerry yelled. "We have two children, and taken another one in! because were in love with each other." Gerry continued.

I tried not to gag but heard Erin "Oh, bunk." She said with a mouthful of toast.

"I'll find some dirt on you yet boy." Joe whispered. "I've been working on it."

Orla's mam walked through into the kitchen, looking like she was still asleep.

"God, mammy. You're up early." Orla said to her mam as she walked in.

"So are you Orla, you should be having a lie in love, it's your holidays.." Sarah smiles.

"First day of term Sarah" Mary replies.

"Is it aye?" Sarah mumbles.

"It is aye" Mary said folding clothes.

I put on my denim jacket as we decided we'd be individuals this year, and wear what we want, i then see Erin putting on hers and this is when Mary spits us.

"Hold on a minute where's your blazers" she yells.

"We've decided that we're going to be individuals this year Aunt Mary" I tell her.

"aye, we've put out own spin on the uniform." Erin says confidently.

"I'll spin you across this floor, get the jackets off" she says.

"I'm sorry mammy but I cannot take it off, I promised the girls and.."

"Gerry, pass me the wooden spoon." Mary bluntly says.

Immediately Erin and I chuck off out jackets and pick up our school bags, and walk to the door.

"Right you three, get shifted. Out you go, have a nice day, don't be truanting today Niamh." Mary scolds, as she caught me and Michelle truanting on the last day of the last term, that didn't go down well.

"Bye Mary" I yell closing the door behind me.

Erin, Orla and I meet up with Clare at the end of the street, she was wearing her jacket, and so we had to explain that we weren't allowed to wear ours. We get to the bus stop and don't see Michelle yet, she better hurry up or she'll miss this bus.

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it's twenty to three in the morning but I just watched the last episode of season two and had the sudden urge to write this.

enjoy!

-Hannah x

(Word count- 1017)