TWO WEEKS LATER – EXAM DAY
Kelly sat in the classroom, scowling out of the window at the blue sky. She was holding her pen between her index fingers, pushing it back and forth. She turned to the empty desk beside her, then checked the clock on the wall above the blackboard. Ten minutes to eight. Where the hell was LB? Her chest tightened at the thought of having to do the exam on her own. She shifted in her seat, checked the door, checked the time. LB was never late for exams. She had been ready when Kelly was leaving. She said she’d be there in five minutes. Kelly looked out of the window again. Then she heard someone flop down on the chair next to her, and she turned to see one of the guys from the céilí.
‘Is this yours?’ he said, handing Kelly the pencil case she had used to hold LB’s place. ‘How’s it going?’ he said.
‘Oh my God – get up!’ hissed Kelly. ‘It’s there for a reason. My friend’s sitting there.’
‘What are you going to do?’ he said. ‘Throw me across the room?’
‘Very funny,’ said Kelly. ‘But get up.’
He narrowed his eyes. ‘Do you mean Antsy’s daughter? That friend?’
Kelly’s eyes widened. ‘How do you know who she is?’
‘Eh? You told us, the night of the céilí?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘Yes, you did. You told me you’d get my da tickets to one of the gigs.’
Kelly paused. ‘I was only joking.’
‘Well, it got you a few drinks off us, fair play to you. No hard feelings. We’re all afraid of you now anyway.’ He laughed. ‘Anyway, your friend, Blondie, she bailed on you.’
‘Yeah, right,’ said Kelly. ‘There’s no way—’
‘Calm down,’ he said, ‘but I’m not joking you. As of five minutes ago, she was bawling crying and running in the exact opposite direction from this classroom.’
‘What?’ said Kelly. ‘Which opposite? Back to our room?’
‘How would I know where your room is?’ he said.
‘Oh my God – point me in the direction,’ said Kelly. ‘There’s like six minutes to go.’ She paused. ‘Was she all right?’
‘The bawling crying girl? I don’t know… what do you think?’
Kelly looked out of the window again, then back at him. ‘Should I go after her?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I mean… how good a friend are you?’