Jali pt.1
Ali: [not this girl adding this boy (on the socials he is barely on, I’m sure) because she’s hunted him down, despite the fact he has done nothing but give her evils/ignore her whenever she’s been around the site, ah to be a teenage girl with a crush]
Ali: Hey, have I done something to upset you?
Ali: Because I didn’t mean to, and I think I know how to make it up to you anyway
Johnny: If we got off on the wrong foot, you’d have the knowing why
Ali: Cool, I’m glad we didn’t then
Ali: Ro said it was cool, but I get that he probably didn’t ask everyone how they felt beforehand
Johnny: Who said wes didn’t?
Johnny: Ronan would tell you so, he’s grand
Ali: Oh, well, I wouldn’t ask if I knew the why
Ali: Not playing dumb, just clueless, like
Johnny: What you get off on is treading on toes, there’s your clue
Ali: I really don’t
Ali: I’m not trying to bother no one; I’ve just seen you fixing your [bike], and I thought we might have stuff in common
Johnny: Nothing you do is no accident, for all your acting the innocent when it’s just us here
Ali: How do you know I’m acting?
Ali: Maybe I just am
Johnny: I see into you, girl
Ali: And that’s all you see?
Johnny: What else would I care to look for other than what you’ve notions of giving out and to who?
Ali: I like having the full picture, personally
Ali: but sure, it’s easier to see things that way
Johnny: My picture of you’s full enough
Ali: An inventive way to say you’re sick of the sight of me already, give you that
Johnny: Not me inventing ways to cross your path
Ali: True
Ali: Sorry, I wanted to get to know you better
Johnny: You’ve seen plenty while I’m busying myself fixing my bike, I hear
Ali: Okay, I didn’t have binoculars out, and I wasn’t up a tree looking in your window
Ali: as well as you do to ignore me, I’m less skilled, and a little more curious, obviously
Johnny: I’ve only your word on both, and it’s worth less than most to me, you being a gorja as well as a girl
Ali: I get the gorja one, but you don’t trust girls?
Johnny: Those coming through as tourists, I don’t
Ali: But I’m here as a friend, just not yours, sadly
Johnny: My cousin ain’t yours neither, whatever he’s fed you at school
Ali: Let me guess, girls and boys can’t be
Johnny: Ronan won’t be, friendly as I’m betting you are
Ali: He’s been my friend since [idk, but the point is a minute at school, obvs]
Ali: But I can’t seem that friendly, only in the insulting way you mean it, or you wouldn’t think I was here taking notes
Johnny: The boy’s become a man now, and you’re his toy before he’s to put down childish things
Ali: He’s still a baby, far as I’m concerned
Ali: but I get what you’re saying and I’m not going to get him in trouble at his big boy job before he’s even started it, don’t worry
Johnny: Troublesome though you are, s’no worry to me
Ali: You’re not old enough to be his boss
Johnny: He’s my responsibility, on jobs and at home
Ali: I suppose there are a lot of them, you need to share out the workload of [however many kids are in that fam thus far]
Ali: I thought my family having 6 kids was crazy
Johnny: I’ve a duty to the lot, my elder sisters have their own work, husbands, and babies
Ali: Now you’re the oldest babysitter
Ali: I figured there was a reason you stuck around when it looked like you wanted to be anywhere else
Johnny: Family’s important, is the reason
Ali: Agreed
Ali: even if my brothers want less to do with me than you, at this point, still true
Johnny: My sisters are less needy than you, even the youngest
Ali: Oh!
Ali: How do you know I’m needy? This is the longest conversation we’ve had so far
Johnny: You’re still speaking
Ali: Sneaky, if I shut up, you win, and if I argue, then I’m proving your point
Johnny: This conversation shouldn’t have been longer than a text each way
Ali: True, we could psychoanalyse your replying
Johnny: You could take a hint, except I don’t know that you’re able, never mind willing
Ali: I like direct
Johnny: You wouldn’t like Ronan, that was true
Ali: He has other qualities
Johnny: Sure he does
Ali: Yous are allowed to slag each other; I won’t get involved
Ali: and he was mostly complimentary of you, even if he told me not to talk to you
Johnny: Yet we’re talking- a slagging by you in itself, no?
Ali: Nah, he knows I won’t be told what to do by anyone
Johnny: Be why he’s involved himself with you
Ali: Maybe
Ali: but all our hijinks are very childish, I can assure you
Johnny: You can’t
Ali: We’re setting off fireworks, not robbing banks
Ali: even though the outfit is killer
Johnny: How you dress is far from childish, how you set him off, is it?
Ali: 👩🦳 more like
Ali: And I don’t set him off
Johnny: Long as you’ve a safer grasp of the fireworks behaviour than your own
Ali: You can give him the safety lecture; he needs a refresher, for sure
Ali: I know what I’m doing
Johnny: I’d be some eejit to trust your teachers with it, number of girls sitting exams with a baby inside ‘em
Ali: You and my mammy would get on great; that’s her pet project
Ali: All 4 of us get out in the world unencumbered, and she’s succeeded, like, fuck all the rest…
Johnny: I doubt that, respectful as mine has reared me to be, including to yous gorjas
Ali: She’s nothing like me
Ali: I think it would be a comfortable silence you could sit in
Johnny: I’ve no experience of sitting in houses
Ali: It’s not my favourite place to be either
Ali: I’d live outside, if I could
Johnny: It’s uncomfortable these ‘vans don’t move, to my mind, but I’m overruled
Ali: Will you get yourself a moving one?
Johnny: Maybe
Ali: One you could do up yourself, that would be cool
Johnny: When I’m not grafting every hour God sends
Ali: Are you saving for something special?
Johnny: Once I’ve sourced what parts I’m after, I keep hold of the rest
Johnny: anything tomorrow might bring isn’t for me to say, just be ready for
Ali: I wasn’t just looking at you, your bike is awesome
Ali: You could take that and go anywhere, before you get your ‘van and something as good to pull it
Johnny: I head where I’m of use
Ali: You’ve skills that can take you anywhere
Ali: much better than what school is giving me
Johnny: Nothing else matters ‘til I ain’t needed here
Ali: There will always be work for those wanting
Ali: Do you like it here?
Johnny: My wants don’t come into it
Ali: I won’t tell anyone your wants, I mean, listen
Ali: sounds filthy
Ali: I want to go to Uni in Singapore, I haven’t told my family that
Johnny: What’s Singapore offering you the teaching of Dublin isn’t?
Ali: I’ve not even looked if you can do it here, I mean, surely can
Ali: but half the point of going is getting to fling yourself as far away as you want
Ali: I want to do engineering, aerospace probably but I’m not totally sold yet
Johnny: Half the point’s going to school 1st, you’re never in, what they say
Ali: Ah, look
Ali: I’ve years to get those grades back up, I’ll never be this young again
Johnny: Ah, how old are you again?
Ali: Older than Ro, I’ll be 13 in February
Johnny: You look younger than my baby sister, she’s 10 in [whatever month]
Ali: That’s mean!
Johnny: If I added she’s small for her age
Ali: She’s adorable; it’s not working so much for me
Johnny: She was born early, s’why she’s the last, toll it took on both her and my mammy wasn’t easily forgotten
Ali: It’s scary
Ali: but incredible, I think any woman that does it is superhuman, like
Johnny: My 2nd sister is pregnant the now, you’ve probably seen her
Ali: Waddling would be rude to say
Ali: but yeah, I helped her bring in her shop the other day
Johnny: Did you?
Ali: I made [name some of Ronan’s lil sibs here] help; we was playing football at the time
Johnny: Right
Ali: Ronan was working out with his brother, I think
Ali: which is why he did not offer himself, not throwing him under the bus, like
Johnny: Sooner lift a [the weight in lbs or kg or whatever, being kinda shady cos it’s not that heavy haha] weight than a shopping bag
Ali: 😏 You said it, not me
Johnny: My sister never said her eggs was cracked, your little helpers must’ve taken their energy out on the football
Ali: It was fun being the boss for a change
Ali: not that being the youngest stops a girl from trying, sure you know
Johnny: Birth order don’t stop a girl from being bossy, true enough
Johnny: they’ve, all 4, it in them
Ali: You’re so outnumbered, bless you
Johnny: My cousins even the numbers some, whether wes can call them blessings or no
Ali: No chance to be lonely here
Ali: I think it’s a good way to live
Johnny: I didn’t ask for your outsider opinion on how I live my life
Ali: I wasn’t being specific, but alright
Johnny: Save your flattery for who invited it, like
Ali: Probably envy, if it’s anything
Ali: and he doesn’t get it
Johnny: You don’t need telling one of his qualities isn’t sharpest tool
Ali: He’s a good friend
Ali: he listens, even if he doesn’t understand what the fuck I’m going on about
Johnny: Haven’t you any pets?
Ali: I can’t help it that animals have lots of admirable qualities too, shh
Ali: [tell him about your cat, hey Bluebeard]
Johnny: [tell her how your dad doesn’t like cats because they can’t be controlled, walking red flag of a man, because I can’t find where I wrote that OG to steal my OG words]
Ali: Which is why I like ‘em so much, of course
Ali: but I’ll not hold that hot take against him
Johnny: He’s no errands for you to run, best you keep your distance
Ali: Unless he wants a morning paper?
Johnny: ‘Course you’d deliver papers alone in the dark
Ali: It’s summer; it’s not dark right now
Ali: which is a lot nicer than when it’s bucketing it down and pitch black
Johnny: It’s pitch black every autumn and winter morning, little girl
Ali: I wear all my reflective gear, promise
Ali: you never wear your helmet
Johnny: So’s the car hitting you has its good view speeding off
Ali: Jesus, boy
Ali: I’m not that unpopular people are aiming for us, I don’t think
Johnny: You’re not immortal, spite of your drinking and carry on with fireworks as if you’ll live forever
Ali: I know I’m not
Ali: you’re thinking more out here, my route is right in the suburbs, safe and boring
Johnny: You’re thinking gorja housewives drive safe, state of their dented garage doors tells a different story
Ali: My neighbour and nemesis, her mammy has no license at this point, not that that stops her
Ali: but any day now… maybe you did their driveway when they had it done?
Johnny: I don’t tarmac, that’s your prejudice speaking
Ali: My bad
Ali: How and why you’re getting a look at housewives' garage doors is none of my business
Johnny: It’s an extended family business, different uncles and cousins
Ali: Gotcha, still, fair play to have my life for assuming
Johnny: I’d have a scrapyard, I had say, stereotypes be damned
Ali: You should, it’s such a good idea
Ali: not to mention endless projects, you’d never get bored
Johnny: Maybe the idea can be talked up to my daddy
Ali: I bet he’d be proud of you, having your own business, then you can bring family in like he did for you and Ro’s daddy did for him
Ali: maybe you’ll be able to source parts for me and my projects
Johnny: I’ve no eye for the parts spaceships’d have need of
Ali: Me either yet
Ali: I’ll let you know
Johnny: Write us a shopping list
Ali: With pictures
Johnny: Fair warning, at least, your handwriting’s that bad
Ali: No, I wanna show you my designs
Johnny: Don’t trouble yourself
Ali: Why not?
Johnny: Like my cousin, I might not understand what you’re getting at, I’d left school by [whatever age, giving young af compared to everyone else, as we’ve said]
Ali: I think properly clever people can explain anything to anyone, and if I’m going all that way, they better make me that smart
Ali: and you must’ve been to leave at that age
Johnny: Wasn’t my smarts leading the decision-making
Ali: You was needed more at home?
Johnny: My mammy already taught me to read and write, I’d grown to a size that could be put to work
Ali: Were you excited?
Johnny: This was years ago, I don’t know
Ali: When’s your birthday?
Johnny: 23rd
Ali: How old will you be?
Johnny: 17
Ali: I’ll let you off, that is ages and ages ago then
Johnny: Will I let you off your piss poor joke?
Ali: I won’t learn if I’m not given half a chance
Johnny: I’ve nothing to teach you
Ali: I think you’re funny, yeah, know you didn’t ask
Johnny: Are you finished?
Ali: Finished asking questions?
Ali: There’s a clue
Johnny: Whatever you’re aiming for or at us with your questions
Ali: I’m just talking
Ali: aimlessly, you can say
Johnny: I ain’t only stood ‘round for your entertainment, playground you’ve turned my backyard into all the same
Ali: The aim is that it’s mutual
Ali: if it ain’t, no hard feelings, I guess
Johnny: Mind how you go then
Ali: Thanks, you too
Johnny: Later, smart girl
Johnny: maybe I’ll build a rocket with my baby niece in your honour
Ali: You should, take pictures
Ali: I’ll work on my bike in yours
Johnny: [do take pics and do send them to her later, obvs, it’s giving an adorable rocket this bub can sit in, cos she’s just a toddler, helmet on too cos she said he never wears his, but a space one he has also made, I’d do socials for it but idk if I’d find what I wanted so let’s just use our imaginations]
Ali: 😍😍😍😍
Ali: You’re such a good uncle, I would play on that
Johnny: She does, I’m wrapped ‘round her 10 fingers
Ali: How could you not be
Ali: She’s your first?
Johnny: Carrying the eldest girl tradition on into the next generation
Ali: Absolutely, you need as many bossy women in your life as possible
Ali: How’d you make it then
Johnny: Some engineer, you need telling
Johnny: Look at it
Ali: I still am
Ali: Don’t you want to talk me through your process?
Johnny: No
Ali: Let it speak for itself, fair play
Johnny: I’m letting you speak
Johnny: How would you have me do it?
Ali: I would think you [make your guesses at what you think he did just from looking at it in these pictures] and maybe [a more out-there take you aren’t sure about]?
Johnny: Is that so?
Ali: At least tell me if I got close!
Johnny: I’ll have [his niece’s stunning name * a slip up because he’s caught up in this moment, telling when he deliberately hasn’t yet used any of his sister’s names to her *winnie has decided btw her name is Fiadh aka ‘fee-ah’ cos it means ‘deer’, ‘wild’ or ‘untamed’, for what’s to come later with their binocular talk, popping off atm in ireland but it wouldn’t be in this era, Johnny chose it or helped to and you can’t tell me otherwise] tell you
Ali: Your co-creator, look forward to it
Ali: [and telling him that if he puts paint on her feets and hands then they can make alien creatures from the prints, because want to be involved but it’s also a cute idea to decorate this, wherever that may be available, even if it’s just a flag to be added or whatever]
Johnny: [do it and send her a pic of this bub’s feet and handprints in paint absolutely everywhere because she’s running amok through the site haha, almost like it’s a treasure hunt, like see where you can spot some, as well as some smaller crawling ones which are her younger sibling who is just a baby boy but who wanted to be involved]
Ali: Oops
Ali: You might have a point about trouble
Ali: but they’re cute enough to get away with any and all
Johnny: You’ve a point about them never being this young again
Johnny: it’s to be treasured, and treasure made of it
Ali: Another thing we can easily agree on
Johnny: We’re ever to find common ground, there’s sense in doing so where she treads
Johnny: I’d agree to anything for her sake
Ali: Would be really sneaky of me to use that for my benefit
Ali: so I won’t, but she’s as lucky to have you as you are to have her
Johnny: I’m lucky my sister lets me help out, she hasn’t a shortage of women to lend her a hand
Ali: Your hand has its uses, too
Ali: There’s plenty you can do and teach her
Johnny: As another guiding one
Ali: Precisely, all hands on deck has to be the best way to go
Ali: as someone with a lack of family beyond the siblings
Johnny: ‘Cause of your daddy’s further-afield accent
Ali: No disguising that one
Ali: leaving was necessary, but that means those connections aren’t strong, even if they’re repaired
Johnny: Fighter such as he was, in his day, means he’s free to walk with his head high, no disguise necessary
Ali: I’d have fun putting one together for him but no
Ali: his own daddy long since gone, he’s no need of hiding these days
Johnny: What fun’s been had working on your bike?
Johnny: put me out of my misery for the asking
Ali: I knew you’d be dying to know
Ali: [tell him what you’ve been doing, I’m gonna say this is on your push bike like you’re making sure it’s up to standard for your paper round as he was so concerned about it, just giving it a lil MOT]
Johnny: [have a lil nerd about it in the way me and my boo absolutely cannot but y’all can, helping her take this MOT above and beyond verbally because he can’t physically swag up her bike himself yet and make something for her to carry her papers etc like he did in the OG but that time will come, and soon I’m sure]
Ali: [pics/lil vids when necessary to show you following these instructions rn]
Johnny: [clocking SUCH minor things she wouldn’t even think are an issue from these vids/pics and telling her to fix them because he’s a worrier and overthinker with daddy energy that’s off the charts]
Ali: You’re very observant
Johnny: [like he did in the OG, telling her she should ride a different bike that’s more suited to the terrain and distances she covers, being so specific because he’s plotted her paper round route in his head just from her giving him the suburbs to go on, he’s that sort of bear, obsessive]
Ali: I know it’s not ideal, but I found this one, and I love it
Ali: [tell him how bad it was when you found it, send pics if you have, idk how long ago this was]
Johnny: [send her some pics of your motorbike cos she’s only seen it in its current state of looking very cool, but we know it was a wreck when you got/found it, likewise, an honestly gaggy transformation cos you’ve spent years on this I’m sure, even if you really went hardcore when the Miri stuff hit the fan, for obvs reasons, was a slowburn before that too]
Ali: No way
Ali: you’d never know it wasn’t brand new now
Johnny: The brand new ones [something yours doesn’t, very subtle so he isn’t shading her for not clocking it]
Ali: I like yours better
Ali: Will you show me how you [and some fix she can see he did and she doesn’t know how to do]?
Johnny: [telling that whatever fix this is she doesn’t need it for her push bike MOT as a sassy way to say no]
Ali: I might my other bike; does that change your answer?
Johnny: Unless your other bike’s [a specific powerful bike or engine or vibes like that, which it isn’t and he already knows that without knowing anything about it cos she’s a tiny girl who isn’t old enough], you don’t
Ali: 😒
Ali: You’re sort of thwarting my dreams of going to Singapore, if you think about it
Johnny: Let’s hear it, go on
Ali: You could really teach me how [this powerful engine] works, beyond the basics
Johnny: Spoke like the girl I nearly forgot you were for a sec
Ali: Maybe I’ll buy some binoculars then
Ali: observe from a distance
Johnny: I’ve some you can borrow
Ali: What do you use them for?
Johnny: [tell her, in my head it’s giving Morgan’s 3 legged deer bestie, those vibes, but whatever wildlife is irish caravan site appropriate, idk, because it isn’t just his lame donkey he loves bye, a family of something is being cared for here, we’re not talking about all the spying we do on everyone too such as carly’s mother and our wayward fam lol, soon to be Alison also]
Ali: Oh, okay
Ali: perfect answer
Johnny: My honest answer
Ali: Which is why it's perfect
Ali: I’ll leave them somewhere you can find them
Johnny: I’ll leave ‘em hanging off your handlebars to be found
Ali: Thanks, Johnny
Ali: and for teaching me, even from a distance
Johnny: Alright
Ali: IOU
Johnny: A minute’s peace, but it’s as well my breath’s not held waiting for you to pay off that debt
Ali: Mine can be
Johnny: Proven by the action
Ali: Wait and see
Ali: and not hear me, for once
Johnny: I hear you in my broken sleep, girl
Ali: Why can’t you sleep?
Ali: And it can’t just be how loud I am
Johnny: You underestimate the volume on you
Ali: I know how loud I am; I’m just not here EVERY night
Johnny: I could’ve sworn you’re always here
Ali: Still ringing in your ears, maybe
Johnny: We built on the flat, sound travels
Johnny: too late to start whispering in my cousin’s ear instead of your usual nonsense
Ali: I could leave some headphones when I bring the binoculars back
Johnny: [telling her you’ve got some ear defenders, whatever they’re called, like ear plugs but more hardcore, like babies have at concerts now, that they use on the building sites]
Ali: If you’re trying to give me a complex so I never open my mouth again…
Ali: solid effort
Johnny: I’ve also a solid length of chain and padlocks, say the word
Ali: Do I get three guesses at it?
Johnny: Operating on a 3-strikes system, you’d be long gone
Ali: You wish
Johnny: I’ll pray
Ali: People bother poor old God with less
Ali: Still, we can handle this between us
Johnny: Your sister is known to bother the man to distraction herself
Ali: She’s a lot of questions need answering
Johnny: She’s a lot of rosaries about her person, rest of us get by in the singular or with none
Ali: What camp do you fall in?
Johnny: [tell her that you got gifted one at your communion or whenever is standard, but it’s since broken, so she knows you’re without for when she wants to make you one as she did in the OG]
Ali: I do have one you can borrow, if I keep driving you to prayer
Johnny: No stranger to being driven to my knees, does the trick
Ali: I have a hassock too, for your poor knees
Johnny: [tell her about the padding you have, cos I feel some work trousers have that in, so you can graft without needing a kneeling foam thing like in the garden, I swear I’m not hallucinating the existence of such clothes, am I?]
Ali: Flirty
Johnny: The other trades aren’t paid to, turning up to do the electrics don’t equal sparks flying
Ali: But you are?
Johnny: But am I what, winking at lads?
Ali: I was thinking, clients, if you ever need meet them
Ali: but yours is a better mental image; we’ll go with that
Johnny: Sooner avoid the mental image of certain elders and the clients, blind eye over black
Ali: Does put you in an awkward position…
Ali: Ignore me, being a pervert, I was proper upset when the lads finished their driveway, that’s all
Johnny: Could rip it up, like
Johnny: in your desperate position
Ali: Not winning the family there back over any time soon
Ali: and what do you mean by desperate, cheek
Johnny: What I said, you’d an air of
Ali: Is it a crime to appreciate a job well done?
Johnny: The sin’s in your tongue near touching the fresh driveway, for another mental image nobody asked for or had want of
Ali: I’m very subtle, can’t you tell
Johnny: By God, you’re very something, I wouldn’t choose subtle
Ali: Near touching isn’t touching, that’s restraint
Johnny: That’s the length of a muscle denying you, not yourself being worth your salt in showing any
Ali: I do, all the time
Johnny: Come off it
Ali: I’ve done it loads in this conversation alone
Johnny: I’d hate to read it, this is you practising what you believe to be restraint
Ali: That’s why I rewrote it all, for you
Ali: maybe not all, but you get the point
Johnny: Yeah, you’re blatant in the making of yours
Ali: Sorry
Ali: I don’t know why I chose to say that
Johnny: Are you?
Ali: Obviously, if my plan was to make things not weird, tripping at the last hurdle
Johnny: It’s not obvious to me
Johnny: what you’re doing is tripping over yourself to shift my eejit cousin
Ali: He was leaving, it was literally a peck
Johnny: You wore the face off him
Ali: Never did!
Johnny: 1 of yous is a liar
Ali: Oh, that means he’s talked about it, to you
Johnny: Did you reckon he wouldn’t?
Ali: I didn’t think it was a big enough deal, nah
Ali: that’s awkward, now I know why you were giving me weird looks
Johnny: Awkward you’re after him for his new work clothes
Ali: 😫
Ali: Your turn to be quiet
Johnny: You don’t get a turn in telling me what to do
Ali: I don’t have any chain going spare, maybe I could work something out with the padlocks still
Johnny: None that’d hold me, same as your tongue
Ali: You said it’s not long, but I reckon it’s strong enough
Johnny: The non-stop exercise to be sure
Ali: Careful, you don’t want me to use it against you
Johnny: Everything you might be, I’ve no fear it’s forked
Johnny: barely sharp s’closer to the truth
Ali: Can’t ask your cousin, weren’t actual shifting
Johnny: He’s already run his mouth about every shape yours makes
Ali: Oh my God, why
Ali: My first impression was doomed before I even got here
Johnny: Don’t flatter yourself you’d of made a decent one on us anyway
Ali: We’ll never know
Johnny: Never mattered
Ali: To you
Johnny: I’d go to my grave before I’d go to your bed
Ali: You weren’t being invited
Johnny: Good, we can both relax
Ali: Phew
Ali: I can breathe
Johnny: Deep as the hole you dug earlier, and slow as you are to heed anyone but yourself
Ali: Because I take care of myself
Johnny: You throw yourself at people and into harm’s way
Ali: Where’s the harm here?
Johnny: You’re the danger, if you really can’t see none
Ali: You think I’m desperate, but they were just jokes
Johnny: You are who you are, you gorja girls don’t change much from one to the next
Ali: Right, great, cheers
Johnny: You ought to open your eyes in place of your mouth
Ali: Forget it, like actually forget this conversation happened
Johnny: Use it does when you forget yourself
Ali: I got comfortable
Ali: it’s not going to happen again now
Johnny: My faith’s strong except for in where you’re expecting me to put it
Ali: All I can do is prove you wrong
Johnny: He’ll offer you loads of chances to prove yourself one way or the other
Ali: That’s another story
Johnny: I don’t care what story you tell yourself to fit how your mate Ronan treats you
Ali: It isn’t anything to do with you
Johnny: Exactly, yous both involved me by not having sense or knowing you should’ve been born with to quiet down, s’all
Ali: I didn’t tell you anything, that was all him
Johnny: We must use the word different from each other
Ali: Isn’t it enough that I feel like an idiot?
Ali: I apologised for shite craic, what else can I do?
Johnny: Don’t make me look thick, I called you smart
Ali: You’re too observant
Ali: to be made to look any way you don’t want to
Johnny: Don’t make me feel it either
Ali: I won’t
Ali: I was never trying to
Johnny: There’s your warning never to try to
Ali: I’m not like that
Ali: whatever you think of me
Johnny: I’m giving not thinking of you a lash
Ali: I’ll make that easier, leave you alone now
Johnny: To be alone with him
Ali: What? No
Ali: I don’t think I can face anyone right now, never mind him
Johnny: Put it all aside but [giving her a push bike repair to do that takes a long time even if it isn’t particularly difficult, so she has that]
Ali: Keeping me busy
Johnny: I don’t want it, your face on his
Ali: I’m that bad?
Johnny: You don’t belong with him, whatever your shared shite craic
Ali: Yeah
Ali: I know that
Ali: I know how it is
Johnny: You claim to
Ali: You don’t have to spend long around Moses to understand what you’re saying
Johnny: I’d have you spend none of your time near Moses
Ali: Goes with you having me nowhere near your home
Johnny: For your benefit, not mine
Ali: Yours by proxy, then
Johnny: Say you’re a toy to Ronan, you’d be a trophy to his brother, understand?
Ali: I understand he has no interest being my friend, I promise; in fairness, he’d say as much if I asked him, no doubt
Ali: I know I’m just a kid to you, but I’m not completely naive; you don’t have to worry about me
Johnny: What I shoulder I will without a word from you
Ali: I can shoulder my own shit, that’s all
Ali: Be the best cousin you can be; that’s up to you
Johnny: You can’t help yourself but to get the last in, can you?
Ali: If I was after doing that, you’d know
Ali: I’m trying to stop you from wasting energy
Johnny: How is it you’re wasting mine here then?
Ali: I’ve said I’ll stop
Johnny: I’m waiting
Ali: You’re replying
Johnny: I’ve manners
Ali: Don’t feel like you have to use them on my account
Johnny: Barn weren’t where I was born, your prejudice’s speaking up again
Ali: I didn’t put my foot in it that hard, come on
Ali: Perhaps one of your cousins looks a lot like you, it’s an easy mistake to make
Johnny: In the dark, the where and when I’d to fall over you, since you’re falling over yourself to party with my cousins
Ali: Not those cousins, with their blue, blue eyes
Ali: 🦉🐈⬛🌑🦇 I’ll see you coming and get out of your way, binoculars not necessary
Johnny: Spit of you, if anybody
Johnny: something to be said for you fancying yourself
Ali: You that has me reckoning them
Johnny: You lobbing the gob with the dope who rates you
Ali: I don’t know
Ali: I’m confused
Johnny: You intended the tarmac but your tongue slipped and fell against his, is it?
Ali: You don’t want to be my therapist
Ali: And if I start thinking out loud, you’ll see how restrained and quiet I am compared to what goes on in my head
Johnny: Plain to see you’re neither without need of the sight nor any more of a nudge from you
Ali: Not when compared to you, that’s an unfair fight
Johnny: I ain’t in the habit of fighting little girls
Ali: Wouldn’t start with me
Ali: I might surprise you
Johnny: Your daddy’d be surprised how far his teachings wouldn’t get you when the gloves are off
Ali: Leave your fighting words with your refusal to prove it
Johnny: I refuse to fight dirty just ‘cause you’ve your fun in the gutter and many a part of you’s been left behind last you did
Ali: I sound like a Mr Potato Head
Ali: don’t think I look that bad right now, but I’ll need to check I have all my features, now you’ve said it
Johnny: I can’t say I know your man there personally
Johnny: and I’d sound backward as you’d have me, to your mind, if I said I’d take the babies playing with a real potato over that fella
Ali: I never said you were backwards, you want me to hold those beliefs so you can tell me to fuck off without feeling any type of bad for it
Ali: and you’re talking to the girl who [and just tell him all the weird and wonderful ‘toys’ you had over the years that were not toys at all because she is that diva, thank you]
Johnny: [tell her how old you were when you made your first toy for yourself and what you made it out of, cos it’s giving young as hell and yet slay]
Ali: Do you still have it?
Johnny: [tell her what happened to it because it’s giving one of Moses’ dad’s badly behaved dogs ate it or something, cos much like your rosary getting destroyed by one of your cousins, this feral fam just won’t let you have nice things in their chaos, he isn’t telling her that Miri gave him her fave toy to try and cheer him though, that’s a secret just for us]
Ali: I’m devastated
Johnny: [not you making her one as we speak, which he will be leaving for her with the binoculars when he leaves them, just wait diva, in the here and now, he’ll be telling her what he made next and showing her that he does still have it, whatever it is, via a pic, to cheer her, cos lesson learned to be more careful from then on and certainly a lesson he’s taken to heart lol]
Ali: 🥺 You were the sweetest kid in the whole wide world
Johnny: Only a kid, same as anywhere else in the world
Ali: Where did you live when you were a kid?
Johnny: [tell her, cos we’ve never delved into your childhood sir and how long y’all have lived here or what so I won’t commit us, we’ve said Carly has lived on site her whole life and Ronan and her kissed when they were children, if we stand by that, but otherwise, cos I can see your cousins living here first, lowkey also always so longer than y’all, cos the nan’s faves, and your dad coming back at some point to try and win some favour back as we’ve said, but that doesn’t need to have been your whole life ago]
Ali: You’ve done some moving then, good
Ali: my whole life thus far has been between [dropping postcodes because you’ve always been in Dublin]
Johnny: A stone’s throw, I could you further
Johnny: but I’ve the rest of my life, suppose
Ali: Will you do the whole of this country, or do as many countries as you can
Ali: or go as far as you can, possibilities are endless
Johnny: Why are we talking about what is and isn’t possible again?
Ali: It’s exciting to think about
Ali: Maybe you’ll send me postcards
Johnny: For you maybe, you’re free to roam where you want, nobody cares
Ali: Yes they do
Johnny: They wouldn’t see you out making a nuisance of yourself and mixing with us if they did
Ali: What’s wrong with yous?
Johnny: Give over
Ali: I’ve hung around worse
Ali: be flattered or offended
Johnny: Proves my point
Ali: It’s known my parents can’t keep a firm grip on any of us
Ali: I’m the least trouble
Johnny: You’re the youngest, you should be under somebody’s eye, knowing the troubles that have gone before
Ali: Wouldn’t I be a dick to cause any more grief?
Johnny: Grief you’ve felt
Johnny: grown men have acted up for less
Ali: If my house was the struggle olympics, I’m coming dead last
Ali: I’m lucky, even if it means less attention
Johnny: It’s meant to be a home, where no one comes last
Ali: Yeah, no, I’ve made it sound really bad
Ali: I can’t explain
Johnny: I don’t need the pressure explained to me
Johnny: nor the luck of the draw
Ali: You get it
Ali: everyone has their role to fill
Johnny: We’ve of us of crosses to bear in our roles
Ali: I could be the eldest son, like you
Ali: that’s got to be harder
Johnny: I wouldn’t trade it, the tradition I carry in my blood to be passed down, that’s what I’ve got to call mine
Johnny: history, a name, living or dying in the time I do
Ali: I wish I had something
Ali: but I’ll have to find mine
Johnny: You’ve no rush, my sister at a bit older than you has only recently started the learning of hers
Ali: What’s hers?
Johnny: Healing, more or less
Johnny: she wouldn’t put it so blunt
Ali: That’s a purpose to have, if ever there’s any
Ali: I’d love that, I mean I do, the stuff I’ve learned myself
Johnny: Number of births and brawls to be handled alone
Ali: Well, yeah, no going out of business
Ali: Could you ask her what to do for [some minor injury she’s got herself by being clumsy lol]?
Johnny: No need, what you do is [and tell her because you just already know, a genuine answer for once, not go home lol]
Ali: You’ve been having some lessons of your own
Johnny: I’ve basic knowledge of my own, no bragging rights, Fiadh could pick the [whatever herb or flower or whatever] herself by [smell/colour/whatever] at the age she is
Ali: You’re not needy for compliments, I get it
Johnny: It’s not a difficult remedy, I wouldn’t want you getting too ready with your thanks
Ali: Just using my manners, promise
Johnny: You’ll swear too much to keep track of, you aren’t careful
Ali: Even if I do, you’ll remind me
Ali: don’t miss anything, you
Johnny: I don’t miss you, I haven’t had chance to
Ali: You’d leave me counting ‘til you do and I’d be there ‘til infinity
Johnny: Good practice for space travel, counting that high
Ali: Mhmm, and the loneliness 👩🚀
Ali: Well supportive, tah
Johnny: [tell her a cute story about the stars, as if you’re showing how supportive you can be and you don’t just want to, it’s giving something to do with the constellations because so many are animals and it’s the same energy as the wildlife through the binoculars those kinda vibes, very folk story, very fable, very also as a child I thought xyz]
Ali: You can come over and use my telescope
Ali: not a come-on, I mean it genuinely
Ali: [tell him what your favourite constellation is like a big nerd]
Johnny: [dropping a postcode or coordinates or whatever like she did with her dublin addresses which is somewhere he’s been where he could see the most stars and see them the best with his naked eyes, we can pretend he’s just saying fuck you and your telescope and isn’t lowkey telling her to go there if she’s a big nerd who loves stars]
Ali: I’m checking when the clearest night is this week
Ali: The view up the mountains is pretty spectacular, too, long as you bring a torch to get back down
Johnny: I’ve never not got a torch
Ali: He’s prepared
Johnny: [say something nerdy about how powerful it is, cos that’s nerd flirting but also yes you are always prepared haha]
Ali: 🥵 Please
Ali: Shamed how many times I’ve used my phone as one now, amateur hour much?
Johnny: Will I leave you a spare?
Johnny: growing debt, like
Ali: Feeling like you want me in it at this point
Johnny: Your second message said you knew how you’d make it up to me
Ali: Shall I put you out of your misery again?
Johnny: There’s the sky to look to for answers, but I’d still hear yours
Ali: I did only say I think, but no need to couch it in that
Ali: [sending him a pic to show you found a part that he needs because you’ve been paying THAT close attention to what he’s doing, nbd]
Johnny: [this boy GAGGED, so there’s a pause while he’s STARING at this picture in disbelief and also daring it not to be the right part lowkey if he looks at it enough cos then he can dismiss it, but it is, so he eventually says, like a thank you]
Johnny: I think I could turn a torch into something you could wear, spare you the weight of it
Ali: I’d like that, a lot
Ali: I’ll leave this out for you, leave you the honours of fixing it
Johnny: [draw out all your different possible designs like lil blueprints, cos there’s so many ways she could wear this from a necklace or watch to a belt or something on her shoe, head to toe possibilities lol, so she can see you’re thinking and taking this seriously, idk but I’m sure my boo could find something cool if she wants to ref his creation at any point]
Ali: You make the call, I want it to be a surprise
Ali: I bet you have a headlight at work
Johnny: That a hint?
Johnny: I’ll attach it to a headband if you want
Ali: It would be multifunctional for you, keep your hair out of your eyes at the same time
Ali: no hints, I’m not ruining the surprise already
Johnny: Talk of bikes had us wondering, but you are a girl, there it is in you
Ali: Didn’t know I was in disguise like that
Johnny: You wouldn’t, you’ve lost the meaning of being one
Ali: It just means something else to me than it does you
Johnny: Yeah, the freedoms of a boy
Ali: I’ve unchecked freedom regardless, as you’ve pointed out
Ali: being a girl doesn’t come into it
Johnny: Your family wouldn’t turn their backs, as you said, they never had yours
Ali: We don’t
Johnny: Hold any of the values we do
Ali: You make assumptions all you want, hardly the first
Johnny: You telling on yourself does me enough
Ali: This explains why you’re so convinced I’m here to judge
Johnny: You’ve shown us what you’re here for
Ali: Because it doesn’t need to be a secret
Johnny: You’ve more need of the attention
Ali: I’m not apologising for wanting to have friends; there’s nothing nefarious about it
Johnny: Kissing all your pals, are you?
Ali: If they want to, sure
Johnny: Jesus
Ali: Don’t, you make me feel bad
Ali: I’m not aiming to be shocking like some try-hard
Johnny: You should, state of yous and your friendships
Ali: Everyone knows I tried to kill my last friend, and this is what horrifies you
Ali: I’m redeemed
Johnny: Room for both to horrify me, don’t worry yourself
Ali: Just everything about you, he says
Johnny: Quit your acting shocked, this isn’t a surprise
Ali: It is, I thought you really liked me
Ali: something about the way you avoid me like the plague
Johnny: Be the epidemic you’re looking to start
Ali: If I get infected, I won’t hide it; those people are the worst in zombie movies
Ali: You can take me out, as a treat
Johnny: It’s no game or laugh to me
Ali: I’m not going to do anything to upset you
Ali: I’m just chilling; that’s the truth
Johnny: You have
Johnny: Why would you let them do that?
Ali: Do what?
Johnny: You don’t have to be what they say you are, what your sister is
Ali: I shouldn’t have to be perfect just to stop people talking
Ali: and that’s what people love to do, no matter what I am or aren’t
Johnny: So you just let them treat you like you’re worthless
Ali: I don’t think they do
Ali: if anything, surely Ro treats me like I’m a little too special right now
Johnny: ‘Til he’s got what he’s after
Ali: That would only happen if I wanted it to
Johnny: His rite of passage, your disgrace
Johnny: you’ll never be his equal, s’why you can’t be his friend
Ali: There’s no reason it can’t be my rite of passage too
Johnny: Ask your sister the reasons
Ali: It’s a bit fucking different
Johnny: Nowhere close to as different as you’re pretending
Johnny: you’ve your uses to him, ‘til you don’t
Ali: Jesus
Ali: I don’t even know what to say to you, if you seriously believe that I would put up with that
Johnny: Friends don’t kiss or lie with each other, I shouldn’t have to be the one saying that to you
Ali: Friends with benefits exists; I’ve not created the concept
Ali: but I was only talking about kissing, like a kiss, not really getting hot and heavy about it
Johnny: You don’t exist in a film, and he wasn’t about to die for the lack of your mouth on his
Ali: What if I never saw him again?
Ali: He’s already going to forget about me once school rolls back around and I’m there and he’s busy living his life
Johnny: If you’re that forgettable to him, best you don’t
Ali: I know how it works, life moves on
Johnny: It can stand still, feel like it is
Ali: Do you have a girlfriend?
Johnny: What happened to knowing how it works?
Johnny: I’ll settle and have a wife
Ali: When?
Johnny: When my daddy sets me up with a decent girl
Ali: Are you going to get any say?
Johnny: I can say no, even if he puts his foot down
Johnny: but I trust his judgment
Ali: Fair enough
Johnny: My sisters married well, they’re happy
Ali: I’m glad
Ali: and that’s one less thing for you to worry about
Johnny: Keeping the community going, how it’s been and is meant to be, is a worry
Ali: You can only do your part
Johnny: And that I am
Ali: I’ll convince Ro to, if I’m still around
Johnny: Big if for a little girl
Johnny: lucky for you, I’ve no need of your help
Ali: I will be, actually, I wanna go to the wedding, so
Ali: and he’s shy around girls, I’ll have you know, for all your talk that he’s some absolute player
Johnny: His you might get an invite to, as you’re such close mates
Ali: Wasn’t holding out hope for an invite to yours, rude as you are
Ali: Be his best man, just to fuck all his brothers off
Johnny: Better man than Moses wouldn’t be hard
