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“What time are your friends picking you up to go watch Johnny play?” Ollie asked then.

I glanced at my phone and smiled. “Now.”

“Now,” Tadhg mimicked, batting his eyes. “God, you’re such a girl.”

“I know,” I countered with a laugh. “Andyou’rea brat.” Tilting my head to one side, I smirked. “I hope you treat the girls in your year nicer than you treat me when you start at Tommen next month.”

Tadhg snorted. “I’m not changing for anyone—and I’m not wearing a fucking blazer.”

“Tadhg,” I warned. “Don’t curse.”

“Well, I’m not,” he snickered. “I don’t care how cute Dellie says I look in one. I’m from the Terrace, Shan, and I’m a hurler. I can’t be walking around like all those posh rugby fu—”

“Don’t curse!” Ollie chimed in. “It’s bad manners.”

“You know what? The blazer will suit you when you start in a couple of years, you little kiss-ass,” Tadhg taunted. “‘It’s bad manners.’” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t know where we got you, Oliver Twist.”

“Fine by me,” Ollie replied, unaffected. “I’m going to be wearing a lot of blazers when I’m a barracker anyway.”

“Abarrister.”

“Just like John,” Ollie confirmed proudly.

“Well, I’m going to be a mechanic,” Tadhg shot back. “Just likeJoey.”

“But Joey’s not a mechanic,” Ollie replied, frowning. “Joey’s sick.”

“Yeah,” Tadhg huffed. “But once he’s all better and comes home, he’ll be a mechanic again.”

“Is he coming home soon?” Ollie asked.

“No,” Tadhg growled. “Because he’s not better yet.”

“Oh.” Ollie’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong with him again?”

My heart squeezed tight in my chest. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Joey since the funeral back in May. He’d been in treatment for close to two months and was still refusing to let me visit him. “He’s just resting,” I forced myself to say. “He’s really tired.”

“Really?” Ollie scrunched his nose up. “I thought it was because he was messing with the helium.”

“Thehelium?”

“Yeah.” Ollie nodded innocently. “Freddie on my football team said that his mammy told Donal’s mammy that Joey’s in the hospital because he was messing around with the helium and the needles.” He scrunched his nose up. “Why was Joey messing with needles and balloons? Wouldn’t they pop?”

Tadhg glared. “It’s not helium, you fool, it’s heroi—”

“No, no, itishelium,” I quickly interjected, giving Tadhg a pleading look. “Remember?”

“Oh, yeah,” Tadhg agreed, cringing. “That’s right.”

“And he’s really tired,” I added, sagging in relief. “So he’s having a big rest.”

“Yes.” Tadhg forced a smile. “From minding us.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t have to do that anymore,” Ollie replied innocently. “Dellie does it now.” He smiled brightly. “And John.”

“You know what I miss?” Tadhg said, thankfully changing the subject. “Aoife’s freebies from work.”

“Oh, yeah,” Ollie agreed. “She used to bring home all the best stuff to us.” Scratching the back of his head, he looked around and asked, “Where’dshego?”

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