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Every friendship has it's flaws. No two people are perfect for each other. At the end of the day you have to look at someone and you have to decide if the good in them outweighs the negative. As far as Erin is concerned, Michelle's good far outweighs her bad. But the way she sees Michelle is not the way everyone else sees her. Which is quite evident when Charlene Kavanagh invites her to her birthday party and reminds her that her friends aren't invited, especially Michelle.
"What's wrong with Michelle?"
"She's a wee bit crass, don't you think? Always shouting obscenities and causing trouble. She's no good. I would be humiliated to have her at my party."
Erin isn't sure what she's more taken aback by, the insult itself or how it made her feel. Charlene, the coolest girl in school, thinks she's better than Michelle. Something about that made Erin's chest tighten. She started to feel defensive and even a bit protective. Michelle is her best friend.
"Michelle is rough around the edges, yes. But she-"
"I don't understand how you could be friends with someone like that."
Someone like that. Erin glances back at her friends. Clare's cheeks are red and she seems to be scolding Michelle. Michelle is barely paying attention, focused on eating her chips. James meanwhile just nods along, too polite to let her think he's also ignoring her. Orla is building a tower out of her cookies. The usual. Her eyes go back to Charlene. She doesn't understand her friendship with Michelle? Well, where does she begin to explain it?
Does she start with the time neither of them could afford to go on a school getaway to a camp? They both had to stay behind and they spent hours coloring and drawing pictures of their least favorite teachers with beards and unibrows. They'd laughed for hours and when they got caught, Michelle said all of the drawings were hers.
Or maybe it was the time she had her tonsils removed and spent the night in the hospital. Michelle had brought over 3 cartons of ice cream. Erin thought her Ma would have a heart attack with all the sugar. They had been able to get through a carton and a half before they both felt sick and the Doctor made Michelle leave.
Could it be the first time she caught the bruises on Michelle's arms? When she questioned her for days before Michelle finally admitted her father had a drinking problem and he can get nasty. That he never hit her, but he would grab her and shove her into her room and it would hurt. How she saw the tears in Michelle's eyes and hugged her friend. She'd begged her Ma to let Michelle live with them, but her father had quit drinking shortly after.
There's also the worst time in Erin's life, when her Grandma died. She'd cried and cried and cried and was certain she would never smile or laugh again. Michelle had come over and convinced her Ma to let her stay the night. By morning Michelle had her smiling and laughing again, through her tears. She'd helped her through that.
Perhaps it was the time Erin had decided to tutor Michelle after she started failing classes. Michelle is smart, but it takes her a little longer to learn than others. Erin had spent hours and days and weekends going over homework with her. Michelle had gotten great marks that semester.
She can't forget the time her Ma was pregnant and on bed rest. The house had fallen into disarray. Michelle had invited her to sleep over all weekend to take her mind off things. She had missed the home cooked meals and the mother hen routine.
Maybe she should start with the time Michelle had her first kiss with that little bastard Sean. They'd gossiped about it for hours at Michelle's house over chocolate and ice cream.
And she could still remember when her first crush had called her ugly and Michelle knocked him right down the stairs. The poor boy had broken his arm and Michelle couldn't sit right for a week after the wooden spoon her mom used to scold her.
It could also be the second time Michelle's father had started to drink. When the bruises came back and the tears had flowed again. When Erin had watched Michelle drink herself into near oblivion. When Erin had helped her friend home. When her father saw her and decided to stop drinking again.
Also, when Big Mandy told Erin she would beat her up after school. Clare had run to get a teacher but Michelle had stood by her side. 'She can't take both of us, aye.' She did. She took both of them quite easily. They still talk about it today.
There are so many examples that Erin can think of, both good and bad, where Michelle had been by her side and she has been by Michelle's. When you're friends with someone for so long they become a part of you. Like a piece of you that you always carry around. When Charlene insults Michelle, she's also insulting Erin.
"Someone like that? You don't know her."
"I don't want to know her. She's rude."
Erin glanced back again at her friends. Her family. Her eyes met Michelle's. The girl who hates being vulnerable and hides beneath humor and constantly saying fuck.
"Ya know, Charlene." Erin turns back to look at her. "If you don't like Michelle, you don't like me. So... so... so fuck off!" And with a final act of bravery, she flips Charlene off. Charlene gasps and the kids around her all stop to watch. Embarrassed and fairly certain she's about to die, Erin spins around and rushes back to her group. She practically collapses in the seat beside Michelle.
"Erin! Did you just tell Charlene to fuck off?!" Clare's whisper is practically a scream.
"Aye, I did."
"Aye you did!" Michelle laughs and looks over at Charlene. "Aye, fuck off!" She lifts her hand and flips her off.
Erin grabs Michelle's arm and pulls it down. "Enough."
"Why would you do that Erin?" James asks, mellow.
"Yes why would you, Erin?!" Clare's still scream whispering.
"Did she insult you hair, Erin?" Orla asks, slowly sticking a chip in her mouth, her cookie tower on the table.
Erin, frowning and curiously touching a strand of her hair, shakes her head. "No. She was just being evil is all."
Michelle leans to the side and nudges Erin's shoulder with her own. "If you want to fight her, I got your back."
Erin suddenly feels more calm. "I know." She grins at her friend, nudging Michelle's shoulder now with her own. "I know you do."