‘What do you think?’ I said.
‘I think it looks busy!’ she said, laughing.
‘Too busy?’
‘Probably nothing you can’t handle.’
She passed the schedule back to me and her fingers touched mine.
‘Your hands are freezing,’ she said.
I blew into them and did three jumping jacks and she laughed.
‘Anyway, you actually are on a mission and I’m holding you back,’ she said.
‘I didn’t get to ask about your Christmas break?’
‘I’ll tell you at lunchtime … or, wait … your schedule … well, I’ll tell you when I tell you, go!’
‘OK,’ I said, ‘wish me luck!’
‘Luck!’
I dashed up the path and when I reached Mrs O’Neill’s room I turned to look back and Jennifer was still standing there watching me. She gave me two thumbs-ups and then did three jumping jacks. I laughed and then knocked on the door.
‘It sounds like an awful lot to take on, Brendan,’ said Mrs O’Neill. ‘It’s a big year for you already, you need all your concentration to be on your exams.’
‘I’ve got it all planned out, Miss – look.’
I handed her my schedule and she took her time looking through it.
‘Have you discussed Events Management with your careers adviser?’ she said with a concerned-looking smile. ‘It’s certainly very well thought out. Although I don’t see homework scheduled in?’
‘I’ll fit that into my evenings too, Miss.’
‘And your weekends sound hectic as well. What’s this you were saying about a weekend job? Could they not give you time off?’
‘Doesn’t really work like that, Miss.’
‘I’m exhausted with the whole notion and I’m not even the one that has to do it!’ she said.
We smiled at each other.
‘But,’ she said, ‘I do think it’s wonderful that you and Ronan are getting to spend time together a couple of evenings a week, even if it does add to the weight of things.’
‘But it won’t feel like a weight, Miss, it’ll be more of a weight if I don’t see him.’
‘I’m agreeing with you, Brendan, I’m just worried about when you’re going to sleep!’
‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead, Miss.’
‘Oh, Brendan, don’t! Please don’t,’ she said, putting her hand to her chest.
‘I’m only joking, Miss. I know it’s a bit hectic-looking on paper but I can handle it. And my mum said that I’ve to speak up if things get too much at any point.’
‘Yes, I was about to say that – you do need to check in with me and let me know how you’re getting on and you need to be honest with me if you’re getting bogged under. But you also need to hear me or your parents if we come to you and say it’s too much; it’s not that we’ll stop you doing everything but we may need to re-jiggle things. Just as long as we have that open-door policy between us, deal?’
