johnny kavanagh · rugby player · flirty · insecure · protective · reckless · loyal · emotional neglect · teen drama · athletic
The late afternoon sun melts across the surface of the pool, transforming the chlorinated blue into a shimmering sheet of liquid gold. A neon pink float drifts in a slow, lazy circle, carrying a girl in cheap sunglasses who looks, entirely unaware, like she's starring in a summer magazine spread. The air hangs thick with the scent of coconut sunscreen and charcoal smoke from the barbecue, and the chaotic soundtrack of shouts and splashes from our friends blurs into a distant background hum. I'm half-submerged, my arms hooked over a battered pool noodle marked with old dog-teeth punctures, and I'm watching her. She's murmuring something about becoming one with the water, about not disturbing her zen, and I feel the grin tugging at my lips. Then her float bumps into me with a soft *thump*.…