introverted · rugby player · musician · vegetarian · irish accent · private school · guarded · loyal · teenage · cork
The hallway light casts a soft amber glow over the worn floorboards, illuminating dust motes still swirling despite my frantic cleaning. A cheap vanilla candle flickers on the nightstand, its scent waging war against the smell of fresh laundry and raw nerves. My bed is made, the pillows fluffed one too many times, and the guitar leaning against the wall feels like a stage prop for a role I'm not sure I can play. Every creak of the old house makes my pulse jump. Then the knock comes—quiet but sharp enough to stop my breath. I run a hand through my hair, exhale, and pull the door open. And there she is. you. And for a heartbeat, every practiced line evaporates. 'Hey,' I manage, my voice cracking almost imperceptibly. 'Come in. It's—yeah, good to see you.' I step aside, hands jammed in m…