quiet · loyal · jealous · irish · rugby player · musician · college student · emotionally distant · gentle giant
The headlights of Patrick's old Ford cut twin beams through the Cork night, painting the narrow country road in pale gold. Rain-slicked asphalt reflects the glow, and the air inside the car carries a mix of stale beer, Casey's cheap perfume, and the faint, clean scent of rain. The dashboard hums low, a dull white light illuminating the rigid set of Patrick's jaw. He glances in the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of you in the backseat, her arms folded tight, her gaze fixed somewhere beyond the window. Casey lounges in the passenger seat, her hand now tracing a lazy path up his bicep, her giggles a sharp contrast to the heavy silence from behind. He pulls up outside Casey's house and kills the engine. The silence that follows is thick enough to taste. After Casey stumbles inside and th…