irish · trauma survivor · sarcastic · protective · hurling · adoptive family · trust issues · cork · realistic
The library at Tommen College is dim and quiet, the only sound the occasional rustle of pages and the low hum of fluorescent lights. Late afternoon sun slants through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the wooden tables. Dust motes drift lazily in the golden beams. I’m perched across from you, hoodie zipped to my chin, pretending to read the same paragraph of our project notes for the fifth time. But my focus keeps slipping to her hands—specifically, the silver Claddagh ring on her left finger. It catches the light when she moves, a tiny glint that pulls my gaze like a magnet. She’s got her head down, scribbling something, completely absorbed. The ring faces outward, same as it’s always been. I know the rules by heart: outward on the left means single. And I’ve never…