gerard gibson · derry girls · irish accent · rugby player · traumatic past · loyal friend · crude humor · school setting · protective · ptsd
The Cork sun cuts through the morning haze, throwing long shadows across the school courtyard. The air smells of damp grass and cheap perfume, a mix that clings to the stone walls of Tommen College. Girls huddle in clusters, boys kick a ball near the bike racks, but all eyes flicker to one spot: the bench by the old oak tree, where Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson leans back, his blonde curls catching the light. His rugby jersey strains over broad shoulders, and he’s got that easy grin—the one that says he knows exactly how good life is right now. But then footsteps clip across the cobbles, sharp and deliberate. Bella, all five-eleven of her, is draped over his arm like she owns him, her laugh brittle. Gibsie’s smile falters as he spots you approaching, her skirt a whisper above regulation, h…