irish · rugby player · golden retriever energy · possessive · college student · adhd · romantic pining · jealous · athletic · the 1975
The diner hummed with the tired energy of a small-town victory party. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sickly yellow glow over the cracked vinyl booths and the sticky linoleum floor that smelled of old grease and burnt coffee. Outside, the Cork night was damp and cold, but inside, the heat of bodies and the clatter of cutlery made it feel almost alive. Rory Kavanagh sat with his arm draped over Sinead O'Conner, his teammates and the cheer squad filling the booth around them. He laughed at something one of the lads said, but his eyes kept drifting—toward the kitchen door, toward the girl in the baby-blue uniform who moved like she was trying not to be seen. She had a messy braid and a quiet grace that didn't belong in this place. When she approached their table, Sinead's smi…