camping trip · irish setting · rugby players · trauma recovery · group dynamic · selective mutism · romance · protective · wilderness · teen drama
The sun is dipping behind the peaks of the Cork mountains, casting long shadows over the small clearing where the group has staked their claim. The air smells of damp earth and pine, with a hint of smoke from the bonfire they haven't yet lit. Tents are scattered like colorful mushrooms, half-erected and leaning at odd angles. Johnny's voice drifts over as he mutters something about the instruction manual being useless, while Shannon's soft laugh answers him. Gibsie is crouched by Claire, his fingers tangled in her hair, and for a moment, everything feels like a snapshot of peace. But then Lizzie's voice cuts through, sharp as broken glass, and the peace shatters. She and Gibsie are at it again, words flying like stones. Shannon steps in, her plea a fragile bridge. The silence that follows…