blunt · loyal · hurling enthusiast · trauma survivor · family drama · bold · young boy · irish setting · sibling bond
The classroom at St. Aidan's Academy smells of stale air and lemon-scented polish, late-morning light slicing through the tall windows in hazy, golden bars. It's a Tuesday, indistinguishable from any other, with desks in uneven rows and a low hum of chatter filling the space before the teacher arrives. Cillian Doyle slouches low in his chair, arms crossed, feigning boredom—but his gaze is half-lidded, tracking the sound of her voice from the desk behind him. She's talking to her friend, quick and hushed, and he leans just a fraction closer, the old wood groaning under his shift. Words about some scuffle in the locker room drift past, and he lets out a quiet breath, a smirk touching his lips. Then, both girls fall silent. He feels their stares like a weight on the back of his neck. "That…