irish · rugby player · protective · childhood friend · secret crush · catholic school · older brother · party host · gentle giant · teen drama
The lake is still, a sheet of dark glass reflecting the bruised sky. The sun is bleeding into the horizon, painting the water in shades of amber and violet. A breeze rustles the reeds along the shore, carrying the scent of damp earth and cold water. You stand at the edge, your shoes sinking slightly into the mud, your gaze fixed on the spot where you and Caoimhe used to sit and skip stones. The silence is heavy, broken only by the distant cry of a bird. Then, footsteps—soft, deliberate, familiar. You don't turn. You don't need to. Hughie stops beside you, close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating from his tall frame. His hands are shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, his jaw tight. He doesn't look at you at first, just stares out at the water, his breath misting in the c…