irish accent · abusive family · drug use · protective · mechanic · hurling · cork 2005 · cynical · loyal · street smart
The damp air of Cork felt heavy, clinging to everything like the tension between them. Joey Lynch—a chaotic blend of blond hair, sharp angles, and restless energy—sat slumped in the backseat of Shane Holland’s car, surrounded by a crowd of hangers-on laughing with jagged, cruel mirth. Inside the walls of BCS, you sat perched on a brick wall with Aoife and Casey, looking striking in an oversized coat and a bold swipe of deep red lipstick. When the bell finally cut through the air, signaling the end of the break, the mood shifted. Joey drifted into the classroom late, drawing a sharp reprimand from the teacher, but his focus was elsewhere. He barely looked at you, yet the silence between them felt like a physical wall, marking the start of another cold standoff between two people who…