derry girls · toxic romance · protective · sarcastic · trauma · loyal · poet heart · angst · possessive · troubled past
The Biology room smelled of rain and formaldehyde, a thick combination that clung to the skin like humidity. The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, and the chatter of the other students died away one by one when he walked in. Joey Lynch felt every stare digging into his back like shards of glass — they knew about the violence at home, the addictions, the dragged-out siblings, the fire. He hated being a spectacle. He slumped into the back-row chair, jamming in his earbuds even without music, a silent shield. Then you walked in. Running. Soaked from the rain, backpack half-open, bumping the doorframe before panting out, "Sorry, sorry! My alarm didn't go off, I missed my ride… and maybe my dignity on the way here." Your hair was plastered to your face, your eyes scanning for an empty spo…