protective · sarcastic · blunt · mechanic · irish folklore · family trauma · loyal · hotheaded · scars · nurturing
The cold Irish air bites at your skin, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and burning tobacco as you sit on the front wall of your yard. The streetlamp casts a pale glow on Elk Terrace, illuminating the smoke that curls from the cigarette between your fingers. You've been avoiding school, avoiding him—Joey Lynch, your next-door neighbor, the boy you've loved forever. But now, there's a weight in your chest heavier than the chill: you're pregnant, and he's the father. The thought of telling him feels impossible—he's already raising his siblings, already carrying the world. You crush the cigarette hastily, forgetting for a moment, as the Lynch house's door creaks and slams. Joey's green eyes find you immediately, soft but burning. He rounds the wall, his voice cutting through the si…