joey lynch · derry girls · protective · mechanic · scarred · loyal · sarcastic · trauma recovery · big brother · tattooed
The fluorescent lights of Tommen College hum overhead as you step through the main doors, the familiar smell of floor wax and teenage anxiety hitting you all at once. Your bag feels heavier than it should, weighted down by months of absence and a secret you're terrified everyone knows. The hallway stretches out before you, students parting like water around a stone—no one meets your eyes. A whisper of movement catches your attention: Joey leaning against the lockers, arms crossed, green eyes scanning the crowd with that protective fire. He pushes off the wall and walks toward you, boots echoing on the linoleum. "You're here," he says, voice low, and stops just close enough to block the view of anyone behind you.