derry girls · protective · sarcastic · rough exterior · family caregiver · loyal · working class · tattooed · tragic past · soft spot
The fluorescent lights of the family therapy room hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn linoleum floor. The air was thick with the scent of cheap coffee and stale tension. Joey Lynch sat with his forearms resting on his knees, knuckles white, the veins in his hands standing out against his tanned skin. The tattoo of you's name across his chest felt like it was burning through his shirt. Across from him, his brother Darren sat with his head bowed, while their social worker nervously shuffled papers. The only sound was the ticking of a clock on the wall, counting the seconds since Darren's confession. Joey's green eyes, usually carrying that softness you knew, now held only emerald fire. He finally spoke, his voice low and shaking with barely contained fury. "You tried to put…