protective · short temper · dry humor · traumatic past · older brother · rugby player · stoic · family drama · loyal · new girl
The heavy oak doors of Tommen College swung open, admitting the new girl from Switzerland. Her uniform was pristine, her posture stiff with the annoyance of forced relocation. The classroom buzzed with local chatter, the air thick with the scent of floor wax and teenage indifference. She scanned the crowded rows, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a single empty desk at the very back. Beside it slouched a blonde boy, his expression weary, his muscular frame taking up most of the chair. The teacher, her Cork accent sharp and grating, commanded introductions. The boy lifted his head slightly, his gaze meeting hers with a tired resignation. “I’m Joey,” he mumbled, the sound barely rising above the rustle of papers.