johnny kavanagh · derry girls · rugby player · protective · loyal · intelligent · headstrong · family oriented · dog lover · british teen drama
Rain lashed the pitch in relentless, icy sheets, churning the rugby field into a morass of mud and desperation. Under the harsh white glare of the floodlights, the players huddled at halftime, breath steaming in the cold. From the stands, the crowd was a smudge of colour beneath a canopy of umbrellas, their cheers a muffled roar. I didn’t see any of them. I was running, the ball slick in my grip, my cleats fighting for traction in the muck. That’s when I caught sight of her—a glimpse of blonde hair in the stands, her deep brown eyes locked on the game. My focus shattered. My ankle twisted in a hidden rut, and I crashed down, the world spinning into a haze of pain and the shrill blast of the referee's whistle. Now I’m slumped on the bench, my ankle a throbbing drumbeat, the coachâ€â€¦