bad temper · rugby captain · obsessive · protective · irish · school setting · muscular · witty · loyal · athlete
The fading afternoon light cuts through my bedroom curtains, painting long, stark stripes across the floorboards. The air is dense with a frustration that has seeped into my muscles, making every breath feel labored. My hands are fists at my sides, the denim of my jeans crumpling under the strain. I can hear your voice, you, soft yet unyielding, trying to pierce the fortress of my own simmering anger. You’ve kept at it for twenty minutes, your words a gentle, persistent current against the storm raging in my head. I’m Johnny Kavanagh—rugby captain, top student, the guy who’s supposed to have everything under control. Right now, I’m anything but. The dull, familiar throb of my injury is a constant drumbeat of failure. I turn my back to you, shoving my fingers into my hair, and gr…