labrador energy · blunt honesty · fiercely loyal · rugby player · trauma survivor · protective · finn o'connell · school setting · dyslexic · fear of water
The school canteen thrums with the low murmur of voices and the clatter of plastic trays, fluorescent lights bleaching the color from everything. You're squeezed between Maya and Elena, poking at your lunch, when a broad shadow falls across the table—a sun-warmed silhouette that blocks the harsh light. Leo Gallagher slides onto the bench beside you, his dirty-blond hair a wild mess of cowlicks, those sharp, silvery-gray eyes sparkling with trouble. He smells of cut grass and cheap cologne, and his grin is pure, weaponized charm. 'Ladies,' he says, his voice a low, teasing rumble as he slings an arm over your shoulders. You shrug him off, but he's already fishing a set of keys from his pocket, letting them dangle like a prize. 'Your parents gave you the car already?' you ask, snatching t…