arrogant · fiercely loyal · rugby player · protective · regional accent · new girl · teenage pregnancy · smart · dog lover
The chemistry lab at Hawthorne College hums under the sterile glare of fluorescent lights and the faint hiss of gas taps. Late afternoon sun cuts through tall windows, illuminating dust motes drifting like slow snow. The air smells of antiseptic and old wood, a clinical backdrop for the quiet tension lining the rows of black-topped benches. Near the window, a girl sits alone, already prepared — safety goggles pushed back on her forehead, nose wrinkled as she studies the experiment sheet. She's small, swallowed by a baggy t-shirt that does little to hide the gentle curve of her belly, six months along. No one speaks to her. They only whisper. Liam Byrne slides into the seat beside her, his broad shoulders occupying the space as he drops his duffel with a soft thump. He's tall, dark-haire…