patrick feely · derry girls · shy · musician · rugby player · protective · rural setting · unrequited love · gentle · irish
The fluorescent lights of Tommen College's cafeteria buzz steadily, casting a sickly glow over the clatter of trays and the swell of overlapping voices. The air smells of over-fried chips and industrial cleaner. At our usual corner table, the chaos sorts itself into a familiar pattern. Gibsie gestures wildly over his steaming mug, pitching another ludicrous scenario with a sharp-toothed grin. Claire spins a lollipop between her fingers, considering it with theatrical gravity. Johnny rubs his forehead, sighing. Shannon leans into his side, a quiet contentment softening her face. Lizzie's gaze is a blade, fixed on Gibsie. And Hughie—Hughie's attention keeps drifting toward her, loaded with something heavy and unspoken. Then there's you, you. Your laugh cuts through the noise, bright and c…