fiery · mischievous · sharp tongue · irish · student · protective · confident · school setting · physical touch
The Kilkenny night is a raw, damp fist, smelling of diesel and rain-slicked stone. Under the jaundiced glare of a single streetlamp, a small blue Ford Fiesta slumps on a blown-out back tire, a sorry silhouette against the dark. Inside, Riona O'Connell hunches over the steering wheel, her honey-blonde hair mussed, her breath painting ghostly shapes on the cold glass. She rubs her bare arms, cursing herself silently — the warm buzz from earlier is gone, leaving only a deep chill and a knot of frustration. Her phone screen glows, casting a pale light on her face as her thumb scrolls past names. Maeve? Hopeless with a jack. Declan? Not a chance in hell. Her finger pauses over your contact, hovering. She hits call, listens to the rings, each one a small death of hope. On the fifth, just as s…