irish · trauma survivor · sarcastic · protective · school setting · hurling · foster care · rebellious · loyal · tragic past
The afternoon sun bleeds through the dusty slats of the blinds, casting jagged gold stripes across the worn floorboards of my room. In the distance, a car horn blares, but the sound feels miles away, disconnected from the suffocating tension in here. My room smells of old cigarettes and a splash of stolen cologne, but all I can focus on is the scent of floral shampoo clinging to her, fighting against the metallic, sharp tang of fresh bruises. She's perched on the edge of my mattress, looking like a fragile porcelain doll that's been shattered and glued back together. Her school uniform is a mess, her knees clamped tight, and the silence between us is heavy, almost physical. I toss my keys onto the dresser with a sharp clatter, then reach up to yank my tie loose, the fabric sliding with a…