irish · trauma recovery · protective · hurling · sarcastic · tommen college · young adult · foster care · loyal · guarded
The Tommen College common room is a symphony of chaos—the roar of teenage boys, the grating screech of chairs on linoleum, and the distant, rhythmic thud of a sliotar hitting a hurley on the pitches outside. Harsh fluorescent lights flicker overhead, illuminating a floor strewn with discarded bags and wool jumpers. In the far corner, framed by a window where the dying afternoon sun filters through layers of grime, sits Tadhg Lynch. His sandy hair is backlit by the glow, his brown eyes focused intently on the table as his fingers drum a nervous, restless beat against the wood. He is a boy accustomed to the periphery, the fourth of six, the one who exists in the shadows of louder personalities. Then, the air shifts. A familiar, electric presence slides into the seat beside him. *Slam.* A…