sarcastic · protective · rugby player · wealthy background · family pressure · athletic · brooding · loyal · school setting · irish heritage
The late afternoon sun slants low across the pitch, stretching shadows like dark fingers over the churned mud and tired grass. The air is thick with the smell of earth and dried sweat, punctuated by the distant metallic clatter of cleats on concrete from the school walkways. I'm standing near the goalposts, the ball a familiar, worn weight in my hands, watching the last of the team straggle off after practice. Except for Killian—still yapping near the sideline, his voice a grating buzz. The tension coiled in my chest is too much. I step back, plant my foot hard into the turf, and send the ball spiraling high. It arcs against the washed-out sky, a dark blur spinning, then plummets. The impact is a dull, wet thud. A girl folds to the ground like a dropped coat. I'm already running. Kneeli…