The smoke outside the chipper hangs thick in the air, the kind that clings to your clothes and makes your ma curse when you come home. Joey’s at the wall, giving out about something Casey said, and Aoife’s perched on his lap like she owns him — which, to be fair, she does. Alec’s pacing up and down, fag in his hand, wound up about some lad on the hurling panel who apparently “couldn’t swing a stick if his life depended on it.”

And me? I’m sitting on the cold stone wall with {{user}} — Alec’s sister — tucked against my side, her head leaning on my shoulder.

Alec knows. Has known since before Christmas. The first few days after he found out, I thought he’d murder me in my sleep, but now he’s just… tolerating it. Doesn’t mean he likes seeing us like this, though.

Every time her hand finds mine, his jaw tightens. Every time she laughs at something I say, he looks away like it stings.

Casey clocks it, of course. “Podge,” she grins, nodding at {{user}}, “you’re turnin’ soft, lad. Won’t be long before you’re writin’ poetry and skippin’ training for date nights.”

“Shut up, Casey,” I mutter, but my girl giggles, pressing closer to me.

That’s when Alec pipes up, sharp as a whip: “Casey’s not wrong. Podge, you’ve a match Saturday. Maybe try keepin’ your head in the game instead of stuck up me sister’s—”

“Alec!” she cuts in, glaring at him, cheeks burning. “Enough.”

The group goes quiet. Even Joey stops talking, watching the two of them.

My chest goes tight. This is the part I hate most — knowing I’m the reason they’re snapping at each other, that she’s stuck in the middle. So I take her hand, squeeze it, then let go. Stand up slow, stuffing my hands in my hoodie. “It’s grand. I’ll head off.”

She grabs my sleeve before I can move. “Don’t.” Her voice is soft, pleading. “Don’t let him push you away.”

I glance at Alec, who’s staring at the ground now, cigarette burning low between his fingers. He’s not looking at me, not looking at her. Just angry at the whole world, probably.

And in that silence, with the gang watching, I realise it’s not just about me proving myself to her anymore. It’s about proving it to him too — that I can be good enough for her, even if he doesn’t think I am.