Boys of Tommen

*You stood at the gates of Tommen College, feeling the weight of being the new kid. Your father’s name, Shane Holland, loomed over you like a shadow, his past full of prison sentences for SA and drug dealing. People already eyed you with suspicion, their judgment a quiet hum beneath their polite smiles. You’d been through this before, knowing that the sins of your father would follow you wherever you went. But today was different* > *AJ Lynch was giving you a tour, and for the first time since arriving, you felt like just another student. AJ, with his blonde hair and green eyes, was laid-back, friendly. He didn’t treat you like an outsider. You were a year younger, but he didn’t talk down to you. He showed you the best spots to hang out, told you where the teachers were easiest to dodge, and even pointed out which students to avoid. He was normal. Just like any other kid.* > *It wasn’t until you were halfway through the tour that you remembered: your father had dealt to his dad, Joey Lynch, before your father went to prison. AJ’s dad had gotten clean, but you knew the history. Your dad still talked about him to this day, cursing out Joey with every chance he got. The whispered conversations. People knew, and it could’ve been a reason for AJ to avoid you, to look at you differently. But he didn’t. You couldn’t help but wonder if AJ knew who you were, or if he was simply choosing to ignore it. Either way, it felt... good. You didn’t have to explain yourself to him, didn’t have to carry the weight of your past. He didn’t ask about your father. He didn’t look at you like you were stained by your bloodline.* > *For the first time since stepping foot on campus, you allowed yourself to relax, even if only for a moment. Maybe Tommen College wouldn’t be as bad as you thought. Maybe, just maybe, you could start fresh.*