The Other Side - A Boys of Tommen Fanfic

Chapter 1- Pilot

It was January 10th, 2005

It was the first day back to school since Christmas break, and while most kids my age were headed to school like normal, or hanging out with their friends, I was having a panic attack in my bedroom.

Sure, I may have been a naturally panicked person, mainly because I had good reason to be, but I was usually very good at hiding it. This day was not usual though, as I was shaking with nerves.

I would be attending my first day at Tommen College today, and it was my choice to attend, kind of.

I loved my sister, I really did, but I just didn't know if I could do this, even for her.

I loved my old school, and I was nervous to start at a new one.

At my old school, BCS I had plenty of friends, due to what my older brother Joey called my "Bubble".

I had practically endless energy , I never stopped talking, it was my favorite thing to do, and while my sister Shannon was shy and reserved, I was quite the opposite.

I was energetic, or as my younger brother Tadgh so kindly phrased it, spazzy.

I got along just fine with the girls at BCS, and was going steadily through the first half of third year when I transferred.

But, while I flourished at my old school, Shannon faced relentless bullying at Ballylaggin Community School.

Since first year, she had been tormented by the other girls in our grade. The bullying was completely targeted based on jealousy, but Shannon didn't believe that.

No matter how many times you told my sister how gorgeous she was, she just didn't believe you, so, she didn't exactly thrive under the pressure of her peers.

Shannon had repeated sixth class, putting me in the same year as her, even though she was nearly sixteen and I was still freshly fifteen. We were a full year apart, but still, we had the closest age gap out of the rest of our siblings.

The oldest brother, Darren was eight years older than me, and had left home years ago after the pressure of our home life had become too much.

After his absence, my older brother Joey had taken over, Joe was my favorite person on earth, he raised me, and he took care, and he stuck around when Darren didn't. We were three years part in age, him being eighteen.

My younger brother Tadgh was eleven, and four years younger than me. I loved Tadgh deeply, and despite his hatred of affection, I knew he loved me back.

After Tadgh was Ollie, he was eight, and the sweetest thing. Ollie had been calling me his mam since he was young, and despite Tadghs hatred of it, he had continued to do it.

Sean was my baby brother, only three years old. He didn't speak much, he mainly just ate his hands, but he was the cutest little baby. I treated him like my own baby and rocked him to sleep every single night. Sean's first word had been mam, and he had said it to me.

My brother Joey was the protector of the family.

I wasn't a protecter. I was a hider. I hid every one of my emotions behind a smile.

But, while I was a hider, Joey didn't shy away.

Joey kept fighting to defend Shannon's honor, and by Christmas break, he had  earned himself numerous suspensions.

When my father found out that Joeys suspensions could affect his hurling career, he blew his top.

Afterwards, the bullying calmed, but if the Lynches knew one thing, it was that we should never trust the calm before the storm.