SEEKING 7 | boys of tommen

f i g h t

Hughie and Patrick were drinking, Pierce and Lizzie were bickering like a married couple, Katie and Aoife were tearing it up on the dance floor, Johnny and Shannon were practically glued at the lips, and Joey was out front trying to stop Gibsie from throwing up on the lawn. That left me playing the role of impromptu hostess.

I was the only one of our group actually helping out—handing out drinks, clearing up rubbish, and making sure the party didn't completely descend into chaos. It wasn't like anyone asked me to help, but I couldn't shake the guilt. Sinead had gone all out for this party, and the least I could do was make sure her house didn't look like a warzone.

The DJ was doing a killer job keeping everyone hyped, blaring "I Predict A Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs through the speakers, so loud that it was hard to hear anything else. The bass thumped in time with the pulse of the party. Yet, it wasn't the sound of music that tipped me off to trouble—it was the bodies, partygoers scattering in my line of sight like they were being picked off by some invisible force.

Then, there was the crash—a loud, unmistakable sound of something slamming against a wall, cutting through the music. My heart sank as I dropped the bin bag I was holding and sprinted toward the front hall, pushing through the thick crowd that had gathered there. The moment I reached the door, I was hit with a scene that made me groan in disbelief.

It was carnage.

Aoife had Joey pinned to the side of Hughie's car, keeping him restrained to stop him from fighting, while Shannon was sobbing into her hands. Johnny was at her side, trying to calm her down. Patrick, ever the knight in shining armor, was dipping Katie in a half-dance, half-protective gesture, having shielded her from a rogue beer bottle. Meanwhile, Hughie was on the front lawn, straddling a dark-cloaked stranger and pummeling him with his fists. To top it all off, Lizzie had seized the moment to throw herself at Gibsie, her hands wrapped tightly around his neck as she throttled him, while Pierce just stood there looking clueless.

"What the hell is going on?" I shouted, charging into the chaos.

Hughie, still sitting on the stranger's chest, was livid. "Who the fuck do you think you are, coming on my property?" His voice was thick with fury as he raised his fist again. Priorities kicking in, I made a beeline for him. Biggest problem first.

"The Gardaí are on the way!" Mr. Murphy from down the road yelled from his porch. "They'll sort you little toerags out."

"Good!" Hughie bellowed, his fists still flying. "Tell them to bring extra vans, because if they put me in the same one as a rapist, I'll kill him!"

Rapist? My stomach dropped.

"Oh no," I whispered, my heart hammering in my chest. Things just went from bad to worse.

"Hugh!" Sadhbh's voice rang out as she rushed across the street, Keith trailing behind her. "Get off him, right now!"

"Hugh, no!" Katie gasped, her hands covering her face as I hurried over to her, trying to calm her down.

Before Sadhbh could get to him, Keith grabbed hold of Hughie, dragging him off the man beneath him. Lizzie, never one to back down from a fight, immediately jumped to Hughie's defense. "Get your fucking hands off him!" she screamed, launching herself at Keith. Her nails clawed and scratched at his arms, landing blows on any exposed skin she could reach.

Suddenly free, Mark, the dark-cloaked man, staggered to his feet. With a snarl, he lunged at Hughie, sending himself, Hughie, and Lizzie crashing down onto the driveway in a tangled heap. Lizzie let out an ear-piercing scream that sent chills down my spine. It wasn't just a scream—it was raw, primal, full of terror.

"Get the fuck off her!" Gibsie roared, momentarily forgetting his ongoing feud with Hughie as he rushed forward to help Lizzie. He reached out a hand to her, but Lizzie, still shaking and crying, refused his help. She scrambled away on her hands and knees, looking like a terrified animal trying to escape.

Shannon rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around Lizzie and murmuring softly. "It's okay, Liz. Just breathe. You're okay. I'm here."

Patrick, who had somehow managed to stay out of the fight, quickly removed his jacket and crouched down, draping it over Lizzie's trembling shoulders. His face was tight with concern as he tried to help.

"See what you've done?" Hughie shouted, chest heaving as he glared at Mark, who was still on the ground. Johnny, ever the peacemaker, had stepped between them, holding both parties back with his hands raised, trying to keep things from escalating further. Behind him, Sadhbh stood with her hand over her mouth, too shocked to speak. Gibsie had disappeared entirely.

Sinead and Peter arrived just then, pushing through the remaining crowd. "What the hell is going on out here?" Sinead demanded, her voice sharp with authority.

Sadhbh rushed toward her. "Thank God you're here, Sinead. Please, do something!"

Sinead took in the chaos, her eyes narrowing. "Hughie, inside. Now."

"But, Mam—"

"You heard your mother," Peter snapped, his voice carrying a weight that immediately silenced Hughie's protests. Reluctantly, Hughie stood up, throwing a glare at Mark before storming past his parents and into the house. The others followed quickly—Katie, Claire, and then Johnny, who helped Shannon escort a still-shaking Lizzie inside.

As the dust settled and the partygoers scattered back inside to avoid the approaching police, only Sinead, Peter, Sadhbh, Keith, Mark, and Patrick remained outside with me.

"What happened?" Sinead asked, her voice calm but firm. "I saw them all laughing five minutes ago, and now this?"

Sadhbh sighed, tears brimming in her eyes. "It's my fault. When you called about Gerard drinking too much, I should've come to get him myself. I sent Keith, but..."

"And he sent me," Mark growled, wiping blood from his busted lip. "I should press charges for this."

Peter looked like he was about to explode, but Sinead placed a calming hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Mark. He won't get off easy, I promise."

"I'm sure of that," Mark muttered darkly.

I couldn't help myself. "Where's Gibsie?"

Patrick gave me a tired look. "He took off down the street earlier."

"What?" I asked, my stomach twisting with guilt. "He did?"

Sighing, Patrick pulled out his car keys. "Come on. I'm sober. Let's go find him."