Shannon starts her first day at Tommen College, feeling invisible and safe among students who largely ignore her.

A rugby ball kicked by Johnny accidentally strikes Shannon in the back of the head on the school field.

Shannon's mother arrives at school and accuses Johnny of injuring Shannon on purpose, despite Shannon's defense of him.

Gibsie obtains Shannon's school file for Johnny, who reads pages of bullying incident reports and vows to protect her.

Reporters photograph Shannon and Johnny together after a Tommen rugby win, and the photo appears in a newspaper.

Shannon's father sees the newspaper photo of her with Johnny and beats Shannon, accusing her of sleeping with him.

Shannon vomits in the school hallway from anxiety about going home; Johnny drives her to Biddies pub for comfort.

Joey finds Johnny alone at a diner, gives him a ride home, and unknowingly leaves Johnny's phone in the car.

Shannon visits Johnny's house with Joey to return his phone; his large dogs knock her over and cover her in mud.

Joey leaves Shannon at Johnny's house after receiving a phone call about their mother's miscarriage.

Shannon and Johnny share whispered confessions on the bus to Dublin about his injury fears and her history of bullying.

Johnny is tackled and severely injured in the final moments of the Dublin playoff match.

Shannon goes into the locker room to comfort an injured Johnny; they share their first mutually returned kiss.

Shannon sits with Johnny in the hospital as he declares his love for her repeatedly while under morphine.

Shannon arrives home and her father beats her relentlessly; Joey tackles their father and demands their mother choose.

Pool 1 covers the most pivotal events driving Shannon and Johnny's relationship alongside Shannon's abuse storyline. It begins with Shannon's arrival at Tommen College and the rugby ball incident that first brings the two together. Their connection deepens through a series of forced encounters, even as Shannon's father reacts violently to any sign of their relationship. The climax arrives during the Dublin playoff match, where Johnny's injury finally breaks down both their walls and leads to their first mutually shared kiss. The novel closes with Shannon's father delivering the most brutal beating in the book, only for Joey to intervene and force a long-overdue confrontation with their mother.

The central romance and abuse storyline from beginning to end.

Joey stops Shannon before school on her first day, wishes her luck, and gives her money for expenses.

Johnny orders his entire rugby team to stay silent about the incident where Shannon was struck by the ball.

Shannon returns to school after her concussion and discovers that the incident on the field was never mentioned by anyone.

Shannon watches one of Johnny's rugby matches and is struck by how much more skilled he is than his teammates.

Shannon declines Johnny's party invitation after a rugby win, afraid her father will punish her for coming home late.

Ronan corners Shannon outside the bathroom and grabs her shoulder; Gibsie drags him away and throws him out of the building.

Shannon misses her bus after hiding from Ronan; Johnny finds her waiting outside and insists on driving her home.

Shannon angrily tells Johnny in his car that he is to blame for not letting his injury heal, then storms off.

Shannon spends a week at home caring for her younger siblings after both of her parents separately leave the house.

Shannon gets her period at school; Bella finds her in the bathroom and threatens her to stay away from Johnny.

Johnny stays at Shannon's house helping her with math homework for four hours, completely losing track of time.

Shannon's father destroys her phone after a neighbor reports seeing Johnny drive Shannon home from school.

A medical exam at the academy confirms Johnny's injury is too severe to continue training or playing for several weeks.

Shannon discovers a playlist on Johnny's iPod labeled 'Songs for Shannon,' filled with love songs, during the bus ride to Dublin.

Johnny wakes in severe pain after surgery and sends Shannon out of his hospital room before hearing his prognosis.

Pool 2 captures the secondary events that give texture to Shannon and Johnny's world, from small acts of kindness and protection in their early meetings to the complications that delay their relationship. Joey's support, Gibsie's loyalty, and Bella's interference all play key roles as Shannon and Johnny navigate their feelings while managing their separate struggles. Shannon's home life worsens steadily, with her father destroying her phone and both parents abandoning the household entirely. The pool follows the full arc through the Dublin trip and its aftermath, ending at the hospital where Johnny's surgery forces him to finally face the cost of his secrets.

The supporting moments and complications that shape the story.

Shannon realizes at Tommen that students largely ignore rather than bully her, and she has real friends for the first time.

Johnny slips money anonymously into Shannon's locker to help replace the clothes damaged when he struck her with the ball.

School administrators call Johnny to the office and tell him to stay away from Shannon; her mother returns his jersey.

Joey tells Shannon about Johnny's elite rugby academy, and Shannon realizes she had no idea how famous Johnny truly is.

Gibsie confesses privately to Johnny that he loves Claire and envisions marrying her when they are older.

Shannon tells Claire over the phone that she really likes Johnny, admitting her feelings out loud for the first time.

Johnny's mother manipulates a situation to bring Shannon back to the house and force the two to spend time together.

Shannon kisses Johnny in his bedroom while he stands frozen; humiliated by his non-response, she locks herself in his bathroom.

Bella spreads rumors at school that Shannon is sleeping with Johnny, destroying Shannon's carefully maintained invisibility at Tommen.

Johnny punches Cormac in the face at lunch after Bella loudly gossips about Shannon, causing Shannon to flee the room.

Joey explains to Aoife why calling the authorities is not an option, describing what happened to their brother Darren in foster care.

Johnny acknowledges to himself while walking toward the locker room before the match that he is fully in love with Shannon.

Gibsie wakes Shannon at the hotel before dawn with news that Johnny underwent emergency surgery overnight.

Shannon tells Johnny — while he is high on morphine in his hospital bed — that her father is the one abusing her.

Shannon begs Joey to stop beating their father, telling him she cannot survive being left behind if he goes to prison.

Pool 3 traces the subtler turning points and private revelations that gradually push Shannon and Johnny toward confronting their deepest problems. From Shannon realizing she is safe at Tommen for the first time, to Joey explaining why the family cannot seek outside help, each event shifts something fundamental in the story's emotional landscape. Shannon and Johnny's walls come down slowly through secret gestures, an unreturned kiss, and overheard confessions before everything fractures in Dublin. The pool ends with two of the story's most important moments: Shannon finally naming her abuser to the one person she trusts, and then fighting to protect the brother who has always protected her.