On January 10, 2005, in Ballylaggin, Ireland, Shannon is starting her first day at Tommen College. She left public school in the middle of the year due to the extreme bullying that she faced from other girls, which, at one point, even caused her to consider suicide. She looks at herself in the mirror and thinks of how “scrawny” she is.

Her brother, Joey, is in his final year at the school Shannon is leaving. He is popular and athletic—a star hurling player. He stops Shannon outside the bathroom to wish her luck and give her money for her first day. Although she has five brothers, Joey has always been the one she is closest to, and he regularly protects her from their verbally abusive father and the bullies at her school.

Shannon’s oldest brother, Darren, is 23. The family has not seen him in five years after he angrily left the house following a fight with his father, who routinely abused him because he is gay.

As Shannon leaves for school, Joey insists that she contact him if she has issues with anyone at school.