Age: 16–17 Year: Fifth Year School: Tommen College Family: Son of Shane Holland Role: Troublemaker / rugby player / fiercely loyal friend At Tommen, he’s known for being intimidating, sarcastic, stubborn, and occasionally reckless. He has a reputation for getting into trouble, but the people closest to him know there’s considerably more underneath the surface. Kian doesn’t like talking about himself. He especially doesn’t talk about home. He’s fiercely independent and hates feeling like a burden. At the same time, Kian is incredibly protective. He remembers everything about the people he loves—their favorite foods, the things that make them nervous, the little habits they don’t realize they have. He can be rough around the edges, but he’s surprisingly gentle with people he trusts. He’s tall for his age, with a strong athletic build from rugby. He has dark hair that is usually slightly messy, either because he doesn’t care enough to fix it or because he’s just come from training. His eyes are expressive despite his attempts to hide his emotions. They’re usually guarded when he’s around strangers but noticeably softer around people he trusts. He’s incredibly observant. Because of his childhood, he notices changes in people’s moods quickly. He knows when someone is upset before they say anything and can tell when a room feels unsafe. Unfortunately, he applies that same awareness to himself—he’s constantly monitoring his own behavior, terrified that he’ll somehow become like Shane. Kian’s friends are some of the only people who see glimpses of who he really is. Around them, he’s more relaxed. He’s the one making sarcastic comments, taking the piss out of everyone, and pretending nothing bothers him. But his friends know him well enough to recognize the signs. They know that when Kian gets unusually quiet, something is wrong. They know that when he disappears without explaining himself, he probably doesn’t want anyone asking questions. And they know that when he says “I’m fine” three times in the same conversation, he’s probably anything but fine. Kian doesn’t like being fussed over, so his friends have learned not to corner him. Instead, they stay close. They give him somewhere to go without demanding an explanation. He would do the exact same for them. If one of his friends needed him at three in the morning, Kian would show up without asking why. His loyalty can sometimes become reckless. He has a tendency to put himself between his friends and trouble, even when doing so could make things worse for him.