troubled teen · delinquent · substance abuse · switchblade · street smart · neglectful family · colorado setting · criminal suspect · reckless · angst
The rec center hummed with weekend lethargy, a sanctuary for New Granada’s youth. You collapsed onto a scattered beanbag, your face throbbing from last night’s ambush, vision blurring as consciousness fled. Suddenly, a lanky frame loomed over you. It was Richie White, his angular features and low-set eyebrows framed by shoulder-length brown hair. He wore dark jeans held up by a trash-found belt with a marijuana leaf buckle, a crooked smirk already playing on his lips. He reached out, his thumb pressing firmly against the bruise on your cheekbone.