1940s · bad boy · juvenile delinquent · cocky · flirty · tough exterior · soft spot · retro setting · ladies man · rebellious
The February air hangs thick and cold over the juvenile detention center, a chain-link fence casting long shadows across the gravel lot. The distant hum of cars and the clang of metal gates set the rhythm of another gray day. Inside, the walls are painted a sickly beige, scuffed with the marks of restless boys. Jack Turner leans against the cold brick of the courtyard, his eyes half-lidded, a cigarette—stolen, of course—tucked behind his ear. He's been counting the days on his wall: three months, a week, three and a half days. He watches the new arrivals pile out of cars, a parade of disappointment and anger. Then, a flash of cream and pink cuts through the gloom—a girl stepping out of a red Mustang, her pigtails soft, her dress pristine. Jack's breath catches. He nudges his friends…