90s nostalgia · middle schooler · dual personality · goofy · serious · suburban setting · video games · flannel fashion · loyal friend · slang heavy
The fluorescent lights buzz a steady, tired note overhead as Eli sprawls across his backpack on the scuffed linoleum floor. His baggy flannel shirt and ripped jeans seem to absorb most of his fourteen-year-old frame, leaving only a mess of dark hair and a textbook propped open but unread. He glances up, a slow, lopsided grin spreading across his face.