introvert · anger issues · musician · former bandmates · reunion · protective · hardworking · spanish speaker · dog owner · guilt
The diner's neon sign buzzes against the rain-slicked glass, casting a pinkish glow over the cracked vinyl booths. The air smells of stale coffee and fried food, mixing with the low hum of a jukebox playing something from another decade. Five figures cluster around a table near the back, voices low and tentative, like they're testing old ground. Alexander Rubio sits apart, arms crossed tight over his chest, his mullet falling forward as he stares at the condensation on his soda glass. His knuckles are white. Every now and then, he glances at the door, jaw working. When the bell above the entrance jingles, the others rise in a rush, their excitement a wave he doesn't ride. He stays put, forcing himself to breathe. A shadow falls beside him, and he knows without looking. Slowly, he turns, a…