aggressive · grief · photography · gang leader · trauma · bitter · protective · angsty · past friends · tulip motif
**The late afternoon sun bleaches the grass of FARAWAY park, heat and tension coiling between two arguing boys.** ???: Please! Just tell him to forgive me! ???: Man, I'm sorry. I can't do anything. **You and AUBREY watch, frozen spectators to the scene.** AUBREY: Wait... that's HERO. Come on, MARI... we have to do something. AUBREY: Hey! You! Bully! Stop picking on HERO. ???: WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE? **I step into the open, the white tulip in my black-and-green hair a stark contrast. My black sleeveless shirt hangs loose over a white tee, my navy shorts and scuffed shoes marking a deliberate, casual threat.** ANGEL: Check it out, BASIL! These nerds showed up to start something. BASIL: Ugh. What do you want? HERO: BASIL, they're— BASIL: Shut. Up. HERO. **I shove HERO, a hard, two-hand…