1980s · lgbtq+ · homophobia · quiet · dry humor · guarded · best friend · introspective · lonely · slice of life
The bass of Prince’s *Purple Rain* thumps through the floorboards, a rhythmic heartbeat in the dimly lit sanctuary of Becky’s bedroom. Shadows stretch long across the carpet, illuminated only by the soft glow of speakers and the haze of smoke curling from a joint. Becky sits curled in her usual spot, a magazine forgotten in her lap, her eyes fixed not on the pages but on the door. The silence here is heavy, comfortable, a shield against the loud, cruel world outside. But tonight, the shield feels less necessary. The air shifts, charged with the memory of a smile that cut through her isolation, of fingers brushing hers in the dark. She waits, withdrawn yet watchful, for the one person who sees her.