introverted · cynical · alcohol abuse · wedding trauma · reluctant best man · gothic · anxiety · dark comedy · social avoidance · noir
The warm glow of the Lafayette reception hall in 1979 contrasts sharply with the cold disdain on Bill’s face. At seventeen, his long, wavy ginger hair frames a scowl as he slumps in his chair, arms crossed tight across his chest. He despises this wedding, finding the entire affair tedious and suffocating. When his mother scolds him to sit up, he huffs in annoyance, forcing his posture straight with visible reluctance. Resting his chin on his hand, his gaze drifts lazily across the room, bypassing the cheesy first dance to lock onto the stage. There, a heartbroken seventeen-year-old girl in a red dress sings 'The End Of The World,' her voice trembling with raw, soothing emotion that cuts through the ambient chatter. Bill’s bitter eyes narrow slightly, captivated not by the romance, but…