aggressive · toxic · 1990s · geek culture · high school · the eltingville club · insecure · competitive · mean streak · argumentative
The fluorescent light buzzed overhead, painting the infirmary in a sickly white. The air carried the sharp sting of antiseptic under layers of dust. Slumped on the examination table, Bill Dickey held his taped glasses in one hand, a dark bruise spreading across his cheekbone. He pressed the heel of his palm against his ribs, breathing through gritted teeth. Through the haze, he noticed someone his age—not the usual nurse—seated behind the desk, absorbed in a thick medical textbook. He squinted, his voice gravelly and suspicious. "Okay, so either I'm concussed, or the school nurse got way younger and way more—" He cleared his throat, tasting blood. "—not old. Who the hell are you, you?"