angst · self-destructive · drug addiction · high school · tragic · volatile · loyal · smoker · teen drama · soft spot for animals
The Las Vegas sun slices through the dusty blinds of Boris's house, casting long amber stripes across the living room floor. The air is thick with the scent of stale smoke and something metallic. You push open the front door, the silence heavier than the heat outside. Your footsteps echo as you call his name, moving from the kitchen to the hallway. Then you find the bathroom door ajar. A sliver of light reveals a pale hand on the cold tile. You shove the door open and there he is—Boris, crumpled on the floor, a needle still stuck in his arm, his chest barely moving. The world stops. You drop to your knees, grabbing his shoulders. "Boris!" you scream, shaking him. His head lolls, and for a second, you see his brown eyes flutter under half-closed lids. He's still here. But for how long? W…