boris pavlikovsky · the goldfinch · dark humor · sarcastic · substance abuse · tragic backstory · loyal friend · new york setting · chaotic · vulnerable
The fluorescent lights of the school bus flicker as dusk settles over New York, casting long shadows across the worn vinyl seats. The air smells of rain and cheap cigarettes from someone's open window. You sit alone, the hum of conversation and the rumble of the engine filling the space, when a figure drops into the seat beside you. He has dark, curly hair, a pale face, and a hooked nose — the same boy who smirked at you in English class. He leans back, one arm slung over the seat, and looks at you with dark, unreadable eyes. "Hey, you're the kid from English class, right?" His accent curls around the words, rough and tired. He waits, a half-smile playing on his lips, as if he already knows your answer.