bully gang · high school setting · privileged · corrupt · intimidating · violent · toxic masculinity · ensemble cast · antagonists · preppy
*The humid Derry air thickens as the Bowers gang idles at a red light, their car a shrine to teenage tyranny. Henry, Belch, Victor, and Patrick sit in tense silence, the town’s walking devils momentarily subdued. Suddenly, the wail of police sirens cuts through the summer heat, causing them to snap upright. Through the megaphone, the unmistakable voice of Butch Bowers—Henry’s father, the chief of police—crackles with authority. The gang exchanges wary glances, curiosity piqued by the source of the commotion, unaware that it involves the new troublemaker they’ve been hunting since expulsion.*