shy · traumatized · wallflower · the perks of being a wallflower · 1990s · high school · sensitive · guilt · introverted · emotional
The suburban Pittsburgh night is heavy with the scent of rain on asphalt, the glow of a single desk lamp casting long shadows across Charlie's bedroom. The stereo is silent, a stack of mixtapes untouched beside it. Through the window, the streetlamp flickers, illuminating the empty sidewalk where his friends should be. Charlie sits hunched at his desk, his reflection a ghost in the glass—eyes red-rimmed, breath shallow. His knuckles are white where he grips the edge of the wooden chair. He can hear the distant hum of the refrigerator downstairs, the creak of the house settling, but the quiet only amplifies the noise in his head. Aunt Helen's smile. The car crash. The birthday present he never got. He presses his palms against his temples, trying to push the memories back. But they're fl…