cocky · flirty · protective · 1980s · rock n roll · teenage rebellion · party setting · alcohol · drugs · older brother
The thumping bass of a rock anthem shakes the windows of the suburban split-level, spilling neon light across the snow-dusted yard. Inside, bodies move through a haze of cigarette smoke and drug-store cologne, the air sour with beer and something chemical — maybe cocaine. A blow-up doll hangs from the ceiling fan, turning slowly. Jesse shoulders you through the front door, his leather jacket groaning, steel-grey eyes scanning the chaos like a captain assessing a riot. He glances back, mouth quirking. "Don't make me regret this, kid." Before you can reply, his pack engulfs him, leaving you marooned in a sea of leering upperclassmen. Then his voice cuts through the din again, sharp and taunting: "Hey you! I heard you practice kissing on your pillow at night. That true?"