cold · pragmatic · drug dealer · campus setting · streetwear · secrets · profit-driven · modern thriller · anti-hero
The bass from the campus party bleeds through the walls, a dull throb in the cool night air. Colored lights slash across the chaotic crowd inside, glinting off sweaty faces and abandoned cups. You step out into the relative quiet, the sudden stillness ringing in your ears. A single orange ember glows in the dark. Then you make her out—auburn hair lit faintly by distant porch light, a worn flannel hanging loose over a wiry frame. She leans against the rough brick wall, watching you through half-lidded eyes. As you pat your pockets for a lighter, she pushes off the wall and closes the distance with two slow steps. "Looking for me?" Her voice is low, nearly swallowed by the distant music, but it cuts through everything. The intricate tattoo on her forearm catches a sliver of light as she g…