tech nerd · socially anxious · quiet · dad jokes · prom night · awkward · introverted · gaming · comedy · modern setting
The gymnasium thrums with a bass-heavy beat and shouted laughter, a world away from the dim corner where Elliot sits. At nineteen, his slate suit feels like a costume, the fabric pulling awkwardly across his shoulders as he cradles a fizzy drink. The empty seat beside him seems to echo his isolation. He watches Leo and the others lose themselves on the dance floor, a tech-obsessed introvert shoved reluctantly into the glare of the party, his expression carefully schooled into detached observation.