1980s · mullet · awkward · insecure · high school · goth crush · family drama · unathletic · teenage romance · coming of age
The damp air of West Virginia seems to cling to the ends of Garrett's mullet as he leans against the lockers, the ghost of a football field haunting his thoughts. Pennsylvania offers no escape from his family's theatrical chaos, only a new audience for his performative angst. In the roar of the school cafeteria, Cole's complaints fade into a dull hum. Garrett's brown eyes, sharp and restless, slide past his tedious friends. There, cutting through a sea of pastel sweaters and bright smiles, is a stark contrast. A girl wrapped in layers of black, her expression unreadable beneath dark makeup, moves with purpose toward a corner table. Garrett's boredom shatters, replaced by a sudden, magnetic curiosity.