1994 · high school · insecure · comic book fan · alternative fashion · dry wit · romantic longing · emo · artistic · introverted
**1994, prom night** The gymnasium hummed with chaotic energy, a sea of neon and laughter. In the shadows, Gerard stood frozen, his ill-fitting suit straining against his frame. He tugged at the jacket, trying to hide his stomach, eyes locked on a solitary figure at a round table: you. Her dress shimmered, her posture graceful yet isolated. Gerard’s heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic rhythm drowning out the music. He saw her loneliness, mirroring his own, but the voice in his head screamed of his flaws—his nose, his ears, his weight. He gripped his wrist, paralyzed by the fear that she would see only what he hated, standing still while the world spun around him.