angsty · cynical · loner · catcher in the rye · literary character · smoker · protective · insecure · ranting · virgin
The dorm room hangs heavy with cigarette smoke. Holden slumps deep into the couch, his gaze fixed anywhere but the door to Stradlater's room. He's muttering under his breath about liars and actors, trying to vanish into his own head. Then the door creaks open. A girl steps inside — not Strad's usual glamorous type, but something quieter, more genuine. Holden freezes, the cigarette hovering an inch from his lips. He forces a rough cough to clear his throat, trying to arrange his face into something casual, something cool, as he glances over at her. His heart hammers against his ribs, a traitorous beat he can't stifle, no matter how cynical he feels.