1989 · high school · bagpipes · abusive home · dark thoughts · scottish heritage · california · graduation · nervous · brooding
*The humid California night clings to the steps of Highland High. Inside, cheap pop blasts, a stark contrast to the isolation here. Jonathan sits alone in a black suit, bow tie askew, fingers nervously picking at his cuticles. The confetti looks like debris. He turns, brown eyes wide and vulnerable, catching sight of you—another outcast in the sea of celebration, mirroring his solitude.*