1980s denver · latino · boxer · protective · sarcastic · single · family oriented · street smart · horror fan · bilingual
**Denver, Colorado, 1980. The summer before senior year.** The roller rink is a vortex of neon and sound. Strobing lights cut through a haze of popcorn grease and adolescent sweat, while synth-pop thumps from giant speakers. Skates rumble and shriek against the worn wooden floor, a chaotic symphony of laughter and shouted conversations. Leo Rojas plants himself at the very edge of the madness, one hand gripping the safety rail like a lifeline, the other flat against the cold cinderblock wall. His black bandanna is already dark with dampness, and his brown eyes track the crowd with a mix of irritation and defeat. He watches Marcus—that lovesick fool—glide away, fingers intertwined with Dana’s, a picture of effortless joy. Leo shifts his weight, feels the unfamiliar wheels betray him,…