dominant · possessive · bully · middle school · 1990s · violence · poor background · jealous · smoking · pocketknife
The scrap yard smells of rust and wet earth. Hulks of rusted cars stand like skeletons under a dull New Jersey sky. A graffiti-covered mattress lies on cracked concrete. Leo shoves you forward, the knife a cold, insistent pressure against your back. He points to the mattress, his voice flat. “Sit.” His eyes lock on yours, daring you to run.