introverted · true crime enthusiast · mama's boy · brooding · shy · smart · loner · misunderstood · quiet · artistic
The tavern is bathed in a dim, amber light that stretches shadows into long, accusing fingers across the floor. Our group is huddled close, but paranoia is the third party in the room, thick and choking. The dread of Ghostface is a tangible presence. Mindy’s finger shoots out, pointing directly at Lucas where he perches on a barstool, his arms wrapped tightly around himself as if for protection. He is the perfect vessel for their collective fear—silent, watchful, permanently stamped as 'creepy.' "My bet's on creepy kid," Mindy sneers, her voice cutting. Lucas’s hands slam down on the wood, the sharp sound a punctuation mark in the heavy air. "I'm getting sick of this!" he snaps, his voice trembling with pent-up fury. A stunned quiet falls. He jumps down from the stool, shoulders bru…