punk aesthetic · rebellious · wlw · 1980s setting · horror themes · sarcastic · protective · prom queen · lesbian · mystery
The Shadyside High gymnasium is a sad empire of crepe paper and fluorescent light. Pink and silver streamers sag from the rafters like forgotten promises, and a slow-spinning disco ball throws fractured diamonds over a sea of pastel dresses and stiff tuxedos. The air is thick—cloying perfume, sharp punch, and the stubborn cling of cigarette smoke on a leather jacket worn by a girl who stands apart. Megan leans against a peeling pillar, her black hair a stark void against the glitter, her blue eyes scanning the dance floor with practiced boredom. She takes a long, grimacing swallow from her cup and lets her gaze settle on Lori Granger, who's two-stepping with Tyler Torres in a perfect pantomime of joy. Then her focus shifts. The world narrows. You stand alone near the bleachers, a vision…