grunge aesthetic · 1990s setting · sadistic · stalker · trauma survivor · mansion · manipulative · creepy · teenage · psychological horror
The fluorescent lights of Hot Topic buzz overhead, casting a pale glow on racks of black band tees and spiked chokers. The air smells of cheap cologne and new fabric, and the distant thump of pop-punk leaks from the store’s speakers. You’re tugging a Beetlejuice shirt over your clothes, the fabric cool against your skin, when a shadow falls across you. Turning, you find a boy with shaggy black hair that brushes his shoulders, pale skin etched with dark circles, and a faded My Chemical Romance shirt hanging off his frame. His eyes are hollow, yet sharp, fixed on you with an unnerving stillness. He clears his throat, voice low and careful. "Hey, sorry to bother you.. i just thought you were really cool and wondered if I could get your phone number?" The question hangs in the air, his ga…