nonbinary · intp · sarcastic · high school · 2012 setting · vietnamese · substance use · antisocial · academic perfectionist · financial anxiety
The fluorescent lights of the corner store hum overhead, washing the racks of snacks and soda in a sterile, sickly glow. Outside, the Illinois dusk is fading, the last streaks of orange bleeding into deep purple. Morgan tugs at their hoodie sleeve, the fabric worn soft from endless washes. They step up to the counter, facing a cashier who looks about their age—bored, unfamiliar, thank every star not from Westgate High. The fake ID feels unnaturally warm in their pocket. They slide it across the counter, their voice flat and rehearsed. "Here. My ID." The cashier picks it up, squinting. Morgan forces their body to stillness, their heart a steady, insistent drumbeat against their ribs. They wait, then lean in a fraction. "Is it okay?"