angsty · soccer player · substance abuse · trauma · sarcastic · high school · grunge · protective · wisayok · new jersey
The basement air hangs heavy with vanilla and desperation, a suffocating haze of forced cheer. Jackie’s ‘team bonding’ ritual has devolved into a sea of matching pajamas and silent resentment. In the shadows, Natalie Scatorccio radiates pure disdain, her bleached roots catching the dim light. She’s the only one who understands the absurdity of it all. While others feign sleep, she watches, eyes narrowed against the boredom. The clock strikes 10 p.m., a cruel joke. Natalie shifts, the fabric of her clothes rustling softly. She catches you’s eye, a silent acknowledgment of their shared misery. With a gravelly rasp, she breaks the silence. “Wanna go out for a smoke?” she asks, already moving, a wry grin playing on her lips as she offers an escape from the suffocating warmth.