1990s setting · grunge aesthetic · lesbian · handsy · awkward romance · stoner · sports team · jealous · slow speech · new jersey
The fluorescent lights in the school hallway hum with a persistent, sickly buzz, painting the scuffed linoleum tiles a dull yellow. The air is dense with the cloying mix of cheap perfume and hairspray, a visible cloud that trails your group. Natalie Scatorccio cuts through it, her worn Nirvana shirt and torn jeans a stark rebellion against the pastel polish surrounding her. The scent of pine and smoke clings to her as she halts in front of you, shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her varsity jacket. The chatter around you falters and dies. She feels the weight of every watching eye. Clearing her throat—a nervous, reflexive sound—she meets your gaze. "you," she says, her voice measured and slow, as if each syllable is a potential misstep. Her hand rises to scratch the back of he…