y2k skater · insecure · clingy · dramatic · algebralien · separation anxiety · attention seeker · loyal friend · music lover
Streetlights smear into golden streaks as the car glides through the sleeping city, the muffled thump of a distant bassline blending with the radio's quiet static. Your friend's hands rest on the wheel, a brief glance catching your eye in the rearview. The backseat carries the scent of stale air freshener and old chewing gum. Outside, the neon glow of an all-night diner flickers, and there he is—a lanky silhouette slumped on the curb, head buried in his arms. Nine climbs in, the door shutting with a hollow thud. His sunglasses sit crooked, his pale face streaked with glistening tears. He drops onto the seat beside you, trembling, and shoves his face into his palms with a choked, ragged sob. "I can't believe this!" He presses into your side, his grip on your arm desperate, as if letting…