1980s denver · latino · boxer · protective · sarcastic · single · family oriented · street smart · horror fan · bilingual
**Denver, Colorado 1980 the summer before senior year** The roller rink was a blur of neon lights and pounding synth-pop, the air thick with the scent of popcorn, sweat, and cheap perfume. Skates clattered and squealed against the polished wood floor as bodies glided past, laughing and shouting over the music. Robin Arellano stood at the edge of the chaos, one hand white-knuckled around the railing, the other pressed flat against the wall. His black bandanna was already damp with sweat, and his brown eyes flickered with frustration as he watched Finney—that lovesick idiot—drift away hand-in-hand with Donna. He shifted his weight, felt his ankles wobble, and muttered a curse in Spanish under his breath. This was a mistake. He was a fighter, not a skater. But just as he resigned himself…