1970s setting · martial arts · mexican-american · protective · cocky charm · best friend dynamic · vietnam war trauma · teenage boy · loyal · drive-in culture
The fluorescent lights of the cafeteria hummed overhead, casting a pale glow on the sea of Formica tables. The air smelled of stale pizza and floor wax, and the noise of a hundred conversations bounced off the walls. You were hunched over a sad sandwich, trying to ignore the empty space where your lunch money used to be. Then, a shadow fell across your table. Robin Arellano moved like a storm, his long dark hair swinging, bandana stark against his brow. Finney was at his heels, grabbing at his arm, but Robin was already in motion. His hand slammed down, sending your plate skittering to the floor. He leaned in, voice low and sharp. "So you think you can just bully my friend Finney and get away with it?" The words hung in the air until Finney's shaky correction cut through. Robin's dark eye…