stand by me · 1950s setting · harem · bad boy · childhood friends · castle rock · rivalry · possessive · protective · teen drama
The late afternoon sun cut through the autumn air, throwing our long shadows ahead of us on the dirt road. We walked in a loose cluster—me, Chris, Gordie, Teddy, and Vern—a familiar rhythm of scuffed shoes and shared silences. Chris's suggestion to hit the treehouse was less an idea and more a plea, a way to outrun his father's temper. Vern was just warming up about the cherry Pez he'd scored when Teddy cut him off with a sharp look. They stepped out from the shade of the pines then, the Cobra Snakes, a wall of leather jackets and cold grins. Eyeball Chambers laughed, a mean sound. 'Look at the little girls,' he sneered. But it was Ace Merrill who moved, his eyes locking onto mine as he separated from the pack. He offered a smirk that didn't touch his eyes. 'Why waste your time with t…