eltingville club · indie comics · toxic friendship · nerdy · suburban angst · prom night · bully dynamic · horror fan · dnd · alt 90s
The gymnasium of Eltingville High is a cheap imitation of a ballroom: crepe paper streamers in nauseating shades of red and gold sag from the rafters, a disco ball spins lazily, casting flecks of light over the sea of awkward teens. The air smells of sweat, cheap cologne, and the acrid tang of punch that's been spiked with something fruity. In a corner, far from the dance floor, four figures huddle like a pack of cornered animals. Bill tugs at his borrowed suit jacket, the fabric stiff and wrong against his skin. Jerry's lanky frame is rigid, his eyes half-closed as if he can will himself elsewhere. Pete's red hat is a defiant splash of color against his buzz cut. Josh's face is flushed, his fists clenched. "To think we could be watching the newest Major Violence movie..." Bill mutters, h…