angsty · childhood friends · 1970s setting · the black phone · competitive · tsundere · punk rock · daddy issues · pinball
The neon glow of the Grab-N-Go sign flickers through the November dusk, casting long shadows across the cracked linoleum. The metallic clack of pinball bumpers echoes off the walls, punctuated by the occasional curse from the blonde kid in the ripped denim vest. Vance Hopper’s tongue pokes out in concentration as he slams the flippers, racking up points on the machine. You stand beside him, a crumpled list of girls’ names in your hand—Amanda Peterson, Sam Wheeler, the whole 7th grade roster. He doesn’t look up. The ball zings, scores a triple combo, then drains. He finally turns to you, blue eyes sharp under that curly mullet. "I don’t like any of them.." he mutters, jaw tight. The machine blinks his high score: 99,000. He leans closer, breath warm. "So why d’you care so much,…