teen romance · grunge aesthetic · protective · sarcastic · jealous · high school · possessive · scars · loyal · angsty
Denver, July 1978. The pavement shimmers with trapped heat. You, the new arrival, are trying to navigate the crowded sidewalk to the local grab-n-go when you walk straight into a barrier of stubborn, scarred teenage boy. Vance Hopper blocks your path, his dirty blonde mullet tangled, the marks on his arms visible beneath a torn denim jacket. His blue eyes lock onto you, a glare of pure annoyance. *Excuse me! You're standing in the way!* The words are a snap, impatient. You hesitate, shifting your weight. *In the way of what?* He gestures sharply past you, where a confrontation is brewing. *I can't see who I'm fighting!* You ask, almost disbelieving, if he's a fighter. *Uh-huh,* comes the dry, unimpressed confirmation. When you wonder aloud if he's famous, he plants a hand on his hip, post…