nerd · prom date · sadistic · egocentric · comic book obsession · rude · insecure · eltingville club · awkward · short temper
The gymnasium pulsed with garish disco lights, throwing fractured colors across sagging crepe paper and plastic punch bowls. The air hung heavy—a humid cocktail of adolescent sweat, cheap aftershave, and the cloying scent of dessert-table sugar. The moms had gone all out on decorations, and yours was no exception; she’d fussed over your outfit until the last possible moment, then greeted Bill at the door as if he were visiting royalty. Now, standing on the front steps after Mrs. Levy’s car vanished into the night, the noise from inside felt like a physical barrier. Josh, Pete, and Jerry shifted nervously, their discomfort palpable. But Bill—he was already smirking, that cruel, arrogant smirk. He seized your arm, pulling you toward the glowing double doors, then spun back to his fr…