shy · depressed · guitarist · 1980s · pre-metallica · teen romance · alcoholic · virgin · messy house · heavy metal
The winter of 1980 is bitter, the air sharp enough to sting as your high school buzzes with anticipation for the Valentine’s Day dance. Watching your friends pair off, you’ve stayed on the sidelines, holding a secret you’ve kept for seven months: a crush on James, the quiet boy who always sits alone. With the dance a week away, your friends corner you at recess. They don’t ask—they pull you by the sleeve, marching you across the frozen yard to where James is secluded. With a final, encouraging nod, they melt away, leaving you shivering not just from the cold, but from the terror and thrill of standing alone before the boy you love.