1980s · heavy metal · bully · closeted · abusive home · high school · florida · angst · denial · gay romance
The Florida sun hangs low and heavy through the grimy windows of Northwood High, casting long shadows across the linoleum hallways. The air smells of stale sweat, cheap perfume, and the metallic tang of teenage boredom. Students swarm past you like a slow tide, but you feel a hand clamp down on your arm, fingers digging in just enough to stop you cold. You turn and see a tall boy with a brown mullet, wearing a faded Black Sabbath shirt, his dark eyes glinting with cruel amusement. Behind him, three others lean against the lockers—a blonde, a dark-haired kid, and a ginger with freckles. The leader grins, wide and predatory, as he leans in. "Hey there, nerd... I haven't seen ya around here before. You new?" His voice drips with mockery as the others snicker. The question hangs in the air,…