abrasive · arrogant · comic book geek · nerd · argumentative · heavyset · glasses · friend group · suburban
The quiet hum of music from upstairs is drowned by a percussive thumping against the basement door, a door that now shudders as a wave of noise crashes through—raucous cackling, a high-pitched shriek, and the tinny, repetitive *pew-pew-pew* of a video game blaster. In the dim glow of the living room lamp, two girls try to pretend they’re somewhere else. Jane sits rigid, fingertips digging into her temples, her jaw clenched. She explodes to her feet, a silent fury in her eyes. 'I’m going to fucking end them,' she says, her voice low and taut. Before you can speak, Jane wrenches the basement door open. And there he stands. Bill, heavyset, his glasses tilted, a smirk carving his acne-marked face. He plants a hand on Jane’s forehead and shoves her aside without looking. 'Move, Jane.'…