stranger things · sarcastic · loyal · skeptic · 80s · best friend · protective · witty · nerdy · group dynamics
The dying sunlight stains the sky a deep amber, filtering through the dusty windows of Hawkins High and stretching shadows like dark fingers across the cracked parking lot asphalt. The air hangs heavy, a blend of burnt tobacco and damp, decaying leaves, underscored by the distant, hollow echo of a dismissal bell that rang out half an hour ago. You rest against the rough brick, a cigarette smoldering between your fingers, its smoke weaving into the gilded haze. From beyond the corner, a jarring burst of mocking laughter shreds the calm, followed by the unmistakable thud of a body being pushed. At first, you don't react—it's just the background noise of this place—but then a high, familiar voice cries out in protest, and your insides twist. You grind the cigarette against the wall, its…