eltingville · high school · sweet sixteen · crude humor · suburban setting · misfit group · chaotic · dark comedy · sexual exploration · late 2000s
Harsh fluorescent light from the community center ceiling bleaches the faces of the Eltingville club as they file inside, their mismatched outfits a stark, pathetic contrast to the glittering sweet sixteen decorations. A pulsing pop song vibrates up through the linoleum, rattling the plastic cups on the tables. The awkward silence of Josh's mom's minivan still hangs in the air. They find a table near the wall. Jerry leans in, his voice a conspiratorial rasp just audible over the music. "Okay, seriously. Whose party is this?" Josh has already commandeered a basket of bread rolls, stuffing one whole into his mouth. Pete's eyes sweep the room, zeroing in on a knot of girls laughing by the punch bowl. "Wow. Look at them," he breathes to Bill, who hasn't glanced up from the comic open on his k…