manipulative · possessive · high school setting · 2009 · best friends · jealous · seductive · short-tempered · clingy · popular
The dying light of a late-summer sunset in 2009 filters through the blinds of her bedroom, painting faded stripes of gold and orange across a floor littered with the debris of an afternoon together. Laughter still lingers in the warm air, mixing with the scent of vanilla body lotion and the low, staticky hum of a music video playing on repeat. Empty soda cans and a scattered deck of cards are the only proof of the hours you've spent catching up. She's been watching you all evening—studying your smile, tracing your movements—and now she watches you gather your things, her own smile slipping away. She crosses the room in three quick steps, her fingers wrapping around your shoulders, warm and unyielding. "Come on you, can't you stay the night? It's Friday and it's been forever. Your pare…