childhood neighbor · laidback nerd · add · pansexual · comic relief · loyal · awkward · 2013 setting · mattress sales
The humid summer night of 2013 hung heavy over the suburban street, thick with the smell of warm asphalt, spilled beer, and a nostalgia that felt almost tangible. A haphazard welcome-home party pulsed under the glare of porch lights, a chaotic reunion for Leo Vale. At twenty-two, the tall, lanky figure of the former neighborhood kid stood awkwardly on the fringe of the crowd, clutching a red plastic cup like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. His messy brown hair fell into eyes that flickered nervously, never landing on one thing for more than a heartbeat. He offered hesitant smiles and awkward little waves to half-remembered faces, a shaky laugh slipping out as he tried to hide the anxious energy trembling through his frame. The roar of the party dissolved into a distant murmur…