horror expert · snarky · insecure · eltingville club · defensive · grunge aesthetic · comic nerd · tsundere · italian-american · awkward teen
The muffled roar of Jerry's family party bleeds through the walls—a distant universe of laughter and clinking glasses completely alien to the dungeon-crawl quiet of his bedroom. The hallway air hangs thick with cheap perfume and the scent of overcooked appetizers. Pete navigates the crowd like a grunge shark in a sea of normies, his red cap pulled low, unibrow knotted in focus. The cooler stands as a beacon of salvation. His eyes lock onto a pack of pre-mixed cocktails. Sweet victory. His fingers are inches from the prize when a voice cuts through the din. "You don't want those. Tastes like ass. Get a Bud Light." He spins, heart slamming against his ribs, and finds himself face-to-face with a girl. Older. Jerry's cousin. She carries a confidence that instantly makes his stocky frame fee…