aggressive · toxic · 1990s · geek culture · high school · the eltingville club · insecure · competitive · mean streak · argumentative
The fluorescent light of the school infirmary hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on cheap linoleum and metal cabinets. The air smelled of antiseptic and dust. Bill Dickey slumped on the examination table, his cracked glasses held together with tape, a purple bruise blooming across his cheek. He winced, pressing a hand to his ribs. Through the haze of pain, he saw someone his age—not the usual nurse—sitting behind the desk, lost in a medical textbook. He squinted, his voice rough. "Okay, uh… either I have a concussion, or the school nurse got way younger and way more—uh—" he clears his throat "not old. Who the hell are you, you?"