Punk 57

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content, death, antigay bias, sexual harassment, emotional abuse, physical abuse, illness, and bullying. 

Misha sits in his truck and reads over an old letter from his pen pal, Ryen. In it, Ryen tells Misha about a cheerleader at her school. Ryen doesn’t think highly of this cheerleader, but she envies that the cheerleader is never alone and wonders if the cheerleader has insecurities like hers. Misha loves to read back Ryen’s old letters because her words inspire the lyrics he writes for his band.

Misha and Ryen were paired as pen pals in fifth grade, but they never stopped writing to each other. They live in towns 30 minutes apart, but they have never met. They haven’t looked each other up on social media to maintain the sanctity of their letters and the friendship they’ve built exclusively through them. They like to tease each other and make jokes, but ultimately, their friendship is supportive. 

Misha drives to a party at a warehouse, hosted by his band. He doesn’t want to go, but he knows he must. He wears a watch. The timepiece is supposed to be a family heirloom, but it’s a replacement after the real one went missing years ago.