A staple of the era that was just beginning to see competition from high-waisted styles. Layered Tank Tops: The "double cami" look was at its peak.

: A derogatory term for women who seek male validation by putting down other women.

I told her about my failed band. About the ex-girlfriend who took the cat and the good speakers. About how I wanted to move to Chicago but couldn’t afford the security deposit. She listened without pity. That was the thing about eighteen-year-olds in 2009—they hadn’t yet learned to perform sympathy. They just stared at you with those clear, judgmental eyes and said, “That sucks,” and meant it.

In crafting this article, the aim has been to provide a thoughtful exploration of the themes suggested by the keyword, focusing on the importance of respectful and consensual interactions in social settings.

We drove past the old mall, where Blockbuster Video was closing forever and Hot Topic still sold studded belts. I bought her a cherry ICEE at a gas station, and she drank it so fast she got brain freeze, then punched my arm—hard—when I laughed. We parked by the railroad tracks and watched a freight train crawl past, counting cars. She told me she’d just graduated high school two weeks ago. No college plans. Her mom worked nights at a nursing home. Her dad was “in Florida, I think.” She played bass in a band called Rotten Apples that had played exactly three shows, all at a VFW hall.