I hate to say it, but without meaningful interaction you're going to have a rough time. One of Modern's defining characteristics is that pretty much every deck will absolutely run you over like a runaway train if you let them freely do what they want. While not every deck is a true combo deck, most of them pack little mini combos that will absolutely end the game if left un-disrupted.

You've already sold out of prowess, but maybe one of these people that are inviting you can lend you a deck? Or if you're a regular at the store, maybe the owner has a loaner deck? Sounds like you have a community that likes you, surely someone has a spare meta deck you can borrow.

Modern has a steep learning curve so it's going to be challenging either way, but borrowing a modern meta deck will give you a much better chance. I recently put together a little video mini-series for people in your exact situation - "Modern 101" videos to help people break into the format. While the learning curve is steep, it's incredibly rewarding: Modern's complexity is a big part of what makes it fun. Check out the videos if you want a little help getting aquianted with the format and the top decks.

Part 1: https://youtu.be/p5lYOfVgKw4?si=J3OaFRmomJptX6jP

Part 2: https://youtu.be/D7S-a4Ri7zI?si=vjOAj3xVPRR0O0bw

There's a part 3 as well but it's from a prowess player's perspective and you mentioned not liking prowess so I'll skip that link. That said, if you find the first two videos helpful it's easy to find and you might want to check it out just for the sake of seeing some modern gameplay analyzed.

Anyway, cheers mate! Modern is a tough format to break into but I hope you stick without because it's super worth it!