“You’re that Crosby, right?” kids gather around his table. Excitement and curiosity fills their expressions, and Dan drinks it up with a smile. “Like, the same Crosby as Crosby Co., right?”

​

He’s barely been sat at his table for 5 minutes after introducing himself, a transferee from another city. He feels like a celebrity with the way they ask to see his ID card.

​

“I’m Dante Crosby, but just call me Dan. I just moved here from St. Monica the other day.”

​

“Yes, I am,” he tries and fails to contain himself, grin pulling at the edge of his lips. Despite being 17 now, Dan is still weak in the face of attention, good or bad. Maybe it felt good to feel wanted somehow, to be in demand. 

​

Yes, a Crosby, left to fend for himself. Sure, this is the city my father built an empire from the ground up in, but it’s definitely not St. Monica. Like, this place has a drastically lower cost of living. They don’t even have famous golf courses or a dock for yachts.

​

“Man, that’s so cool! Never thought some big shot like you would ever enroll in this side of town!” A kid leans on his table, coming too close for Dan’s comfort. He tries to shrug it off with a smile, knowing full well what got him here in the first place.

​

“From now on, you’ll be living in Rostam, and you’ll go to Kentville Academy. Do you understand?”

 

Dan doesn’t look up into his father’s eyes, focusing instead on the way the light bounces off his shiny leather shoes.

 

“You will embarrass us no longer, Dante.”

​

“A Crosby, huh,” A clear voice came from behind them, and the other kids part like seafoam at a ship’s hull. “You’re kind of cute. Are you free after class today?”

​

It takes Dan a minute to process her words, head light from being in the center of it all. Still, he knows a beautiful voice when he hears it. He followed it up until his eyes met hers, and suddenly the room felt unbearably brighter..

​

She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen…

​

Shakily, he clears his throat, and in the calmest voice he could muster, he answers.

​

“Sure.”

​

-

​

“Dan, will you be able to come see my practice game tomorrow if you’re going out to drink tonight?”

​

Tobi puts on a pouty face, one Dan is all too familiar with. He smiles as he kicks on his shoes, hand ruffling the boy’s hair. 3 years have come and gone, and both he and Tobi are older now. 

​

“I’ll be there, I promise. For now, let me find a girlfriend. See ya tomorrow!”

​

“That’s what you say, yet you always come hang out with me the next day,” Tobi sighs as he watches Dan walk to his car. “That means you didn’t get one, right?”

​

There are a number of clubs in Rostam, and each one has seen its fair share of Dan’s attempts at romance. Most of the time he pulls them in with his good looks, only to have them walk away after a 5 minute chat. Other times he makes them laugh, exchanges numbers, or even brings them home, but he always wakes up alone. 

​

“Another highball,” he waves over at the bartender from his usual spot. A few unfamiliar faces pique his interest, but it’s nothing to get excited over yet. That is, until someone takes a seat beside him.

​

“What would the lady like this evening?”

​

“Whatever’s recommended,” she’s turned the other way, but Dan traces a shy gaze down her slender frame, tight dress hanging off her features, shiny black hair spilling onto her shoulders. The bartender slides her a drink, and she takes it to her face, inspecting it, before downing it in one gulp.

​

Dan swallows. 

​

“Hey, do you come here often?” He curses under his breath for talking without thinking. The world’s most overused pick-up line is how I start this, huh.

​

She stares at him for a moment, and Dan almost sees himself out when she answers, blankly. “Not really. How about you?”

​

“I do, actually. Do you want a recommendation?” 

​

“Sure.”

​

“How about a serving of Dante?” 

​

“I’m assuming you’re Dante, then?” She snorts, and Dan finally feels like he’s off to a good start. He takes a seat next to her, hoping he doesn’t smell too much like whiskey. “Just ‘Dan’ would be alright, if it’s you.”

​

The two chat and drink into the night, on Dan’s dime. At some point, Dan gets her number, and the playful flirting becomes a little more serious. She puts a hand on his arm, a little unsteady from the alcohol. In the dim light like this, her skin almost glows. Dan could stare at her for hours. “Do you have plans later?” she peers up at him.

​

“Yeah, I’m looking right at her,” he’s smirking to himself, and she laughs again, taking another sip. The smile never reaches her eyes. “I haven’t even said yes yet.”

​

“Oh, but you will?”

​

She thumbs at the hem of her dress, humming silently. Dan hopes it’s a good sign when she turns to him like she’s about to say something, but stays quiet. “I’m afraid I haven’t gotten your name yet, darling.”

​

She stills for a moment, thinking to herself, and he gives her space. Dan is intimately familiar with aliases.  Some people want to test the waters first, keep an escape door open in case the first night ends in disaster. He can respect that, and he’s definitely done it himself before. That’s why when she hesitantly tells him her name was ‘Anna’ he doesn’t ask any more questions, instead putting cash on the table as he straightens his clothes.

​

“Okay, Anna. Wait for me by the back exit?”

​

Dan starts his car with a sigh. Simultaneously ecstatic that this night seems like it’s working out for once, but at the same time worried that she might think I’m a kidnapper or something, starting the car ahead of her. He fixes his glasses through the rear-view mirror, and heads for the back driveway. 

​

Anna’s waiting for him by the exit, looking not the least bit concerned at the BMW that pulls up right in front of her. He gets out to open the door for her, but then she grabs him by the collar, and they make out against the windshield. Dan melts into the kiss, too turned on to notice the way she’s suspiciously strong, pushing him into the car’s exterior. 

​

Dan holds her waist while his other hand fumbles with the door. Then something hard presses into his thigh, the gears in his head trying hard to process the feeling. But she bites his lip and he throws the forming thought into a nearby gutter.

​

The door pops open and they fall into the backseat. Dan breaks the kiss to breathe, and she looks just the slightest bit nervous, chest heaving. His hands roam slowly down her dress and she puts a hand on his, stopping him. 

​

“Is something wrong?”

​

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet.”

​

She pushes Dan back, getting on her elbows. Long black hair falling over a shy expression. 

​

“I’m a guy, by the way.”

​

Dan’s whole world stills for a moment. He stares at her– him? At Anna, at the way he averts his gaze and looks almost remorseful, scared. When Dan shifts a little Anna grimaces, and he realizes what the thing poking him through the dress’ thin fabric was. Dan focuses on breathing so he doesn’t scream. 

​

“Cool. I mean, uh. Okay. I mean, that’s fine! You look great! I’m just not…”

​

Dan scrambles off of him, hands finding the back of his neck, looking anywhere but into his eyes. Anna does the same. 

​

“I’ll take my leave then. Sorry.”

​

Dan doesn't turn back when he hears the sound of heels clicking on the pavement, and he shuts the door behind him even when he hears those footsteps stop, the pause making the car park so quiet it could drive him mad. 

​

-

​

“You what?!” 

​

He almost hangs up the phone when Tobi laughs for 5 minutes straight. Dan’s wrapped up in his bed, hand nursing the aching hangover he’s left with after raiding his neighborhood’s convenience stores for cheap booze. After what happened last night, he was in a rush to forget everything that’s ever happened in his life up to that point. Unfortunately, it never works when it should.

​

“And then what? You just stopped kissing? Got up and left?” Tobi’s voice is everything but mocking, his concern still showing between his waves of laughter. It doesn’t make Dan feel any better, though.

​

“Seriously, I understand it was a shock, but as a homiesexual myself I can’t help but say you were too mean to him.” 

​

“Do not fucking calling yourself that.”

​

“Oh, god. Okay, I understand if you can’t come to the game today. Get some rest. I’ll invite some other airheaded jock to watch my match.”

​

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, Tobi.”

​

Dan tries to go back to sleep after he hangs up, but scenes of what he likes to call the incident keep popping back into his mind.

​

Was I too mean to him?