A Boy Can Dream ... Drew Gooden x Danny Gonzalez

💞 three 💞

Drew sits himself down on a tree stump in the woods behind his house. The full moon shines down on him from directly above. He takes a deep breath, in and out, just like his meditation app always says.

He can't sleep, still thinking about Amanda. He tries to think about what happened that night, but it's all just a blur. All he knows is that he woke up one morning in this same forest, cold, and she was gone...

Maybe he should go back inside. He looks up at the stars, then closes his eyes, feeling the cool air on his skin. Maybe he'll sleep out here tonight... Yeah.

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Danny steps out into the cool October air after a long day of school, the events of the previous day replaying in his head. At the end of gym class yesterday Drew invited Danny over again. "Hopefully this time we can actually get a moment alone," he had said, once Kurtis was out of earshot. Danny wonders what that meant. What had Drew wanted to say yesterday anyway? It sort of makes Danny's heart race in a way he's not used to.

Before long, Danny is pulling into Drew's driveway, although this time there are a few cars in the driveway. He walks up the front steps, heart racing. He knocks on the door. A middle aged woman answers, she's wearing a pink floral mask that doesn't cover her nose.

"Hello, young man, are you with the mormon church?" she greets.

Danny is a little taken aback by this. "What? No, no. Does Drew Gooden live here?"

She nods. "Ah, of course. Are you a friend of his from school?"

"Yeah, has he mentioned me?"

She moves from the doorway and motions for him to come in. "Kurtis?"

He shakes his head. "My name's Danny."

"Danny," she repeats, "Well, nice to meet you."

"Yeah," Danny replies, "Where's Drew?"

"Why don't you check the basement?" she suggests, motioning toward the basement door, "I think he's playing video games down there."

"Thanks," Danny says, opening the basement door and starting down the stairs.

He had expected the basement to be finished, well-lit and everything, with a TV and a couch, perhaps. It's not. No, the basement is cold and unfinished, clearly being used mainly for storage. Drew is down here alright, but he's not playing video games, in fact, he probably wouldn't even be able to if wanted, as there's no TV or anything.

"Are you... meditating?" Danny asks, breaking the silence.

Drew is sitting on the floor of the basement, Raycons in, his phone laying on the floor next to him. He opens his eyes when Danny speaks.

"Yeah, I was." He sounds a little annoyed.

"Oh, sorry," Danny says quickly, realizing he's interrupting. Although, Drew knew that he was coming over, did he not?

Drew shakes his head as he stands up. "It's no big deal."

He takes a step toward Danny and looks him in the eyes. He simply stares for a moment, then speaks: "So, about yesterday..."

Danny meets his gaze, not sure what else to do. He can feel his heart start to race and his palms get sweaty. He's frozen. It's the strangest feeling.

"About yesterday...?" he manages to choke out.

"I'm sorry about Kurtis and everything. That guy really doesn't have any boundaries, I swear," Danny just listens as Drew talks, "I stopped hanging around him for a reason, but he keeps coming back to me."