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

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Drew wakes up in the woods, which is almost normal at this point, but he really doesn't remember falling asleep out here. He looks around him and sees his phone on the ground next to him. He picks it up. It's 4am. This is odd... but it certainly doesn't feel like a dream. His phone is sticky, his hands are sticky, his hands are red. Dear God. 

He sits up. It's so hot, just like the morning when Amanda went missing. It's December, he realizes, and suddenly it's freezing. Why is he outside again? It smells rancid. He stands up and follows the scent for a few feet, not really sure why he feels compelled to do so. Oh great, a dead squirrel. Did he do that? He would definitely know how. Then, right beside it... Oh, dear God.

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Danny wakes up feeling fairly tired. He had really wanted to get some sleep, but he was too nervous last night. Today he's meeting up with Drew. Finally, finally, they'll be able to talk. Drew said he has a perfect spot, that no one, not even Kurtis, knows about. He's excited, of course, but still uneasy. When he came up with this plan, if you could even call it that, he had kind of convinced himself that it would be fine if Drew wasn't going to confess his love for him, but now that it's about to happen? It would honestly be really embarrassing if that happened. He is not going to do that whole unrequited love thing with Drew Gooden of all people.

Or... Maybe he is, and that's the part that's so scary about this. Everything depends on what Drew says.

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Danny shows up fifteen minutes late, his car's GPS was seriously struggling to find this place. He hopes Drew doesn't mind.

It appears to be a hiking trail. There's a big sign with a couple maps and posters on it, and next to it is an opening in the trees, leading into the forest. It's a lovely place for a walk, or maybe a date. Danny feels his heart race at the thought before remembering what Cody said the other day. Is he really just a replacement? It's not just sad, it's kind of sickening. Cody had texted him this morning, actually.

Cody: hey man. have fun on ur date. lol.

Danny: shut up

Cody: no but fr it's not to late to cancel. tell him i got cataracts and u need to visit me in the hospital. lol.

Danny: definitely not going to do that. do you know what cataracts are?

Cody didn't respond, which is actually kind of a relief. 

Danny looks around the parking lot but it seems pretty empty, so he decides to just start walking down the trail. It's incredibly pretty. The leaves on the trees are bright yellows, oranges, and reds, occasionally broken up by a dark evergreen tree. He begins to worry that Drew might just be late, but after turning the first corner he sees him. 

There he is, standing in the sunlight, hands in his red autumn jacket's pockets, looking up at the trees. He hasn't even noticed Danny yet. Danny decides not to disturb him. He'd much rather stand there and admire anyway. He looks so... Distinguished, almost magical.

It's not long before Drew notices him. In an instant he goes from an elegant prince to a scared deer. Still cute though... Maybe.

"Danny," he says, walking up to him, "You... Scared me."

Danny looks him in the eyes, or he tries. "Sorry."

They walk further down the trail. Drew explains (in way too much detail) that he missed school because he had been sick. As they walk, it actually starts to snow, which is fairly uncommon this early in the season, although it is the last day of November.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Drew remarks once a thin layer of snow has covered every exposed surface.

"It is." Is this a date? It kind of feels like one. He almost wants to ask but that would be stupid.