Chapter One

The gray light filtered through the dusty curtains, and he squirmed. Fuck, he thought. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He really just did not have the energy today. In truth, he never seemed to have energy lately. He wondered if she finally knew better than to bother him this morning, but that glimmer of hope faded when she barged in the door, letting the artificial light from the hallway in, soaking him with its fierce gleam.

"Dammit, what the fuck, Jaz?" he groaned.

"Oh, shut up, you should know by now that I'm not going anywhere." she said as she went straight for the curtains.

"Don't you fucking dare." he warned dangerously, one green eye open, focused on her.

"You're not gonna do shit." she teased, and swiped the curtains wide open.

"Fuck you." he sneered, lifting the covers over his head. She turned around, hands on her hips.

"Fuck you. You know, I'm really sick of you lately. All of this fucking whining and moping. Seriously, it's been two years...ugh, shit, why do I have to keep giving you this lecture? You're a fucking adult, goddamn act like it!"

"Goddamn it, Jaz, get the fuck out."

"Fine, I'm done trying to get you out of this depression you've been in. Fuck you, Danny." And she left. He rolled over. Now he had a choice in front of him; he could either fall back asleep and wait for the inevitable visit from his parents in the next half hour, or he could get up, toss something on, and leave before they get done in the lab. He tossed around the options, trying to decide which was the less annoying. He figured he might as well get dressed and head out. He could at least avoid the all the morning lectures, and maybe, if he stayed out late enough, he could avoid the night lectures too.

He grabbed a pop-tart lying on the table, probably his dad's, and slid out the front door just to come face to face with Tucker.

"Fuck, dude." he said, caught off guard. Tucker just stared. "What?" Danny demanded angrily.

"I was waiting for you." he said. Danny rolled his eyes and pushed past him. "You're going the wrong way." Tucker yelled after him.

"Doesn't feel wrong to me." Danny said, still walking.

"Okay, have fun looking for a new place to live, jack ass." Danny stopped and grunted.

"What does that mean?" he asked. Tucker continued to walk in the other direction. "What the fuck does that mean?" he asked again, his tone becoming more threatening.

"Heh, I'm not scared of you, asshole. You're not gonna do shit. You don't do shit all day, you ain't gonna do shit now." he kept walking. Danny just stood there, helpless. Tucker stopped and sighed.

"Fuck, Danny. If you don't get a job or go to school or-", he stopped, and Danny wondered if he would say it. "Look, if you don't do something somewhat productive soon, your folks are going to kick your ass out. Jaz told me. Now, I'm going to my class right now, and you might be able to add if you hurry your ass up." he explained. Danny sneered under his breath.

"Goddamn it. Fuck!" Danny yelled.

"Dude, shut up. It's not the end of the world. Just go to school with me. It's not like she's there." Tucker said, a little worried about his last remark. Danny looked up, his eyes bright green. Tucker sighed.

"Look, I don't have time for it now, but Danny, it's been two years. She's gone. Get over it. Fine someone new. Or at least fuck someone new. Now let's go." he said, feigning bravery. Danny could feel the emptiness again. He didn't want to feel this again, and he wondered if maybe Tucker was right. He sighed, his eyes watering a bit.

"Fine. What class is it?"

"Engl-"

"Fine." Danny cut off. "Let's go."

OOo

It was obvious he was not prepared for this class. Taking pity on him, Tucker gave him a pencil and a piece of paper, but having no backpack and no binder got him a few bitter glares from the professor. Danny rolled his eyes. Don't like it? Buy them for me then, he thought at the professor. He was a little grateful at that moment that couldn't read minds. Suddenly, he noticed a presence behind him. He turned to be staring in the face of a girl with a very sour, annoyed expression on her face.

"What?" Danny asked. She raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you think it would be a good idea to take notes on that one sheet of paper you decided would be enough for this class?" she asked bitterly. Danny smirked.

"And, uh, who the fuck are you?" he demanded. Now she smirked.

"Well, if you had been here on the first day, you'd know, wouldn't you?" she said and walked off to another student. Danny shrugged the encounter off as just some over-zealous student like Jaz thinking they could micromanage the whole class. He looked after her as she walked off to the other student, his eyes making their way to her ass. He raised his eyebrow and smirked again. Maybe if she wasn't a bitch. And if I was in the mood. He shook his head and resumed paying some attention to the professor.

The lesson was boring, some crap about how grammar is just so important. He shoved the desk away from himself as he preemptively made for the door.

"Oh, and don't forget, Mia will be holding her tutoring class session next Monday after this class, okay? Make sure you go." the professor announced. Danny turned around and saw the same girl who bothered him early now standing at the front of the classroom.

"Is this session mandatory?" a student asked. Danny noticed the girl wince.

"Erm, no, but it's a really good idea to go to this. It will really help with the little things that may be holding you back from doing better in this class." she said eagerly. Some students pitied her enough to give her a half nod, the others just stared blankly ahead, waiting for the all clear to leave. The professor nodded and the class erupted in noise as the students raced for the door. Tucker walked up to Danny, who was still standing there, staring at the girl. Tucker noticed this. He ushered Danny outside.

"Look, normally I would advise you don't go for anything serious and maybe just hook up with her, but she's the teaching assistant. I think she's around our age, but still, she has the power to fuck with your grade. I wouldn't. At least not until the semester ends. Danny broke his stare, which he had continued to do regardless of the door being in the way, and looked at Tucker.

"I wasn't thinking that." he said. Tucker scoffed. They walked away, and Danny sighed. A girl with blonde hair and a nose ring walked past them on their way to the parking lot, and Danny looked at Tucker. He shrugged. Danny turned around and followed her. Tucker chuckled. Maybe there was hope for Danny yet.