The Ocean

There's something about the ocean...It's the one steady force in my life. It doesn't matter if Jack is flying off the handle, or if I'm drunk or sober when I look at the ocean. It's always here. Steady and calm, coming back to the shores for all of eternity. Maybe that's why I love surfing so much. The ocean drowns everything else out. When I'm riding a set, all I can see, and feel are the colors, and for that brief moment before the wipeout, I feel the short too fast thrill of being alive.

Byron wrote, "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean-roll!" That's exactly how I feel as I sit here staring at the waves breaking in the dusk. There were some good sets today. It helped me clear my head of all the bullshit. I haven't seen Jack since the fight, and it's better that way. I tell myself that but a part of me wants to see him too. I wish he would walk in sometimes, and take it all back. I wish he wanted to have a son, but I know that's not going to happen.

I spin the bottle around in my hands. Drinking at the beach feels so natural. It's almost as if the ocean itself is inside the alcohol. I take a swig from my little flask. After it hits my lips though, I know I'm wrong. Luckily before I can have any more I'm interrupted.

"Hey McKay, we didn't catch you out there today. The waves were peeling this morning." Eric approaches me with his pals Dwayne, and Sarah.

Eric, Dwayne, and Sarah are some regular party wavers. We surf together a lot. I don't tell them but Eric and Dwayne are actually a couple of Barneys (not good) on the board. Sarah's good though. The guys call her Betty like a surf Betty, but I know she's more than just a dumb blonde. Sometimes people run with the wrong crowd though.

"Yeah I was just on the other side of the beach, sorry you missed me." I actually wasn't. The truth is I didn't feel like surfing with Eric and Dwayne this morning. I just wanted to be alone.

They all sit down with me now. Eric and Dwayne position themselves right next to me, and Sarah's sits to the side. Dwayne grabs my flask without asking and starts guzzling it. I give him a look, but instead of handing it back he passes it to Eric, and Sarah actually has her own.

That's another thing I do with these guys. We get drunk together, but lately, I've been wanting to drink alone. That's how I know my alcoholism is just getting worse. If I don't get to another AA meeting soon, things are only going to get uglier.

"No problem dude, we'll just hang loose with you right here. You got any more of this?" Eric taps the bottom of the flask with his hand, attempting to get the last drop into his mouth.

"No, I think you took care of it," I tell him, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"We missed you out there Dylan. The waves were heavy." Sarah smiles at me, pulling her flask from her lips.

I give her a smile, and Eric seems to take that as some kind of threat because he moves closer to Sarah in the sand, and puts an arm around her. Sarah and I are just friends and Eric is a total Barney.

"So McKay what's on for tonight?" Dwayne asks.

"You're looking at it," I tell him hoping they'll get the hint and leave.

"Come on dude there's got to be something going on tonight?" Dwayne persists.

"Yeah man, I heard there's going to be a party up at that hotel, what's it called, the Bel Age? Tonight on the roof. You know where it is?" Eric asks.

Eric, Dwayne, and Sarah don't know I'm living at the hotel. I really don't let anyone know. When people figure out you have money, and live by yourself in a hotel things get weird. When they figure out you're Jack McKay's son they get even weirder.

"Yeah, I think I've heard of it," I say tilting my head. I give Sarah another smile just to piss Eric off.

"So what are we waiting for dude?" Dwayne smiles a big dorky grin while he and Eric slap five.

#

Before I could say no Eric, Dwayne, and Sarah are in the Porsche, and we're on our way to some party happening on the roof of The Bel Age. This is totally not what I want to be doing right now, but we're all young, dumb, and have entirely too much time on our hands.

Eric, Dwayne, and Sarah are all acting extra drunk, and if anyone pukes in my car, they're going to be hanging ten on the sidewalk.

I pull into the Bel Age lot, and we all get out. I tell everyone to act cool since I know the management, and if they take one look at these guys they're going to want them out.

I act like I don't know where it is, but I find the elevator that leads us up to the rooftop pool where this party is. There's two sides to the roof. The one I slept on the other night doesn't have the pool.

We ride up to the top together. Eric is making weird faces supposedly funny faces, and Dwayne and Sarah find it hilarious.

The elevator dings to the top, and when we get off we're greeted to a lamp lit pool party. A typical LA scene kid soiree. All around the pool are strung up lanterns creating a glimmer on the pool, and boring LA people are standing around holding drinks smugly. I don't know what the hell this party is for, but nobody looks twice at us, as we start to walk around. I hate parties. I hate going to them, being at them, and most of all I hate mingling with party folk.

Eric, and Dwayne head right for the bar, and Sarah kind of follows me in awe of everything. Some people are actually in the pool. The music is knocking, and the place is packed.

"Wow, this is so cool." Sarah mouths.

I'm glad she's enjoying herself, but I want to leave. Being here isn't exactly new or thrilling for me.

Eric and Dwayne come back over now with some glasses of something, they have two others for Sarah, and me, but I turn mine down. After all, I'd prefer to be drinking alone right now.

"They're not even carding," Dwayne states happily.

Eric sets his drink down, now, "Hey Betty do you like swimming?"

"Yeah Eric sure I do," Betty says happily sipping her drink.

Eric proceeds to push her into the pool now, but she's quick enough to grab his wrist at the same time so he goes in with her.

"Wooo," Sarah yells as they hit the water.

Dwayne sets his drink down now and does a running leap into the pool canon ball style.

"Wipeout!" he yells as he ends up spraying water on some of the guests. They all start frolicking around splashing water at each other happily.

"Come on Dylan, get in," Sarah calls to me, but I politely decline.

I shake my head at them and turn away, and walk towards the roof ledge. I look out at Los Angeles and feel a night breeze sweeping across the roof. LA lights shine like neon lasers across the distance with billboards advertising the most stupid shit, raised higher than they need to be. Traffic zooms by, and I wonder where everyone is going. Where do they have to be that's so damn important? I look up at the moon, and I wonder what else is out there. Who else is out there?

"Can I interest you in anything?"

"Huh?" I turn around and standing in front of me is some dude. He looks about college age.

"You looking to score?"

"What?" I know what he's getting at though. There's always drugs at these parties, and all over LA. Drinking is my usual vice, but I've experimented with different things here and there. You hang out in Beverly Hills scenes long enough, and drugs become like being offered hors-d'oeuvres.

"I'm Stuart."

"Great, and I'm not impressed," I tell the dude. He reads like your typical sack of shit whose parents probably bribed his way into whatever elite college he attends. Little do they know their little bundle of joy is dealing drugs on the side, as daddy waits for him to take over the family business.

Stuart laughs off my insult because you know rich pompous jackasses are mostly insultable. He takes something out of his front pocket. It's a folded up little rectangle of paper.

"On the house," he says. He places the folded little paper in my shirt pocket.

"Can I ask why?"

"Hey, it's a party kid, just enjoy yourself. Remember me though I'm Stuart."

Stuart walks away. I watch him go wanting to push him into the pool. Nothing good ever happens up on this roof. I reach into my shirt pocket and take the folded square out of my pocket. I'm about to throw it off the roof, but something gets the better of me. I start unfolding it slowly, to find some white powder inside. Just a little coke. Yes, I've done it before, and no I'm not proud. I look around as the party rages on around me. Maybe I do need to loosen up and enjoy myself like that waste of air said. Life's been a bitch lately. Before I can make up my mind, I'm being pulled aside, and the stuff falls out of my hands anyway, and over the roof.

"Dad?" It's actually Jack pulling me away now from the party. I'm shocked to see him obviously.

He doesn't respond, as he pushes me towards the elevators. I can't read his emotionless expression he's just pulling me out of the party. We reach the elevator, and he drags me inside.

"What's going on?" I demand.

He doesn't answer me, he just holds onto the back of my shirt like I'm 12 years old. We reach the suite floor, and the elevator stops. He pushes me off it too roughly.

"No need to push Jack!" I yell at him.

"Shut your mouth!" He smacks me across the hair.

"What the hell!" I yell

"Is this what we call keeping a low profile?!" he yells.

I don't know what the hell he's talking about. I don't know what the hell he's doing back here so soon.

"So two visits in only a week, wow I'm shocked. To what do I owe the honor!"

Jack opens up the suite and pulls me inside. "Sit down!" he yells.

I do as I'm told because he scares me. When I walk into the suite there's a bunch of other somber looking dudes inside all wearing business suits. They all look like your typical white collar criminals just like my own father. Is this the mob I think my dad might be connected to?

"Hey if you're ready to go another round dad, I'm ready!" I shout raising my arms in the air. Trying to sound more confident than I feel.

"You're drunk as usual!" he yells at me

"And you're an asshole!" I shout back.

"Shut your mouth right now." He grits his teeth.

The goons in the room are all watching this expressionless.

Jack stands in front of me now. "I need to talk to you about something important. I have some very clear directions you're going to need to follow in a few weeks."

I roll my eyes and put my head in my hands. Not more of dad's special instructions. This is the last thing I need right now.

"Dylan, are you listening to me?" He lowers his voice now, and I look up at him. Everyone in the room is staring at me.

"What?" I give up now.

"In a few weeks, I'm going to need you to wait at a vault for me. We're going to be making a deposit. You need to be there son."

"Why?" I demand.

"Don't ask why just be there. Suntrust bank vault at noon on the 27th."

It doesn't look like saying no to this right now is the best option, for me, or Jack actually.

"Dylan are you going to be there?" he asks calmly but with urgency.

I look up at him, wondering why this is our life. Why can't he just be a normal father? How come I don't know who this man is?

I don't know what the hell is going on, and I don't think I want to know.

"Yeah...yeah, I'll be there," I mutter.

"Good. I'm going to be in Paris for the next couple of weeks on business. I need you to take care of things around here," he informs me

"Right business," I say sarcastically.

Jack doesn't bother responding to my snide tone. He grabs his briefcase off a table, and the other men in the room stand up now.

"See you in a few weeks," he says to me as they all start walking towards the door.

"Jack," I call out but he ignores me. "Dad!" I say it louder but the door shuts behind them with no response. And that's that. Dad's off to conduct some more business and I'm stuck here.

I walk over to the vase of flowers and knock it off the table. I just need to hit something either that or put my fist through the wall.

Just another friendly chat with dad.

Note: So, I know this chapter didn't have Brandon or Brenda yet, but we're getting there. This is Dylan's life right before he meets the Walsh's. I hope you're still with me. Some fun recognizable stuff here. Obviously, we know Eric, Dwayne, and Sarah from the Green Room Episode. Did you catch Stuart as the guy handing Dylan drugs?! That's right that was the Stuart who Brenda was actually engaged too, and who Dylan knew was a piece of shit. There's a reason Dylan knew everyone. He was on the scene, and he led a fast life in Beverly Hills. Drugs and alcohol were everywhere. Hold on with me, the ride is just getting started!