Bastille Imagines

We Need to Talk About Dan

A/n: Warning: very dark and hints of a violent nature. This idea was suggested to me by sparkiiy and I loved it so thank you! If any of you want to suggest an idea or anything then please feel free to suggest it either in the comments or you can message me! I don't bite! Also I apologise for its length!!! I wanted this chapter to be a reminder to you guys, wherever you are to be safe, terrible things happen in the world, even right now, and you never know what just might happen. Stay safe!

Every school has one: that detached, isolated person who sits at the back of the class, having no intention of uttering a word to anyone that approaches them. The deviant nobody pays attention to because, after many fruitless attempts, it is simply too difficult to connect with them through any means of communication. To everyone's knowledge they're just a name and nothing further. A walking soul that floats around the school who's yet to make an impression on society but with no personality, no emotion and no social background, it seems highly unlikely that they ever will.

Every school has one, regardless. But none of those other schools ever had someone quite like Dan.

Now Dan contained all of the typical symptoms. Quiet, restricted, invisible. Oftentimes you would pass him in the corridor with the hint of a bruising or a red blemish developing on his face just minutes after being harassed by someone who didn't quite understand him. Not necessarily saying that you did, but you knew more than anyone else that there was something psychologically obscure about him, something that wasn't to be reconciled with. Everyone else disregarded him and blamed it on a defect of character. But what struck you about him was the way he would never stray from that stone cold expression, you never saw any other emotion donning his face. No fear, no pain, nothing. But that was just typical Dan.

You couldn't ignore how much it bothered you that everyone was completely blinded to his very distinct anti-social behaviour. The teachers paid no mind to him because he did the work, he was a grade A student, and his family background checks were completely ordinary. So as long as he was able to conform to the school rules and there was no trouble at home, then it was assumed that having no personality was his personality.

Indeed, he was unique. But not in the way that everyone thought because he embodied something that no one else had. Something that exhorted him to exceed his reputation and do the unthinkable.

He had motive.

~~~~

Your day at school is like any other. Your English literature work basks in the sun, shining its rays onto your desk as if it was mocking you, reminding you that once again you are stuck in school. English isn't your favourite but it's still tolerable. The class isn't half bad, the teacher knows what he's doing and maybe about 1/3 of the course sparks your interest. The other 2/3 you fall asleep to.

The other dilemma is your partner, Dan. Having the misfortune of sitting next to him it is inevitable that when teamwork projects come along you will always be paired with him. You have to give it to him though, he never fails you when it comes to putting in the effort. He's smart, clever and a little too cunning for your liking. This particular feature about him you try to suppress when it gets the better of you, knowing all too well that he gets enough shit from everyone else. The least you could do is persevere and expand your patience.

It's team project day and, as instructed by your teacher, you turn towards your partner. Your skin turns cold when you notice a purple haze grazing his cheek in amongst the red undertones of his skin, where the traces of tears are obvious to the eye. Like you say, he gets enough shit from everyone else. The last thing he needs is for you to be the same. With a hesitant smile on your lips and a spark of optimism growing, you present your findings to Dan.