The Tale Lost In Time - A GTA V Headcanon Story

Part 3 -

Ryan scowled at his bushy, curly ginger hair after at least thirty minutes of trying to comb it straight.
"You'll never get it done. You know that." Trevor mocked.

"Shut it."

Trevor laughed softly, responding by rubbing his hand all over Ryan's head. Ryan squealed and shoved it away.

"You're voice is so high-pitched! How old are you, sweetie? Twelve?"

Ryan rolled his blue eyes, fixing the tie on his suit and trying one more time to straighten his hair to no avail. He dropped the comb back onto the sink, then opened his mouth so he could see his teeth in the mirror. When he was six, he hit his teeth against a rock when he fell into the river and straight up lost a tooth and didn't realize it. Speech was difficult for a bit with only one front tooth, but he managed and now spoke as if he never lost it in the first place.

"Do you think she'll notice?"
"Your tooth?" Trevor stared at it in the mirror. "Dude, you've been with her for years."

"But what if she secretly never has and she notices it and makes fun of me for it?"

"If that somehow is the case, then we'll ditch her and leave."

Ryan couldn't help but snort. "You wouldn't leave a fifteen year old to walk home."

"If she makes fun of my little brother, I would."

"You're so stupid." Ryan jeered, then left the washroom, down the hallway, and into the living room.

Beatrice smiled warmly, her eyes reflecting love for her obviously favored son. She walked towards Ryan, brushing a lock of red hair out of his face. "There's my handsome young man." As Trevor appeared from around the corner, her tone sharpened. "Trevor. I trust you as a seventeen year old to safely pick up Danielle, take them to the dance, and bring them back on time. You must be responsible for once in your life."

Trevor clearly wanted to point out her bias, but he forced a nod. "Yes ma'am. I guess it won't be that bad. I may run into some old friends."

"Like you had any." Ryan teased light-heartedly. Trevor, against Beatrice and Thomas' retorts, dropped out of school around a year ago after he got his license. He was about to get suspended for smoking and drinking on campus, which Beatrice refused to believe until she caught him doing it at their own home. Ryan wasn't there, but according to Trevor, he had never seen their mother so hysterical. Since he dropped out of school, that meant he had to leave hockey, which Ryan was disappointed about since in his life, his older brother's hockey games were the only thing the family had to look forward to. Now, with the homecoming dance, Ryan has something else to be happy about. Danielle and him had been dating for about two years, which exceeded the normal time for a young middle schooler now high schooler.
"Go on! If there's one dent in that car, I'll put one in your head!" Thomas bellowed from the kitchen, slamming another whiskey bottle on the counter. Ryan kissed his mother on her forehead, and Trevor waved her goodbye as the two left the house and to Trevor's pitch-black, dusty truck.

"Good evening, Mr. Owens."

"Hello, young man. Danielle is about to be down- ah, there she is!"

Ryan nodded a farewell to Mr. Owens, locking arms with the angel in his life and led her down the two concrete steps. Her dirty-blonde hair was tied back in a gorgeous messy bun, her complexion flourished with bright-red lipstick, black eyeliner, pale foundation, and pastel-pink blush. Her dress ended at her ankles, a slim, red dress with a white belt and golden buckle. Her shoes were high heels that had laces that went up a bit high, the heels making her the same height as Ryan. Ryan opened the door for her, never taking eyes off the woman he loved so dearly. When he closed the door and they were far from Mr. Owens' view, he took her soft face in his hands and kissed her. They drew apart, and she giggled like the adorable woman she was, her face red as it blushed.

"Ew."

"Hi, Trevor." Danielle responded with a greeting, then laughed a bit.

Trevor did an exaggerated sigh, pulling out a white back and a lighter from his pocket. "You two won't tell, right?"

"Who do I have to tell?" Danielle replied, and Trevor rolled down the window and lit the cigarette.

"You excited?" Ryan asked, placing his hand over Danielle's and holding it tightly.

"Am I? Oh, of course!" Her legs bounced up and down. "Our first real dance. We are going to have to much fun."

"I know we will." Ryan's words jumbled together as he was more focused on Danielle's stunning beauty than his sentence. This exquisite woman was his. All his. He couldn't be happier. His heart swelled with love, and he kissed her on the cheek.

"Save it." Trevor growled, and in the next few minutes they were parked in front of the school gym.

Ryan and Danielle exited the car, holding hands as they went to the doors of the gym. Ryan turned around, asking in a slight yell, "Aren't you coming?"

"Me? Nah. This is your night."

"Come on! You'll have fun!"
Trevor dropped his head on the steering wheel, turned off the car, trashed his cigarette at the floorboard of the car, and speed-walked to catch up with them. "If a teacher recognizes me, we're leaving."

"Deal. You've grown so ugly, though, I bet they won't recognize you."

"Why haven't I punched you yet?" Trevor snarled, a hint of playfulness his tone. Ryan shrugged his shoulders sarcastically, laughed with Danielle, and the three entered the gym.

"What are they doing?" Ryan stared dumbfounded at the pack of girls in the corner of the gym, Danielle being among them, chortling and whispering to each other as their eyes darted to random individuals around the room.

"Eh, just girls being girls. It's weird, I know, but trust me, when the music starts, she'll come right on over here."
Ryan spit out his punch as he felt his chest become wet. He looked down, seeing a large, green stain on his suit. He rubbed his head, a sigh escaping from his clench teeth. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you- your shirt!"
"Yeah, I know. Hang on!" Ryan left the room and headed down the hall to the bathroom, entering and taking in the mess on his white shirt in the mirror. The punch could've splashed anywhere on the black suit, but of course, it had to land on the white patch in the middle. He turned on the faucet and absorbed the water with a brown paper towel, pressing it over the light-green stain and wiping it off.
Suddenly, the door swung open.

"Dude?!"

Ryan flinched in surprise, turning around to see a classmate of his. "Quinn? What is it?"

"You're dating Danielle, right?"
Ryan was perplexed. "Yeah, man. Everyone knows that. What's up?"
Quinn didn't say anymore, he just motioned for Ryan to follow him with his hand. As they headed down the hallway, Ryan began to sweat nervously. What was going on? Was everything okay?

"I'm so sorry. I've felt this before. It's the worst feeling in the world to feel as if you aren't enough."

"What are you even talking about?" Ryan whisper-shouted.

"Don't let yourself be seen. Peek around the corner and just look in the dance square for a bit." Quinn instructed, and walked in the main room and disappeared within the crowd.

The music for the dance had started, an upbeat tune that some people were even dancing to by themselves. The couples danced with each other, all laughing and shouting to the beat. Ryan squinted his eyes, pushing his hair out of his face as he searched the crowd for anything peculiar.

Then, it caught his eye. The gleaming of the sequins on the tightly fit dress, the recognizable laugh that echoed through his ears, the amber eyes that any man could get lost in. She swirled between people, being hoisted and twirled around in the air by a man a few inches taller than her. Danielle's expression became serious as she seemed to take in nothing but his eyes. Her face neared his until she kissed him, her arms wrapped around his neck as the two ceased their dancing to embrace each other.

Then, she caught Ryan's eye.

Ryan couldn't hear her, but he saw her mouth his name. The man stared at him with a look of utter horror on his face. Ryan glared at them, unaware of the tear dripping off his cheek, then ran to the exit.

"Ryan!" Trevor called, but Ryan was already slamming the door behind him.