Chapter Text
tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow he was going to turn sixteen. Dan was pretty excited cause he would be older. And he couldn't wait to be older and leave high school, or even have a place on his own. It's not that terrible though, his parents are loving. But they can be so strict sometimes. All his classmates already go out to watch movies, but he is not allowed yet. When he turns eighteen, his parents promised. So he was more than excited to turn sixteen.
His high school wasn't all terrible. He had friends, or more people to hang out with, but they weren't really friends. They hung out cause they saw each other everyday. If school ended, they would never hear from each other again. But Dan didn't really mind. It's the bullies that bother him. They steal his stuff, or jus yell ugly words to his face. They call him babyface mostly cause he looks still very young. Or sometimes worse, fag. He knew not to listen to them, or not react to them, cause if he does it gets worse. He tried once to stand up for him and it ended in a punch in the face. He was never going to forget that.
But Dan knew how to keep himself calm. He always did some !breathing exercises, and he was fine. It would all be fine, as long as he stayed calm. He finally falls asleep comforted by that thought
The next morning he anxiously woke up from a nightmare. All he could see in his nightmare was fire. He couldn't get out. And it was so hot. He woke up in wet pyjama's and his bed was drenched as well. He found it weird, how he suddenly had a nightmare and is all a sweaty mess. He was angry already at how he has to shower now and change his bedsheets later today. Which was unusual of him. He was usually calm, but today just started wrong and he was annoyed. He got up and immediately showered. He then straightened his hair. He accidentally then touches the hot side of the straightener and he yelps. But then he realizes, he didn't feel pain. He assumed it would hurt so he yelped, but he felt nothing. He carefully touched it again and flinched, but nothing happened. He touched it now fully and he was watching in shock how he could touch the 900° degrees straightener without any issue. He felt the heat radiate through his body, but unbothered by it. in fact it calmed him down, it gave him comfort.
Suddenly the door opened. "Daniel are you ready for school? What are you doing?" his mother came in. he jumped and hid the straightener behind him, holding it uncarefully with the heat still on his hands. "n-nothing! Straightening my hair." Dan stammered. "you showered already yesterday, why are you showering again? Think about the water bills we have to pay!" his mum nagged already. Like Dan said, they were strict.
"erm I know, but I woke up all sweaty. My bed sheets need to be washed." Dan explained. His mum sighed and rolled her eyes. "come on, get down school is in half an hour." She simply said, being a bit pissed. She closed the door and Dan sighed. He already felt pissed too now. Why was he pissed? He usually could handle his parents criticism. He tried his breathing again, but it didn't work. He still had this anger inside him. Since when did he feel so angry? He even told himself yesterday to stay calm. He's failing at it now. He unplugged the straightener and as soon he dropped the heat from his hands, he felt getting more angry. The comfort was gone.
Today he was in a sudden need for black clothes. He wore sometimes colour, but he had a need for something dark he couldn't explain why. So he grabbed a black shirt and his one pair of black jeans. He'll need more black jeans he thought. With that he went to school.
He got downstairs and grabbed an apple to eat. "happy birthday son!" his father said, dropping his newspaper he was reading earlier. Dan awkwardly smiled and gave him a hug. His mother then walked in the living room from the kitchen. She looked him up and down. "all black?" she said, putting her arms on her sides. "yeah you could wear some colour, man." His father agreed. Dan shrugged, biting in his apple. His mum sighed again and grabbed her jacket. "come on, we're leaving." She said and went to his father to give him a kiss. He said goodbye to his father and went in the car with his mum.
"what happened last night?" his mum asked, starting the car. Dan felt a bit surprised by the question. What did happen last night? He didn't know. That nightmare was really something unusual. He shrugged his shoulders again. "be honest Daniel. I saw your bedsheets. It's like you showered in your bed!" she said getting pissed again. Suddenly her being pissed, he got too. He furrowed his eyebrows already and felt the anger inside him boiling. He tried his breathing again, but it didn't work at all. He was confused by that. why didn't it work anymore? "I had a nightmare." He managed to sound as less angry as possible. But it did come out forced.
His mother then got a bit concerned. "and that's your excuse for sweating your whole bed wet?" she said annoyed. Dan felt his anger boiling and he suddenly got very warm. No not warm, hot. He got suddenly very hot, that his straight hair started to curl again. He desperately tried to breathe again but it didn't work. So he kept just ignoring his angry feeling. His mother was silent for the rest of the ride. When they arrived, Dan wanted to throw himself on the pavement, but his mum stopped him. "dan? Happy birthday." She said and smiled. At least she didn't forget. He smiled back and then got out of the car.
He walked inside the school and went to the bathroom immediately, to cool off. He looked in the mirror and saw his forehead was sweating and his hair got all curly again. He splashed some water in his face, but the moment his hands touched water, he felt uncomfortable. He ignored it and went on with splashing water in his face. But then he heard a sizzling noise. He looked in the mirror and saw all damp coming from his face. He got so confused and a bit scared. Why was he all hot? Why was the moment the water touched his face it made sizzling noises? He tried it again and it made the same sound again. What else he noticed was that his face barely got wet. I mean it did for a second, but then it dried so quickly. He was panicking for a moment. What was happening? Why is this happening? He had to focus for a moment. It all came together with his nightmare. The fire, he couldn't escape from it. had that to do with all this? He didn't know. He needed distraction, so he went out of the bathroom and went to find his friends.
"happy birthday Dan!" his friend said the moment he saw him. All his friends congratulated him. "you've changed! Like.. you seem taller and something about your face is different.." one of his friends said, studying him. Oh god, did he notice it? the weird stuff happening? Dan panicked for a moment. "lol you seeing things huh?" someone else said, joking. That made them all laugh and Dan was happy to just joke with it too.
Class went normal as usual. His bullies were not there and he was happy about that. nothing unusual happened anymore and he stayed calm. It was time to go home and his mum was fine for a while. He was in his room now, trying to focus on his homework. He turned on a candle, cause his strict parents want to avoid expensive bills for electricity. He was used to a single candle in his room. But he stared at the little fire in front of him. He thought back about the straightener he could easily touch with no issue. He remembered how it gave him comfort. So he slowly moved his finger, without thinking to the candle. He flinched first and moved his finger away, the soon he touched it. but he had no pain once again. So he went to try it again and touched it. he held the little fire between his fingers now and felt the heat going through his body. He felt that comforting heat once again. He was now fascinated by it and just stared at his fingers touching the little candle.
"Daniel, it's soon bedtime!" his mother suddenly arrived in his room. He jumped and immediately let go of the candle. She looked suspicious at him. "don't burn yourself on the candle please." She said, not sure what she actually saw. Dan had to hold a laugh. Burn himself? He just touched it with his bare hands without any burning wounds. He just nodded and she then left with another weird look. He sighed and closed his books. He looked once more at the little candle, and then blew it out. Time for another day.
His birthday was fine. He never got presents, but he's used to it. school was fine and the bullies weren't there to annoy him. So he was grateful for today. He told himself to stay calm though, cause he was more angry at his mum than he usually is. He hoped the angry ness would leave as soon as possible.