So what? I’m the grinch. Screw Christmas… - 2017
If you lived in Beryl in 2017, you should know who Daniel fcking Parker was. Around Christmas time, some may even consider him the resident grinch. Well, fck you and fck that and fck this bloody misc , because, darling, Daniel may be a grinch, but at least he knew exactly what he was. See, there were some idiots like Dorian DeLoughrey who couldn’t look in the mirror and call out their flaws - and for Dorian, that was quite a bit of sht. Trust Daniel, that was… one endless fcking list. However, Daniel knew exactly what he was. He knew people feared him - a 16-year-old - as they bloody should. Maybe Daniel became a little worse after his cousin left? After all, Jessica Pierce did have a way of holding him back from making those who deserved to rot in hell… well… gently burn instead. Now that she was gone and he was spending Christmas without her, let’s just say he was a little bit more of a grinch-like figure than he usually was but could anyone really blame him? Jezebel was busy with Jordan and their lovey dovey… that… grossness, Jessica was in a different country, and Daniel… well here he was, all alone on the most wretched Holiday. Daniel always hated Christmas, after all. Especially after his sister was taken, his father tried to make Christmas a big ordeal but it was never the same. Did that stop Justin Parker from making sure that their house was one of the brightest in the neighborhood? No - Justin Parker didn’t even have to be in town to make sure people decorated the hell out of his house.
This was exactly why Daniel Parker wasn’t happy waking up in the overly decorated mansion he lived in. His staff knew not to mention Christmas, or Christmas Eve, as he walked downstairs after his shower. Usually, Jess and him would do something very… Non-Christmas for this week - yes they would go to the junkyard with bats and beat the sht out of cars, it was a great christmas tradition okay - but she was a little busy in London dealing with her own sister’s problems. Fcking Anna - because yes, Dan knew at least some of what was occurring in his own family, unlike Andy and Dorian who didn’t deserve to know the truth. Those two men could rot in hell. Did you see how they reacted when she disappeared? Fake fcking friends talking sht the moment things don’t turn out their way. That was exactly the reason Dan didn’t like making friends outside of his family. Only Jezebel was the exception to that rule (and maybe Elodie) but besides that, people just generally sucked.
Arriving downstairs, Dan was the first to grab his keys and leave the… disgusting house. Everything was decorated to the tee; the 10 trees located throughout the house, the chimney, the banister, EVEN HIS CEREAL WALL. Now that last one was just bloody rude. So of course, he grabbed his non red car and with his drivers permit, illegally left his estate without any idea where he would go. Where was the least Christmasy place to go on Christmas Eve? No seriously what was it? A Graveyard? Kinky - but that wasn’t on Dan’s list for today. Dan was avoiding ALL starbucks’ today and the BS girls getting weird combinations of drinks that should never be called coffee. Yes Jezebel, Daniel was currently calling your bs out. That sht was gross. Keep your toasted marshmellow cappacino far away from him.
So… in true grinch fashion, Daniel… well… obviously went to go terrorize people in the least Christmas spirited way possible: he went straight to people’s homes to collect on what they owed him. OH DON’T GIVE ME “Poor Daniel” TYPE SHT. LET HIM BE MEAN. Cassidy the cheerleader owed him for taking her nudes off the web, and instead, posting Jacob’s nudes everywhere - so did he knock on the door and say “Hello Mrs. Darvens, is Cassidy home?” on Christmas eve to use a favor? Yes, yes Daniel did. Causing Chaos on the day actually brought him joy.
From Cassidy’s, Dan went to 9 more students asking various favors and just generally making people hate him more. It was bloody great. Now, Dan was situated in a Diner for lunch which, sadly, was still christmasy but what could he do? Man was hungry and going back home wasn’t the move. Situated in a booth, Dan had his trusty computer open as he waited for his black coffee and steak burger. Though, it was in looking for his next target that he overheard someone sitting near him - also alone. Dan moved his gaze from his laptop to the girl, a clear distatste on his features seeing it was Valerie Wood. Dan didn’t know exactly when he started hating the girl - all he knew was she p!ssed him the hell off.
“Valerie Wood. Stalking me now?” Dan asked casually when she got off the phone, watching as the girl rolled her eyes mubling something along the lines of Not now Dan. See - annoying. She was the definition of bothersome and Dan would have continued with his stream of fck you but she clearly seemed upset at something and Dan wasn’t in the mood for upset girls, so he went right back to his computer. But… well… this was Dan. Could anyone expect Dan not to comment on this.
“You know, girl alone in a diner on christmas eve is kinda weird, Wood.” Dan stated casually as he typed away on his laptop looking up where his next victum was.
“Says the guy alone in a diner on Christmas Eve”
“Snarky. But let’s be honest, we live in a patriarchy and me being here is completely of norm. Anyways shouldn’t you be doing some Christmas caroling sht or I don’t know what people do on Christmas Eve… baking cookies or what not? Go home Valerie.” Was Daniel being rude? When was Daniel not rude but hey, maybe he had good intentions in telling her to go home. Or… maybe he just wanted her far away from him. Either way - he wasn’t exactly expecting the response she gave him.
“As if… I love christmas, but i’ll probably just stay here, not like i have anything better to do. Shouldn’t you be caroling and baking cookies tho? go home daniel”
A sigh left his lips as he rolled his eyes - this conversation was going on far longer than he would ever want to talk to Valerie Wood. Even her name made him gag. “Why am I not surprised that you. of all people, like christmas. It’s quite literally an institution created by the marketing and sales industry to make money but you’re fairly basic so it does make sense.” With those words, he looked at her, meeting her eyes with a twisted smile. “Anyways, If you love Christmas, darling, there are more Christmasy places you can go then spend it near me… So please, go to one of those many instiutions like the bloody mall or… I don’t fcking know… starbucks. And sweetie, don’t tell me what to do.” With that, he took a long drink of the black coffee that had just arrived, unmoved when she stood up probably to go leave… however… she didn’t bloody leave. Instead, she joined him in his booth, sitting oppositite to him with a look that unsettled Daniel Parker.
Okay. Strange. Daniel told her to leave, she didn’t move, he threatened her, she threatened him, and there they are - still sitting across one another. Don’t get Daniel wrong, he hated the living guts out of the girl in front of him, but maybe (just maybe) she wasn’t terrible company. “So you’re telling me that when you were a toddler, you bit santa clause? I hope the poor bloke had insurance my god.” Daniel stated, laughing… truly laughing for the first time since the holiday season started. Since she wasn’t leaving, they actually begin talking more than the simple threats Dan usually gave this hollow’s eve. "Well when I was 10 I decided I wasn’t feeling Christmas so when my parents took me to Aspen, I made sure the fireworks that were supposed to read Merry Christmas said F*ck Christmas… so that was a great time to see all those rich dads and their mistresses screaming YOU’LL LOSE MY BUSINESS " Dan added with the roll of his eyes.
They had long finished the food and probably should have left but what could Dan say? The conversation wasn’t terrible. Though after refilling Dan’s coffee, the women came out with an ice cream sundae with two spoons uttering that it was on the house for the happy couple. Ew. EW. Him and Val? Disgusting. “Oh we would never…”
“Thank you so much,” Val replied while KICKING HIM before he could clarify the CLEAR mitake the women made. At Val’s words, Dan gave her a glare to which she simply shrugged. “Take the free dessert, idiot.” Hmph. Fine. After a moment of hesitation, Dan took the extra spoon and slowly took a little bite of the ice cream out. “I just wanted to make sure she understood that we hate each other and would never, ever date let alone do anything else” “And I was trying to get free desert on Christmas Eve, so deal with it fake boyfriend for 8 minutes.” . A sigh left his lips, though, they continued - finishing the desert and talking about some other nonsense. Maybe some people would call this a Christmas miracle - Dan and Val getting along? Either way, after they were done and the bill was paid - it didn’t really matter did it? The minute they left that diner they would once again go to the people they always were… people who hated each other.
Looking at Valerie Wood as they left the diner, Dan looked towards her trying to say… goodriddence that was over but he stopped… almost at a loss of words. “That didn’t… this doesn’t mean we’re freinds” Yeah. Don’t judge him. It was the best he could get out. But she simply smiled, shrugged her shoulders and started walking backwards. “Merry Christmas Parker,”