Dan picked Matt up from his aunt's and uncle's very empty suburban home around five o'clock that Friday afternoon. The house was a typical California/Mexican style with a stucco roof and faded tan clay-like walls, but it seemed too tiny to house seven people. The physicality of the house could definitely use a pick-me-up. Chipped paint dotted all sides, there were dead plants in the front yard, and one cracked second-story window (most likely from storm damage).
Matt was nothing but smiles on his way to Dan's apartment, which made Dan feel all the better.
"So three of the guys from the group said they could come for a while, and my buddy Amenadiel will be there in a couple minutes," Dan explained.
"You have a friend named Amenadiel?" Matt asked with a humored disbelief. "I've heard some weird names before, but...man. Is he foreign or something?"
Dan chuckled and shrugged, struggling to explain, "I really don't know. I don't know where his parents got that name from. Although, you'll love this, his brother's name is Lucifer."
Matt's eyes widened and he laughed even harder with Dan. "Lucifer? Like the devil Lucifer?"
"I guess so. That guy's weird. He loves his whole 'devil shtick'. I'm honestly thinking his real name is something dumb, and he made this whole new personality for himself cause his ego's dickishly humongous."
"Man that's really weird." Matt concluded with a laugh.
Twenty minutes passed and they pulled up to Dan's apartment building.
When they had made their way up and Dan opened the door, Matt walked inside and complimented Dan on how nice his place was.
"Yeah, it's home I guess. Nothing too special." Dan shrugged off.
Matt replied under his breath, "I can't wait to get my own place." Then Matt noticed some pictures sitting on a side table in Dan's living room. Many were of Dan and what looked to be his parents and siblings. A few more were of him and a young girl of varying ages.
"Who's this?" Matt asked, holding up a picture of Dan and the girl, who was wearing a red cap and gown.
Dan smiled and gestured to the picture, "Oh that's my daughter!"
"Trixie right?" Matt clarified.
"Yep." Dan smiled and let out a contented sigh, and he walked over to show him the other pictures. He explained which ones were of him and his family, that the blonde woman in some of the pictures is Trixie's mom, and that Trixie's gotten very into taking selfies in the past few years, so most of the photos he has of the two of them was Trixie practicing her selfie skills.
"How old is she?" Matt asked.
"Fourteen." Dan nodded.
"Cool." Matt replied, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips.
Somebody knocked on the door and Dan jogged over to answer it. He opened it and saw Amenadiel smiling on the other side, a multitude of chip bags in his hands.
"Hey! Thanks for coming man. Come on in!" Dan stood aside to welcome him in.
Amenadiel thanked him and moved to put the chips near a few different dips Dan had set out.
Matt came back into the front area see what was going on.
"You must be Matt." Amenadiel smiled warmly as he walked over to the younger boy. He offered his hand for Matt to shake. Matt took it and smiled, answering, "Yes sir."
"I'm Amenadiel, I'm a friend of Dan's." Then Amenadiel whispered, "Dan's told me a lot about you."
Matt laughed and cleared his throat. He felt the pressure of oncoming anxiety creeping up on him, wanting to know what exactly Dan had said about him. Amenadiel seemed friendly, so chances were that Dan said positive things about him. After what Matt has been through all his life, worrying about what others think of him became his first instinct. However, deep down, Matt eased at the thought that he had a good friend in Dan and he is proud of him.
YOU ARE READING
The Beginning of the End
Fanfiction"Hey," She began quietly, much like how she greeted him in the penthouse several times when he hadn't known she was coming over. "Look, I promise that I'm trying to be okay with you leaving. I know why you had to do it. It was so brave, and I knew i...
