Dash Parr

  Nope, just about to drown this hangover with greasy food and pancakes. Wanna come along? [points a thumb behind him, lifting an eyebrow invitingly]

[Dash smiled at the gesture.]  Greasy food helps?  I'm surprised, but I'll take you up on that offer.

  Alright, if you say so. [shrugs, looking him over carefully] Have you eaten? I hear greasy food is good for a hangover. I think.

No, I haven't eaten.  You sure greasy food helps?

  Hey, it’s fine dude. Don’t worry about it. [waves his hand in the air vaguely] You had fun, I had fun, we’re all good. We could’ve stayed for awhile longer, but I kinda figured I’d need to carry you home. Seriously, I’m not mad.

If you say so.  [Dash let out a chuckle and ruffled his hair.]  You got plans today?

  I can’t wait for it to start and end. I want to get out of here and out of fucking school for good. 

I didn't realize you hated it here so much.

  [Layla stepped back, not wanting to be held or talked to right now] I’m not staying for four years. I’m finishing in two. 

Either way, that's still a long time.  You've already made me as a friend - and the semester didn't even start yet.

  [pulls her glasses onto her forehead] Oh. Yeah, I can see it. [tries not to laugh] You want some aspirin or something? My glasses?

No thank you.  [Dash responded softly, with squinted eyes.]  I don't want to take anything from you.

  Just get some rest. This time just consider all of this a warning. Next time, I will still help you, but not as lenient on the rules. [He shook his head.] I just know you need someone to be able to come to when you are like this and I would be a hypocrite to help Cooper and not you.

[Dash simply nodded his head.]  Th-thank you, sir.

  Because as a trained police officer, I can spot a few things. I am feeling nice today because of reasons that you don’t need to know, so I am letting you get off scot free. Or should it be scotch free in your case?

Oh, uh.  [Dash tensed up.  Not only was he a professor, but a trained police officer.  Thankfully, there didn't seem to be trouble though.]  Th-thank you.  I should get going.

  [nods, a sympathetic look on his face] Should probably have not gone for that second round of drinks. I warned you you’d feel like crap today. 

[Dash was tense, but lightened up at Todd's sympathy.]  I should have had less... I ruined our night and now my morning.

  [notices his expression] Hey, you okay? You don’t look so good.

I'm... uh... a bit hungover.

  And he lives! [claps him on the shoulder, pushing a water bottle and two tylenol pills into his hand] You’ll thank me later. So how ya feelin’?

Thanks, man. [Dash smiled weakly.]  I feel... awful, honestly.

  [He rolled his eyes before handing the kid his coffee, a pair of shades, and some advil] Take this, put these on, and drink this. I was in college before. [He wrote a something down on a piece of paper] Now, here’s an excuse note for your absences. You’re lucky you caught me on a good day.

Umm.. thanks?  [Dash put on the sunglasses and looked down at the paper.]  Why are you giving me this?

  [Layla groans before blurting out] Because I will never be anyone’s dream girl! I have scars everywhere, I have a shit family, shit past and I’m a friendless loser! I’m here on a scholarship even if my family has money because I’m a total nerd and I’m only here to find someone to care about her!

Hey, hey.  [Dash tried to get closer to Layla to comfort her, not sure if she'd accept the advance.]  I do care about you.  And you'll meet people who fulfill that for you, I promise.  We still have 4 years of this place.

  You were talking about a relationship, well guess what Dash. You have everything perfect, the perfect family, the perfect friends, you are perfect! You could get any guy or girl you wanted! Me? I have none of that!

Layla... [He knew Layla was right about his family and past, but focusing on Dash's life wasn't his goal here.]  Where is this all coming from?

  You at least had people that cared about you from the moment you were born to the now. My parents rarely gave a fuck what I did.

[Dash sighed.] That's not... what I meant.

  [turns her head away, letting a final tear squeeze out of her eye] No Dash, I don’t need some bullshit. I mean love. I want someone to care about me. Tell me how beautiful I am even when I will deny it every time. I want someone to whisper how much they love me in my ear, not some friendship or some shit family. I want someone to care for me! 

And someone will.  He's just... not around yet.  Trust me, I want that too.  But give it time.

  No one is going to love me… I just wanted to be loved once in my life. [Layla swallowed, tears still streaming down her face] 

Layla, what are you talking about?  [He pulled away from their hug and looked into her eyes.  He held both of her hands.]  I love you.  I'm sure your family loves you, believe it or not.  Your other friends love you.  And people you haven't even met yet will love you when the time comes.  [He looked into her eyes for a response, his own showing only concern.]