think it。 When he saw them； he’d just know。 There was no time like the present。 He was ready。
Okay； but are they ready for him？
love and other impossible pursuits
Dan Humphrey poured a cup of black Folgers coffee into a chipped red mug and shuffled toward the living room of his family’s sprawling Upper West Side apartment。 He sank down on the frayed； overstuffed beige couch； causing Marx； the Humphreys’ fat black…with…a…dot…of…white cat； to jump off the cushion in protest。
It was still early； but Dan felt too keyed up to sleep。 He’d gotten home from his first semester at Evergreen College in Washington State a week ago； and it was finally beginning to sink in that he wasn’t going back。
Ever。
He’d applied to transfer to Columbia for second semester and had received his acceptance letter during reading week before exams。 After his philosophy final； he’d packed up his metallic blue ’77 Buick Skylark and driven cross…country； arriving in the city just in time to spend Christmas Eve with his dad； Rufus； and his little sister； Jenny。
The holidays had been nice。 Jenny had given him a blue Banana Republic sweater； his dad a collection of Charles Bukowski books； and they’d all eaten dinner at their favorite Chinese restaurant； which served bad boxed white wine with every order。 It had been great to see his family； but the whole time； he’d been counting down the hours until he could see his girlfriend—shaven…headed； filmmaker genius； love of his life Vanessa Abrams。
Vanessa had actually been living in Dan’s family’s apartment for the past semester； while attending Tisch School of the Arts at NYU。 Her film equipment sat in one corner of Dan’s bedroom； and her black tank tops and bras were in the top drawer of the rickety bure