Simone and Dean: A Complex Teen Romance Unfolds

In The Disposable, we meet Dean Trenton and Simone Watson, two of Rax’s closest friends. They are casually dating. Casually because Simone is still too young to date (she’s 15 and he’s 19), but it’s obvious she loves Dean. Dean is a bit hard-nosed, judges Andre quickly and harshly, and is possessive (or protective?) of Simone. Although, Dean is a legit jerk, I wanted to play with his backstory and understand why he is the way he is. 

He’s hurting and grieving. His mom died right after his 18th birthday and right before he started his senior year. His dad walked out when he was six and now he finds himself the man of an empty house. But, the Watson’s took him in and he’s grateful but, as we all know, grief can be overwhelming.

He is also the type who passive-aggressively resents needing help. Although he accepts it, it feels like an attack on his capability. We all know people like this.

He understands Simone on a level few others do. He’s watched her grow up and in these short scenes, we understand why he is the way he is.

Simone raked a pile of horse manure into the scooper, then looked at her watch. Five-forty-five. Her shoulders slumped as she stared at the scooper, not wanting this morning to end. From the last stall, she heard the soft scraping as Dean spot cleaned it and she wished she could just stay in the barn all day. Dean emerged bringing the scooper with him and in silence dumped the contents in the wheelbarrow. With a yawn, he shook his head, still trying to wake up.

Simone turned her back to him and smiled, biting her bottom lip and thinking her brother’s best friend quite handsome, even in gray joggers and boots. His blond hair, though short, looked scruffy and unkempt, but she forced herself not to stare when she turned back around.

All the barn kept horses had been fed, stalls spot cleaned and water buckets filled. All the turn-out horses were moved to the pasture and their stalls spot cleaned. Other than refilling the feed buckets for evening stables, nothing remained. Maybe she could tell her mom she was sick. Blaine and Diedra, twins and her closest friends had the flu so, it wouldn’t be a far stretch. But lying, even for a good reason, was wrong, she decided. She glanced at the white board on the wall counting off three hours of riding lessons for four students. The reality was, those three hours would be four or five hours since she did a full hour of ride time, so with grooming and tacking, it went longer. If she feigned illness, her mom would give the job to someone else and Simone needed the money, so she needed to go to school.

“You okay?” Dean asked, laying the scooper and rake against the wall.

She nodded and carried her scoop to the wheel-barrow, aware of his green eyes following her movements. But, she shuddered, thinking of someone else who watched her, too.

“You aren’t griping at me about anything, so I know something’s wrong. Are you going to tell me?” Dean grasped the handle. 

“I got it,” she said, putting her hand on the handles ahead of his. He stepped back, surrendering it to her but followed as she wheeled it outside. “And you haven’t done anything stupid, yet. Blaine and Dee are both sick. They won’t be at school,” she said, hoping that would stop the conversation. “I don’t want to eat alone.”

“Then eat with me,” he said. “And Preston and some of the guys from the team.”

“What about your girlfriend?”

“She has second lunch.”

Although the invitation was given friendly, the same as if her brother had offered, Simone doubted he’d invite her if Mallory ate with him. The cheerleader irritated her on every level, probably more than Lucas Reynolds,  but not much more.

Dumping the manure in the pile, she looked at him in the light of the outside barn lights and found him waiting for her answer. She wanted to, but didn’t want to embarrass him or her brother. Being the school’s “crazy horse girl” made her sort of a social blemish at school and Dean was one of the more popular boys. Her brother had a good standing, too, as drum major and typical favorite with teachers. She just wanted to get through high school unnoticed, but so far, all of Preston’s teachers did notice. They noticed that she wasn’t in band, Beta club, academic team, or any sports team. It didn’t matter that she found success on the show jumping circuit. The school didn’t have an equestrian team.

“You don’t want Preston’s little sister, the freshmen, eating with all the seniors.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself, but you’re welcome. If we’re done, boss, let’s head up and get ready for school.”

Later that morning, Simone walked out her algebra class, scanning the hallway. After a few steps, she exhaled the breath she’d held since walking out of class. She just needed down this hallway, one turn and three classrooms, then she’d be. . .

Something goosed her side and she jumped, even as her heart sank. Clenching her jaw together, she cast a quick look to the side.

“You look nice today, Simone. That green is really pretty on you.” Lucas said. She felt his eyes heavy on her and she tried to shrink deeper into her green hoodie while she chastised herself for picking the slender, form fitting sweater hoodie, over something that would hide her.

“Hi, Lucas. I’m in a hurry. I need to talk to my teacher about an assignment,” she said, trying to pick up her pace. 

He matched it. “Are you having trouble? I can help you. I’m really good with science.”

“It’s just a question about the assignment. I understand the work.” She swallowed hard and focused straight ahead. She didn’t exactly understand the work, but she wouldn’t ask her teacher, she’d ask Rax tonight. He explained things so easily and related it to real life.

The crowd thickened as they turned onto the main hall, forcing her closer to the tall, gangly, greasy Lucas.

“Go out with me Saturday,” he said.

“I’m not allowed to date until I’m seventeen.”

Okay, sixteen, but maybe the extra year would get him away from her.

“But, homecoming is coming up. Surely your parents will let you come to the dance with me? I’ll talk to them.”

One class, two classes. She stopped at her science room. “I gotta go.”

“Did you get my text? I thought you might like what I can offer.” He smiled, sleazy and oily and Simone wished she could leave school, go home, and shower with bleach. She hurried into the class and took her seat.

Sitting at her desk, she pulled out her phone and looked for his text. Tapping it, she gasped and quickly closed it, shaking her head in both disgust and desperation. Hopefully, Dean meant it when he invited her to join the football table.