PROLOGUE: Champagne problems.
It starts on a night that smelled like rain and caused too much thinking.
Tobias Ford had everything. A life measured in silver spoons, gold plates along with an endless carousel of fine dining, private schools, expensive toys, country-club mixers and the kind of smile that drew people in.
This picture of his current life was probably why people assume he was happy. Truthfully, Tobias had every reason to be because he had loving, attentive and protective parents. He came from a wealthy lineage so aside from his allowance his inheritance guaranteed he had more money than he could spend in a lifetime.
His older brother—Theodore— was a stickler who only partially annoyed him and despite the stereotypes about rich kids and high society. Tobias had a healthy friendship group and a brotherhood rooted outside of kin.
On top of everything, Tobias also had the looks and the magnetism that could charm the skin off a snake. But lately the air around him felt stale and borderline suffocating.
Tobias was tired of routines, tired of “plastic people,” tired of being one of them and seeing the same faces he had seen since he was 3 years old. He was 16 now and nothing had changed.
He knew these were champagne problems so he never voiced it in fear of coming off as ungrateful as he wasn’t blind to his privilege. However, Tobias was so tired, he was considering going to a Danish boarding school just for excitement and a change.
He could feel himself fading into ‘one of them’ which is why he left the annual teen mixer at the country club early. After another glittering evening filled with polite laughter, luxury clothes from countries that didn’t have English as a primary language and imported liquor that was offered to even the underage—he slipped away.
Tobias walked past the rows of imported cars and manicured hedges until the streets changed. Then the houses grew smaller, the sidewalks cracked, the air a little more alive and became less polite as dogs barked in the shadows and cats purred like warnings in the dark.
When he reached a small park in the middle of the town square. Tobias took out his favorite 10$ coin and flipped it into a fountain before whispering his wish.
“A spark,” he pressed his hands together.
All Tobias wanted was something to remind him he was still breathing. That he was indeed alive and there was hope outside the plastic world without seeking it in dangerous ways.
He could feel his mind edging towards the dangerous road because boredom was a risky and cruel thought that took too much space in his head.
As if answering him, minutes later thunder rumbled and rain started tumbling down. Tobias ducked into the first place with lights on and to his surprise it was a narrow dive bar glowing amber through wet glass.
It was small, half-empty and didn’t card—
It was perfect.
Tobias ordered a drink, then another and another before eventually a whiskey shot or two. Each sip loosened the collar of his shirt and of his life, making him a little lighter. A little more himself and as usual a little friendlier with the locals.
The more Tobias drank, the happier he became and as an extrovert Tobias couldn’t help himself and start socializing. It started with the Irish barmen and owner—Rick. Then his neighbor on the side and local mechanic who was a self-declared alcoholic—Pace.
The three of them were laughing about a random hockey game Tobias was yet to watch when a girl walked in soaked from the rain. She was jaded, had dark long hair raked back to expose small gold studs and dripping water from head to toe.
Tobias glanced at Rick and he nodded at her to enter before saying, “pick any seat Liza.”
Despite a cropped navy bowling shirt clinging to her like a secret and a black mini skirt over sheer tights. ‘Liza’ had a bored expression as a resting face while somehow looking like she wandered straight out of a heavenly dream
—and couldn’t care less about being in one.
“Thanks.” She was barely audible, but her low tone reached Tobias at the bar area.
His hand pressed against his chest because in that moment, he felt it. The ‘spark’ he had previously wished for as he watched Liza walk to a corner booth in the back without sparing him a glance.
In that moment, despite being a bit tipsy Tobias knew his life was about to change forever and he was grateful for every moment ahead since it promised one thing.
Tobias Ford was indeed alive.
