Yet Dean always tried to concentrate on the positive. That moment, and the challenge of surviving on his own, had made him focused, a hard worker, and a strong person. He could handle anything because he had to fight for everything. It also hardened him, focusing only on work and keeping people at arm’s length, never truly letting anyone into his heart.
Fortunately for Dean, his cousin in Atlanta took him in. She was supportive, welcoming, and introduced him to classic music and movies from the 1980's.
There had been no handouts, though. He lived in her basement while he finished high school, working at restaurants to earn his keep. The work was grueling and thankless, but he was earning a paycheck, keeping his head above water, and paying his own way. Navigating the mean streets of Atlanta, it had been hard to know who to trust, with ruthless and dirty players at almost every turn, eager to take advantage of someone young and struggling. And Dean had mistakenly placed his trust with the wrong sort on more than one occasion.
But, as the old adage and Kelly Clarkson so aptly said, "What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger." And while the betrayal and mistakes had made him stronger and smarter, the pain of all that emotional baggage and trauma still lingered deep in the recesses of his psyche…just waiting for the chance to jump out and wreak havoc.
Dean’s passion was always music. He'd searched diligently for any opportunity in the music industry.
In his senior year of high school, Dean landed an internship with a major recording studio in Atlanta. He learned from artists and producers, absorbed as much knowledge as he possibly could, and slowly morphed into DJ DVLN.
The summer after he graduated high school, Dean released his first club remix to moderate success, peaking at #34 on the Billboard Club charts. The seed had been planted and DJ DVLN was beginning to thrive.
When he turned twenty, Dean moved to San Francisco. He had never been to the west coast, but there was something about San Francisco. It was a beacon pulling him in, a bell ringing in the distance, calling him home.
It was in San Francisco, in his first studio apartment, that Dean discovered the NFL and he was immediately hooked!
And look at him now. The biggest selling DJ in the world, sitting in his own suite, watching Colton and the Niners.
It’s funny how the world works, he thought.
Dean’s contemplation was interrupted by a knock at the door of the suite. “Mr. Harris, I have a note for you.” The concierge handed him a small, folded piece of paper with “Dean” written on the top.
Dean unfolded the paper to find a handwritten note from Colton.
I’m so glad you came today.
I’m sorry you had to watch alone.
Colton
A tear slid down his face.
That’s so thoughtful.He really is a good guy.
A good guy with a great ass.
Dean smiled to himself with a chuckle.
Chapter 7
Dean
The following week, Colton stopped by the loft to work on the song with Dean. Dean welcomed him with a pat on the shoulder, grabbed a couple of beers, and they worked on melodies for about an hour.
Taking a little break, Dean motioned for Colton to sit on the bench next to him at the desk.
“Do you remember the last time you were here and I played my new song for you?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I want to show you the new video for that song.” Dean opened a file on the large monitor and started the video. It featured three teenage boys, frolicking along the edge of the bay and skipping stones across the water.
“What do you think?” Dean asked as the video ended.
Colton shrugged his shoulders. “It’s pretty cool. But…wait…you’re not even in the video?”
“Nope. Not this one. I wanted to do something different this time around.”
