Dane G. Colson

Chart. 

Appearance. Dane keeps his hair fairly long, a little past his chin. It is generally swept back and shaggy, though he does brush through it every morning. His eyes are a tame brown, but are striking at a glance. He stands at 5'7 and carries a slim but strong build, his legs more muscular than his arms. Dane walks fairly slow, shuffling his feet to hide his limp that he acquired from a sports injury.

Personality. Though he does prefer to be a quiet listener, Dane can be very sociable when the situation calls for it - which makes him a great team player and partner when school projects and fundraisers come around. He doesn't hold on to his first impression of others very tightly, but if anyone starts off a friendship by knowingly lying to him - he is likely to ignore them completely. He has a pretty dry sense of humor, but he loves to laugh and thoroughly enjoys the company of people who he can both laugh at and with.

History. Dane was the first child of Tonya and Caleb Colson, soon conceived a couple of months after their marriage. Being planned and prepared for, Dane's childhood was very happy and carefree - Tonya being a daycare teacher, he could be by her side every day of the week as well as socialize with children a few years older than him. He developed quickly due to this, though he was known to be incredibly gullible and quick to copycat things that were frowned upon at the daycare. His mom pulled him aside and told him how sad it made her to see him make trouble, and since his mom was his hero - he gained some self-control and the other kids stopped trying to get him to misbehave.

The Colson family moved to Salem by the time he was five, because of a job opportunity for Caleb. Dane began to go to grade school right away. Since he was accustomed to being around other children, he acclimated pretty easily. He missed his mother's presence, but he was a 'big boy' and he could handle a few hours away from her. He made friends easily, and soon he wasn't as dependent on his mother - going off to his friends' houses and joining a peewee soccer team. Dane was a very busy little boy!

When the news came that he was to have a new baby sister, Dane was curious. He didn't know if he should be happy or scared, but as Tonya's stomach grew, so did Dane's excitement. Both of his parents told him how he would be the best big brother, which really got him geared up for the role. But when little Harriet came in to the world prematurely, he wasn't allowed to be around her. This really confused him, seeing the worry in his parents face as they went back and forth to the hospital. He couldn't see why the hospital people would want to keep her, but when Caleb sat him down a week later - Dane learned why. Harriet had been born very, very sick - he said, and the nice people at the hospital were doing all they could to make her better so she could come home. He told Dane to be patient and that before long she would be better.

For months Dane waited, not asking about her and being patient just like his father had told him... but one morning he just had to ask if the doctors knew when Harriet would be better. This set off Tonya in to tears, a sign that made the eight year old's heart drop. She wasn't going to be coming home. She had already been gone for a month, they just didn't know when and how to tell him. Angry and confused, Dane ran to his room and refused to come out - skipping school that day to try and figure out why his parents would lie to him.

It took about a year for Dane to accept the absence of his sister, but he still held a deep resentment inside of him for what his parents held back. He tried to be friendly, to be a part of the family still, but it just seemed like a big part was missing. Tonya and Caleb did their best to make things up to Dane, letting him try out for any activity he wanted. They felt so guilty for what they'd done, but they felt it was better that Dane hadn't been able to see his sister in the condition she'd been in.

He kept busy with soccer, it became his passion. He was able to work out all of his aggression and have fun doing it, plus his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed - he'd helped his teams over the years win many honorable achievements, which littered the walls of his room. He had something to be proud of, even if it wasn't being the best big brother. Middle school quickly turned in to high school, with his busy schedule Dane hardly had time to himself or with his family - until the biggest soccer match of his freshman year - Metric Academy versus Salem High School. There was no one to blame when Dane took a terrible fall in the middle of a rush for the ball - his right leg breaking in several places. He knew right then, as he was carted off to the hospital, that he wouldn't play competitive soccer again.

Sophomore year at Salem High was somber. Dane recovered slowly, using crutches until the very last quarter of the school semester. He found himself biding his time by cutting up paper in to pentagons and hexagons, fitting them in to soccer ball patterns. Soon he was experimenting with different shapes, fitting them together to create images and eye-catching mosaics. Dane realized that he liked doing these so much, even though it wasn't a strenuous activity. It was rewarding for him, and Tonya began to see her son happy for the first time since his break. She suggested that he go to Metric for his mosaic work, but Dane didn't feel right about leaving his place at SHS. He told her that he would apply though, when his senior year came. Until then he would build up his portfolio.

Family.
Dad. Caleb Colson
Mom. Tonya Colson
Sister. Harriet Colson (Deceased)

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PB. Alex Turner