Pebble Beach

Golf, cars, rich old White people, boring. “Boarding school” in “Pebble Beach”, you must be crazy! I would never! Ever! Go there!

I went.

Stevenson School, settled in the heart of Pebble Beach. Half day, half boarding. The first time I toured the school, the campus felt huge and I felt like such a wimp. I shadowed Nagashima Sensei’s Japanese class and immediately knew I wanted to take the class. I toured Day Hall, thinking what a nice dorm! My mother fell in love with the place, but I did not. I wanted to stay and go to Mountain View with all my friends. I thought nobody will like me and nobody will be my friend and I’m so much cooler (not really) than anyone here!

First day at Stevenson. I arrived early for Preseason. I walk into the dorm. Who’s this emo? Their name was on the cute name card sticker on the door. They had already claimed the right side of the dorm. An awkward introduction. Their mom was nice. Their dad and brother were in the room. My dad helped me put my bedding on.
I said goodbye to my parents a while later and goodbye to Natalie and Dustin who had also come along. I remember as I turned to walk them out and the door shut, Natalie commented on their emo style. I grimaced. At least someone who wasn’t “normal”.

They left the room after I returned with their mom saying their family was going out to lunch. I waved bye and relaxed my shoulders as soon as they left. I clapped my hands together and started unpacking. It’s stereotypical to say boarding school and moving is like putting your whole life in boxes. But it really felt like that. My first time living alone, my first time having a roommate, and my first time having to pack and move far away (we had moved houses once before but basically just down the street). I pulled out anime figures, k-pop posters, and a picture of my dad that had lived on my desk for years. I put my posters up on the wall. I decorated my shelves.

I have always been very good at unpacking and packing quickly. I had no trouble making my space mine fully. I looked at the juxtaposition of my side compared to the mysterious emo person I was meant to live with. I sat on my bed for a while until they came back. Their dad commented on my k-pop posters.

They said their goodbyes to their parents.

Hi, I’m Anya
Once the door shut.
The name on the sign isn’t actually my name. I go by Dorian. I’m a guy.
Something along the lines of that.
That’s okay! Hi Dorian! I’m gay too! I like everyone!
Yes. Seriously. I said that with the window open.
The window’s open.
We laughed. Hard.

We were doing the same preseason, so we got to spend a lot of time together. Dorian and I fit together like a puzzle. Seriously. No awkward stage in our friendship (unless you want to consider my coming out to the entire world as an awkward stage). We went to breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. We talked every evening and got to know each other. We lived well together. To others, our room was messy. To us, it was our room. Our house. We shared groceries, we shared cleaning duties, we shared everything. When it came time to fill out the roommate agreement form, we just wrote I don’t care to anything. Because we really didn’t. What was mine was his.

I introduced Dorian to my friends, and I met his many times. We even had our friends meet and we all hung out a couple times. Dorian was my other half, and he knew everything happening with me. There were nights where we would stay up talking to each other and on Discord together. To other people, I’m sure we were the two weird kids always hanging out. But Dorian was my best friend. Stevenson didn’t feel so bad with Dorian there for me. And because he lived far away, much further than me, he was always there for me. Every bad and good moment, Dorian was there to cry for me or cheer for me. Dorian and Anya, Anya and Dorian. 

When I told people I went to school in Pebble Beach, they only asked about golf, cars, and rich old White people. I only knew about Dorian, Hana, walks in the forests, and hanging out with seniors.

When Dorian left, Stevenson lost its color for me. I still loved the school, but it was like I transferred to another. It was not the same. No more breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No more I’m home and Welcome back. Of course I have friends now that I love and can tell everything to. But it’s not Dorian.
Pebble Beach is painted over with memories of Dorian. Every inch of the little gated community has been explored with him. The shopping mall, Cannery Row, Barrows, the forest, even the sea.

Dorian is my Pebble Beach now.

I still have recommendations of places to share.

The Crossroads MYO Frozen Yogurt (157 The, Crossroads Blvd, Carmel, CA 93923)
> I have many important memories here. Cheaper than other places I’ve been to surprisingly.

Sushi Heaven (Dolores St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921)
> The first restaurant I went out ever in Carmel (with Jayan, Aaron, and Dorian… strange group). However, this was also the first restaurant I went to with Makenna and then Nancy. Cheap, delicious sushi. Popular spot for Stevenson students!

Il Fornaio Carmel (Ocean Avenue at, Monte Verde St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921)
> Where Emily, Aaron, Winston and I went to our first ever family dinner. Great stuff man. Great stuff.

DMC Pizza My Heart (660 Del Monte Center, Monterey, CA 93940)
> Some of the greatest conversations of my life have happened here.

Sand City Five Guys (915-A Playa Ave, Sand City, CA 93955)
> I keep adding chain restaurants here but AGAIN. Makenna and I had our first outing here. It’s Five Guys so it is ridiculously expensive.

Dorian with our son, Kawaii Peter Griffin