Dismissing Dakota | ✓

»2. Without Me«

Dakota's P.O.V.

"Carmen?" I slammed my palm against the door, forcing it open. My worst thoughts had come true. It was indeed Carmen, tangled in the white bed sheets. She pushed the sheets up to her face, tucking it under her chin and then over her head. It was too late. I had already seen her. One look at the both of them caused the puzzle pieces to come together. 

Clinching my fists inside my pockets, I tried to put my angry at bay. I shouldn't act on the rage boiling inside of me, putting purpose behind the fire. Heaving a deep breath and keeping my stance firm, I reevaluated my thoughts as Dion began to babble endlessly about how "it's not what it looks like" and "it's not something serious." He went for a third lie, but it didn't have a chance to reach me.

My fist collided to his face before he could explain himself any further, lining up perfectly with his jaw. Dion didn't have time to react to the first blow, before he knew it, another was sent his way.

He didn't leave me unscathed, reluctantly he swung his own punch, causing me to stumble into the hallway. We were at each other's throats with little to no space between us. I'd fought Dion in the past, out of childish reasons, but it was always halfhearted without much intent to hurt him.

It was different this time. I wanted him to bleed.

Carmen emerged from the bedroom, dressed in his white T-shirt and shorts. The fabric swallowed up her petite frame, looking almost humorous. She wedged herself in, moving in front of Dion and acting as his guard.

"Stop it," she shouted, waving her hands around. "Stop it right now. You don't need to fight over me."

Those words snagged at me. I became motionless when she said that. I couldn't help it, but it caused me to start genuinely laughing in her face. "Fight over you?"

"Yeah. It's about me. I didn't really think me being with your brother would have this much of an emotional effect on you." Carmen straightened her shirt, fiddling with the material in her slim fingers and avoiding eye contact. When her eyes did open, she sidestepped and placed her hand on my chest. "I didn't think you'd be this jealous."

"I'm not jealous," I proclaimed, stepping away from the hand she touched me with. This was getting pathetic. "I could give two shits about you guys screwing."

"You're clearly angry about something."

"Yeah, I am angry—"

She gave a knowing grin. "I knew it."

"It's not about you guys," Heath noted, entering from the hallway opening. "It's about Silvia."

"It's always about her. She does this, she does that. Why do you guys have always bring her up?" Carmen grumbled, hatred dripping each word. "How is this about Canada?"

I clenched my jaw as I scanned my brother, up and down. "Silvia hates me because she saw a video of Carmen and my lookalike making out. The entire school saw it on the last day of school. And also, Silvia saw a video of me going to a party I didn't even attend."

Dion's face paled. "That's why you guys broke up? I didn't know that, Dakota. You know I wouldn't backstab your relationship like that."

"Carmen didn't make it any better. She insisted that it was me in the video on the last day of school." I motioned to his latest fling and my ex-girlfriend. "I can't even wrap my mind around the idea of you with Carmen. Of all the people in Crescent Heights, you choose my ex?"

"I thought you said you didn't care." Carmen recalled, arching a brow. "You shouldn't mind."

"It's his brother. Do you not have limits Carmen?" Heath snapped his gaze to Dion. "And don't act like you're out of this Dion. You're twenty-seven. What the fuck is wrong with you? She's been eighteen for like three months. Get your life together."