Dakota winces at the pain but let's him clean up the wound. Hank puts a small thing of ice in a ziplock bag, wrapping the wet cloth around it. He applies it to her cheek, seeing how it's already bruised. She'll feel it in the morning.
...
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"I just don't see how he doesn't trust me, DR." Devin exclaims, "I told him that I was buying Mario Cart video games and she followed me there! What am I going to do? Buy a porn magazine?" Dakota and Devin sit on the bus, waiting for the bus driver to pick up one last kid before they head to school. Sarah Walther, a freshman, steps onto the bus. She sits in the empty seat upfront, near Wiley Jenkins, a bully. Dakota watches as Wiley slinks his hand around and grabs her butt, trying to pull her into his lap. She tries to push him away but he's too big. Ever since Dakota was rescued by Drew, he taught her that what had happened to her was not okay and that if she saw anything like that again, to tell somebody. Or if worst case, stop it herself. Dakota stands up and walks to the front of the bus. She shoves Wiley back into his seat, pushing Sarah into a seat nearby. With her fist tight, she gives Wiley a death glare. The bus driver stops and calls at her to sit down. "Leave her the fuck alone, Jenkins!" Dakota growls. "You gonna make me, Ryan? Or are you too much of a bitch to-" Dakota slugs the guy across the face, making him go unconscious.
Hank walks into the Thorne Bush Southside High School. Several young school girls giggle and eye him as he walks to the principles office. When he walks in, he spots Dakota immediately. She sits in a chair with cracked, bloody fist. He walks over to her. "What happened?" Hank bends down, grabbing her hand. "Mr. Allen, Mrs. Jean will see you now." The Principle's assistant says Hank sees a boy walking out of the principals office with a swollen black eye. He looks back at Dakota, giving her one last look before he goes into the principles office. He sits down in his regular seat and decides to cut right to the chase. "She can make whatever she did up in Saturday school, I can promise you she learned her lesson." He starts to get up when Principal Jean stops him. "She punched a boy in the face, Mr. Allen. A good boy." "Dakota wouldn't hit nobody unless it were for a reason. She had a reason." Hank argues, "I know she's been difficult for the past 3 months. I apologize for that, I do. But she's trying to heal." "You said that the last two times you were here, Mr. Allen. I can only excuse her for so long." Principle Jean says, "I know losing a loved one is hard, It always is, but she needs to learn how to channel her aggression." "Yes ma'am and she will, she just need more time." Hank says, "She's just getting used to living with me. It's all been hard on her and she just needs to be taken into some consideration." Mrs. Jean nods her head. "Consider this her last warning, Mr. Allen. Next time it's Juvenile."
Dakota walks to the truck with Hank's hand gripping her bicep, he opens the truck door and pushes her in. He walks to the other side and hops in, driving away. "What the hell did I fucking tell you, Dakota? No fighting! No partying. No drinking. No more missing school." Hank shouts in frustration, "Why do you have to make things so damn hard on me? Can you at least tell me why the hell you punched that kid?" "He was manhandling a freshman." The truck goes silent, "I was just doing as Drew once told me. I stopped the harassment." She swallows her sob, "And the bitch didn't even back me up. She was too scared to admit it." Hank thinks for a moment, shaking his head. "Shit!" "I know what you've said Hank, and I'm sorry I'm a pain in the ass. I just can't help it." She shrugs. "You can help it, you just don't try." Hank turns on Orchestre Road, Dakota sees Mike's Autoshop up ahead "You need to use your thick head next time." "You're not taking me home?" She says surprised, disappointed. "Why should I reward you? This is the third time this month I had leave work to come pick you up from school for misbehavior." Hank says aggravated. "Are you going to spank me? Make me apologize to Daddy how bad I've been?" She says sarcastically, "Make me do all the handy work?" "Hey, that's enough!" Hank snaps, his cheeks blushing pink. Hank sighs, eyes focused on the road. He chuckles, shaking his head. "I may have to spank you," He turns to her "cause Drew never had the nerve." Dakota gives him a serious, shocked face. Hank burst out laughing "I'm kidding! I'm kidding, Koda." Hank says, "But your still grounded for two weeks." Dakota fake laughs. "That's a great joke Hanky." She looks at him to see he's back to his old scowl like expression. He's not kidding. Dakota really is grounded for two weeks. Or at least until he forgets about it.
