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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Hank sits at Mike's Bar, drinking alone. A few of the waitresses have eyed him, along with the usual women who goes there for more than just the free Thursday Beer for Ladies. Hank barely notices them, his mind is jumbled with a million thoughts. He can't help but partially blame his constant headache on Dakota. And the alcohol. Hank also thinks about his situation with Dakota. He's not sure if they have a relationship or if it's just a phase. He's attracted to her, a lot. Dakota makes him feel new, reminding him that life has worth and value. Behind her tough demeanor, she's very innocent and soft. She has compassion. Like when she was sent home from school that one day because she tried to defend a girl on the bus. She makes him want to drop everything to go back to college and finish out his Law degree at University of Arkansas School of Law. The only dream he truly wanted before his Mom died. Now Hank wants Dakota so badly, more than he's ever wanted to be a Lawyer, but there is that 10 year gap. And Drew always comes into mind. 28 year-old-man knows that if Drew came back, if even at all possible, he would kill him for making all mistakes he's made so far. Drew was Hank's first real friend, who was good that is. Drew had goals and ambitions ahead of him. He dreamed of getting custody of his little sister and buying a house, making sure she had everything he thought she deserved. Hank used to passive-aggressively listen to Drew as he would ramble on for hours about his dream. It has always made Hank slightly jealous, but now he understands. Dakota deserves the world, a better life than what she's had. Or what she has now. Hank feels like he's over his head with her, that he's not quite on top of things yet. As Hank gets caught up in his thoughts, a woman sits down next to him. She has curly black hair and tan skin, a tight dress. His eyes divert over to her, seeing how she's already eyeing him. "So, what's your story?" She says, playing with her hair. Hank blushes, looking down. "What do you mean?" "You know, your story." She says with a chuckle, "Not to seem like a stalker, but I see you here almost every Thursday. You usually leave with different women and you're always approached first." "Wow. Very observant." Hank laughs, feeling the alcohol buzzing in his system "Does the stalker have a name?" The woman holds her hand out. "Candice LaRue." "Hank Allen." He holds in his burp, shaking her hand.
The door of the small house burst open. Hank rushes in backwards, his lips smashed against Candice's. She kicks off her shoes and pushes him further into the house. He picks her up by her bottom and carries her over to his bed, dropping her. She giggles as she plops down. Hank kisses her madly, the alcohol buzzing through his veins. Candice strips down, helping Hank as he struggles with his shirt. This is the drunkest he's ever been. She unbuckles his pants, pulling his pants off of him. She climbs on top of him, he smiles drunkenly up at her. "Got a condom?" She says sexily (*thot 😒*). "Yeah, I'll get it." He gets up Candice playfully smacks his butt, making him jump. He walks into Dakota's room to the nightstand drawer. Dakota is at her friends house, sleeping over so they can study on math. Suddenly, Hank thinks about Dakota. Would he really be cheating on her? They never made it clear if they were a couple, just friends with benefits. She would understand. She's two months away from being an adult. "Come on, baby! What's keeping you?" Candice calls after him, stripping from her underwear. At the sight of a naked Candice, Hank decides that Dakota is just another girl he has fooled around with.
