Mistakes Were Made

Chapter 21: Katie

           It's Friday afternoon, Hank looks at the clock in the bathroom of Mike's Autoshop. It's 2:24 p.m. Hank should leave pretty soon to pick Dakota up from school. Just the thought of her brings a small smile on his scruffy face. Hank's in love with Dakota, something he never thought he would experience. The last nights, the kisses, all the sex—it's better than all the night stands he's had in the past. Dakota makes Hank want to be better. He understands now, in a different way of course, why Drew talked about all the things he could do to make Dakota's life better. She needs somebody, and Hank is willing to be that somebody. He is that somebody.
              Hank steps out of the bathroom, wiping his still greasy hands with a work rag. The 28 year old man stops when he sees that nobody else is on the room but Johnny. Johnny. Hank can already feel the tension in the room as Johnny stares him down. The man's bloodshot eyes staring at him coldly.
Hank stares the man down, his eyebrows furrowed as he continues to rub the grease from his hands. "I thought they fired your rapist ass?"
"You fucked up my life. Dick move, Hanky."" The edge in Johnny's voices makes Hank take a few steps back towards the door. "All for a little slut."
"And you're her rapist." Hank says annoyed, "Or at least you tried, you sick bastard."
Suddenly, Johnny comes at Hank with a pocket knife. Hank grabs a wrench and smacks him across the face. Johnny fumbles back, holding onto his face. He snarls up at Hank. The bad man drops the knife as he lunches towards his ex-friend. Hank gets Johnny in a headlock, kneeing him in the balls. Johnny punches Hank in the gut. They both fall to the floor, fist flying and connecting to their faces. Frank Conway, Roger Smith, and Pete Ferguson all step out of the break room laughing at what they had seen on the tv screen. When they all see Hank and Johnny fighting, they immediately jump into action. Frank and Roger grabs Johnny and holds him back as the man violently fights against them. Pete grabs Hank, whose been cut in his side.
                   "You're gonna wish you hadn't filed that charge against me, Allen! You and that little bitch of yours!" Roger and Frank shive Johnny out of the garage.
                     Pete exams the wound. "It needs stitches, but you'll be fine. I'll take you to the hospital, Hank."
                    Hank thinks for a moment, about Dakota. Who will pick her up? He can't ask Moana, she drives like a teenager who just got there permit. Tommy Cross is away at his daughters house in Florida. Should he call his father, the Preacher? No. But there is one other person, his only option, who could pick Dakota up that Hank completely trusts.

                     Dakota sits in her seat in front of Devin in Mrs. Crump's 8th hour Geometry class. She stares out the window at the birds in a nest as her abdomen aches. It's been hurting for the past few days. She hasn't told Hank yet, mainly because he doesn't want him to worry about her. They can't afford a hospital bill at the moment so she'll have to deal with it for the time being. It's probably period cramps, more than likely.
The sound of the classroom phone ringing breaks Dakota's train of thought. Mrs. Crump, whose 8 months pregnant, stands up and walks over to the phone. She picks it up and answers.
Devin leans in. "Hey, when can we hang out? We haven't hung out since Hank kicked me out."
Dakota smirks, turning around. "Hank did not kick you out, your mom came and picked you up. Hank would have wanted me to go, too."
"What's his deal? Why's he such a dick?" Devin says in a lower tone.
"Hank's not a dick, Dev." Dakota says, "Hank just likes things a certain—"
"Dakota," The sound of Mrs. Crumps voice makes both Dakota and Devin look at their teacher "You're being checked out, sweetie."
In shock, Dakota quickly packs up. Something doesn't sound quite right to her. Something must be wrong. Hank would never pick her up that early. As Dakota walks out of the classroom, she looks over her shoulder at Devin. He's giving her a concerned look, one that matches what she's feeling. Dakota turns and walks out of the classroom and to the office. Flashes of Johnny trying to rape her flash through her mind, making her nearly cry. When she gets there, she doesn't see Hank anywhere. Only a young woman with bright blonde hair.
Dakota steps into the office, briefly making eye contact with the woman. The young girl steps up to the front office desk.
"You called and said that I was being checked out?" Dakota says confused.
"Yes, Miss Allen out there has already checked you out." The front official says, worrying Dakota.
Miss Allen? Who is this woman? Where is Hank? Dakota steps out into the hallway, wondering if this woman is one of Hank's one night stand stories. She's pretty enough. The young girl crosses her arms and walks up to the woman.
"Where's Hank?" Dakota says with an edge in her tone.
Miss Allen stands up, she's much shorter than Dakota. Dakota smirks as she thinks of how she could totally take her down so easy. But then the young girl recognizes the blue eyes that Hank has and the same annoyed expression on her tanned face. She even has the same high cheekbone structure as Hank.
"Dakota?" The short woman has a soft voice.
"Yes, and who the hell are you?" Dakota says with attitude.
"I, um, I'm sorry that we've never met. Hank never tells anybody anything unless he's desperate." Miss Allen even has the tired, annoyed voice as Hank. "I'm Hank's older sister, Katie."