Dismissing Dakota | ✓

»36. Blue Lights«

Dakota's P.O.V.

We were in need of assistance from Heath and Ronnie. There was no way I could calmly sit across from that smug fucker and not pounce from my chair, going right for his jugular. I remained in my room, pacing by my bed, while I waited for them to arrive. I couldn't have a real conversation with him without support. Silvia kept them at bay, seating the entirety of Crescent High's Lacrosse team in the living room.

Who would've expected such a sight? It was cowardly, but I was passed that by now. He was smart to not come alone, proving not to be an idiot. I would've dragged his ass back to the gate by the time he strolled up to my porch, denying him access into the house. Truth be told, I was secretly patting myself on the back for being the responsible one and stepped out of the scene before things got nasty. That was for own safety and also because I wasn't an idiot either.

"They're here," Silvia called out.

I twisted the doorknob, reappearing in the living room with a prickly sensation swooping through my limbs like a torrential downpour of unfortunate news. Heath went up to me and gave me a brief side hug, matching it with a lackluster look. "How you been? Have you talked to them at all?"

"I haven't," I mused, slipping out of her reach and to the side of Silvia. She put her hand in mine, slightly tightening her fingers around mine with a beautiful grin on her soft lips. I needed her, more than ever for this conversation. I was grateful that she could see that, too.

I looked at my friends. "Was there something I missed?"

"I was telling them about the last time I was in this house," Hunter inserted, lowering the cup in his hands. Who the fuck gave him a drink? He wasn't worth hospitality. I would've served him a cup full of my snot. Maybe it was really for the best I didn't interact with them sooner and excused myself to the bedroom...what was he talking about? I had stopped listening.

"Wait," I cut in, "Backtrack there."

"I came here a lot when Diana was around."

"When she was alive," I went on to say. "She's dead. Say it."

He gulped loudly. "I haven't completely grasped with the grim fact that she's dead."

"You could've fooled me," I laughed, "You looked too busy boning Carmen to even be fazed by her suicide. That was why it was so hard to see who her father was. This town didn't really react when she died. They kept living. And so did you."

"People have different ways of grieving." He countered. "You didn't see me at every hour of the day, Dakota. I had my moments of remorse when I was in privacy."

"Moments? All she was worth to you were messily moments of remorse."

"That came out wrong-"

"No, it didn't. It's a wonderful depiction of what she meant to you. She wasn't worth more than that. Only the bare minimal, I can see. You couldn't even be open about your relationship with her."

"She wanted it that way."

"Yes," I nodded, "Yes because the one that isn't in a committed relationship with someone else would want secrecy." I took a step at him, but Silvia gently brought me back. I fought against the pull. "If you wanted to come here to lie in my face, you can gladly get the fuck out of here and do that lying shit to someone else. I'm not in the mood for your stories. I want to hear the truth. If you're not man enough for that, you aren't ready for this talk. Come back when you are."

"I loved her, Dakota," he burst out in tears. "I loved her and I fucked up, ok? I didn't know how selfish I was until it was too late, when there was no way in going back."