Dakota, Are You in Love With Me Too?

“So you knew?” Garrett growled lowly as I carefully placed a stack of folded jeans into a suitcase.

“I wouldn’t say that I knew but I sorta put two and two together.” I admitted, not wanting to hide anything from my friend in this emotional time.

“I can’t believe she just broke up with me, while she’s pregnant with my kid!” He bellowed before he started to pace my room, “How could she fucking do that to me!?” He questioned with anger running through his voice.

I shrugged my shoulders, “Maybe her getting pregnant made her see that she needed something … else.”

“You’re not fucking helping, Johno.” He snapped at me then he turned his head so he was looking at me. Narrowing his eyes, he pointed to me and spoke slowly, “This is Dakota’s fault.”

“How is this Dakota’s fault?”

“She convinced Annie to tell her that she was pregnant then she convinced Annie to leave me.” He insisted.

I laughed at his theory before shaking my head and walking to my dresser, “That’s not how this went down, at all … Annie was freaking out in the bathroom, and she told Dakota that she was pregnant willingly then Dakota was just trying to be a friend. Then as for Nathaniel, Dakota would rather them not be together but I told her that it wasn’t her choice, so she stayed out of it. Annie and Nathaniel hit it off by themselves; with no ones aid … they clicked.”

“She’s my fiancée!” He screamed, “Not that assholes.”

“Hey,” I snapped as I pointed my finger at Garrett, “Watch your mouth when you’re talking about Nathaniel, believe it or not I love Dakota’s family and he’s like an older brother to me … maybe you should stop blaming him and start blaming yourself for the failed relationship. Annie didn’t tell you for a reason, apparently it was because she didn’t want you to quit the band but truth is, I think she was just scared you’d leave her.” I paused, “And she was your fiancée, as in past tense, she’s Nathaniel’s girlfriend now, deal with it, Garrett. You fucked up somewhere or maybe she just grew out of you,” I shrugged, “Either way, you need to let it go.”

Garrett eyed me heavily, “Says the guy who wouldn’t speak to anyone for a fucking year after Peyton died.”

“That was entirely different!” I snapped, getting short tempered with him, “Completely different,” I added then just stopped my talking as I continued to pack up my clothes for San Diego.

“So, what now?” Garrett questioned, “Rumor has it, Nathaniel is leaving for California the same time you and Dakota are,”

“He is, he’s driving Dakota’s car over so Dakota can ride with me,” I confirmed.

“And what’ll happen to Annie?”

“I think she’s going too,” I looked over at Garrett, “She’s emancipated from her parents, isn’t she?”

“Well … yeah.” Garrett nodded.

“Then legally she doesn’t have to be here, she is, in the eyes of the law, an adult.”

“Where will she stay!?”

“Nathaniel’s,” I frowned as I thought about Nathaniel, “Who I think lives with Dakota now because he got kicked out of his girlfriend’s house, well ex-girlfriend now.” I shook my head, “I don’t know, they were talking about it last night,” I shrugged, “I was busy cleaning up dog shit when this conversation went down.”

Garrett fell silent for a few seconds as he continued to watch me pack, “Are you seriously gonna side with Annie on this one?” He finally spoke.

“I’m not siding with anyone, you’re one of my best friends and Annie is one of my best friends … I’m staying out of it, I have my own shit to worry about. I have a Wedding to plan, I have to worry about flying back and forth from San Diego to here every few weeks, to mention I have Dakota’s crazy ass to worry about. I swear the girl is borderline Bi-polar half of the time, I love her like no one else but she gives me a lot to worry about.” I sighed softly as I zipped up a full suitcase, “If Annie wants you back, then she’ll have you back for the time being you just need to try and get over her as much as possible.”

“And my kid?”

“You two aren’t married, legally that kid isn’t even yours.” I pointed out, “She doesn’t have to let you see it.”

“Fuck,” Garrett sat down on my computer chair and rubbed his face stressfully, “She’s gonna keep the baby from me … she can fucking have Nathaniel I just don’t want her to keep my kid from me.”

“Then stop being an asshole,” I insisted.

Shaking his head, he fell completely silent once more only this time he didn’t even look like he was going to speak again, he just sat there. Not knowing what else to say about this situation, I, too, stayed silent while continuing to pack.

“Johno, Bentley is so adorable!” Katie exclaimed as she came into my room uninvited holding mine and Dakota’s puppy, “I tried talking Jacob into getting me a puppy, he said no.” She pouted as she continued to love on Bentley.

I laughed softly as I looked at Bentley, “He likes you too,” I insisted.

“He’s precious,” She said softly before placing him down on my bed, “He’s getting sleepy though, he was just running all around the back yard, I think he’s ready for a nap.”

“For fucks sake, he isn’t a child.” I laughed.

“But he’s a tiny puppy, they’re just like kids, he needs his naps just like a baby does.”

I made a face, “You’re worse than Dakota,” I grumbled as I watched Bentley find a comfortable spot on a pile of my clean socks before curling up in a small ball and closing his eyes for a nap.

“Look at this, I’m trying to pack and he comes in here and just lays wherever he feels like it,” I huffed then looked at Katie, “I asked you to watch him, not bring him up here so he can lay on my shit.”

Katie glared at me before scooping my puppy up, “Dakota’s right, you are an asshole.” She said simply before storming out of my room.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my pile of socks and dropped them into an empty suitcase before eyeing the rest of the clothes on my bed, mainly underwear and shirts. Deciding against folding them, I just started to grab whatever I could reach and toss it into the bag.

“So, you’re really moving?” Garrett finally spoke.

I nodded, “Apparently,” I answered.

“Do you want to move?” He asked.

I slowed my actions as I thought about his question then I nodded, “Yeah, I do.” I shrugged, “It won’t be an easy move for sure, I don’t have my own friends over there yet, but hopefully it won’t take too long to meet some people … it’s a change of scenery, Dakota’s apartment is nice, beautiful view of the ocean … plus Dakota doesn’t like it here much, she’s so California and she’s definitely a beach bum.”

“You’re just going for Dakota?”

“Yeah,”

Garrett shook his head, “Are you sure about her?”

I glanced over at him and frowned, “What kind of question is that?”

“A serious one, are you sure about her? Are you sure she’s the one you want to marry?”

“Completely sure,”

“Why do you love her, because she’s not Peyton?”

I rolled my eyes, “This has nothing to do with Peyton, this has everything to do with Dakota. I can’t explain how she makes me feel,”

“Why are you marrying her?”

“Because I love her, do I need a better reason?” I asked, “I want to spend my life with her,”

“Why rush it?”

I frowned deeply, “Because it could all end tomorrow,” I answered simply as I finally finished up packing all of my clothes. I turned around to Garrett to see him staring out of my window at my neighborhood, “What’s with all the questions, Dad?”

He looked over at me and stood to his feet, “I thought I loved Annie too,” He said simply then he shrugged, “I’ll see you later at your moving away party,” He mumbled then left my room without another word.

After a few seconds later, I saw Dakota appear in my doorway with raised eyebrows, “Wow,” She said with shock in her voice, “Depressed much?”

“How long have you been out there?”

“Awhile,” She answered as she came in, “You sent me to the store to get boxes and packing tape and now I’m back, you didn’t think it took me two hours, did you?”

“I thought maybe you didn’t want to help me pack,” I laughed.

“Nope, I was sitting in Jake’s room across the hall, listening to every word.” She studied me, “You don’t need to move if you don’t want to,”

“God Damn Dakota Mae, if I didn’t want to move, I would’ve said I didn’t want to move. I just said that this won’t be an easy move, Arizona is all I’ve ever known,” I pointed out.

“Oh,” Was all she said before she walked to my closet and opened it up more than it had been, “Jeez, Babe … you’re such a boy.” She said.

“I get that a lot,” I laughed as I walked up behind her, placing my hands on her hips before pressing my body to hers, “Did you leave the boxes and tape downstairs?” I asked as I kissed her neck.

“Nope, it’s in the hall,” She answered, acting like I wasn’t doing anything to her as she stood on her tip toes to reach the top shelf of my closet, “What’s in this box, O’Callaghan?”

I looked up at the box she was grabbed at but it was just barely out of her reach. Reaching up, I grabbed it for her, “Um, I think it’s a bunch of junk from when I was kid.” I answered.

Dakota took it from me and walked away to my bed before opening the lid and digging through it with a small smile on her face, “Dude … pogs? Seriously, you kept these?” She asked as she looked over at me, “I had so many of these,” She laughed.

I smiled at her, “Yeah I kept them,” I defended, “Everything in that box is everything I want to remember from my childhood,” I whispered softly.

“What’s this?” She questioned as she pulled out a shoe box from within the larger box of junk.

“Um …” I walked over and took the box from her, “I forgot that was in there,” I admitted truthfully, “It’s stuff I kept from my relationship with Peyton,” I answered as I lifted the lid and looked inside to see photos and other keepsakes.

Dakota looked up at me with intense blue eyes, suddenly losing the sparkle in them as she pushed the box of junk away from her and stood to her feet, “I was thinking that when you get settled in San Diego that maybe we could take a weekend road trip,” She shrugged, “Go camping or something.” She insisted as she stepped outside of my room to get the boxes and tape before walking back in.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun … just the two of us?”

“No,” She shook her head, “My brothers, Annie will probably go and Kyle’s secret girlfriend that he’s had for the last six months but hasn’t introduced us to will probably go,”

I licked my lips as I watched Dakota sit on the floor and start putting the boxes together, “Love?”

“Hmm?” She mumbled but didn’t look up at me.

“Are you mad at me?” I asked.

“Why would I be mad?”

I looked at the box in my hands then over at her, “Because of this box.”

Dakota turned her head to me and narrowed her eyes on me, “I’m not mad,” She assured me with a gentle smile, “Stuff like that just makes me wonder why I never met you earlier … why couldn’t I be your high school sweetheart?” She mumbled then shrugged and changed the subject quickly, “Bentley is down on the couch with Katie, curled up on her lap dead asleep,” She laughed but it seemed forced.

“Would you have wanted me back in high school?” I questioned her softly, “Not knowing what you know now, would you have liked me at first sight back in high school like you did in the bowling alley?”

Dakota’s movements froze as she just sat there thinking.

I put the box down then sat on the end of my bed, “Seriously, Dakota Mae … because back then I don’t think I would’ve been interested in you the way I am now.”

Dakota looked up at me, “What are you saying, O’Callaghan, I wasn’t good enough for you back then?”

“No, I’m saying I wasn’t good enough for you,” I corrected, “You would’ve been too much for me to handle … I could barely handle Peyton and she just put up with my shit, she never called me out on anything like you do.” I insisted, “You would’ve been too much for me,”

Dakota narrowed her eyes, “You’re just trying to make me feel better,”

“No I’m not.”

“Well,” Dakota grumbled as she went back to folding the boxes and taping them in place, “I would’ve had a crush on you back in high school for sure,” She admitted, “Because I’ve seen your high school pictures with you and your really short hair, you were cute but I was in a total different mindset in high school.”

“See,” I smiled, “It’s better that we met when we did,”

“Still,” She complained, “It would’ve been fun to be your high school sweetheart,” She insisted, “And to have a box of keepsakes from our relationship,”

“Do you want to start a box, because we will,” I insisted as I stood to my feet and dug through my suitcase full of shirts then tugged out my bowling alley shirt from when I worked there those two short, yet life changing days, “This will be the first thing to go in there and when our kids ask why there’s a shirt of Grandpa’s bowling alley in there I’ll say because your Mother forced me to work there,” I laughed happily as I looked at the blue eyed girl staring up at me with a cute smile, “And when Bentley grows out of his collar we can put that in the box too,” I insisted.

Dakota’s smile became wider then she stood to her feet and wrapped her arms around me, “I love you,” She whispered softly.

“Cross your heart and hope to die?” I asked with a smirk as I held her to me.

“Cross my heart and hope to die, believe me?”

“I believe you,” I insisted as I kissed her just under her ear, “I love you too, you know it?” I whispered in her ear.

“I know.” She confirmed then pulled away just enough to press her lips to mine.

Kissing back for a few seconds before pulling away, I smiled at her then caressed her face, “We’ll start that box as soon as we get … home.” I smiled.

Dakota smiled once again, “Home,” She repeated.

I nodded my head then sighed softly, “Can we get back to packing now?” I asked her, “No more being mopey.”

Dakota pinched my side, “I’m not mopey,” She defended as she sat back on the ground to fix the box, “I’m not,”

“You were,” I insisted as I put my shirt back in my suitcase and zipped it back up.

“You don’t have much shit,” Dakota said as she looked around my relatively empty room.

“I’m not a real big pack rat, I throw a bunch of stuff away, and the only thing I do here is sleep, I’m hardly home.”

“I’m not a pack rat, but I do have a bunch of stuff,” She insisted, “A lot of shoes, and sundresses, I have millions of them, I love them.” She said cutely.

“I know,” I laughed, “If you’re not wearing a sundress you’re either in PJ’s or shorts.”

“I’d prefer to be in a bikini on a beach somewhere,” She mumbled before she held up a ready box, “Here, it’s a bit weak so don’t put anything heavy in that one,” She cautioned.

I took the box from her and eyed her handy work before placing the box on my bed and walking to my closet to grab some random objects that I wanted to take with me.

“Fuck me,” Dakota growled lowly causing me to glance over at her only to see that she had thrown the packing tape across my room in a fit of rage and was holding her finger trying not to get blood on the floor as she stood to her feet.

“What did you do?” I asked with a frown before walking over to help her to her feet.

“I fucking cut my finger on the tape cutter thing when I was trying to cut a piece off.” She informed me as she showed me her bloody finger, “Make it better,” She demanded.

I made a face as we walked to the bathroom. In the bathroom, I helped her clean the cut then put a band aid on before I smiled, “This reminds of my first day of work,” I laughed as I gently kissed her bandaged finger, “And when I left, you thanked me for fixing you.”

Dakota laughed at me as she snatched her hand away, “Yeah but you didn’t kiss it better,”

“I wasn’t aware that you wanted me to,” I insisted, “Otherwise I probably would have kissed it better.”

Shaking her head a little bit, she pouted, “I want to take a break, I hate tape.”

“Take a break? I’m almost done,”

“Well then you finish by yourself … I’m gonna go snuggle with Bentley, I’m injured.”

“Pussy,” I teased.

“Cocky asshole,” She retorted before pushing by me, exiting the bathroom, “I’ll be downstairs, babe.”

“Wanna make me something to eat?” I asked.

“Not really,” She answered as she started down the stairs, “What did you have in mind?”

“Just a sandwich, nothing fancy.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Dakota said simply before she was completely out of my sight.

Leaving the bathroom, I went back into my room and sighed stressfully to myself as I set back to work, wanting to get my shit packed up and loaded up into my car before tomorrow so I’ll be ready to go whenever Dakota is ready to leave town.

Who knew that moving could be so stressful?