Dakota, Are You in Love With Me Too?

“Fuck me!” I heard Dakota scream at the top of her lungs before something being slammed into something else in the kitchen.

Slowly walking out of our bedroom half dressed, I cautiously approached the kitchen afraid for my well being at the moment, “Love?” I called out with a soft voice.

“Do you know what O’Callaghan?” Dakota snapped harshly as she looked at me entering the kitchen, “I am this close to saying ‘fuck it’ to this entire Wedding!”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“Everything is fucking wrong,” She hissed as she grabbed the folder that she keeps all of our Wedding plans in, then threw it into the sink of soapy water where I was washing dishes no more than ten minutes ago, “I hate you,” She growled then grabbed her car keys off of the counter before storming out of the kitchen, then the apartment.

Frowning to myself, I quickly pulled the folder from the water as I grabbed the roll of paper towels to dry everything quickly, “Dakota Mae,” I sighed stressfully while trying to save what I could.

“What was that scene about?” I heard Nathaniel question as he walked into the kitchen, looking hungover in just a pair of underwear.

“Dude, put some fucking pants on,” I demanded.

“Oh fuck you, Johno.” He grumbled as he opened the fridge, “What the fuck did you do to my sister to make her scream like that?”

“Nothing, I was getting ready to head up to LA, I’m late.” I mumbled, “This is the last thing I need right now.”

“Well, she was slamming shit around for a reason.”

“Fuck off,” I growled at my soon to be brother-in-law before tossing the used paper towels into the trash, “Fucking hell, Dakota.” I mumbled to myself as I pushed the folder away from me, “Why does she do this God damn shit?” I asked aloud but was speaking more to myself than anyone else.

“Because she’s fucking crazy,” Nathaniel answered with his mouth full of cold chow mien, left over from last night’s Chinese take out dinner.

I looked at him with disgust then shook my head before heading back into the bedroom. Once I was finished with getting dressed, I grabbed my suitcase that I had packed the night before and left the bedroom, “I’m leaving,” I informed Nathaniel who was still in his underwear in the kitchen.

“Alright,” He replied, “Are you staying with Kyle and Michelle at the beach house?”

“No, I’m staying with the guys at the apartment,” I grabbed my car keys and made sure I had everything that I needed, “Have Dakota call me when she gets back, please.”

“Sure,” Nathaniel confirmed, “Hey, Johno are you taking Bentley?”

I frowned, “Why would I fucking take Bentley?”

“Don’t get shitty with me just because Dakota got shitty with you. It was a simple fucking question.”

Shaking my head in annoyance, I grabbed my bag then left the apartment without another word, letting the door slam shut behind me before I made my way out to the apartment complex’s parking lot. When I got out to the parking lot, I was frozen in my tracks when I saw my fiancé had taken my car instead of her own car because her car was blocked in by some fucking asshole that didn’t know how to park properly.

“Fuck!” I snapped as I unlocked the Range Rover that Dakota talked her Dad into buying her for Christmas because she was sick of her ‘old’ car and to further prove that she is in fact a Daddy’s girl, he got it ‘murdered out’ for her simply because he knew she liked cars like that.

Climbing into the SUV, I tossed my bag into the backseat then buckled up before starting the car. After almost five minutes of expertly maneuvering the SUV out of the parking space, I pulled out onto the road and sped away, cursing under my breath as I started my journey up to Los Angeles.

The last few months have been trying and yet they’ve been picture perfect as well. Dakota and I have grown not only as a couple but as friends and individuals. We’ve been planning our Wedding and obviously the planning process is at the point where it gets completely hectic, it’s at the point where we’re almost dreading the Wedding because of all the shit that goes wrong.

I’ve been flying back and forth from San Diego and Phoenix, spending two to three weeks at a time at each location. When I’m in Phoenix, I’m completely focused on the band and when I’m in San Diego all of my attention goes to Dakota and our Wedding. I try to keep those two parts of my life as separate as possible but at times they cross over. My band practice gets in the way of Wedding plans and vice versa.

Since living in San Diego, I completely fell in love with the city, that’s not to say that I don’t miss home, because I do but I wouldn’t want to be in any other city missing home. I’ve met a lot of fun people, some of which I can call my good friends now. I’ve become closer with Nathaniel as well as Kyle and now consider them as friends, not just my fiancés older brothers. Annie is very pregnant, very moody yet very much in love with Nathaniel and San Diego. The move to San Diego was exactly what she needed, I haven’t seen her so happy before and she has a sense of comfort knowing that the Jensen’s now consider her family; they’ve welcomed her and the baby with open arms and can’t wait till the baby is born. The kid is already the most spoiled child on the face of the planet and it’s not even here yet, nor is it blood related.

The guys in my band landed in LA two days ago and while they were getting settled, I stayed down in San Diego, doing last minute things with Dakota. Though I’m only two hours away up in LA, I’m just going to stay up in LA at the apartment with the guys instead of driving back and forth, it’s just a waste of gas, and I need to be focused completely on this CD as we write and record it. Everything just seems to be busy and moving at fast pace, I just need to hit pause, take a deep breath and let everything sink in before pressing play again, but I can’t.

After what seemed like years, because of traffic, I pulled up to apartment building in LA, parking next to the dirty white van with the Arizona plates. Climbing out of the SUV, I shut the door before locking the doors.

“Holy shit,” Jared’s voice called out, “Damn Johno, I knew that your Dakota was spoiling you but buying you a Range Rover!?”

I laughed forcefully then shot him a glare, “It’s not mine, its Dakota’s … She took my car in a fit of rage because she didn’t want to take the time to maneuver her car out of the parking space.”

“Oh,” He nodded then scanned over the car, “Can we go for a ride in it?”

“No,” I answered simply, “If anything happens to it, it’s my head not yours.” I shook my head, “I’m probably gonna get chewed out for taking it, but I wasn’t gonna wait around for Dakota to get back.” I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, “What’s everyone doing?”

“Um, watching TV, eating, on computers … the usual; we’re going to the studio tomorrow.” He mumbled before letting out a lazy, tired sigh.

Eyeing him a bit, I slowly started towards the entrance of the building as my phone went off. Pulling it out of my pocket, I saw that it was mine and Dakota’s home phone number that showed up. Pressing talk, I put the phone to my ear, “What?”

“Sorry,” Dakota muttered simply.

“What was wrong?” I asked her, wanting to know the reason behind her fit.

“Everything,” She answered, “That trip that I booked for the two of us to go up to Napa, needs to be cancelled because I just remembered they’re not gonna let a couple of nineteen year olds go wine tasting. That, and I have to get my happy ass over to Arizona because my Dad wants me to be there when the baby is fucking born … then to top shit off, the country club manager is being a fucking douche bag because he doesn’t want to close the club down just for our Wedding so he just put a limit of how many people we can have attend and it’s fifty less than what I had planned, so now I have to pick out fifty people whom I have to un-invite.”

I frowned, “Have you told the manager that everyone has already RSVP-ed?”

“He doesn’t fucking care, he’s some snobby asshole who compensates for having a small dick by ruining everyone else’s lives.”

I hid a smile, “I’ll call him and talk to him.”

“What are you gonna do that I can’t do?”

“I’m a guy,” I answered, “If he’s as bad as you say he is, he sure as hell isn’t going to take demands from a girl.”

“Sexist, asshole … I’ll rip his fucking throat out.”

“Calm yourself, love … it’s not the end of the world. I’ll call him and see if I can do anything, if I can’t I see if my Aunt can pull a few strings, we may have to change locations, Dakota Mae.”

“I’m not changing anything, our wedding is in a month, O’Callaghan.”

“A month and one week,” I corrected.

“Don’t try to be cute with me,” She demanded, “It’s too late to change the location,”

“We’ll see …”

“Are you gonna keep my car?” She answered.

“I can drive it back when I get the chance.”

“No,” She ordered, “Keep it,”

“What did you do to my car?”

“… Nothing,” She answered but by the tone of her voice I could tell she was lying.

“Did you wreck it?”

“No,”

“What happened to it?”

“It’s not important, just … just keep my car and make sure your dirty little friends don’t get their grubby paws all over it, and if they get in it, make sure they’re clean.”

I laughed, “Dakota, we’re not that dirty.”

“That Pat … he is,” She insisted, “You have to watch him, put some plastic under him if he gets in.”

I shook my head, “I have to go, I love you; cross my heart and hope to die, believe me?”

“I believe you, I love you too … you know it?”

“I know,” I smiled, “I’ll call before I go to sleep … Oh, and remember you need to take Bentley into the vet’s tomorrow.”

Whining softly, I could just picture the sad face she’s making, “He’s gonna be in so much pain, Daddy.” She mumbled to me, “Why do we need to get him fixed again?”

“Because, we’re not gonna breed him … might as well get him fixed.” I pointed out, “And Bob Barker encourages getting pets neutered.” I smiled, “Give him loves for me, Mama.”

“I will … I hope you know I’m gonna tell him it’s his Daddy wanting to get this done.” She insisted, “And nothing better go wrong.”

“He’ll be fine, Dakota Mae.”

“I’ll go get you fixed if something goes wrong,” She threatened.

“Then you wouldn’t have any kids.”

“I don’t care, I have my puppy.”

I laughed, “Good bye Mama, love Bentley for me … I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” She mumbled then hung up.

Pushing my phone back into my pocket, I looked up to see Jared watching me with a teasing smile. I pointed at him, “Shut up,” I ordered, “Not a fucking word,” I demanded.

“Mama,” He teased.

I felt myself blush deeply as I lowered my head, trying to hide it, “Leave me alone, man.”

“I’m just fuckin’ with you.” Jared insisted, “So, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, the place where we’re gonna have the Wedding, the manager is just being an asshole and thinks he can push Dakota around.”

“Are you gonna call him and put him in his place?”

I laughed and nodded, “I’m gonna try,” I shrugged my shoulders, “But I think it would be easier to just change locations, there’s got to be a different place that’s better and cheaper to hold the Wedding with as many guests as we have.”

“How many do you have?”

“A lot,” I answered, “But half of the people we don’t even know, our parents invited everyone under the fucking moon, then Nathaniel and Kyle decided to invite people, and just to spite Dakota, Tori invited her family and their family friends … a lot of drama should be expected at my Wedding.”

“I can’t believe you’re gonna get married,” Jared muttered as we walked into the building, making our way to the apartment, “Like seriously, when you were gonna get hitched in Vegas, I never really took the time to actually think you were getting married, but since you’re doing everything in the legit way this time, it just seems … wow.”

“Are you telling me I shouldn’t get married?”

“No,” Jared laughed, “It’s just … an eye opener, that’s all. Plus, you’re makin’ us nonromantic types look bad.” He joked, “My girlfriend is always sayin’ ‘Why can’t you be more sensitive like Johno!?’ It’s horrible man.”

“Sensitive,” I mocked with a laugh, “I’m not nearly as sensitive as I had to be with Peyton … Dakota would eat me alive if I acted the way I did with Peyton, with her. She’s a crazy one.”

Falling quiet as we entered the apartment, I looked around as everyone greeted me half heartedly as they continued to do whatever it was that they were doing. I muttered a few hellos then put my bag in the room I’d be sharing with Jared for the next month or so while we record our first full length. This is definitely going to be a trip.