She Will Be Loved

“School is finally out!” Max Sorrenson, Alice’s boyfriend, shouted as we all walked out the front doors of school. I couldn’t help but giggle with Alice and Lia as Devin agreed and high fived him. Jake just shook his head with a faint smile on his face. These five were officially the coolest kids I had ever met. Max suddenly turned to me with a wide smile. “You should come hangout with us.”

“Uhm.” I let my eyes trail over the parking lot. Johnny had texted me to let me know he was the one coming to pick me up. Jimmy and Brian had messaged me complaining that Matt didn’t trust them to drive and get me. Besides, apparently the guys were beginning to write new songs for the album expected to start recording so he was holding them hostage. At least that’s what Johnny had told me. “My uncle’s friend is supposed to be picking me up.”

“Well tell him not to,” Lia said like it was the most obvious thing ever. It was then I heard a car horn honking. I turned to see a red truck idling near the curb a couple of feet away. I squinted my eyes to see Johnny smiling with a pair of shades on. I turned to the people I’ve come to know as friends with a smile.

“Sorry, that’s him.” Lia, Max, and Devin all sighed dramatically. Alice and Jake just smiled at me. “I’ll try to hang out with you guys later this week, alright?” That seemed to put the three in a brighter mood.

“Well, we’ll see you tomorrow,” Alice spoke and took me into a gentle hug. I smiled, but was suddenly ripped backwards into the tight, steel-like hug of her twin.

“I’m going to miss you so much!” She shouted, nearly deafening me. When she let go I rubbed my ear vigorously. The ringing she left in my ear disappeared after a few moments. Soon Devin, Jake, and Max also gave me hugs. With a wave I headed over to the patiently waiting Johnny.

“So, new friends?” Johnny asked as I placed my backpack at my feet and pulled on my seatbelt. I heard the sound of some rock softly coming from the radio singing about girls. I figured it was an eighties band or something.

“Yup,” I replied, popping the ‘p’. Johnny smiled and put the car in drive, heading out of the busy parking lot. We exchanged some small talk about my day as we drove down the streets. When we passed the street I’ve come to know as ours I frowned. “Where are we going?”

“I was forced not to tell you. You’ll find out when we get there.” Johnny peeked over to see the frown deepen. “I swear it’s not bad.”

“I’m holding you to that Johnny,” I announced, slumping down in my seat. After that it was mostly quietly as we got onto the highway. I rolled down the window and enjoyed the wind through my hair. I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew someone was softly shaking my shoulder.

“Get up sleepy head. We’re here,” I heard Johnny say. I groaned, sitting up straight and rubbing away at my eyes with my fists. I raised my chest up so I could pop my back. I let out a sigh of relief before fully opening my eyes. In front of me was a modest, two-story house. We had parked at the curb behind Brian’s car since the driveway was already full of three other cars. I pushed open my door and climbed out onto the grass.

“Where is here?”

“Remember, I can’t tell you,” Johnny sang. I rolled my eyes and slammed the door shut. I followed the blond man up the walkway to the front door. Instead of stopping and knocking he simply strolled in. As I shut the door behind myself I heard Johnny yell, “Honey, I’m home!”

“By God Johnny, give me a damn heart attack,” a woman’s voices drifted into the entrance hall. Only seconds later a woman followed the voice. She was in about her mid-forties with brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She was dressed in slacks, a button up shirt, flats, and an apron was tied around her waist. She smiled, giving me the impression of a housewife that had, in a strange way, just got off of work. “And who is this?”

“Dakota Sanders,” I spoke, holding out a hand. She shook it and smiled softly.

“What’s your real last name? The boys had already informed me of your little lie to the school.”

“Oh.” I blushed, what I’m sure was, a bright red with a shy smile. After introducing myself so many times today I kind of forgot I wasn’t a Sanders. “Dakota Westan, ma’am.”

She cringed at the end of my sentence. “One of the few things you can never call me is ‘ma’am’. I sound old that way and I’d rather not be called that.” I nodded and she smiled brilliantly again. “Sorry, where are my manners? My name is Suzy Haner, I am Brian’s step-mother.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, she is so proper! I love her already!” Suzy exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. I think her and Lia would get along perfectly. After a moment she seemed to have realized what she did and quickly let me go. “I’m sorry, I must seem crazy to you.”

“Don’t worry. I met a friend today that you remind me a lot of. After dealing with her for the day she makes Jimmy seem sane,” I laughed, making Johnny and Suzy laugh too.

“Speaking of the boys, they’re in the back with Brian Sr. and Kenna.” I tilted my head to the side at the foreign name. “Oh, Kenna is Brian’s half-sister and my daughter.”

“Oh, I see. Do you need any help?” I asked as I heard a timer going off. She ‘awh’ed, pulling me into her chest again.

“You are so adorable! I wish I could keep you,” she cooed. She let go and saw my blush again. “Sorry again. No, I’m quite alright dear. You two go ahead, Johnny knows the way. I’ll be out soon.”

“Okay.”

“Come on. Brian is probably getting antsy,” Johnny announced as Suzy disappeared from view. I nodded and followed him down the hall. He pulled open a backdoor and allowed me to walk out first.

“Koty!” I was suddenly pulled into a hug and twirled in circles. I already knew it was Jimmy before he placed me on the ground. I smiled up at him, my world still spinning.

“Hi Jimmy.”

“Did you enjoy school?” Jimmy asked as he pulled me towards the blurry group of people a little while over.

“It was good,” I replied, stumbling my way with him. He pushed me onto a seat and I closed my eyes to blank out the twirling world. When I opened my eyes I was met clear vision and six pairs of eyes on me. Zacky was MIA.

“Nice to finally meet you Dakota. I’m Brian Sr. but everyone calls me Papa Gates,” a man who looked like the older version of Brian that sat to the left of me greeted. His calloused hand was extended to me. I shook it and grinned.

“I call you Daddy!” a little girl with brown hair and eyes chirped from her perch on Papa Gates’s lap. He grinned down at her, petting her hair.

“Yes you do. This is my daughter McKenna.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said as I leaned slightly to be eye level with her. She grinned widely and leaned forward.

“Are you Brian’s girlfriend?” I laughed along with all the adults. Kenna looked annoyed as she sat up straight and stared at all of us. “What?!”

“Brian’s more like a brother to me too,” I told her. Her mouth made an ‘o’ and she nodded. I looked at everyone with my head tilted to the side. “Where’s Zack?”

“He had to pee,” Kenna whispered to me. I giggled with her as everyone looked at us strangely. I leaned back in my chair and everyone began to ask me about my day. The second I mentioned my interactions with Jake Jimmy began to clap.

“Jakey has a crush on you!” Everyone looked at Jimmy as if he had three heads.

“Ew. Guys have cooties,” Kenna moaned. Jimmy smirked and hopped up to his feet. He picked up the ten year old and held her close.

“Oh, so we have cooties?”

“Uh huh.” Kenna replied, nodding. Jimmy smirked and starting kissing all over her face. She began to squeal with laughter, pushing Jimmy as she tried to get down from his arms. He finally let her down and began to chase her around the backyard.

“Anyone want a soda?” I turned to see a figure in the doorway, Zacky I could only assume. I raised my hand along with Matt and Johnny. I saw him disappear so I turned back to the group.

“So, you are enjoying school?” Papa Gates asked.

“It's really fun, truly. Minus my U.S. History teacher Mrs. Tuttle that is. She's tough,” I sighed. Both Brian and Matt groaned. I cocked an eyebrow at their pained expressions.

“She was cruel. It was a shock we passed to stay in sports,” Matt remarked as he crossed his arms over his chest. Brian nodded in agreement, a grim expression on his face.

“I have a feeling that’s going to seem like the longest class ever,” I sighed. Suddenly I heard the back door getting pulled open. I turned to see a figure stepping out.

“Catch Kota!” I saw a red can shoot into the air and held up a hand to where I thought I’d catch it. Just as it went to the right of my hand I realized I was completely off. It fell onto the ground next to me with a light ‘thud’. It was silent for a few seconds as I blinked in disbelief. My hand was lined up to catch it. Or, I thought it was.

“Hey Koty?”

“Huh?” I turned to see Matt giving me a weird stare as everyone just stared at me. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously as I leaned down to pick up the now-clear can of Coke. “What?”

“Do you need glasses?”

“Why?”

“Well…” Matt trailed off so Johnny found it in himself to speak the words Matt didn’t want to say.

“You’re blind as a bat.” I shrugged as I leaned back and cracked open my soda. “How far can you see?”

“Well I can’t fully make out Zacky,” I said as I looked back towards the currently black blob.

“He’s only, like, five feet away.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. I didn’t know my eyesight was that horrible in all honesty.

“Haven’t you noticed this at all?”

“Well that would explain why Lia ran me over. And why I couldn’t read Mr. Waller or Mrs. Tuttle’s hand writing. And why I got hit by that basketball in gym. And why I got hit by the empty milk carton Dev threw.” I fell silent as I thought this over. “I am as blind as a bat!”

“And your hearing isn’t as good as one either,” Johnny muttered. Brian slapped him upside the back of the head. Zacky finally settled in the seat Jimmy had occupied earlier.

“Wait, where is Jimmy?”

“Him and Kenna went in to help Suzy. I thought you saw - oh yeah.” Johnny was granted another slap to the head, this time by Brian. Suddenly I heard the door open again.

“Lunch time!” As everyone stood I waited. Soon it was just Brian and I waiting to stand. I sighed as we did, knowing Zacky was one of the first to leave. Brian, however, assumed it was still over my eyes.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take you to get glasses tomorrow. Matt’ll get you out of school early.”

“Thanks,” I muttered as we walked towards the backdoor. He stopped me on the back porch with a frown on his face.

“What’s up?”

“Why is Zacky ignoring me? I mean, we had a conversation about something but I thought I explained it to him, kind of. I’m getting tired of being ignored,” I complained. Brian smiled and patted my shoulder.

“Zacky’s stubborn. Don’t worry he’ll come around. Now let’s go. You will not live fully without having some of Suzy’s brownies!”

“That sounds amazing.”