Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Slap

Arriving at school the next day I find that I am alone.

Shontell is gone visiting her family, and now I have no friend to sit with. Being alone in high school is something that is frowned upon by peers, and often times kids who sit alone are deemed weird and they end up getting picked on.

Not only that, I just don't like to be alone. I've been alone all my life, and being alone in high school is something I certainly don't enjoy.

Confidence is key as they say....

"Hey look, it's the ugly duckling!" I hear Corinne, one of Olivia's friends say.

I clench my fists at my side, and round the corner of lockers just in time to see Corinne slap this poor girl across the face. The girl looks like she's sixteen years old, and her pretty light brown hair is pulled back into a pony tail. She's small, and her large hazel eyes water in fear as she clutches her books tightly to her chest.

A small red hand print has formed on her face due to Corinne's slap, and my jaw ticks with anger.

If there is one thing that pisses me off more, it's physical abuse. It's something I will not tolerate. I grew up with physical abuse, so it's a very personal subject to me, and watching Corinne slap that poor girl brings up memories that send shivers down my spine.

Suddenly that isn't Corinne's hand slapping the girls' face.

It's my dad's hand slapping my face. It's my dad's hand slapping my face so hard, that I'm knocked off my feet and hit the ground.

Breathe, Dakota. I remind myself.

And suddenly I shoot my eyes open and take deep breaths.

Better.

And before I can think, I march over to Corinne.

"How dare you lay your hands on her!" I say angrily.

I haven't felt this angry since....I shot my own dad.

Corinne just cackles while she throws her hair over he shoulder with a flick of her fingers. "Why are you so angry about that? Where's your smart mouth now?" Corinne says, her tone showing the taunting manner.

"Do not push me today, Corinne." I seethe as I glare at her. Her voice sounds as fake as her much too long eye lash extensions.

I can't stand anyone else beating up someone for no reason. It's wrong and horrible. I glance at the poor girl next to me. Her head hangs low, and she looks at the ground while she digs at the floor with the toes of her converse in an uncomfortable manner.

"Don't...push you today? Or what, you'll kill me with sarcasm?" Corinne says as she cackles.

I furrow my eyebrows in anger. At this point I could easily punch Corinne so hard right now. But...then I would be contradicting my earlier statement about beating people up for no reason.

Actually, no it wouldn't.

Standing up for someone else and punching the bully really wouldn't be for no reason.

"Look, I know about your past," Corinne says as she folds her arms over her chest, "I know exactly why your dad did that. Because you're a sorry excuse for a human being."

How...did she know about that? Who could have told her? Who could have possibly known?

I feel my eyes swell with angry tears as my heart rate quickens rapidly. I bite my lip till it bleeds as I glare at Corinne who is snickering at me.

"You're just a broken bitch-"

But she doesn't get to finish her sentence as my fist suddenly makes contact with her cheek. She stumbles back and holds her cheek as her eyes gaze at me in shock. The girl next to me gasps as I punch Corinne on the other cheek.

"W-what are y-you-" Corinne shrieks as I then proceed to slap her across the face.

NOBODY makes a joke or a mockery out of my past.

I stop my rampage once I see a steady stream of blood drip from Corinne's nose and onto the floor.

What have I done?

I feel bad, honestly. I let my anger take over, and now look what I've done.

At least she won't mess with me any more....

And when I look back up, it's then that I notice a bunch of kids had surrounded us to watch the fight.

"Come on." I whisper to the startled girl who had been slapped next to me. Black streaks run down her face from crying with her mascara on, and she follows me to the bathroom.

"Thank you." She murmurs quietly before dousing her face in water. She washes away the black streaks, and she looks much more refreshed.

"It was no problem." I reply softly, "Those girls are horrible."

"Yeah, tell me about it." She mumbles as she brushes her hair back in place and pulls her hair back into a new pony tail. She lets her bangs hang out of the pony tail and they swish to the side.

I notice the long sleeves on her shirt have rolled up revealing fading scars running along her wrists, and I frown and act like I didn't see them.

I've been in her place before.

I know how she feels.

Sometimes all someone needs is a friendly face, and so that's exactly what I offer her.

"I-I can't stand people like her anymore." She mutters, "It makes me wonder if there's any decent people left on this planet."

I know exactly what she means. I used to often ask myself those questions in times of turmoil.

"Sorry if I'm...making you uncomfortable. You probably think I'm crazy like everyone else on this God-forsaken earth." She says quietly.

"N-no...I know exactly what you mean." I reply. "Trust me, you're not crazy. But I can promise you one thing."

Silence.

Silence passes as the girl gazes upon me, and for a moment, she hesitates before speaking.

"And what's that?" She asks.

"I promise you, there's decent people out there."

"How can you be so sure?" She asks shyly.

I shrug and say, "Well, because I was just like you. I...I didn't grow up in the best conditions, and soon I believed that everyone, especially men, were just....bad...." My voice trails off.

"...and?" She questions, her eyebrows raising. She must know there is more to the story.

I smile and say, "And then I met someone.....a man.....who is showing me little by little that there is good in some people."

"A man?" She asks, with a dreamy look on her face. "I-I don't think I can find one of those. I'm too weird. Too ugly." She says quietly.

"Don't you say such a thing. Sure, your not perfect. Heck, nobody is. But the truth is, you are beautiful and valuable, you just don't see it yet. And one day, you will find someone who will treat you like the queen you are." I say, a smile spreading across my face.

Thank you Shontell.

"You really think so?" The girl asks shyly.

"I don't think so. I know so. Now, come on, let's get to class." I tell her.

She smiles slightly at me, and together, we walk down the hallway and to class. But I don't even make it to my seat when the principal bursts in the room.

"Dakota, to my office, now." He says sternly.

I gulp.

And here we go.

* * *

Ace's POV:

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Impatient.

Eye twitch.

Angry.

Furious.

"He should have been here fifteen minutes ago, Jordan." I seethe through my teeth as I turn to face Jordan who stands next to me.

Jordan and I wait on a dull street surrounded by vacant bus stops, run down homes, and trash. Old newspapers and trash litter the area, and tumble around like some sort of tumble weed in the desert.

"Let's wait a few more minutes." Jordan replies calmly.

How can he be so calm?

"Fine...." I say.

And sure enough, the old man we've been waiting for hobbles up. A tooth-pick sticks out from between the gaps in his front teeth, and old sweat stains are clearly visible though his old white tank top. His dark armpit fur is about as long as Rapunzel's hair.

I also notice that he's balding, and he wears crocs.

What are those? I think to myself and scoff.

This man has been in debt to me. He owed me money a month ago, but he claimed he didn't have the money yet. He's had two whole months to pay up, but he still hasn't.

Now I get the pleasure to pay him a visit.

"Now Bob, this is the part where you hand me the money you owe me, and walk away." I tell him.

He raises his eyebrows, and then slowly takes the tooth-pick out from between his teeth. "Look, I ain't got yer dirty money, alright? I...I lost it." He says in his gruffly voice.

I rub my chin in thought, my eyebrows raising. "Why, you lost it you say? Well that's too bad." I say to him as I raise one eyebrow and smirk.

"Say, have you ever been on a date?" I ask him.

He looks completely thrown off.

"Date? What....what? No, of course not. Why would I?" He asks, utterly confused.

"Oh, because tonight, you are having a lovely date with my bullet. She's a real bang in bed, if you know what I mean." I say smirking as I slowly pull the cold weapon from my waste-band and aim it point blank at his head.

I click the safety off.

His eyes widen in realization.

Looking death in the eyes will do that to you.

But in a quick movement, he pulls out his own gun and aims it at me.

Wrong move on his part, because the moment he aims it at me, I fire.

He falls, his gun clattering on the ground.

He is dead.

His eyes stare blankly up at the sky as blood leaks from the wound on his forehead.

"Jordan, you know what to do." I tell him.

"Yes Boss."

Jordan gets to work, and suddenly I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

"Hello?" I answer quickly.

Katelin is on the other line, and my eyes widen at what she tells me.

"Dakota did what?" I say in disbelief. "Yes, I will pick her up. Talk to you later."

I hang up with Katelin, in disbelief. My small, sweet girl got in a fight? Maybe she has an inner bad-ass that I have yet to see. I smirk at the thought.

"What's up?" Jordan asks as he casually wipes the blood from his hands with a cloth.

"Dakota....got in a fight, and now she's been suspended from school for two days. I have to pick her up." I tell Jordan.

"Oh, wow. You got your hands full with that one, Boss." Jordan says chuckling.

I smile and say, "You got that right."

"You go take care of your girl, I can finish up here." Jordan says.

I nod, and then get into my car and anxiously grip the steering wheel as I drive to Dakota's school. I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

* * *

As I walk into the principal's office, I spot Dakota sitting on a little chair, her back facing me. The principal sits across from her, interviewing her and writing on a notepad. The principal is bald, and has a dark mustache as well as a goatee. On his desk reads a little sign that says Mr. Triplett.

I clear my throat to announce my appearance, and the principal looks up from his notes while Dakota swivels around in her chair.

Her face falls, and she looks scared.

"Are you Mr. Greyson?" Asks the principal as he stands up.

I nod and say, "Yes I am."

"Well, since you are her guardian, I need to tell you of the circumstances on why Dakota is here..." He says, his voice trailing off.

"Well go on then." I say as I glance at Dakota, who still looks nervous.

"Dakota was involved in a fight. The girl she beat up has sustained a bloody nose. She resolved to violent actions, and at this school, we don't tolerate that kind of behavior. She has been suspended from school for two days." The principal says.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Did you even wonder that maybe that girl deserved it? I mean, Dakota doesn't just lash out for nothing."

The principal sighs, unamused, and says, "That's beyond the point. I don't tolerate my school with violence-"

"But you tolerate the bullies. Yeah, that's a whole lot better." I say, my irritated tone surfacing. "Come Dakota, let's go."

Dakota sheepishly gets out from her chair, and she walks timidly beside my as we walk to the parking lot.

"High five." I say, turning to her as I hold up my hand.

Her timid facade falls. "Wait...wha-"

"Come on, don't leave me hanging." I say, wiggling my hand for emphasis.

Dakota just shrugs, and returns the high-five.

"What was that for?" She asks, confused.

"Good job." I tell her.

"For what?"

"For not being a door-mat that people can just easily walk all over." I say as I jam the keys into the ignition.

"Oh...thanks...I thought you were going to be mad at me..." She says in a small voice.

"Mad? Why would I be mad? My girl just gave a bully a bloody nose and a wounded ego. I'm anything but mad." I tell her.

"Really?" She says wide-eyed.

I just nod. "Yep."

"What did that girl say any way to make you so angry, any way?" I ask her. She suddenly becomes squirmish in her seat, and lands her gaze out the window as she fumbles her thumbs in her lap.

"Well...the girl I punched slapped an innocent girl across the face." She says.

I raise an eyebrow. She isn't telling me everything.

"And?" I say.

Dakota laughs nervously. "Annnd that's it....that's all there is to it." She says.

"Dakota."

"Yes?"

"Stop lying."

Her face falls and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. Her shoulders sink and she seems to want to disappear back into her seat.

"Fine. She brought up my past, alright? She brought up my abuse and my dad. I don't know how she knew, but she did." Dakota says quietly.

My knuckles turn white as I grip the steering wheel. How could she have known about Dakota's past? Something isn't right.

"What did she say?" I ask as gently as I can muster.

"That's beside the point." Dakota says as she folds her arms across her chest.

"Dakota? What. Did. She. Say?" I ground out sternly, hoping my anger doesn't get the best of me.

Dakota sighs loudly in defeat. "She...she said she knows about my past and said she understands why my-my dad did that...stuff to me. She said it's because...it's because I'm a sorry excuse for a human being." Dakota says, her voice shaky.

She is really upset.

I feel my anger rising.

"And then she called me a....a broken bitch." Dakota spits trying to sound angry. But I can tell she's masking her hurt with anger.

Me, on the other hand, is masking my anger with anger.

That doesn't even make sense.

The point is, I'm beyond angry. I'm furious. Livid.

But the last thing Dakota needs is a furious, testosterone induced male outrage.

Breath now. Kill later. I tell myself.

And so once I pull into the driveway, I give Dakota what she needs most.

I hope girls like hugs....I want to comfort her but I don't know how to. Here goes nothing....

Dakota looks solemn, and once we get out of the car, I walk over to her. She halts in her tracks when I step in front of her. Her eyes are trained to the ground.

"Dakota, look at me." I say softly.

She hesitates for a moment, but soon turns her eyes upwards at me. Her eyes look hurt and sad.

"Hey, cheer up, okay? I'm not mad at you, and that bully is just that--a bully. Bullies say things to tear others down in order to build themselves up. People like that aren't worth your time." I say. And before I have a chance to think, I gently cup her head in my hands and land a small kiss on her forehead.

Shit....

For a moment, I expect her to run or push me away, but she doesn't.

Instead, when she gazes up at me, her eyes are full of wonder. A tiny blush paints her face, and she smiles slightly.

"I....thank you...I don't know w-what to say." Dakota says quietly. She now seems a bit awkward.

I laugh slightly. "Sometimes words aren't necessary."

"I suppose you're right." She says quietly.

"Now, are you up for Netflix? We can watch whatever you like. Katelin is gone somewhere, and we can raid her treat cabinet. We also have ice cream." I tell her, in which her eyes widen with excitement.

"That sounds like fun." She says in agreement.

And so we both head inside, ready to enjoy our night....I do my best to ignore the little voice in my head nagging at me to rip that bully to shreds, as well as everyone on the face of the earth who brings harm to my family and Dakota.

But maybe a movie will do us good....