Loving and Learning

Never Assume

Within the Dalmatian house, Dolly, Dylan, and Dante had just arrived back from the park and were in the living room. Dylan had just learned about Elvira and now all Dante could only think about is that he wasn't gonna be allowed to see her again.

Dawkins walked in the room, having been told by Dylan.

"So you been sneaking around seeing this goth girl haven't you. You know the rules Dante." Dylan said to his brother.

Dante was silent and unable to look Dylan in the eye.

"Have you been talking about your predictions around her?" Dylan asked.

Dante looked up at him.

"Y-yeah I have." Dante answered, seeing no use in denying it.

"I guess that explains everything now. We're gonna talk with mom and dad when they come home." Dylan warned.

Dolly looked on, unable to just sit and watch. She knew she needed to help her gothic brother.

"Technically he didn't break any rules. Mom said he wasn't allowed to partake in all that goth stuff and hang with Portia, she never said he couldn't hang around other goth individuals." Dolly pointed out.

"That may be true Dolly but why else would Dante hang with her?" Dylan questioned. "He's probably been doing a lot of goth activities with her."

"You don't even know this girl." Dolly said.

"She's probably a moody, doom and gloom individual." Dawkins assumed.

"She is NOT like that!" Dante yelled.

Dolly, Dylan, and Dawkins looked back at Dante with shock, taken aback by his outburst. Dante never got defensive for another individual like that.

Dante quickly realized what he had just done and turned away.

"I....uh, I'm....sorry." Dante said, a bit shaky now.

Deepak and DJ came into the room after hearing Dante's yelling.

"Is everything ok." Deepak asked, concerned.

Deepak and DJ looked over at a distraught Dante and then at Dolly who gave a somewhat frustrated and sadden look of guilt, it didn't take them long to realize what had happen.

Dylan caught the glance at this.

"You two also knew about this girl Dante was seeing, didn't you?" Dylan asked.

Both DJ and Deepak looked ashamed.

"Yes." DJ said.

"We did." Deepak finished.

Dylan only felt more frustrated upon hearing this.

"Can't trust anyone can I, Dante go up-"

Dolly pulled Dylan away by his collar and into the kitchen before he could finish his sentence.

"What are you doing Dolly!?" Dylan yelled.

"Shush! You can't tell mom and dad about this." Dolly said. "You be making a BIG mistake."

"A mistake? Dolly he's just hanging with her to talk about his predictions." Dylan said. "Trust me I know how Dante is."

Dolly narrowed her eyes and got really close to Dylan's face. Dylan looked into her eyes and could see the anger in her eyes from hearing that statement.

But he also sensed some sadness.

"You don't know anything about him." She said. "None of us do."

She backed away from Dylan and turned away a bit, arms crossed and looking down at the ground, looking sad.

"Think about this Dylan. Even before all this started, Dante wasn't ok and getting worse and not even hanging around Portia made him better. Ever since he meet Elvira he's been changing, he's been happier. None of our methods were the reason that he's been improving, it was all her." Dolly said.

She looked back at Dylan with a very serious look on her face, more serious than Dylan had ever seen her.

"Do you really wanna risk taking that all away." She asked.

Dylan thought about what she was saying. He remembered the last he didn't listen to Dolly regarding Dante over the metal box and how upset Dante was. In truth he was just as worried about Dante as Dolly was. He hated seeing him unhappy and mentally suffering.

DJ and Deepak walked into the kitchen. Dylan looked at them, worry and pleading was all over their faces.

"Please Dylan." Deepak begged.

Dylan let out a sigh. He didn't care if Dante improved because he was helping around the house or being disruptful with his predictions, he really did just want him to be happier. He walked back into the living room where Dante was waiting. Dylan looked at him, he could see that he was fearful about the idea of being forbidden to see Elvira. He better approach this carefully.

"Before I make any decisions Dante can I ask this?" Dylan asked.

Dante perked his head and ears a little, curious and scared of what Dylan was gonna ask of him. Dylan took a small deep breath.

"Can Dolly and I meet Elvira?"