Dismissing Dakota | ✓

»12. New Person, Same Old Mistakes«

SILVIA'S P.O.V.

A cloud hung over my head while walking out of the locker rooms and entering the building connected to the gymnasium. I wasn't planning on skipping my English class, but I had lost track of time with Dakota. I wish I had a cooler story to tell someone about what happened in the locker room.

Out of all of the girls who had skipped class with a guy, I probably spent my time in the most uninteresting way.

Instead of swapping spit behind stairways, he held me in his arms until I told he that I felt better, and even after I said that, we remained in that same position, enjoying each other's warmth.

The entire time, he twirled his fingers into my hair and softly combed through it, holding me close and humming under his breath an unknown song that soothed more than his presence alone.

Despite the undeniable surge of emotions Dakota evoked out of me, that didn't change the trust issues we had engraved in our relationship. Our brief discussion only messed up my emotions more than they already were. I cared about Dakota and wanted him in my life—of course I did—but that didn't mean I was ready to rush back into a relationship.

Moving too fast was our flaw from our first try at being a couple. I expected too much from him and wanted a picture perfect relationship whereas he was seldom to express how he felt about anything besides showing me how angry I could make him.

There was so much conflict going on inside of me. My heart fought against my head, declaring that nothing bad would happen if I did get back with him. But right as that settled into my mind, a new train of thoughts penetrated that statement, proving it to be wrong and saying I was an idiot if I fell for his tricks. I didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

"What's wrong?" Dakota's voice called at me as I got lost in my own head. We were on our way to his locker so I could have someplace to put my wet clothes.

He paused before turning the corner. The hallway that would lead directly to his locker was close by. His stare hardened when I didn't respond right away. I watched silently as he brought his hand to my face, cupping it.

"I'm fine. I'm just thinking to myself." I brushed his hand off and sauntered past him, going towards his locker. "We need to get to class."

I was afraid that I'd miss another class because of him. He was thoughtful enough to bring me the spare clothes, but I couldn't ditch anymore classes with all of this talking. Whenever Dakota was in close proximity, I always did dumb things or got dumb ideas that I'd regret later.

Dakota reached the locker after me, taking his time to unlock it. He kept his eyes on the lock, putting in the combo while saying: "Are you doing anything this weekend? Do you have any plans?"

My mouth opened, hesitating on my answer. "I'm going to ask Ronnie if she's busy this Saturday. I'm hoping on getting some help with our Trig homework. There's a few things that I need to work on and yesterday she offered to help me if I ever needed it."

"I already finished Trigonometry," he said, letting the door swing open. He shifted his books around to make room. "I'd be a far better tutor than Ronnie."

"Doubtful," I scoffed. "You're not patient whatsoever."

"I have patience," he defended. "I'd be a great teacher. Can't you imagine me as a teacher with a button-up shirt and a brief case, always looking like I'm going somewhere important?"

"You'd be one of those teachers everyone fears because of the amount of assignments you'd throw at them," I supplied in a matter-of-fact voice.

Picturing Dakota as a teacher was laughable. Half of the students would probably fantasize killing him while the other half would fantasize sleeping with him. I could already see it in my head, playing out like a movie.