Dismissing Dakota | ✓

»37. PEACH«

"Yes, I'm ok," I lied. I wasn't going to be ok for some time, but they didn't need to know about that. No one everyone wants to hear that you're not ok. They want to know that you're fine, that you're doing well, so that they don't have to live with the awkward silence of knowing they can't do anything to fix that. Not a single soul could rework the unstable ground I stood on; no soul other than my own. "I'm feeling shaken up about it all. I'll be fine."

"The convenience of it doesn't make sense to me," Ronnie uttered, pulling me in to a hug. "How did he know your family wasn't going to be here? It's so spooky."

"I have a slight idea," I said. I backed out of the hug and went in to my pocket, fishing out the scrap of paper that had my address scribbled on it. "Whoever wrote this maybe."

Ronnie snatched it from me, blinking at the words as though they were moving in front of her and were difficult to read. "That can't be."

"What?"

"It's Finn's handwriting," she croaked. "He wrote this."

"Are you sure?"

"I have letters he's written from when we were together. Most are in a shoe box in my room. I can show you for comparison."

"You kept them?" Dakota asked.

"I keep everything my exes give me," she replied. "Just because I'm not with someone anymore doesn't mean I can't remember the things I've experienced with them. How often to guys write letter for girls anyway?"

"I would've burned them," Heath murmured.

"So would I," Dakota countered. "But only because its Finn and I'd get enjoyment in burning anything of his. Matter of fact, that gives me an idea-"

"No," I boomed, flattening my hand on his chest. "He has what's coming for him."

"He must know the attack is coming. You think one of the jocks snitched on us?" Heath asked the question I was starting to ponder myself. "I bet one of them did, fucking snakes."

"I don't know. Jared was in town before we talked to Hunter, though," I informed them. "I got word of his arrival to Los Angeles when we stole Beth's stuff."

"Regardless, he has his eyes on us."

"When hasn't he?" I scoffed. "He's taking this high school game too damn serious. He needs a hobby."

"And he needs to be taught a lesson." Dakota proclaimed. "That's why I propose that we cut his breaks."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, buddy, but I'm not trying to go to jail for being your accomplice," Heath scoffed. "I've got a final to study for."

"Yeah, and I have heaps of Trig homework." Ronnie raised her hand. "Think you can wrap up your master mind making plans by lunch?"

"Silvia almost lost her life today and you guys are making jokes." Dakota snapped. "Why am I the only one who's taking this note seriously?"

"We already have something set for Finn. Ease up, man," Heath said, motioning for him to relax. As he did that, the front door reopened and in strolled my family. Their absence wasn't missed, and I wish they would've stayed at the hospital longer so I could get Dakota out of my house. I wasn't granted such good fortune.

My dad's frown didn't go unnoticed. "What is he doing here?!"

I practically tumbled before Dakota to protect him, rushing to say what happened. There was a series of changing emotions as I told him why Dakota and my friends were here and what the cause of the bandage on Dakota's arm was. I didn't foresee that he would let me speak so much and explain the full scale of what happened, but he did.