Caring for Dakota Knox

18

Dakota Knox

My mind played tricks on me the morning after, because I had woken up in my own bed in my still unfurnished, cold apartment. I remembered that it was getting pretty late for me to drive back across downtown, and we were supposed to take it slow so I couldn't stay, even though all I wanted was to sleep with my arm around her waist. The sun was almost rising when I got home, that I remembered for sure. Better to ask permission than forgiveness, I told myself. Given the sun - dim, typical October yellowness - and it's position, it couldn't be that late. I rested in bed a bit longer. 

I hated labeling what happened in just a few words, because if I said them, then what happened might have not be real. Maybe a kiss or the taste of skin wouldn't have made the old me feel that good, and excited, and flustered. But after having her, after having her heart in my hands, that old Dakota would have been terrified to come back. And I didn't know how to feel about it, because I felt free but at the same time slightly disappointed. I should've stayed and woken up in that bed. I couldn't ignore the fact that I loved her, neither. I couldn't ignore the fact that Tatum had changed my life for good into something I had never imagined it could be. 

I thought it had been my imagination until my hand reached the night table looking for my phone, but instead I found that silver bracelet with the graven wave that belonged to Tatum. Again, my mind wanted to deceive me. Was that it? just one night with my dream girl? Maybe I wouldn't see her again. Well, I wasn't sure. I still had a wedding to attend to. We couldn't have reached the top yet.

I could have continued my pitiful monologue but a strange noise was coming from the front door and getting closer.

Then, panic. Someone opened my bedroom door so aggressively that my heart stopped beating. Harmony Miles. I was lying down and only a sheet covered my body. I could have killed her.

"Aren't you supposed to only use that key for emergencies?!" I shouted to her face, very much altered.

She shrugged "Now, we gotta go. You are running late for a meeting and I can't babysit you today"

She hadn't bother to stop at the door or wait for me to get ready, "Any ideas of what you might want to wear? I don't think that sheet can match with your boots" She grinned

The bad thing about having a friend that was more like your sister and your mother combined was that, she thought she could drag you around asking questions you were too tired to reply. She jumped into my walk in closet and started making a pile of clothing on the bed. 

"Just don't make me have to dress you up" she huffed 

I snorted, "There" I said, picking my outfit easily "That probably will work. Now go"

"No" she said looking down at my plain white dress-shirt and white knee long shorts "This is the kind of outfit that make teenagers die first in movies" 

"Oh, come on!" I argued "You said it yourself, we are late now"

"Fine" She said, faking to be stressed out already "But if someone at the office tries to kill us, I'm using you as bait" she smiled "I'm going to make coffee to go, you have at least two cups, right?"

She went out the room, but literally she was the last person on Earth I could be mad at. Needless to say, she was as intense as I've always been. Our friendship was freaking endless.

"Wohoo!" Harmony whistled "you look good! Sorry, I was almost going to force you switch outfits after all"