Danny, Dakota, and the Wishing Well

iv. the broken

April 22nd, 1963.

Ever since school started in January, Dakota all-out avoided Danny whenever she suddenly was near him. He tried to not let this affect him but then he started to notice her behaviors changing.

She spent the rest of the year chasing other boys and smoking cigarettes, making him feel unknown emotions burning inside of his chest. A cloudy fog seemed to always surround her but she would never get caught with weed at school.

Danny walked the school corridor alone to his next class. So many people surrounded him, chatting and talking noisily but it was all silence to him. He drowned in sadness because of losing his closest friend. Sure, Danny had other people to hang with, but no one compared to her.

Suddenly, someone tripped him and he stumbled, dropping a few books he was carrying. There were a few giggles and as he looked around, his narrowed eyes landed on the antagonist.

It was Michael Smith, a well-known senior athlete at the high school and right beneath him, in a cage of burly arms was Dakota. Dakota, the once-thoughtful girl who used to question the world. He almost didn't recognize her with the makeup caked on her face. Her green eyes glowed as she stared at him with disregard, a small weed hanging out of her mouth.

"Gotta problem, bud?" Michael addressed him, smirking.

"N-no, no. Sorry for bumping into you," he murmured the apology and picked up his books as quickly as he could before dashing off into his next class.

The lush and raw eyes stayed ingrained in his mind all day. What happened to her?

-

Dakota sighed as she smashed the cigarette angrily into the ashtray. Seeing Danny today had not helped her infatuation with him at all. He was still innocent and alluring, but haunting like a ghost.

"What's wrong, baby?" Michael whispered into her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Nothing, Michael," Dakota turned stiff at his touch. Jesus, even her voice sounded dead to her.

"Well, could I do something to help you take your mind off of it...?" he traced his fingers along her arm but she had other plans.

"Actually, baby, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," Dakota popped his jacket collar and smiled slowly.

A few hours later and Dakota had a small violet on the back of her neck as her first tattoo. Whenever her hair brushed it, the flower stung a little but she loved it. Michael was confused as to why she chose it, but Dakota wouldn't tell him the reason. Danny.

Her mother, April, approved of the tattoo which Dakota was grateful for. She had never asked for permission but April adored it.

"Why a violet though?" she had asked and Dakota tensed.

"It's not an important reason."

"But, isn't that Danny's favorite flowe-" April tried to say but Dakota cut her off, "Don't finish that sentence." Her tone was frosted with ice and instantly April stayed quiet. She didn't know what happened between her two favorite people ever but didn't ever pry about it.

-

August 19th, 1963.

It was the first day of junior year and Danny was nervous as hell. College brochures had started to randomly appear at his doorstep but he didn't want to leave his tiny hometown. The real world scared him. In June, their president John F. Kennedy did say that segregation was morally wrong and that it was time to act. The northern states were mostly fine but the southern states are what really bugged him. Living in this small town but also in the South, racism did occur around him but Danny had been mostly unaffected by it for most of his life.