The Fault (Book 3 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 8: safe

Dakota

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't stop thinking about fucking Christopher Young. God, shoot me. Please. Ignoring him didn't work, so now what? I can't just be with him. Brooke would kill me. I didn't even know if he wanted me like that, he probably just wants to fuck. Which I don't want, I'm not a hookup kinda girl. Never have been, never will.

I'm trying to focus on my painting but all I could think about was the other day with Chris when he took me to that tunnel and watched me fucking vandalize shit. I've never done shit like that, what was happening to me?

Focus on the painting in front of you, Dakota.

I can't. I wanna see Chris again, someone needs to slap me right now. To make me come back to reality.

I groan before getting up, I change out of my pjs and grab my keys before walking out of the apartment.

I drive to campus and park by Starbucks before I get out and walk inside. I order my drink and wait, once I get it, I walk out and walk around. I look at all the stores and restaurants. It was getting warmer outside, it was nice. That meant school was gonna end soon and I get to go home. But I didn't know if I was ready to go home, knowing he was out and free scared the shit out of me. I needed to have my guard up, no matter what.

I put on my headphones and listen to my music while I walk around. I needed this, a nice peaceful walk in the warm weather, without thinking about the guy my friend was hooking up with.

"Dakota!" I hear his voice.

Fuck.

I ignore the voice and act like I didn't hear it but I hear it again before I feel someone tap my shoulder.

I stop walking and turn around and see the blonde boy smiling at me. I take my headphones off and smile at him. I couldn't help it. His smile is freakishly contagious.

"Hi, Christopher." I say.

"Where are you going?" He asks.

"I was just walking around." I say.

"Can I join? I was about to go to the bookstore to see you." He says.

"I only work on weekdays." I tell him.

"Noted." he smiles.

"Can I join your walk?" He asks again.

Say no.

"Yeah." I smile.

Fucking dumbass.

He smiles before we both start walking down the sidewalk.

"How are you doing, friend?" He asks.

I looked at him, Jesus Christ. He was so attractive it killed me.

He had the perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect lips, perfect nose, beautiful eyes. I mean, how can someone get that lucky? I wonder what his parents looked like.

"I'm great, friend. How are you?" I ask.

He smiles, "Amazing, now that I'm with you." He says.

"Friends don't say things like that." I remind him.

"My apologies." He chuckles.

We continue to walk and I look around us before he speaks up again.

"If I tripped and fell right now, and cracked my head open. What would you do?" He asks.

I frown at him, "Call an ambulance?" I say.

"Okay, good." He says.

I laugh at him and shake my head. I look around us again, I scan everyone's faces, making sure I didn't see him.

"Looking for someone?" Chris asks.

"No." I quickly say.

He frowns and nods.

I could feel my heart race, fuck. Hold it together. I'm safe, I'm safe, I'm safe.

"One time when I was younger, I got invited to this pool party in middle school. And when I got there everyone was hanging out or whatever. So I joined them and got into the pool with them and it turned out I had a hold in the back of my swim trunks because everyone was laughing hysterically at my ass crack." He explains.

I look at him and see him smiling at me. I laugh at him and his smile grows bigger.

"That always works at getting a laugh from someone." He says proudly.

It's like he knew. He knew I was panicking. I was safe. I was with Chris, no one could hurt me if he was next to me.

"Wanna go get some food?" He asks.

"Sure." I smile.

"Do you like sushi? There's this amazing sushi place down the street." He explains.

"Okay, yeah." I say.

"I can't wait to have a stinky breath." He says.

"Ew!" I laugh.

He chuckles and I smile at his gorgeous face.

~~~~~~~~

"I don't think you're supposed to eat the tail part of the shrimp." I laugh as Chris stuffs his face with sushi.

He shrugs as he eats it.

I shake my head and smile as I take a sip of my coke.

He chuckles as he stares at me across the table.

"Okay, tell me more." He smiles.

"Okay, hm." I say, "I grew up in Colorado, my favorite color is green, uh I only ever had one real boyfriend, and my best friend is Evie, who you met when she came to visit." I explain.

He smiles.

"Who was your first boyfriend?" He asks.

"Uh, his name was Ryder." I tell him.

He nods.

"Who was your first girlfriend?" I ask him, trying to change the subject.

"Her name was Skylar." He tells me.

"Was she your first love?"

He nods, "Yeah, she was." he smiles.

"Why'd you guys break up?" I ask.

"Hey, I didn't ask so many questions about Ryder." He chuckles.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes.

He smirks, "We broke up because she moved away and we fell out of touch." He explains.

"Oh." I say.

He shrugs.

"Why'd you and Ryder break up?" He asks.

"It just didn't work out." I lie.

He nods as he eats more food.

"Was he your first love?" He asks.

I nod as I look at him. He stares at me and I stare at him. I wanted to know what he was thinking.

"What do you wanna do after college?" He asks.

"I hate that question, it's a stupid question. Everyone wants one thing in life, to live. That should be the answer to that question, I just wanna live." I tell him.

He smiles, "I like that answer." He says.

"Me too." I smile.

"Do you wanna keep playing hockey?" I ask him.

He shrugs, "I enjoy hockey a lot but I don't know if I'm ready to make it a full time job." He explains.

"Then don't. Do something you really want." I tell him.

"If I find that something." He says.

"You will." I say.

I smile at him and he smiles back, I felt my heart race a little as I looked at him. I wish it didn't but it did.