Matched (joshler) (COMPLETED)

Confrontation

"Hey," Casey grins, leaning back against the lockers.

Dakota smiles gently at her as she grabs her textbooks.

"Why haven't you been answering your phone? I was texting and calling you all day yesterday."

It's Monday morning and Dakota, already not being a morning person, was definitely in no mood to be talked to about the past weekend. The girl shrugs. "Just haven't felt good," she mumbles.

"Well, I want to hear about your date," Casey giggles excitedly. "How'd it go? What'd you guys do? Did you kiss?"

Dakota slams her locker shut with huff, "Can we not talk about it? Please? I just really want to get to class and get this day over with."

Casey is taken aback by the harshness in her friend's voice. She watches her walk away before quickly jogging to catch up to her, "I'm sorry. Did something happen? Did he do something?"

Dakota stops suddenly causing Casey to nearly crash into her. Dakota sighs and turns to face her, her face red with glossy eyes.

Casey's face drops. "Kota, what happened?" she asks quietly. "Come on."

Pulling Dakota into the nearest restroom, Casey pulls her into a hug, letting her cry on her shoulder. It's quiet for a minute, the occasional sniffle leaving the brunette. Casey carefully pulls away and cups the twin's hot face, her eyeliner running down her cheeks, "Babes, what's going on?"

Dakota hesitates with her words, looking under the stalls to make sure nobody is in them. She takes a deep breath and answers quietly, "He tried to touch me."

Casey's eyes go dark, "He tried to? Or he did?"

Dakota's bottom lip quivers as more tears pool out, giving Casey her answer. She pulls Dakota into another hug and only lets go when Dakota pulls away.

"Did you tell anybody?"

Dakota nods, "My family knows. I told them not to do anything, though."

"Why?" Casey asks, gently. "He should be exposed, he can't get away with that."

"I don't want to deal with it. I don't want things to get worse. What if he tries something more because h-he's angry at me or something?"

"Kota-"

"Please, Casey. Don't tell anyone else. I-I'm just not ready for it to be...out there."

Casey sighs, unsure of what to say. Finally she licks her lips, already planning on confronting the senior, "Okay."

The bell rings for first period to start and the girls leave the bathroom after cleaning Dakota's makeup.

-

Leaving their third hour, Casey spots Bennet down the hall and tells Dakota and Makenna to save her a seat while she goes to talk to a teacher. The two girls leave and Casey makes her way toward Bennet and his group of friends.

"Bennet."

Bennet turns to her laughing before suddenly doubling over in pain as a foot is planted between his legs. He crumbles to the ground as a fist collided with his face.

The friend group backs up and fall silent in surprise.

Casey lets out a huff, beginning to walk away, "Don't touch girls, you piece of shit."

Casey walks to the cafeteria and sits next at the table by her friends. Dylan runs up behind her, "I can't believe you just did that. Thank you."

Casey smiles as Dylan wraps her in a hug before leaving to get in the lunch line. Dakota sits down next to her with a look, "What was that about?"

Casey shrugs, "I don't know." She lets out a breath as she sees Bennet and his friends enter the lunch room, his cheek swollen as he limps carefully.

"Oh shit," Makenna mutters. "What happened to him?"

Dakota turns around in her seat and frowns at the sight of the senior. He glances in their direction and quickly turns away and keeps walking. Casey smirks and eats her lunch. Dakota turns back around and looks at Casey, "Please, tell me you didn't."

Casey drops her smirk and stays quiet, looking at the brunette. She shrugs lightly and looks back at her food. "I had to," she whispers.

"You didn't have to," Dakota states, angrily pushing herself up and walking away from the table.

"What's going on?" Makenna asks, the rest of their friends watching in confusion.

Casey shakes her head, "Nothing."

;

The next couple days, Dakota stays in bed. Tyler checks on her throughout the day between work calls, only to always be greeted with silence. Dallon has tried talking to her as well but only received a nod when asked if she wanted to be left alone. She's hardly eaten and only leaves her room to use the bathroom.

Tyler sits at the table with Dallon and Josh talking about nothing in particular. They're doing their best to give Dakota space despite wanting nothing more than to comfort her.

"All I'm saying," Dallon chuckles, "is that we need to go to Vermont. Try it out."

"We're not driving twelve hours to eat a hamburger," Tyler laughs.

"Why? It's not just a hamburger, it's the best hamburger!"

Josh laughs as Tyler shakes his head, "I'm done with this conversation. Let's go smoke."

The three go outside and sit on the porch, cigarettes in Tyler and Dallon's fingers. They watch cars drive by every few minutes, the snowy field across the road shimmering blindingly in the afternoon sun.

"Dylan on her way home?" Dallon asks, noticing the high school got out about a half hour ago.

Tyler shakes his head, blowing out a cloud of smoke, "She's got tutoring. They have finals next week before break, so she's staying late every day this week."

"Sorry Jenna couldn't tutor her," Dallon says, flicking off ash from the end of his cigarette.

"Oh, yeah, how is Jenna? How are things going with you two?" Tyler asks, looking at the tall man.

Dallon shrugs with a shake of his head, "Not even worth talking about, honestly."

Tyler nods and looks back up the driveway. He freezes, immediately becoming angry. He jumps up from his spot and rushes down the porch steps.

Placing his cigarette between his lips, he grabs the senior by his shirt collar and punches him square in the mouth before he even has a chance to gasp. He falls to the ground with a huff.

"Tyler!" Josh and Dallon race off the porch and pull the man off before he could throw another fist.

"You think it's funny to touch someone without consent?! How do you like it, motherfucker?!" Tyler screams, being held back by Josh. "Never touch my daughter again, you sick fuck!"

The three men watch as Bennet slowly climbs to his hands and knees, spitting out blood onto the gravel. Tyler inhales the rest of his cigarette before throwing it on the ground. "Get the fuck out of here," he states, his tongue laced with venom.

"I..." Bennet starts, raising his arms, his hands shaking. He carefully stands up, not daring to take a step closer to them. "I came to apologize."

"It's a little fucking late for that!" Tyler shouts, lunging forward again, causing Josh to tighten his grip around the man's waist.

"Apologies do nothing in this kind of situation," Josh states. "Trust me. You try to talk her, it's gonna make shit worse. Just leave, Bennet. Before you get hurt again. You're lucky we haven't called the police on your lousy ass."

Bennet lowers his arms slowly, letting out a scared breath, "I...I just..." he nods and hurries out of the driveway.

::