The Best Woman's Secret

~For Better or For Worse~

Ravens POV🖤

"Well it's kinda hard not to suspend you when you are literally caught red handed, Marco." I tell the boy who is I trouble for spray painting the lockers with shapes of boobs all over them.

He shrugs. "I don't know what you're talking about Mrs. S." He says and I give him a brief look and then grab his hands and show the side where red paint is and raise a brow. His mouth goes wide. "Ha! Where'd that come from?" He says awkwardlyz

"Mhmm 2 weeks suspension. Go wait for your mother." He sighs and gets up and goes to the lobby to sit. I shake my head and then start writing up the report to go into the system. Ring!Ring! I pick up my phone without looking at the contact. "Hello?"

"Oh my god Raven!" I hear Mikayla's frantic voice and my mind races immediately.

"What's going on Mik?"

"Uh it's Dakota. She just got back from her parents house and she does not seem ok at all."

"What going-" I hear yelling and sounds of crashing. "Mikayla what's happening?!"

"Dakota stop! She's messing up her studio. I don't know what happened but it's not good can you please come. She won't listen to me."

I nod already closing everything down. "I m on the way now. Just try to calm her down please."

"Uh ok." Crash! "Dakota!" The phone hangs up and I groan. I run out the school and get in the car. What is going on? What could've happened at her parents that she's destroying her work? I make it to her new condo and knock on the door. The door opens and Mikayla released a relieving breath. "Thank god."

"Where is she?" I ask walking in and setting down my stuff on the kitchen counter.

"In her studio. She stopped breaking stuff but I hear her crying. I don't know what happened but she had a huge print on her face when she got here." My brows furrow and rush to her studio. This condo is different from the last one and actually has a upstairs and downstairs. I head downstairs and knock on the door.

"I said not now Mikayla!" She yells but I can hear the strain in her voice from probably yelling and crying so much.

"It's me baby. Can you come open the door?" I say softly.

I hear her sniffle. "I don't want you seeing me like this."

I chuckle softly. "Yeah well if we're going to be married I have to see the best and worst side of you remember." I say. Click. The sound of the door unlocking and then opening makes me look up to see her tear stained face and bloodshot eyes. I lift her head when she looks down and she starts to shake and I grab her before she can fall and go down with her. "Sssh baby I'm here. I got you baby." I run my hand through her hair as she sobs in my chest as we sit on the floor of her studio. I pick my eyes up and see the damage. New and unfinished paintings are destroyed and it breaks my heart seeing it like this. This is her safe space and now it's destroyed. "What happened baby?"

She sniffles and coughs trying to gather herself. "I-I went to the house. I-I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I tried-I wanted to try."

"I know baby."

"My dad he-he seemed sorry like he actually missed me but then she came and started saying I'm the devil and a bad friend for stealing his wife." I shake my head. "I tried to get it out that I wanted them to meet you so they could see how amazing you are but-but then she slapped me and dragged me by my hair." My heart breaks at her words as she chokes them out. "She said she'd kill me."

I stop rubbing her hair and look down at her when she looks at me. "What?"

She nods. "Im her daughter and she just-she just hates me. Like she never loved me. Why?" She asks me and my mouth opens but nothing comes out. "Why can't she just love me?"

I shake my head. "I can't answer that baby. Some people are just not meant to be parents. And I'm so sorry this has happened to you." I move a strand of hair from her face and she hiss when I touch her cheek. I look and she the red hand print. "Mik!" I yell and I hear her running down.

"Yeah?" She says worried.

"Can you please bring me ice covered in a paper towel for her cheek?" She nods and rushes back upstairs. I look back down to my fiancé. "Are you going to be ok?"

She sniffles and nods. "Yeah I don't know what I expected."

"You expected them to love you. Not-this." I say referring to her face." She nods and I kiss her forehead. Mikayla come snack with ice and I put it on Dakotas cheek and she hisses at the initial contact. "I'm sorry baby." She relaxes overtime and lays back in my chest. "Do you still want to send them an invitation?"
She nods and I smile at her still having that loving heart I fell in love with despite them hurting her like this. "Then we will do just that." I say and we stay in that position until I hear her soft snores. I kiss her cheek that's gone down from the swelling.

"Hmm hey baby." She says opening her eyes and I smile.

"Hey you. You ok?" She nods.

"I will be." I nod. "I'm sleepy."

"I know baby but we have to eat first and then we can go to bed." She smiles and nods getting up and then putting her hands out to help me up. We walk upstairs and go to the kitchen where Mikayla already has stir fry and chicken made for us.

"Thanks Mik." She says and Mikayla smiles and we sit down and eat. I massage her scalp as we eat to keep her calm.

"Never do that again please." Mikayla says and Dakota looks at her.

"I'm sorry. I just hadn't had to deal with that for six years. I just wasn't expecting it to happen like that. I'm sorry. To both of you." She says looking at us both and we smile and nod. We finish eating and then head to bed. We strip down and I see a huge bruise on her lower back.

"She did that too?" I ask carefully touching it and she nods. "Baby are you sure you want her to come?"

She nods and turns to me. "Shes just stuck in her ways. It's not an excuse but shes my mom, and I just want her to be part of this import moment and then she go back to hating me for all I care." She kisses me softly caressing my face and I smile softly at her. "Because I'll have you."

I nod. "Yes you will. Always." She smiles and then I see a thought appear. "What?"

She sighs. "My mom, she said something that bothered me."

"Ok." I say for her to continue.

"She said you lose them the same way you get them." I frown confused. "I know Jamie cheated and you owed him nothing, but you did cheat on him with me and I know you wouldn't cheat on me but-

I cup her face softly and nod. "I know baby. But no I would never cheat on you. I'm in love with you and I trust you. I didn't owe anything to him you're right but i shouldn't have did what I did but I don't regret it because I have you. And I'll never hurt you baby. I love you." I grab both side of her neck and bring her face down to mine. "I love you." I kiss her softly and she hums.

"I love you too." She yawns and I chuckle. "Can we go to sleep now?" I nod and we get in the bed and she puts her head on my chest like earlier and falls straight asleep. How can someone hurt such a beautiful soul like this? And how can she just forgive them like this? Either way I'll support her decision doesn't mean I have to act like I like or love them. I'm just grateful they made a wonderful and beautiful daughter who loves me and I will always love her.