Don't Look Down, and Never Look Back. (A Pierce the Veil fanfic)

Chapter 25: This Is All My Fault

Dakota’s POV

I walked up the unfamiliar stairwell, following Audrey, and with everyone else behind me.  Audrey unlocked the door that apparently lead to her, or our, apartment, and I walked inside cautiously. I didn’t know know what to do, really.  Slowly walking further inside, I ran my fingers across the couch in the living room, soaking everything in.  I turned around, because everyone had stopped following me.  They all looked like they were expecting me to say something, but I had nothing to say.

“We cleaned up your room for you,” Vic finally said.

My room? Oh right, I lived there too.

“Oh.. thank you,” I said. I had no fucking idea what he was even talking about. I was never a messy person, why would my room need to be cleaned? “Uh.. which one is it?” I asked awkwardly. Audrey walked in front of me and opened one of the doors, and I followed her. “It’s nice,” I said to break the silence.

“Yeah.. so how about some breakfast? I’m starving,” Jaime said. Audrey perked up at the idea also seeing how awkward the situation was. I was slightly stunned because I still couldn’t wrap my mind around all that was happening, and my life, and how I couldn’t remember any of it. It made me mad and I wanted to scream at how foreign it all was.  

Jaime grabbed Audrey’s hand and walked into the kitchen, and we all followed. I planted myself down at the table, in the corner sitting away from everybody. Jaime, Audrey and Shay were all dancing around the kitchen preparing food, as I sat there staring. Mike was also sitting at the table but was joined in on their conversation and had Jenna next to him. All of a sudden, I heard someone talking to me and I almost jumped out of my seat.

“No, no don’t worry,” Tony said, trying to calm me down with a warm smile.  I took a deep breath.

“No, sorry I just, you scared me, I’m fine.” I said, which wasn’t completely true. I was surrounded by these people that I didn’t know all that well, except for Shay and Audrey. I wanted to be back in Idaho sitting on her bed, staring at her ceiling wall, listening to music, having her mom pop in to offer us random food and just doing nothing.

I mean, sure this was my dream, to be in LA, writing, but I knew none of it. But I had to remember, because I wanted to. I didn’t remember Tony, but I felt like he was a nice guy.

He looked at me, staring into my eyes, and I didn’t know what to do. He chewed on the inside of his lip, unsure of my answer. “If you say so..”

I almost burst into tears because hearing that from a stranger made me feel just too unsure of everything. I gripped the edge of my seat, forcing myself to stay where I was and not get up and run from everything thing I always did.

“How many pieces of bacon does everyone want?” I heard Jaime ask from the kitchen. I felt myself involuntarily gag at the thought, but before I even said anything, I heard Vic speak up.

“Endless pieces for Dakota.”

And then Tony piped in. “A plate full of bacon for the bacon-lover.”

I was slightly angry at the thought of other people making my decisions for me, especially revolting decisions.

“Dakota.” Vic prompted me. I looked up from my hands, still gripped to the chair, to everyone staring at me. “Calm down, I was just joking. I’ll make sure the bacon stays five feet away from your plate at all times.” He smirked and winked at me before turning back to the stove. He really did know me.

“Yeah, Kota. You won’t be infected with the bacon disease or anything else, like uh, cooties, of uh, nasty Vic!” Tony joked, earning an evil scowl from Vic. That made me laugh a little, and the way the light coming in from the window danced off of his eyes made my stomach flutter. He really was adorable.