Cry Me A River

Chapter Five - Talks and Running From the Cops

{Dakota}

"Remind me why I shouldn't apologize?" I asked Dillon. The six of us were spread out around my room, hanging out and working on homework. Andi and I were on my bed, Dillon and May sat in the two bean bag chairs I have, Grace sat at my desk, and Elle was sitting cross legged on the floor, paper strewn in a semicircle around her.

"He should be the one apologizing to you, Dakota. He told you to go back to Florida," Andi reminded me.

"Yeah, but I told him he's hated by everyone," I retorted.

"Okay, but the difference is... you told him the truth and he lied. We like you and want you here," Andi said. I sighed.

"I'm going to apologize," I decided. Elle chuckled.

"You're too nice. Landon is an asshole and doesn't deserve an apology from you," May blurted, running a hand through her hair and pulling it into a bun, which seemed to be her go-to hairstyle. Everyone looked at her. "What?"

"I've never heard you say anything remotely mean and I've known you since we were little," Grace told her. May shrugged.

"Well I'm apologizing, but the question is when," I wondered.

"He's always on his motorcycle, but other than that, no one knows where he is all the time. He doesn't really have 'friends' aside from Pierce, and Pierce spends most of his time with the other athletes," Dillon replied, sounding annoyed.

"You can try his job. The auto shop. He's probably there now. Isn't he fixing your car?" Elle asked.

"Yeah, he said it would be done by five, and that's..." I trailed off, checking my phone. "...in about fifteen minutes. Can one of you give me a ride?"

"I can," Elle offered. I nodded and snapped my binders closed, stuffing them in my backpack. Elle and everyone else did the same and we headed downstairs.

"See you later Kota," Andi said, throwing her backpack over her shoulder and walking out the front door.

"Bye," I replied, waving to everyone as they left.

"Alright, let's go," Elle told me. I nodded and locked my front door behind me before joining Elle in her car.

**************

"Knock, knock," I said, stepping through the open garage doors.

"Back here!" Landon called from behind my car.

"Hi," I replied, slowly walking around the back of my car to him, rubbing my upper arm in anticipation.

"Oh hi. Your car is almost ready, Dakota," Landon told me. No nicknames. Is he still pissed? He used one hand to pull up his jeans, his gray shirt with the shop logo on it shifting as he did so.

"Um, okay, but I was wondering if we could talk?" I mumbled. He sighed, his shoulders slumping, and looked up at me from under my car's hood.

"I guess. Your car is finished, so..." he replied, standing up straight and wiping his hands on a white rag. I followed him over to the counter.

"How much?" I asked, afraid of the answer. I didn't have much, not that he knew that.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it," he ordered, typing something on the computer.

"Landon, I can't-" I began.

"It's fine, Dakota. Seriously," he interrupted sharply. "Look, do you want to get a bite to eat and talk or not? My shift just ended."

I sighed. "Sure." He nodded and stepped around the corner, pulling his shirt off and exposing his torso, which was covered in little little scars and a bigger one across his chest. I averted my eyes, as to not stare, and turned away as he pulled on another shirt and his leather jacket.

"Alright, let's go. Yours or mine?" he asked with a smirk.

"Whichever," I said. He shrugged.

"Okay, mine," he replied. I nodded and we left, arriving at a tiny diner about two blocks away from the auto shop.

**************

I munched on another fry as Landon slurped on a soda. He sat it on the table and smirked at me as I put another fry in my mouth.

"What?" I asked. He shook his head, smiling faintly.

"It's just amazing that you can eat so much. I mean looking at you, you wouldn't expect it. It's hot, if I'm being honest," he said. I blinked, heat rising in my cheeks a bit.

"I don't eat that much," I retorted. He just looked at me.

I thought about what I'd ordered: a big burger, a whole basket of fries that had less than a third left, and a chocolate malt.

"Alright fine, I eat a lot," I agreed. He chuckled.

"So you wanted to talk?" he reminded me. I nodded. So far we've only made small talk, and even that was awkward.

"Yeah, I want to say sorry for earlier. At the school. I shouldn't have said what I did," I apologized. Landon sighed, running a hand through his wavy black hair. He leaned forward, crossing his arms and resting them on the table in front of him. His hair fell into his eyes slightly, his bright blue eyes standing out against it.

"I started it. I've been having a crappy week and I tend to take it out on people I'm around," he explained. "It wasn't you and you shouldn't apologize. I'm an ass. It's true." It was my turn to sigh.

"Alright, well it's getting late so I should head home. Thank you for fixing my car... and taking care of it. I owe you," I told him. He nodded and we both stood up.

"I'll drop you at the shop so you can get your car," he replied. I nodded and he dropped a twenty on the table before we left. He pushed the door open, holding it for me as I stepped out, but he paused, looking down the block.

"I'll be right back. Get on the bike," he ordered. I opened my mouth to say something, tell him I don't take orders, but snapped it shut when I saw the expression on his face.

I threw a leg over the motorcycle, waiting and watching. Landon crossed the street with his hands in his pockets and stepped into a doorway where another man, whose face was hidden by the shadows, stood waiting. They subtly exchanged something and Landon headed back across the street. As Landon neared me, a police siren chirped nearby. He threw a glance over his shoulder, mouthed "oh shit," and started running toward me just as the mystery man ran the opposite direction. Landon jumped on the bike in front of me, starting it up.

"Hold on!" he yelled. I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist as he took off, a patrol car on our ass.

"Are you seriously running from the cops right now!?" I shouted. He didn't answer. We went about three blocks before taking a sharp left, heading right past a flight of stairs alongside a cluster of stores. "Landon!"

"Hold on!" he repeated. I did as I was told, and we flew down the sidewalk and turned right, into an alley.

A few minutes later, after a lot more turns and allies, he slowed down and joined the normal flow of traffic.

"Are you kidding me right now?" I asked a few minutes later. I felt him sigh against me.

"I'll explain later. Just let me focus on driving please," he snapped. I huffed out a breath and leaned my head against his back. I'd gotten on the bike without putting on a helmet and he hadn't either, but I wasn't about to stop him, so I let him drive. I didn't plan on dying tonight.