Another Day in Paradise

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Dakoda

 

            "I can't believe you." I groaned as I sat down on Piper's porch, burying my face into my hands. "You did that on purpose." I stated, and her smugness warmed the air. Actually, I could believe she had done that. It was just… so Piper.

            "Yup." She agreed as she sat down next to me, not even a tint of her guilt was present. She probably didn't have any either.  That was just the sort of thing she would pull on me.

            "I hate you." I muttered. "That was embarrassing. I fell." I said, glaring at her. "It's your entire fault I fell in front of them." I accused. I was getting her back for this one day. Revenge was sweet. Yea, yea, yea. 'Two wrongs don't make a right', but come on. Revenge sure made you feel better, if only for a moment.

            Marc's exuberance still danced in the air, even from where I sat a block away. I felt it the second he touched my hand, but I saw nothing except the scene we were in. My hand as it brushed his palm, sending tingles leaping onto my skin. I had felt like I had been struck by lightning. Maybe I had...Ok, probably not that.

            "You should be thanking me." Piper rolled her eyes, the air around her giddy and unknowing. I snorted unbelievingly. She made me fall, not randomly handed me a million dollars.

            "Why should I be thanking you again? Honestly, I don't have a clue." I sighed, leaning casually on the cement steps that lead up to her white painted porch.

            "You are so clueless!" Piper exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "It's the classic damsel in distress. You were in distress and he helped you up. Guys totally dig that kind of thing! Didn't you see Marc smiling?!" She told me, eyes wide with innocence.

"I'm not a damsel in distress." I muttered, hearing an outbreak of laughter from down the street. My eyes connected to where Marc and his blond friend still were. Marc stepped on his skateboard, performing a perfect kick flip, his eyes flashing down the street towards where I was. I looked away quickly feeling a blush heat my cheeks while hiding my face with my hair so Piper didn’t notice.

I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit pleased that I had racked up the courage to talk to him, especially with his friend right there. I had felt bad about previously slamming the door in his face, which I hadn’t felt until I had painted for an hour and a half. Something about painting, writing, and occasionally singing cleared my head and helped me feel better. Marc had really just been curious… Besides, it was a known fact most guys were clueless so it wasn't a surprise that he said the wrong thing.

            "So dada, why didn't you answer my texts earlier?" Piper asked, pursing her lips. I scowled at the nickname she had started calling me. Dakoda, hence where she came up with dada.

            "Never call me that again." I asserted and Piper smiled in response. That meant she most definitely was. "I was, uh… busy." I lied, stretching my sore muscles. Most of my pain had faded throughout the day, but it was still horribly annoying and uncomfortable.

            "Was your dad-"

            "Horribly drunk? Yea." I cut her off in a monotone. I really didn't want to talk about it. Not with her. "Nothing new or unusual." I slumped down into myself. Unconsciously I had begun staring at Marc's block again. It looked like he was in the middle of the street, listening to something his friend was saying. Why did I feel so drawn to him?