Cry Me A River

Chapter Seven - The Talk

{Dakota}

I rushed through the hall, looking for a familiar shaggy haired boy. Landon and I hadn't spoken in over a week, and I wanted an explanation! He at least owed me that much. He'd been avoiding me for days, even going as far as to miss yearbook for the last week, and I was done waiting.

I'd already checked half the school for him, including the weight room, which he hated, and he hadn't turned up. I didn't bother asking the girls for two reasons: The first being that they didn't know, nor care. The second being they weren't happy that I had apologized to him, or accepted his.

I sighed, stopping at the beginning of the hall, giving up. I would just have to look more tomorrow, because I'm not one to give up.

"Dakota! There you are" a familiar voice said from behind me. I turned to see Pierce jogging down the hall toward me.

"What's up?" I asked with a sigh.

"Have you talked to Landon lately?" he asked, stopping in front of me. Pierce rested his hands on his hips, watching me and breathing a little quicker. I shook my head and stuck my hands in my sweatshirt pocket.

"No, but I need to talk to him. I was actually going to ask you the same thing when I saw you next" I replied. He gave me a funny look, and then shook his head. However, it was such a small shake of his head, that had I not been watching him, I would've missed it. It was like he was shaking an idea out of his head.

"I'm just worried about him. He hasn't been answering his phone or his front door," he told me.

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" I've only known the guy for three weeks," I told him.

"Well if he won't talk to me, he might talk to you. Plus I need you to drop off his work. He's missed a crap ton, and I have football practice," he explained. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Pleeeeease?" he pleaded, bouncing up and down in his spot. His hazel eyes were wide and his brown hair, short on the side and longer on the top, was flopping up and down.

"Fine. I'll do it," I agreed. He grinned.

"Thanks! You're the best, Kota," he said, using the nickname that had quickly been adopted by my new friends, thanks to Landon. He pulled a packet of papers, folded in thirds, out of his back pocket and handed them to me. I took them. "His address is on the front." I huffed. He must've expected me to agree, because there was no way he needed to write down Landon's address to remember it.

I watched him leave and then headed out the front doors, off to Landon's house.

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

I took a deep breath before raising my fist to knock on the door. I paused. I was half hoping he just wouldn't answer, but I needed an explanation for last week, so I knocked.

"What the hell do you want!?" a deep voice asked as the door flew open. "Oh, Dakota." Landon was standing there in a t-shirt and shorts, with a black eye. "What're you doing here?"

"Homework," I replied, handing him the folded papers and deciding not to ask about the eye. He took them and gave me a small smile.

"I'm assuming that's not all?" he wondered. I nodded, pursing my lips. I spoke a second later.

"You owe me an explanation for last week," I added. He sighed, nodding, and stepped back.

"Well, I can't say I didn't hope you had forgotten. Come on in," he offered, nodding his head for me to enter. I did and the door closed behind us. I followed him through a small entry way that opened up into a living room and kitchen. There was a dining room on the other side of the living room/ kitchen. I guessed bedrooms were in the back. It was small, but really cute and homey. There was a family portrait of a woman whom I assumed was Landon's mom, Landon as a little kid, and another kid, older than Landon, probably an older brother, and a man standing with his arms wrapped around Landon's mom. Just then, Landon cleared his throat and motioned to a couch.

I sat down on the couch and faced Landon, who was sitting in a chair. He had his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped between them. He ran a hand through his hair, which looked damp, and then clasped his hands again.

"I've got all day Landon. You owe me at least this much," I stated. He nodded.

"I know Dakota, it's just difficult to explain and you probably won't understand but no one else knows this, not even Pierce. Which reminds me... you can't tell him. Anyone..." he told me. I nodded.

"Try me. I already know you fight, but why? I'm not so naive that I don't know what selling drugs looks like. And running from the cops?" I questioned. He ran his hands down his face, wincing as his hand grazed his eye, and blew out a breath.

"Crap! Okay, here goes," he began, taking a deep breath. "My mom is a nurse at the hospital and she's barely able to make ends meet as it is, let alone with her college debt and all the debt my father left us. So to help out..." he trailed off, closing his eyes. "I'm just going to be blunt. I fight and sell drugs. I needed a way to make quick cash and then I met this guy and... anyway, long story short, I'm kind of in a gang but I just sell drugs. I don't do them, and I never ever will, but that's why I ran. I'm associated with a gang, which is where I get the drugs, and I didn't mean to get you dragged into this," he explained. I took a deep breath.

"Drugs, gangs, running from the cops, fighting... I- I don't even know what to say. I mean... I don't know," I told him, resting my hands on my knees. He nodded, but continued to watch me. His blue eyes were full of worry, so I wasn't surprised by what he said next.

"I need to know you won't say anything, Dakota. I'm begging you. My mom can't afford to have anything else happen," he begged. I looked at him; searched his face, his blue eyes. He looked helpless, and I didn't like seeing him like that.

"I promise. I'll keep my mouth shut. Just... promise me you'll be careful?" I said. He let out the breath he was holding and nodded, grinning.

"Thank you. Now you should go. My mom is going to be home soon," he told me, standing up and wiping his hands on his pants.

"Sure," I agreed, being caught a little off guard. "Oh and you should answer your phone. You've got a worried boyfriend." He chuckled and nodded as he opened the front door for me. "You'll be at school on Monday, right?"

"Why? You miss me?" he teased. And the old Landon was back.

"No, you've just missed a lot of homework, and this is our graduating year" I said, deflecting. He smirked.

"Don't worry about me. I'm smarter than I look" he replied. I nodded, the corner of my mouth twitching up into a small smile.

"I'll see you around South Dakota," he mumbled. I smiled.

"See you around, Hudson." With that, I walked back down the driveway to my car and headed home, knowing little of what was to come.