Dakota Quinn meets a young boy in a similar situation to her own.
All the two have is each other, a stray dog, and the smallest amount of money possible. How will they manage?
[Book 1 of 3]
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A soft breeze flutters through the open window of Dakota Quinn's bedroom as she turns the page of her scrapbook. The black pages move in the wind slightly before settling down, allowing the young girl to glue a polaroid picture onto one of the pages, framing it with white glittering tape.
A tear falls from the girls eye and onto the page, and Dakota doesn't even bother to stop more tears from falling as she stands up from her desk and collapses onto her bed. She grabs her pillow and digs her face into it, quiet sobs racking her body.
A soft knock at the door interrupts Dakota's soft cries and she quickly sits up and wipes her eyes to get rid of any traces of her tears. "Come in." She calls, the door opens and a beautiful blonde woman walks in. Her hair tied up in a neat ponytail, a light blue dress flowing from her body. "Hey, Mom."
"Hey, sweetie. Dinners ready, come down." She smiles. Dakota nods and jumps up from her bed, closes her window and follows her Mom downstairs and into the living room where her Father and Sister are already sat waiting.
"Hey, loser." Dallas, her sister, grins as Dakota takes her usual seat opposite her.
"I am not a loser." Dakota snaps quietly, shocking everyone at the table. Usually Dakota would insult her sister back before they started their usual banter and ate, it's something the family have come to love.
"Sorry, Kota." Dallas says worriedly with furrowed eyebrows. "I didn't think you minded."
"Well I do." Dakota states shortly. The blonde doesn't notice her family sharing concerned looks as she picks up her fork and starts spinning it around in the spaghetti before showing the food in her mouth.
The Quinn family eat their dinner in silence, occasionally glancing at the youngest member in concern.
Dakota knows her family are confused and worried, she knows they keep looking at her. But she can't really bring herself to care. They have no idea what she's going through, and she plans to keep it that way.
The young blonde stands up from the table when she finishes her spaghetti and starts to walk away, when her Father's voice stops her. "Dakota, you are supposed to ask to be excused." He reminds her.
Dakota turns back and smiles at him slightly, "Sorry, Dad." She chuckles. "May I please be excused. I have some homework I need to finish."
"Of course." Her Dad tells her softly. Dakota smiles and starts to walk away again. "Kota!" Rolling her eyes in slight annoyance, Dakota turns back to face her family once again.
"Yeah?" She asks impatiently.
"Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Her Dad asks. Dakota flashes him he best grin and nods.
"Of course it is, Dad." She laughs gently. "Why wouldn't it be?" And with that she hurries off to her bedroom where she grabs a rucksack from under her bed and starts throwing clothes inside.
Dakota mostly grabs casual clothes, but she throws in the occasional dress or skirt. She closes her scrapbook and places it into the bag carefully and picks up her polaroid, placing it into it's own bag.
Tears begin falling from Dakota's eyes as she packs her bag, knowing she might never see her family again. She places her bag onto her bed alongside her polaroid before going back to her closet to take out an outfit to wear now.
Too dressy. Too cold. Too hot. Too flashy. Too colorful. Too ugly, why do I even own this?
Finally she settles on a pair of black jeans with ripped knees, a white t shirt and a red and black plaid shirt.
Dakota grabs a piece of paper and a pen and starts writing quickly, feeling guilty about just running out on her family like this.
Mom, Dad, Dallas. I want you all to know this is not your fault. I just haven't been doing well lately. Something happened with Casey, Jordan and Luke. I just couldn't stay here and pretend everything is fine when it's not. I love you all so much, you have no idea! Please forgive me, and do not blame yourselves. ~Dakota ㋡
She places it on her bed and grabs her bag and camera. Dakota walks to the window, opens it and drops her bag out letting it land in a bush. She closes the window and walks out of her bedroom door, carrying her polaroid with her.
"Mom, Dad! I'm going out to take some pictures. I'll be home soon." Dakota shouts as she reaches the front door.
"Okay. Be careful, sweetie." Her Dad calls back.
"Be home soon."
Dakota smiles sadly to herself as she steps out of the door, closing it gently behind her.
She grabs her bag from the bushes as walks away from the house.
As she walks, her back turned away from everything she loves, Dakota utters one single word which breaks her heart into a million pieces.
