Not Everything Is As It Seems (Reconnected, finishing in progress)

Get me out of here

"You cant keep avoiding us everytime we ask to talk, we've given you space but enough is enough Dakota. It's been almost a year you've been with that boy and with evrey passing day your attitude gets worse. You're never home and when you are you're grumpy, you have lost wieght you are always tired, I know you love your performing at the club but it's not really the kind of scene we ever would expect you to enjoy. You're grades are slipping and it is your final year WHICH is almost over lessening your chances to tun things around. You must understand we love you and we want the best for you. He is not it, the choices you are making and direction they are taking you in are not it. I am sorry but you are forbidden to see him anymore" my father towered over me, the vein in his forehead popping out in his agrivated state.

"You have been through so much sweetheart and with us working the way we do we have always had an absolute trust in you to make the right decisions. You used to, but now, we just don't know who you are anymore and it scares us" he continued, his voice still an octive higher than I am used to.

I'd missed mums birthday. Ever since they gave me a car for my birthday when Jaz died, I have pretty much been out every weekend. They had promised me one but only then finally came through with the promise. I can only guess it was an attempt to make me happy. 

Crystal and I formed a bond throught the year. It started at Jaz's funeral.

The emotional wreck that I was, I couldn't find the strength to get up and deliver my speech I'd written. Her parents wanted me to sing but I just couldn't. After the minister called my name for the fourth time Crystal pulled me up gently by my arm whispering

"you'll never forgive yourself if you don't do it"

She stood right next to me the entire time with her hand on the small of my back for encouragement.

I owe a tonne of gratitude to that girl. For her saying the words she should have been there to say, for standing where he should have stood, for supporting and comforting me the way he should have. Mike wasn't there.

I begged and pleaded but all he gave me was

"sorry babe, duty calls." duty calls my ass cheeks.

Crystal and I began spending almost all of our time together. She And Mick really hit it off so began dating. I couldn't help but be envious at how sweet they were together. He even got off the drugs which had (for Mike and Trey especially) gone from small amounts of amphetamines to substantial amounts of heroin and cocain. He wasn't around much since Raychell and Clayton. Only popping in every so often to "hang out". Now I see him even less which makes me happy and slightly jealous too. He got away from the bullshit that comes along with knowing Mike and Trey.

So here I stood at the top of the stairs, my father half way down giving me what for because I had been out since last night, it was now 8pm, I just got home and had forgotten all about mums birthday.

The words seeped through my mind, anger pulsed through my veins.

"me? Never home? Are you serious? You wanna go there? Ok let's go there"

I stormed down the stairs stopping the level before dad so we were eye to eye.

He was right about my attitude. I had felt the change over the coarse of the year after Jaz died. I had changed. I didn't really like who I was becoming but when I really stopped to think about it, when and why I had become a mouthy bitch, I decided I didn't care.

That's the best thing about having an attitude isn't it....?  You just don't care.

"You, father, promised me that moving here meant you both would be home more often, lies, all lies. And now you stand here and give me the third degree about never being home? How the hell would you know? You're never here to know if I'm here or not. And as for mum" the death stare I held for my father softened to guilt when I turned to mum standing in the kitchen busing herself with wiping down the bench tops. She stopped, smiling a little at when I told her