Walking in, I hid behind Riff, swallowing nervously when Dakota greeted me in a soft voice. I shyly called hello from my hiding place, and a soft chuckle was my only warning this wasn’t acceptable. Dakota was standing in front of me, and when I tried to back away, Marissa smiled with a slight wave. Panic filled me, and they frowned while Dakota raised his hands placatingly. “I already knew, Angel, remember? And, I keep nothing from Marissa, albeit she knew too, so neither of us thinks of you differently if that’s what you’re worried about. Well, I’m even angrier at that fucktard and his stupid goons after seeing what they did to you. Especially since you said this visit was nothing compared to the others. I want to kill him, tear him into tiny pieces, and laugh while he gets a tiny taste of the monstrosity he is when he hurts you. And, if you think I’m bad, you don’t want to hear what Marissa will do if she ever catches him. Heh. My idea is very tame, nice even. Merciful,” Dakota soothed with that heartthrob grin I adore.
“If I catch him, you will never have to look over your shoulder in fear again, sweetheart,” Marissa agreed solemnly, and I gulped. While that would be wonderful, it would be years before I trusted it. Besides, to put that burden on another, the weight of murdering someone, that wasn’t something I was comfortable with. What if she grew to resent me for it? They say it gets easier after the first. So, what if I felt more at ease asking her to solve my problems? Where would that leave Marissa?
“I couldn’t ask that of you,” I argued in a whisper, and she smiled, showing her canines that looked off for a moment.
“Oh, you didn’t ask, nor do you have to, Angel. I assure you it would be my pleasure,” Marissa chuckled. Swallowing, I warily watched the older teenager because of the bloodthirsty vibe I sensed from her.
“Easy there, almighty enforcer,” Riff chuckled with a warning expression when I glanced at him. She crossed her arms with a huff, albeit she smiled sweetly when I switched my gaze to her, feeling unsure. Tutting, she hugged me before I could back away, chuckling when I shuddered for a moment, then wrapped my arms around her. A small piece of my soul felt at ease, and I sighed with relief. Another joined it when Dakota added himself to our embrace. He hugged me from behind, ruffling my hair once I relaxed.
“Well, we’re making enchiladas, with Marcus and Ava coming over after close. You’re invited too. We thought we’d give Ava a night off from cooking, and this way, you get to see Angel’s apartment. No, that’s wrong, isn’t it? Our apartment. You get to see our apartment,” Riff offered with a bright smile while looking pleased with himself.
“That sounds wonderful,” Dakota chuckled, “I can’t wait.” Marissa nodded her agreement, and I shyly stared at the ground. I didn’t know how to react in this situation since I’ve never had friends, let alone had so many people know my sordid past. But I sensed no judgment from them, which was a relief, albeit it didn’t make me feel any better about school. It’s not that I didn’t have faith in the students and faculty, or that I didn’t believe they knew right from wrong. No, I merely had faith in Kyler’s hatred, and his ability to pull the right strings to get what he wanted. Tears burned my eyes when I recalled Mr. Renard saying that Kyler was spreading lies about me already. What has he said now that I wasn’t there to speak in my defense? Bile rose in my throat, and I whimpered, trying to edge away so I could run for the bathroom.
Snorting irritably, Dakota pulled me into a tight hug and pressed his lips to my forehead, refusing to let go no matter how I squirmed. Panic replaced my need to hurl for a moment, and I pushed his chest, but Dakota effortlessly kept me in place. First, one sob escaped, then another, until I cried into his chest and he murmured soothing words in my ear. Kissing the top of my head, he rubbed my arms, and my feelings of panic and upset stomach faded away.
Blinking, I stared at the calm teenager who gave me that heartthrob grin, and something deep within me relaxed. “They don’t believe him, do they?” I asked almost soundlessly, and he chuckled.
“Not at all, although he’s been silent since lunch yesterday. Even those who believed him from the beginning were losing faith in his words. Once you sang, the blindfold came off all who were unsure, and they grew angry with him for his lies. Now they seek to apologize, although those of us who know you warned them to approach slowly to avoid overwhelming you. And we mentioned you are very skittish and shy because of the abuse you’ve suffered and your isolation. So, when you feel comfortable coming back to school because you understand you won’t be jumped or ridiculed, you’ll find a lot of friendly smiles and sympathetic ears. Until then, Marissa and I will give you news of what’s happening if you like,” Dakota offered gently.
“Um,” I mumbled shyly, “I’m sorry for not responding to your texts.” I lost my voice when Dakota began laughing, his eyes soft while he watched me. He shook his head with a smile, and I understood Dakota didn’t care that I hadn’t yet because he knew I would when I was ready. “I might like to try on Monday, perhaps? Um, would you guys,” I trailed off when his smile brightened.
“We’ll stick close to you and be your buffers in the classes we share. Riff will follow you around all day, and the principal will allow it,”
