�It�s alright,� Jane said. �I�m just going to stick them in the dishwasher. It was nice of you to volunteer though.� The girls grinned. �You can go into the parlor with everyone else. I�ll be fine in here by myself.�
�Alright,� MyKenna said and Dakota and her walked out. They walked to the parlor where the others were and saw Nickolas and Aaron playing Playstation. �Should�ve known.� Dakota just chuckled, as they looked at them. Dakota sat down beside Nickolas and MyKenna sat beside Aaron. �Who�s winning?�
�I am,� Aaron lied.
�Quit your lying,� Nickolas said. �I am. I always win.� They all laughed.
�Nick talks out his ass,� Aaron said. �He�s just a sore loser so he doesn�t like to admit he�s losing.� Nickolas elbowed his brother in the side. �Oh!�
�Learn when to keep your mouth shut,� Nickolas warned.
�Someone�s getting mad,� Leslie said smiling. �And he�s the one winning.�
�Les,� Aaron said. �Be quiet.�
�Make me little brother,� Leslie said challenging him.
�You�re making me look like a fool in front of my girlfriend,� Aaron said.
�You are a fool,� Nickolas stated, as Dakota and MyKenna looked at each other.
�So, Dakota,� Bobbie Jean began and Dakota looked at her, �what are your plans for the coming future?�
�I�d like to get into acting or modeling,� Dakota stated. �If not that then I�ll probably open a business or something.�
�Right,� Bobbie Jean said. �What are your intentions with Nick then? I can�t begin to imagine you want him for him.�
�Excuse me?� Dakota said.
�BJ,� Nickolas warned.
�Your neither actress nor model yet,� Bobbie Jean pointed out. �Now you�re with my brother. You could use him to get what you want, because of his celebrity, and then dump him after ya get it.� Dakota just looked at her in shock and felt the lump build up in her throat. �I know what they all want when the look at my brother.�
�Bobbie Jean,� Nickolas warned again.
�Of course that�s what you would think,� Dakota said. �Why would you even begin to think that someone, just someone, might be interested in brother because they think he�s such a great guy and don�t care what the hell he does. Right away you�re quick to assume that this person is just after him cause of what he does. I got news for you alright, I ain�t like that. I don�t use people. I am not Amanda Williford and I will never be her. I ain�t a bitch to people unless they start with me first, which you did.� They looked at her. �As for my intentions with Nick you guys will never know.� She got up. �Thanks for dinner, but I have to go.� She started walking out.
�DJ!� Nickolas said getting up, but Dakota walked out. �Thanks, Bobbie Jean.� He ran out of the room.
�What was that all about?� Robert asked.
�I just wanted to know,� Bobbie Jean said. �We all saw what happened with Mandah.�
�DJ�s nothing like her,� MyKenna stated. �She�s a million times better than Mandah�make that a katrillion times better than her.� They all looked at MyKenna. �The last thing DJ would ever to do Nick is use him and break his heart. With her he comes first before anything.� She got up. �Excuse me I�m going to find DJ.� She walked out.
�Hey, Kenna, wait up,� Aaron said going after her, as the rest of them looked at Bobbie Jean.
�I can�t believe you were such a bitch to her,� Leslie said to her sister.
�I think we have a right to know what her intentions with Nick are,� Bobbie Jean stated. �You all saw what happened with Mandah.�
�And Nick�s moving on,� Leslie rebutted. �You just hurt and upset DJ along with Nick. Did you not see that glow in Nick�s eyes during dinner when he looked at DJ? I haven�t seen that glow in I don�t know how long. I saw the same glow in DJ�s eyes when she was looking at him.� Bobbie Jean looked at her. �If she was just using him that glow wouldn�t have been in her eyes. Just because Mandah the Bitch used him doesn�t mean that DJ�s going to. I actually like Dakota; she�s a very nice girl.�
�I�ll agree with that,� Angel said and Bobbie Jean just shook her head. �What?�
�That�s what we all thought about Mandah and look what happened,� Bobbie Jean reminded them. �She turned out to be a bitch.�
�We all made a mistake there, Honey,� Robert said. �And we swore we�d never make that same mistake again.�
�I know, dad,� Bobbie Jean said. �We just can�t be too careful. If she wasn�t just using him then why�d she walk out?�
�Probably so she wouldn�t kick your damn ass,� Angel said.
�Because you hurt her feelings,� Leslie said. �I�d walk out too. By accusing her of things you ain�t even sure of will never get you the chance of getting to know here�the real here that your brothers are getting to know. Are you going to accuse MyKenna of just using Aaron also?� The two girls looked at each other. �You�re pathetic. It happens once and you think it�s going to happen the rest of Nick�s life.� Leslie got up and left the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Hey, DJ, will you wait up!� Nickolas yelled, as him, MyKenna, and Aaron tried to catch up to her, but she kept walking. �Please?� They walked a few more feet and they all stopped at the cross-walk. �DJ, will you please�� He grabbed her and turned her to face him. They looked at each other and Nickolas saw the hurt in Dakota�s eyes. He left out a disgusted sigh. �Shit.� He looked at Aaron and MyKenna then back at Dakota, as she continued looking at him. �I�m sorry for what BJ said.�
�Do you think the same thing?� Dakota questioned him and he looked at her shocked, as did MyKenna and Aaron. �Do you think I�m just going to end up using you to get what I want?�
�Of course not. Me and BJ may be brother and sister, but we disagree on a lot of things�this is one of them.�
�I disagree with her also, DJ,� Aaron said. �You�re a very nice girl.� Dakota kept her gaze on Nickolas.
�If I thought that I probably would�ve told you,� Nickolas said.
�Would you have?� Dakota asked.
�Yes. I don�t think that about you. BJ can think whatever she wants about you, but it ain�t going to change the way I feel about you. She�s not the one that�s going to be with you, I am going to be that person. I want to be with you whether she likes it or not. She can�t choose who I date, only I can and I chose you.� Dakota didn�t say anything.
�C�mon, DJ,� Aaron said. �BJ was just being rude and inconsiderate of how you would react.�
�She was being a bitch,� Nickolas said and the three of them looked at him. �I know she�s my sister, but that�s what she was being to you and I didn�t like it. I didn�t like it one bit. I�ll let her know how I feel too. She had no right saying what she said.�
�It really hurt me to be accused of just wanting to use you,� Dakota said. �Your sister doesn�t know me and being compared to Willa Ford is one thing I will not tolerate from anyone. I don�t care who the person is. She is so lucky I kept my cool in there. I could�ve said a hell of a lot worse things to her than what I did, but I didn�t. I didn�t do it because of you. I don�t want you to think that I�m a bad person, because I�m not. I was able to hold all my anger in which really surprised me.�
�I wish you didn�t. I wish you told her exactly how you felt.�
�Well I didn�t want to make things worse. For all anyone knows you could�ve gotten pissed with me for yelling at her and I didn�t want that.� They continued looking at each other. �Your sister was way out of line, Nick. She was judging a person before she got to know them and I hate that.�
�I understand. I apologize for her.�
�Well I don�t want you to. She was in the wrong, not you.�
�Will you come back to the house? Please?�
�Awe fu--, shit.� She shook her head.
�What�s wrong?� Aaron asked.
�You guys probably think I�m pathetic,� Dakota said.
�Actually no,� Aaron said. �You did stand up for yourself even though you walked out.�
�I actually like that in a woman,� Nickolas stated grinning. �It turns me on.�
�That�s nice,� MyKenna said making a face. �Can we go back to the house now? I really don�t feel like getting sick from the rain.�
�She�d just rather get mononucleosis from Aaron,� Dakota smirked.
�Ha ha,� MyKenna said shaking her head. �You�d take anything Nick has.� Dakota looked at her.
�Let�s go back to the house,� Aaron suggested.
�I�m with you,� MyKenna said.
�You two go ahead and we�ll catch up,� Nickolas said and MyKenna and Aaron looked at him. �Go on.� They nodded and started walking, as Nickolas looked back at Dakota. She lowered her head and he put his one finger under her chin and lifted her head back up. She just looked at him. �Listen, Deej, what my sister said to you has nothing to do with me. You already told me your future plans and did that stick any distance between us?� Dakota didn�t say anything. �Did it?�
�I guess not,� Dakota said. �I don�t know. How about you tell me if it did or not.�
�It didn�t. If it did I wouldn�t be here right now. I want us to work and you know that.� She still didn�t say anything and Nickolas left out a disgusted sigh while shaking his head. �Fine then. Maybe I was wrong about you after all. Maybe you�re not going to be someone special to me. I was hoping you might and it turns out that you�re not.� Those words stabbed Dakota in the heart a katrillion times, as she watched Nickolas walk away. She stood there, as tears filled her eyes and he didn�t even bother to turn around or even stop. She stood there a couple seconds watching him then ran to him.
�Nicky!� Nickolas stopped and slowly turned around, as Dakota ran towards him. She reached him and just threw her arms around him. �I�m sorry.� He put his arms around her and stood up straight, leaving her practically hanging from his neck. �It just really hurt me and angered me. I�m sorry if I was taking it out on you.�
�It�s all right.�
�Then when you said that I wasn�t going to be someone special to you that just hurt me more.�
�Oh, damn, I�m sorry. I didn�t mean to.�
�I know. I was just being a bitch.�
�No you weren�t.� They looked at each other and Dakota pushed the wet hair from his forehead, as Aaron and MyKenna hid behind a bush and watched them.
�I�ll bet ya $10 they�re going to be shagging tonight,� Aaron said and MyKenna looked at him. �Ten not enough? How about $50 instead?�
�You�re on,� MyKenna said, as they shook on it. �Cause I know it ain�t going to happen.�
�It is, Honey.�
�I think not. I know Kota and you don�t.�
�I know her.�
�Not like I do.� She smiled. �Fifty bucks says they won�t be shagging.�
�Fifty bucks says they will be shagging.� MyKenna shook her head. �Do you want to shag?�
MyKenna just elbowed him and he fell backwards. �Oh!� MyKenna watched, as Nickolas and Dakota kissed and Aaron got back up. �That wasn�t a yes or no, so which is it?�
�No.� She got up and started walking back to the house, as Aaron followed.
�Why not?�
�Cause I�m 16 and you happen to be 14.�
�So.�
�Did it ever occur to you that we�re too young to have sex and I could end up pregnant and your parents would kill me after my parents and DJ did?�
�No.�
�Well they will.� Aaron didn�t say anything. �Do you remember how long we�ve known each other?�
�Two days.�
�Exactly. Need I say more?�
�Ok, you do have a point there.�
�I�m glad.� They continued walking. �You have a wonderful career, Aaron, so don�t screw it up by becoming a parent at 14.� He looked at her and smiled.
�You sound like my family.�
�Sorry.�
�It�s alright.� He put his arm around her shoulders. �Did I tell ya that I�m glad that we met?�
�Maybe once or twice.� She looked at him smiling. �Yes you did. I�m glad we met too.� He kissed her. �Really glad.� They kissed again. �Just get that $50 ready to hand over to me.�
�No you get that $50 ready to hand over to me.� He smiled.
�Fifty bucks for what?� Nickolas and Dakota asked and they jumped.
�Huh?� Aaron said.
�What are you getting $50 ready for?� Nickolas asked again.
�Um�nothing,� Aaron lied.
�Don�t lie,� Dakota said.
�Really it ain�t anything,� MyKenna said. �We just, uh�uh�made a bet.�
�For what?� Nickolas asked interested.
�Um�I told her that after she leaves here she won�t bother calling me anymore,� Aaron said.
�And she thinks otherwise so we betted on it.�
�Yeah,� Dakota said. �Right.�
�Fine,� MyKenna said. �Don�t believe us.�
�We don�t,� Dakota and Nickolas said.
�Whatever,� MyKenna and Aaron said, as they walked ahead of Dakota and Nickolas smiling.
CHAPTER 14