She listened to the words that poured from the cars speakers, �Why�d you lie to me/You can�t be trusted good for nothing type of brother/everything you claimed to be was a lie, lie/why�d you lie to me/you�d been creeping, sneaking, sleeping with another/messed up it�s time to leave so bye, bye�� She sighed at the lyrics and realized how true they were at that moment. �Last time you played me for a fool/now its time I lose my cool/ain�t no way you�d ever get another chance/why do you just claim to be so true/when I gave my world to you/all you want to do is hang out on the edge of the line/tell me baby/did you really think I would turn the other cheek/but I flipped it up for you�� Dakota shook her head and listened to the lyrics, as she drove along the highway.
�Damn bastard,� Dakota said out loud to no one. For a few minutes more she listened to that song and wondered how Nickolas could do her wrong. The song ended and a more familiar song came on. Something from the late 1980�s/early 1990�s by Roxette. She turned it up a little more instead of changing it and listened to it.
�I know there�s something in the wake of your smile/I get a notion from the look in your eyes/we built a love/but that love falls apart/your little piece of heaven turns to dust/listen to your heart/when he�s calling for you/listen to your heart/there�s nothing else you can do/I don�t know where you�re going/and I don�t know why/but listen to your heart/before you tell him goodbye�� Maybe she should. She did love Nickolas after all and more than anything. Who was she kidding though? He cheated and she hated him. Nothing would ever change that; not even some stupid song. She continued listening. �And there are voices that want to be heard/so much to mention/but you can�t find the words/the scent of magic/the beauty that�s real/when love was wilder than the wind/listen to your heart/when he�s calling for you/listen to your heart/there�s nothing else you can do/I don�t know where you�re going/and I don�t know why/but listen to your heart/before you tell him goodbye��
Dakota turned the music off and drove in silence a few minutes. No song was going to change her mind. Not only did Nickolas cheat, but he lied. She couldn�t forgive him. It wasn�t in her nature to forgive someone that hurt her. It wasn�t fair to her. Just because she loved Nickolas didn�t mean anything. At the moment it didn�t seem like he loved her so why did it matter any? She gave him her heart and all he could give in return was a broken one. She sighed, as her cell phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the number; Jane�s cell phone. She turned it on and put it to her ear.
�Hello?�
�DJ, will please turn around and come home?� came Jane�s voice.
�I can�t.�
�Nick wants to talk.�
�There�s nothing to talk about, Jane.�
�Yes he hurt you, but you got to listen to his reason�s why.�
�I asked him and he said he don�t know. He does know, but he just won�t tell me, because he doesn�t want to hurt me anymore than he already has. I really don�t care if he hurts me more, because I just want to know why.�
�You just got to sit down with him and make him tell you.�
�I can�t even look at him let alone sit down and talk to him, Jane. Maybe it�d be easier if it was just a kiss, but it wasn�t just a kiss; they were banging on my couch.�
�I know, Sweetie, but��
�Don�t, Jane, just tell Nicky I�m sorry about the mess.� She turned off the phone before anything else was said and continued driving.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�I don�t know where she is, Honey,� Jane said, as Nickolas picked some stuff up off the parlor floor. �She didn�t say.� Nickolas stopped what he was doing and everyone looked at him.
�I really screwed up,� Nickolas said leaving out a disgusted sigh.
�You�re the one being an ass,� Aaron said to no one in particular. �It�ll be your own stupid fault if she never comes back.�
�Aaron,� Jane warned.
�Why don�t you come over and say that to my face ya little shit,� Nickolas snapped glaring at his brother.
�Ya heard me so why should I. I wouldn�t be surprised if you and MyKenna did more than kiss.� Nickolas jumped up.
�Do you want me to kick your ass?�
�If you think you can.� Nickolas walked towards him and Robert stopped him. �I guess this was all part of your masterful plan to get DJ out of your life since kissing her best friend didn�t work in getting her out.�
�I never wanted DJ out of my life.�
�Then why the hell did ya cheat on her if ya didn�t want her out of your life? That�s what I don�t understand.�
�You wouldn�t, Aaron.�
�You�re an ass, Nick, and I�m glad DJ finally realized that. You don�t need someone as sweet and caring as she is so why don�t ya just go back to Mandah and forget about DJ ever coming back to you.� Nickolas freed himself from his father and went after Aaron. He punched Aaron in the face and went to hit him again, as he was stopped. He looked and saw his father standing there holding his arm.
�That�s enough,� Robert said. �You two are brothers not enemies.�
�As of this moment we are no longer brothers,� Nickolas said and Aaron just looked at him. �I don�t ever want to see him here again. Do ya got that ya little shit?� Aaron didn�t say anything. �I ever see ya here again you�ll regret it.�
�Just because DJ left doesn�t mean ya got to take it out on me,� Aaron rebutted. �I wasn�t her boyfriend and cheated on her; you did.� He turned and walked out.
�I don�t know what happened between you two,� Jane began, �but you better work it out. You�re family and I will not sit around and watch my family fall apart over something so stupid.�
�He�s just pissed because I kissed his girlfriend,� Nickolas said. �It was just one stupid little kiss and he gets all pissy ass and hates me.�
�Well ya shouldn�t have kissed her,� Robert said.
�It happened months ago,� Nickolas said. �I�m over it so why can�t he get over it?� He sighed and stormed out of the parlor. He went into the garage so he could get a vehicle and leave, but stopped when he saw his Prowler. His memories of Dakota, him and the Prowler came back, as did the times he spent with Tiffany. He left out a disgusted sigh and picked up the softball bat. He walked to the front of the car and without thinking twice smashed the lights. He took the bat to the hood, the windows, mirrors, and every other part of the car. He threw the bat to the floor, as his family came running and got into his truck and drove off. �Son of a bitch!� He got out his phone and dialed Dakota�s cell phone. He left it ring over and over for about ten minutes, but got no answer. He turned his phone off and continued driving. He turned the radio on and it was playing �When I Look Into Your Eyes� by Firehouse; the first song him and Dakota actually danced to together. Tears came to his eyes, as he wondered about what he just did.
CHAPTER 22