A New Home

Chapter 4 in TBD

"Hey. Hey are you awake? I'm sorry, you gotta get up." Dakota blinked his eyes open to see the cop standing over him awkwardly tapping him on his shoulder.

"Good morning, officer..." Dakota looked to the policeman's nametag. "Officer Wallace. What can I do for you?" He knew he was busted. Sleeping on park benches is illegal. He usually could get away with it, but now and again he'd get kicked out in the morning, and so far he had been successful in getting off with just a warning.

"I'm sorry, I just have to tell you, you can't sleep in the park. Why are you staying out here?" Ah, this old question. Dakota couldn't tell the officer he's homeless, he'd be put into foster care. He had to be careful what he said, otherwise he could be questioned about his parents and address. He let out a small sigh, and prepared his usual excuse.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir. I woke up really early today, and wanted some fresh air. I have a test at school today, so I just came to the park to study and must have fallen asleep. I'm so sorry, it won't happen again." The cop nodded.

"Oh, no worries. You were studying? Where are your books?" Dakota looked down for his bag. It was gone! 

"Crap. Someone must have taken it. I'm sorry, officer, am I permitted to leave? I should make it to school early to get replacements." Dakota sighed. He couldn't believe it. His things were stolen twice in two days? He had got to start being more careful.

  "Yeah, of course. I'm sorry about your stuff, be careful next time. Keep a closer eye on your stuff, okay? Have a good day, good luck with your test." The policeman gave Dakota a kind smile, and turned, strolling down the park path.

Standing up, Dakota lightly stretched, and tried not to think too much about his bag. He didn't have bus fare or any food now... well... he'd had it worse. He could deal. He slowly made his way to the bus stop. When the bus arrived, he just shrugged from the sidewalk and raised his eyebrows at the driver, who sighed and nodded, and Dakota stepped onto the bus and headed towards school. 

The beginning of the day passed fairly uneventfully, and then came History. Walking into Mrs. Lebowitz's room, Dakota realized he hadn't prepared anything to say to Zak, the tall blonde boy he'd stood up the day before. Oh well, he'd figure something out. He always had been quick on his feet. 

As expected, Zak immediately stood up, walking straight up to Dakota as he entered the room. Dakota wasn't short, but Zak towered over the whole class, and Dakota was forced to tilt his chin up as Zak walked up to just a few inches in front of Dakota, but he didn't back up. He had to hold his ground. He simply stood there, crossed his arms, and raised his eyebrows.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Zak seemed slightly shaken. He clearly had been expecting an explanation. 

"Yeah. You can, freak." Zak sneered. "Did you get scared yesterday? Couldn't live up to your threats?" He turned to his posse. "Poor little genius kid got scared! Ha!"

"Sure. I got scared. Whatever strokes your ego enough to get you to get out of my hair. I really don't have the time to deal with you right now." Dakota moved past Zak, going to sit at his desk. As he tried to pass, Zak grabbed his shoulder, and turned him back to face him. Dakota could see out of the corner of his eye Mrs. Lebowitz furiously writing on the chalkboard, acting as if she hadn't noticed what was going on. This school was pathetic.

"Stroke my what?" Zak questioned.

"Your ego." Dakota took a step back, putting a hand up to his heart, feigning shock. "I'm sorry did I hurt your feelings? Wow, I'm so sorry, I truly didn't mean to. Wow, you must be even more sensitive than I thought! To think, that sensitive that you're so insecure in your masculinity that you have to try to act tough by trying to pick on me. I'm so sorry, I'll make sure to be aware of the eggshells I'm walking on in the future, wouldn't want to crack even more of your delicate shell." Zak's face had gone completely crimson. Dakota smirked and tried again to walk back to his desk, when Zak threw a punch. 

Dakota saw this coming. Clearly, Zak didn't know how to punch. He held his thumb inside his fist, and Dakota simply grabbed a fellow student's textbook and moved out of the way, raising the textbook up in front of Zak's fist. The crunch Zak's thumb made as his fist collided with the book was almost as loud as the shriek he made as his thumb cracked.

This was too much for Mrs. Lebowitz to "not see", and she seemed to realize that, turning around. She took in The sight of Zak's hanging thumb, clearly bent in several wrong directions, and seemed to nearly puke. 

"Class! Class!" she cried out in her shrill, quiet voice. The whole class had started shouting, and no one noticed the teacher, until she grabbed a textbook, and threw it on the ground, making a huge SMACK!

"Now that I have your attention..." her voice was quivering. "everyone please take your seats." the class all slowly made their way to their desks and sat down. Even Zak, lightly cupping his injured hand in the other. "Zak, go to the school nurse. Dakota, I need to speak to you in the hall. Everyone else. Just. Be quiet. Turn to page twenty-one and read."

Dakota made his way out to the hall and turned to Mrs. Lebowitz.

"I. Look. You're a good kid, and I know why you did what you did. I've seen you stand up for Diane, and I know Zak is to blame for this. But we can't just act like I didn't at least talk to you, so... let's talk." Dakota slowly nodded, realizing he was getting let off the hook.

For the next ten or so minutes, Dakota listened to Mrs. Lebowitz intensely lecture him about The story of Kronos eating his children, the gods. She had always had a love for Greek mythology, and the story was made much more interesting by the fact that she was trying to make angry, scolding faces the entire time to 'trick' the kids watching out the window from inside the classroom. 

Eventually, Dakota re-entered the classroom, and Mrs. Lebowitz re-explained the story of Kronos. This would have driven Dakota crazy. He had just heard this, it was just a waste of time, but Greek Mythology had always been interesting to him, so he didn't mind too much. Halfway through the story, Zak re-entered the room with a cast on his finger. He didn't make eye contact with Dakota, and was quiet. Good. This should keep him out of Dakota's hair, for a while at least. 

The rest of the school day went by uneventfully, and Dakota began walking over towards the diner. He was beginning to realize the fact that he had nothing. He hadn't eaten since about seven the night before when he got a slightly greasy panini from Sue at the end of his 'shift'. 

Walking into the diner, Dakota smiled a bit, hearing the nice dingle of the bell he had fixed the previous day. Betsy was in her normal position, smoking her cigarette, looking down at a newspaper. Sue looked up from the counter she was polishing, and smiled.

"Hey there! How's your day going?" She seemed in a much better mood than the day before. Dakota didn't want to ruin that.

"I'm doing alright. What can I do to help?" Dakota tried to fake a smile, but he could see that Sue saw through it.

"Well, we actually had a few people in today, so there are some dishes, if you're up for it?"

"Yeah... is there any chance I might be able to grab some fries or something? I haven't eaten yet today."

"Oh my goodness, of course! Why haven't you eaten? You must be starving, here let me make you a burger!" Sue rattled these off one after the other, leaving no time for Dakota to respond, and then stopped all of a sudden, looking at him questioningly. "Wait... where's your bag?" Dakota just looked down, and slightly shrugged as an answer. Sue seemed to realize at least some of what had happened, and her expression softened. 

"Hey... do you need a place to stay?" she reached her hand out, to put her hand on Dakota's shoulder. Instinctively, he flinched, but then let her. 

"Um... no." He stepped away from her. "No I'm fine. Thanks. Uh. Yeah just the burger thanks. I'll do some dishes while you make it. Thanks." Dakota rushed into the back kitchen, and got started on the dishes. 

Dakota worked throughout the day. A few customers actually came in, and Dakota followed Sue, bussing the tables, and learning more about how the diner worked. Slowly the awkwardness from the earlier conversation faded, and by the end of shift he and Sue were telling jokes, laughing loud enough that Betsy loudly groaned, and made a point of going outside to smoke. 

As Dakota flipped the sign to 'CLOSED', and headed back to the counter where sue had set them both up with clam chowder, salad, and fries, he realized how stupid he was being. For the first time in his life, he had found not one, but two adults who treated him as an equal, and now they were offering him a place to stay and he was turning it down?

"Sue?"
"Yeah?"

"I... does that offer still stand? For a place to stay? I'm fine on a couch or even the floor, and I'll do whatever I can around the house to earn my stay. I don't have money to pay you any rent, but I promise I won't get in your hair. I just... it would be nice to--" 

"Of course! Absolutely! Thank you so much for asking me! Of course you have a place to stay with me and Len." She gave him a warm smile, and he nodded back.

"Thank you." They ate the rest of their meal, Sue locked up, and they walked back to her house. 

Sue and Len lived in a quaint little house near a park not too far from Dakota's school or the diner, but not right in the middle of the city. It was a sweet house, and it vaguely matched the fifties aesthetic of the diner, but in a clean nice homey way, rather than a cheap crusty way. 

"Thank you so much, I promise I won't be here long, if I could just stay a night or two to get myself together and then I'll-" Sue reached out again to put her hand on his shoulder, and shook her head.

"Welcome home, Dakota." 

Author's Note

Very rough draft, please ignore grammar problems. I'm very new here, and this is my first novel. Super hungry for constructive criticism, would be honored if you take the time to read this and leave your honest opinion below. Thank you so much :)

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. I liked the conflict and the ending. I liked he found a place to stay and some kind people. I believe this is a amazing chapter. I have enjoyed the complete story. You are a talented writer.
Coyote

[siloqui]

Thank you so much for your reviews :)

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure and you are welcome.