In the "Gone" series, by Michael Grant, Dekka is described in different ways throughout the first 3 books. In "Gone", we learn about her physical appearance, in "Hunger", we learn about how she started to like Brianna, and in the most recent book, "Lies" we learn little things about her along the way.

Gone- Dekka is a young teen girl, like everyone else in the FAYZ. She has her hair in cornrows, a nose piercing, she's black, lesbian, and has this rough, tough, sassy thing about her.

Hunger- Dekka tells how she was played by Diana in the past. Diana has seduced her, gaining knowledge that she is lesbian… good for Diana (Diana keeps secrets about everyone, never tells, because one day everything she knows could come in handy). Dekka wasn't really close with Brianna in the beginning, but noticed she had a kind of swagger about her. They really started to know each other when they were stuck next to each other at Coates, in "Gone". While they ate from trowels and had their hands encased in cement, Brianna's spirit remained unbroken, and Dekka instantly became attracted to that.

Lies- Nerezza describes Dekka as being "fat" "black" "lesbian". Dekka gets the flu, and she's wearing her PJ bottoms and a purple sweater, and constantly feels bad about how much closer Computer Jack and Brianna are getting. We also learn that Dekka had already lost her (as I call it…) "lip-ginity" before she ever came to Coates. A teacher saw her have her first kiss ever outside of school, and still called her parents, to which they freaked out, her mother in the background while her dad smacked her twice, hard, and they freaked out some more after Dekka said the "L" word--- lesbian. They sent her to Coates Academy to be "fixed" but along the way after noticing Brianna's swag and such, she realized there's really nothing to fix.

I personally get so confused by all of this, so I figured I should write how all of this plays out in my mind. I personally think this would work if this was a movie (and of course I would love to play Dekka cuz she's so freakn' cool!)

So, enjoy my little fan fic to clear some things up. (from Dekka's perspective)

I had only just come out of school, and immediately I went and bought a Pepsi. I never head anywhere after school, I usually just go home. I know I have never been popular, and probably never will be… but I can't help it, sometimes I'm just so impulsive, especially when I'm angry or sad. I just don't think straight, and this was no exception. So right after our Sex Ed. Class, which was second to last period today at school, I went to the mini- mall near the school, and bought myself a Pepsi.

It tasted so refreshing, so cold and bubbly in my mouth. The taste washed down that metallic taste that had been building up. I always get that taste in my mouth, in my throat, usually when I'm feeling super depressed, or after running in gym class. I really hate gym class.

After I had paid, and walked outside of the mini- mall, I sat on a bench nearby. I opened the bottle and let it wash down all of the tears that were starting to build up. I looked around the area. From what I only could see, I knew not many people from my school ever came here. Sure, sometimes some skater punks would rip and shred on the stairs' railings, but that was really it. The druggies, popular kids, and even the more or less normal ones all had their own places to hang out. But not at the mini-mall. I had only known about it because there was a Chinese takeout place next to it. I had come with my mother once to pick up dinner, and there was also about two or three restaurants and diners surrounding the area. There was also a tanning salon, a pizzeria, nail salon, DVD store, and a travel agency all attached as well. A person could practically live here, not that I would have ever chosen to. From what I remembered about that day, I was just starting to get to know about the towns around mine. I had never been to Perdido Beach, but I knew it was just the town over. I might have passed through a couple of times when I went to see family or something, but I mostly stuck around in my own little town. I never even cared for the beach all that much. So what I thought was mainly "why would anyone ever want to live in a beach town?"

I also had heard of this one particular school in Perdido Beach. Coates Academy. Who would have ever thought I would end up there? Probably everyone except myself. I have always had this reputation (so to speak). I had friends, but was never really "popular" per say… and although I'm smart, I'm not a total genius. I hate a lot of people I ever come in contact with, and I'm super judge mental… even at first sight. So I was never really liked. My parents loved me, I knew that, but I was constantly getting yelled at or just quietly told I was a failure of some sort. When they told me those things, it was usually when they were either mad at me, but not totally pissed off, or when something happened to them individually and they needed someone to blame. Me being the only child, well, I was an easy target to get scolded at a few times a week. Anyway, I never imagined I would personally attend that school. It was for troubled kids, where people dumped theirs when they didn't want to deal with them anymore, or for those who caused some serious damage in one way or another.

Nope. Not for Dekka. Not for me.

I just thought about that school. I honestly only had just heard about it, someone at my old school said their sibling went there now because she did something bad and her parents knew she had this rep at my school for being kind of a slut. I didn't know this girl, or the girl who spread the word about it, but that doesn't matter. What does matter was that I learned what exactly Coates Academy was only about a month in advance. I knew it wouldn't be my kind of place. Nowhere is my kind of place, in truth.

I sat on the bench holding my Pepsi, turning warmer every minute. Before I even knew it, I started to cry. That was so weird. I never cried, sure I might sob every now and then, or even tear up, but I swear I never cry. And that time was no exception. I remember I put my hand over my eyes and wiped away tears that were about to stream down my cheeks. I felt hot, and scared. Not really scared, but anxious. What no one knew or knows to this day even, is that I have always been a hopeless romantic to some degree. Sure, I never had a mate before or anything, but I sometimes would catch myself wondering what holding a guy's hand would be like. Or kissing. Even having those moments of intense stares, into someone's eyes to let them know you love them. Never happened to me.

What had gotten me was 2nd to last period on that day. We had Sex Ed. In Health I. It was a four class lesson, and we had only started. So many kids in my class made noises and awkward stares, or jokes they all thought were funny. I just sat there, not understanding. So many kids in my school already had boyfriends and girlfriends (a good portion too), some made out, some even had sex already. I was nowhere on that list. Our teacher explained condoms and why we all had certain feelings, etc. She told us briefly about risks… said she would continue the next class. As soon as the class was over, I immediately went to my last one, Biology… and I completely spaced out the entire time.

Sipping some more Pepsi, my throat felt like it was closing some more. I didn't even know why I was getting hot and why my face was getting wet with tears. It was confusing. I didn't get it.

But then it hit me. In our class, our teacher sort of went into sexuality. Not just feelings and crap like that, but about legit human sexuality. About gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and all or that. She mentioned even then, protection is always recommended and it never makes any difference about something-or-other. By that point all I heard was the roars or laughter, lame jokes, and some awkward silences throughout the room.

I remembered that I had caught myself starring a few times at… some girls. But then again, I had starred at guys too. I only remembered that whenever I looked at girls, I felt my eyes move from their hair, to their mysterious curves, and down their backside, down the too- short skirts and skinny jeans… oh god. I remember by that point, sitting alone on the bench, I felt as if I didn't even have a sexuality. It wasn't the first time I felt like this. I spent exactly four full months telling myself I knew I wasn't straight, but that it didn't mean anything else. Then I just had to sit on that bench outside of the mini-mall and heavily consider the possibilities.

Even though I didn't have many friends in general, I never even really had a full out conversation with a guy. I barely desired to, and when I did, it was just because I felt lonely… I wanted a friend. Girls are catty, and love to gossip. Not that guys aren't that way too, but girls just do it consistently, like as if it's their occupations and they need the money to pay rent.

Then as I calmed myself down, I looked at my iPod's clock. It was only five minutes since school had ended. It seemed so much longer than that. Then I saw them. Some kids running around and walking in a small group. They were accompanied by three older people, my guess by the looks of it were that they were chaperoning. There were maybe five or six kids in all, and it seemed to me that those chaperones were too many for those kids. Most of them looked around my age too. They went into a diner near the store I bought my drink from. Two of the kids started pushing each other, which in turn got one of the chaperones to break up the small fight that would have taken place on the diner's steps.

I don't remember how much time went by after that, but it couldn't have been more than a few more minutes. I was still thinking. Thinking hard about who I was. Then I saw her. A girl, most likely from that small group, started running out of the diner. She went into the same store I went into to buy my Pepsi. She looked as though she wasn't supposed to be doing that, checking her back right before she went inside. When she came out only about a minute later, she had two magazines in her hands, and a small bag of other items she had purchased. She started walking towards some more benches close to where I was located. They were hidden by some bushes but were still pretty noticeable. The girl plopped right down on one of the nearest ones to mine, and laid down on it, opening one of the magazines she bought. I didn't mind her there, as far as I knew, I didn't know her… I didn't care. The tears started back up again, I couldn't help it. Maybe she would get freaked out and move away (that's what I thought). But instead, the girl just took off her sunglasses and looked my way, just a glance. I noticed it. Then she spoke directly at me, in a tone of voice I suspected was annoyance and bitch mixed together.

"Why are you so loud?" she said.

I was in shock, why was she talking to me? Was she even talking to me?

"You. Can you be a little quieter? I'm kind of tired of hearing complaining and nonstop whining all the time. Where I currently live… it's always like that. Or worse. So, can you?"

It was like she read my mind or something… about her talking directly to me.

"Sorry…" was all I could manage to say.

"Yeah. Well," the girl said slightly shrugging her shoulders and putting back on her sunglasses.

Then a older voice called out some name I couldn't really hear, and as it got closer, I noticed it said "Where are you?" The girl slightly looked up over the short bush, pushed her glasses to her nose ever so slightly, and signed an annoyed sigh. She laid back down on the bench and then looked my way, a bit in panic, a bit in annoyance, and a bit in anger.

"So what's your problem?" She said directly to me. I met her gaze for a brief moment before looking away.

"What?"

"You heard me. What's your problem? You obviously have a problem. And if you're wondering why I seem to care, I don't. My teacher is looking for me… that idiot over there. I'm with a group from my school, they take us out twice a week to see the real world before they shut us back in again for the rest of the week, and today they decided to take us to some crappy diner. So… before my teacher finds me, I wanna just hang on my own for a few minutes. They're totally killing me. Ruining my happy mood right about now---"

I cut the girl off.

"Happy mood? This is your happy mood? You don't seem very "happy"… and why are you here with your teacher and school---"

Then she cut me off.

"My school's a place for kids like me. Obviously I'm okay talking to you even though you seem like you obviously have no life, because I couldn't care less about you. People who never talk to strangers are stupid, meek, and will never get anywhere in life. Those kinds of people are weak. You've got to press some buttons and not care about people in order to live your life and stuff like that And yes, this is me being "happy". It's not like the way I live my life I'm ever happy."

"What about that guy over there?" I pointed out to the teacher.

"Yeah, that guy works at my school. He's a teacher, part of the "chaperones" of this group. Long story short, my school takes small groups of us out like, once or twice a week, to this town's crappy diners… so that we can remember the hell hole-slash- prison we basically live in is where we ended up because we're all so screwed up. I mean, that's not the idea they're trying to give us… but it's what we all know is obvious. I usually never come out here, this place sucks. But I figured I could pick up a few things at the store."

"What did you get?"

"I don't think it's any of your business."

"Well, you're all up in my business right now. Just saying."

"All you really need to know is I used the five finger discount. "Just saying""

By this time, the teacher was getting closer to finding the girl, and she was panicking more, but trying hard not to show it.

"So. Really, what's your problem?" The girl moved in closer to me… turned her back away from the man so she wouldn't be recognized.

"It doesn't matter."

"Well from what I can tell, you aren't exactly "happy" either."

"I just had a rough day."

"Yeah, tell me about "rough days". You learn to live with them. It's a done deal. Why are you making it into a big deal."

"I-I've been thinking about something. And it's just messing with my mind."

"What." Coming from her, it sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

"I don't know you."

Silence. And then she spoke again.

"Look, like I said, I couldn't care less. But if that dude comes over here… I won't be able to have my "me" time. He'll find me eventually. He's not as stupid as he looks, but for now, let's pretend we're best friends. Maybe he'll do back to the diner and I can have some more time for myself. Hmm?"

"Right."

"So?"

"So..? What?" Now it was my turn to sound annoyed and bitchy.

The girl completely took off her sunglasses and starred right at me. She was close enough I felt lightheaded. I didn't understand what was going on exactly, I already felt bad, and to top it off, I felt as though I was helping a prisoner escape or something. The way she kept talking got me confused.

"Look, girl. I don't know what your problem is exactly, but I'm always pissed off at the world. You're just adding to it all. So what the hell is your problem? Stop pitying yourself because some people might just have it worse or whatever. Who knows, maybe I can change your life or something." She made an interesting chuckle after she finished speaking. However, the words she said before, she basically spat out at me.

By that point, I felt as though I need to go home. It was almost half an hour since school had ended, almost but not quite. This girl was making me mad, I felt my blood boiling at some points. She was making my day a whole lot worse, and I never even knew a stranger could piss me off so much. Then I spat back out at her some words she might not have thought would come out.

"I think I'm gay. Or slightly gay. I don't even know. Good enough reason for my "self pitying mood"?"

"No, not really. So why is this such a dramatic thing?" She sounded annoyed again.

"I just don't know. Never dated before, it's all new to me. I don't even know how I figured it out. I'm not sure if I'm even a full blown lesbian or just…"

"Just..? Well, never mind that, I know what you mean. Look, ask a girl out then. Why bother me with it?"

I wanted to tell her I wasn't bothering her with it, I wanted to tell her she butted into my life unexpectedly, uninvited, out of her own free will. But instead I just sighed and went on.

"Look, I think I have to get going…"

"Whatever… oh shit!" She said, slightly looking over her shoulder, the teacher was coming closer.

The girl said to me then, "Look I don't know who you are or anything but if you want my advice, get over it."

"I've never even kissed a guy before." And quietly I said, "…or a girl… how would I know anything at all?"

And before I knew it, the girl realized her teacher was close to finding her. The only way she wouldn't be seen was if she turned completely away from him. She couldn't run anywhere else.

"Kiss me, now," she said.

Before I knew it, she spun me around and kissed me hard. Making sure she was covered by me, and that she became fully unseen.

It was amazing. I couldn't lie to myself. Sure I didn't know this girl, sure it all happened too quickly for me to really enjoy it, and sure it would play a big part in my future (but I didn't know it then), but I didn't care. I took in everything I could. Her lips were soft and powerful at the same time. When they touched mine, all I felt was wetness and this huge adrenaline kick. We stayed like that for about a minute I thought. At least until the teacher turned away. Then the girl pushed me aside, and gathered up her stuff. I was still in shock, I barely heard someone calling out my name as I turned to face the parking lot, turned to face my backpack and Pepsi...

"That was close," the girl said in between breaths.

"That was…" but I couldn't finish. The girl was trying to leave in a hurry. I still barely heard the person calling my name.

"Dekka?" I made a slight movement at that. I heard it, but I was still in shock, so I ignored it. No one there knew me, so why would anyone recognize me? Sure, I had a distinctive look, but there didn't seem like much of a chance of being recognized.

"Yeah," the girl said, "That was… amazing timing! He left! I can't believe it, he's such a sucker… haha, such a loser." Under her breath, she said, "Anyone teaching at Coates in a loser."

My heart froze. My mind blanked out. I thought I heard her wrong. I knew I could have… my name was called again, and at the same time I was in shock, and thought I heard her say "Coates".

As she turned to leave, she said, "See ya sucker. Have a… whatever… life."

"My name's Dekka," I called after her, even though she was only a few feet away.

"Uh, yeah, right. Because I honestly wanted to know."

And then she left. And then, my teacher approached me. I didn't even see her coming. Next thing I remember, she asked me for my home number. I couldn't deny that request, she was my teacher after all, and it wasn't like I talked back to adults on a daily basis, only other kids.

And after that? The next thing I remember was my father's hand smacking me. His voice booming. My mother's scared, disappointed face shaking behind him in my house. I remember crying. I remember me gathering my strength.

Funny thing, adrenaline kicks. I had had two on that same day. The second time seemed more powerful. I don't remember how I did it, why, or when exactly, but I remember I yelled back to my already yelling parents something about "Lesbian". From there, everything seems like such a blur.

And then I wound up at Coates Academy. It was more of my father's decision than my mother's. She did agree, but didn't have as much say in it. They had sent me to be "Fixed". I had to be "fixed" or "cured". I had absolutely no say in it what so ever. This school was for those who were problem children, and as far as I knew, sexuality wasn't something one could cure, not exactly a "problem". But by the time I was in Coates, I had only had three of those four expected Sex Ed. Classes.

After about two days at Coates, I ran into her. At first, we didn't recognize each other, again, it was all a huge blur. Both of us knew the faces, but didn't immediately see it. Then, we did. I noticed first, then she noticed. The girl opened her mouth but nothing came out. I looked at her. By that point I did realize she had in fact said "Coates", when talking about her school. Time seemed to go by slowly again, but in reality it was only a few seconds.

"Uhm…" I started.

"What's your name again?" She said after many long moments, such silent, intense moments. Her eyes narrowed, she had an even more powerful, all knowing look and posture then and there. As if she controlled everything. As though she even owned that moment in time.

"Dekk---" I started, but she caught up and helped me finish the "a" in my name.

The girl still stood tall and proud. She didn't take her eyes off of me for a second. Then finally someone called her out of her deathly stare, the trance was broken.

"Diana!"

And then she softened, still with that determined glow, that powerful posture, that mysterious, secretive, deathly aurora and feel about her.

She flipped her hair, and leaned it a bit. I caught her hair's smell as she slowly passed by, touching my shoulder with her arm and she started to pass. Her gaze never fell from mine. She looked as though she'd acquired information so important it could kill.

"Coming!" she responded to the voice calling her by apparently what was her name.

And as she brushed pass me, I felt two things. The first being, my life was about to get a whole lot worse, and second, I knew there was no "fixing" me.