Chapter 6: Moving Forward
It had been two monthes since Dakota's father had kidnapped her and things were slowly returning to normal, minus the fact that Dakota wasn't allowed to go any where alone.
"Come on Angel! I wanna go to the movies with Mikey, ALONE!" Dakota cried. She crossed her arms and gave him a glare.
"Sis, I know that its annoying you that we won't let you go out alone, but we have to be on the safe side!" Angel said. He grabbed his little sister and pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. Dakota groaned and pushed her brother away.
"I hate it when you do that. I can't stay mad at you!" she teased. Angel stuck his tongue out at her and she burst into giggles.
"Dakota! The bus is here!" Jack called up the stairs. Dakota gasped and ran into her room to grab her Bratz bookbag (yes,a bratz book bag! I know, how babyish,but hey I like Bratz! Lol!) As she ran back out the door, she slipped and fell.
"Shit!" she exclaimed as she tired to pull herself to her feet. Bobby came out of the room just as she cursed and now he stood staring at her.
"Dakota Mariah Mercer! Where the fuck did you learn that languge?" Bobby asked. Dakota rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I don't know Bobby! Why don't you tell me?" she replied. Angel got the point and busted out laughing. "Oh! I see how you do Ms. Smarty pants!" Bobby said as he started laughing. Dakota walked over him and gave him a hug.
"Yea! I know! You only wish you were as smart as me!"Dakota laughed. She, Bobby and Angel all laughed at her joke.
"Hey pigtails! You just missed the bus!" Jack called up the stairs. Dakota turned and looked to her brother.
"Oops!" she said. Bobby gave her a light smack in the head and rolled his eyes. He grabbed his keys off the table.
"Come on kiddo. I'll take you to school!" Bobby said. He picked her up off the ground and carried her to his car.
Eight Hours Later
Dakota unlocked the door to the house and ran in with Amie and her new friend Faye behind her. They ran into her room which she was sharing with Jack and turned on the CD player.
"Lets do Sleigh Ride!" Faye said. She smiled as Dakota popped the CD into the player. Music filled the house and the three girls cleared their throats.
Dakota:Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing Ring ting tingle-ing too Come on, it's lovely weather For a sleigh ride together with you Outside the snow is falling And friends are calling "You Hoo" Come on, it's lovely weather For a sleigh ride together with you All: Giggle
Amie and Faye:Ring-a-ling-a-ling-ah-Ding-dong-ding 4x
Faye:Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be Let's take the road before us and sing another chorus or two Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
Amie: Giddy-yup giddy-yup giddy-yup let's go Let's look at the show We're riding in a wonderland of snow Giddy-yap giddy-yap giddy-yap it's grand Just holding your hand Glide along with the song of a wintry fairy land
All: Ring-a-ling-a-ling-ah-ding-dong-ding 4x Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing Ring ting tingle-ing too Ring-a-ling-a-ling-ah-ding-dong-ding Come on, it's lovely weather For a sleigh ride together with you
Dakota: Outside the snow is falling And friends are calling "You Hoo" ( Amie and Faye:Ring-a-ling-a-ling-ah-ding-dong-ding) Come on, it's lovely weather For a sleigh ride together with you
Faye and Dakota: Giddy-yup giddy-yup giddy-yap let's go Let's look at the show We're riding in a wonderland of snow Giddy-yup giddy-yup giddy-yup it's grand Just holding your hand We're gliding with the song of a wintry fairy land
All:Ring-a-ling-a-ling-ah-ding-dong-ding 4x La la la la la la la la la 4x
Faye&Amie:Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
Faye:Together with you Together with you Together with you
Dakota: Oh Woah, With You-ou
The three girls finished singing and looked at each other with smiles and slightly pink cheeks from dancing. They started to giggle and hug each other. The sound of applause caused them to jump and Amie to push Dakota behind her. They looked at the door to see Jack, Jerry and Angel standing there, clapping. The three friends sighed with relief and began to laugh.
"Wow! I didn't know you girls could sing so well!" Jack said. He walked into the room and sat down on his bed. Angel pushed himself up from leaning on the door frame and walked into the room.
"Well, I knew Dakota could sing! I heard her in the shower this morning!" Angel boasted, putting an arm around. Dakota blushed deeply and pushed his arm away. Jerry came into the room and kneeled down in front of her.
"You know baby, you really do have a nice voice!" he said giving her cheek a slight pinch. Dakota giggled and hugged her brother tightly. Just hours later, Dakota and her brothers sat around the dinner table eating. Dakota pushed her empty plate away from her and jumped up from the table. She ran upstairs and got her portable CD player off the dresser. She ran back down stairs and into the living room. She sat down on the couch between Angel and Sofi. Putting on the headphones she pushed play. Music blared from her head phones causing her to cringe and turn it down.
"You trying to make yourself go deaf Dakota?" Jack asked. She stuck her tongue out at him and pulled off the headphones.
"You know what? I hate my name! I want a new one!" Dakota said. Sofi gasped slightly and grabbed a book off the table. She flipped through it, muttrering while Jack, Angel and Dakota just looked at her.
"Here we go! Dakota, this is what is says about your name. You are a charismatic individual with a dynamic and attractive personality. Probably not known for your caution or patience you are a risk taker who hates to be restricted in any way. Freedom is very important to you. Your thinking and intuition is strong and you have a talent for communication. You enjoy the sensual and material pleasures of life and with the application of care and wisdom you can achieve wonderful worldly success." Sofi said. She sat the book between her legs and looked up.
"What the hell is that?" Dakota queried, earning a light smack from Angel. Sofi laughed softly. "Its a name meaning book. I bought it at the store. It looked intersting." she replied. Dakota smiled and took the book from Sofi. She flipped through it, stoping when she saw a name that she liked. "Here we go. Hailie: You have enormous vitality and originality making you a dynamic individual with great charm and sex appeal. You believe in putting one hundred per cent into all your activities of which there are many. You have potential to achieve great success in business or public affairs where your friendship and consideration of others wins you many allies. Your innate strength and determined effort is able to overcome any obstacles. Freedom is important to you. Thats the name I want!" Dakota said. She handed the book to Jack.
"Wait, sex appeal? You ain't got nor need no sex appeal. Your only eleven!" Angel said. Sofi, Jack and Dakota laughed.
"Whats so funny in here?" Bobby and Jerry said. Dakota, Sofi and her two brothers took turns to explain.
"Wait a minute, I don't mind you changing you name pigtails. But I'm not so sure about the sex appeal thing." Bobby said. He picked her up, sat on the couch and pulled her onto his lap.
"Thats what I'm sayin'!" Angel said. Dakota rolled her eyes. She looked at Sofi, begging for help.
"Well, how about Jade? Charming, witty, original and idealistic you have a creative and inventive mind with great intuition. Your broad vision, perceptive powers and compassion gives you an instinctive understanding of peoples needs. You are a natural leader who has a talent for inspiring and teaching others and always display fairness, honesty and integrity. You are always seeking a new challenge for your vast creative potential. That pretty much desribes you!" Sofi said. She looked at Dakota who smiled.
"Now that's better!" Bobby said. Dakota crawled of his lap and on to the floor. She sat between Sofi's legs. Sofi took her hair began braiding it. "I like that name a lot you guys!" Dakota said. Jack came and sat beside her. She smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Jade it is then!" He told her. Bobby, Angel and Jerry nodded in agreement. Dakota laughed and turned on the T.V. They were together again. A happy family. They were finally moving forward. Dakota put herself into a dream world where nothing bad could happen to her but she still had a sense of dread, for she could not see the road that laid ahead.
TBC