Don't Go
…A week later
"So, you're just leaving?" Drake asked from the doorway as Dina folded her clothes neatly before
putting them into her roller suitcase with the pink and purple hearts design.
"I'm simply going to check out some schools on the east coast."
"You can do that online."
Dina let her pale yellow cami fall out of her hands doing her best to turn around with an even
temperament on her face.
"I don't want to argue with you, Drake. Yet, this seems to be something you want. One minute you
resent me and then the next you try and beat up the man that broke my heart; you cannot have it
both ways."
"I don't want to argue with you, Dina. I didn't mean to reveal anything to T-Rod. How insensitive of
a jerk do you think I am?"
"I never know where I stand with you. I'm either your favorite person or you grow ashamed of
me—and I cannot take it anymore. I will not."
Drake started to walk away he really didn't need this bullshit, but something made him stand his
ground.
"I DON'T hate you. I don't know where you get off thinking that. And while we're at it—what I
wrote in my journal is NONE of your business!"
"…maybe I shouldn't have." She conceded, but wasn't really sure if she meant those words. He'd
have read her private things if they were just out in the open. Okay, so his was hidden under the
sofa. Same thing.
"So you can have a double standard, but I can't? I KNOW it's NOT your fault, okay? DO you
think I'm stupid like everyone else seems to think? Dina, you used to make me believe in myself. I'm
SORRY my prejudice got in the way--." Drake wanted to sit down on the sofa that was now in his
basement bedroom so he had to settle for one of the extra kitchen chairs instead.
Dina sighed and closed the door. She threw the bath towels that were draped over the office chair
she found at a flea market and sat next to her brother.
"I love you." She held his hand.
"I love you, too. I told you before it is taking me awhile to adjust to things. I'm not some bad person
that is going to make your life miserable."
God. What was happening to him? Drake Parker emote like this? He never really showed his inner
heart to anyone.
There were things about him that even their own mother didn't know.
"I know that."
"I knew it was wrong to blame you for Dad leaving….I needed to blame someone."
"And I was handy? Gee thanks. Do you resent me?"
"NO. I knew I was wrong to think this. I'm human. Everyone thinks I'm devil may care Drake. I
have feelings…and I know it's not your fault. I fucking know that, Dina. I just miss Walter. I can't
turn it off and hate him. Maybe, wherever he is, he's hurting too."
Drake stood up. He really needed to go outside for some air. He gently put his head against the
window glass.
Dina followed to put her hands on his shoulders. He was so tense.
"I'd be so lost without you in my life." She kissed his cheek and went back to resume her packing.
After a few seconds Drake turned around,
"You're still going?"
"Yes. I need the break. I need a change of scenery."
"But we made up…"
"Drake, I know that. It's got nothing to do with you---why don't you come with me?"
"I can't. I have a band, remember?"
"And you can't take some time off?"
"I think you're just using this trip as an excuse to run away from things."
"But we just made up." It was now Dina's turn to say
"So you're not running away?"
"If you were going on tour I wouldn't say you were running away from your problems."
"If I was going on tour, I'd have a reason."
"And who says I can't go to school on the east coast?"
"Only if you really want to, Dina, and I don't think you really want to."
"I do want to take a trip…"
"So take a trip," Drake folded his arms, "But don't act like you give a shit
about going to school on the east coast, when I KNOW better."
"My one friend is trying to get me tickets to see Oprah, but she's
not having much luck."
"Well there's other places you can go….."
"I really just want to be with Tommy." She admitted while her cheeks turned red at the thought of
packing her underwear in her suitcase with her brother in the room.
"I'm sorry about that. There's something not right about T-Rod."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not criticizing him, I'm just saying. I've known him for awhile and yet, I know nothing about
him."
"Since when do you guys have hearts to hearts?"
"You know what I mean. Come on, let's go…."
"Go where?"
"To the planetarium….you know…astronomy…the study of stars and planets."
"It's exciting to know things! Why the planetarium?"
"Because there's this hot girl who works there that I want to go out with."
"Figures."
So, Drake wanted to take Dina to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center because he just wanted to
see the typical 'hot girl' who works there?
No. He wanted to spend time with Dina, but for some reason after all the words they just said, and
have said, he couldn't bring himself to actually say so. Dina closed her suitcase and snapped it shut.
She could finish this later.
"Okay. I'll go with you, Drake. But only on one condition?"
"What's that?"
"That you'll buy me a strawberry banana smoothie."
"You got yourself a deal."
There was no need to hug or to proclaim, "I love you" once again.
It was a given.
2 a.m. posting on Dina's YG:
My doubts regarding my brother Drake are 100 per cent officially over. He cares.
He really does care.
--xoxo Hugs and Kisses,
Dina