Behind a facade

6.

The crowded Lakeville High cafeteria wasn’t exactly the place for a peaceful, relaxing time. Whether it is break time or not, most of the student population preferred to spend their time in the cafeteria area without any particular reason. Giving into these circumstances, finding an empty spot in the seating area was considered a miracle. Especially during break times, finding a place to sit down wasn’t easy unless that person is really popular among the student community.

Dakota was sitting far back in the cafeteria space, as usual. It was her favourite spot in the seating area because she could see the sky through the window.

She put the cap backwards, making her unruly mid-length hair quite tamed. Then She took a big bite of her hamburger and start checking her old phone.

“Excuse me,”

A modulated voice caused Dakota to take off her attention from the cracked phone screen. The chubby girl from a few days ago was standing close to where Dakota was sitting with a meek smile on her face.

“Yes,” Dakota tried to sound concerned, wondering what does the girl want. “Can I help you?”

The girl tightened her grasp around the food tray. She gulped, struggling to find the right words. “If you don’t mind, can I sit here? I mean… I mean… it’s hard to find an empty spot,”

The corners of Dakota’s mouth turned up, seeing the innocent struggle of the girl. Her solitude mindset took some time to cooperate with the unfamiliar request.

“Yeah, yeah… you can. No problem,”

“Thank you, Dakota,” the girl flashed a grateful glance before taking the seat in front of Dakota.

Dakota couldn’t help but raise one of her brows. “You know my name!”

“Everyone knows you…,” the girl replied shyly.

“Is that so?” Dakota asked, stroking her chin. “Am I that popular?”

The girl’s claim was indeed fresh news to Dakota. There was a reason behind that. Though Dakota wasn’t completely antisocial, she never bothered to make close friends or associate with anyone else except Josh, her brother, and her father. On top of that, she had no interest in gossip and rumours. Less awareness of what is happening around her came with both advantages and disadvantages to Dakota.

A soft giggle escaped from the girl, making Dakota even more confused. The girl pressed her lips together, trying to control herself. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just your reaction.”

“What about my reaction?”

“Hmm,” the girl opened the fruit juice bottle and took a sip before replying to Dakota. “It was transparent. Hard to see such a genuine reaction these days,”

“Eh? Well, this is awkward,” Dakota blinked her eyes. She ended up directing an awkward grin. “Forget about me. No offence, but I still don’t know your name,”

“Oh sorry. I am Emma… Emma Holt,”

“Nice to meet you, Emma,”

“Nice to meet you too Dakota,”

A silence fell among them.

As most of the time, Dakota did not know how to continue the conversation. She exhausted her mind, thinking of a way to wipe out the awkwardness. Giving her a green light to escape from the situation, Dakota suddenly noticed nervous movements of Emma.

“Do you want to say something?”

Emma arched her head to a side. She nodded, showing that she got some courage from Dakota’s words. “I wanted to say thank you for helping us last week. Thank you so much. I am very grateful to you and your friend.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Emma,” Dakota felt ashamed, remembering how Josh and she deliberately wanted to avoid helping Emma and Luke at first. “We were just passing by.. and that punk dragged us into his mindless game,”

“No… No… listen to me. You might think you went along with it and helped us. Honestly, if you didn’t meddle… if you and your friend left us there on that day, Brian and others might have done worse… so thank you so much.”

The way Emma spoke without taking a breath made Dakota surprised. Her every action and word showed that Emma meant every word she said earlier.

As someone who is never good with words, Dakota struggled a bit. It even surprised her that she could talk to this extent with Emma until now. “Well… I have my doubts about whether we deserve your gratitude. And my friend has a name… Josh,”

“Josh Rooney… I know. I mean, everyone knows. He is a member of the football team. You guys are famous… both of you,”

Dakota chuckled. “I am sure Josh would be over the moon if he heard your words.”

“Really?”

“Yeah… He loves compliments. Anyway, I am glad to hear that you and Luke are okay.”

“Okay, for now,” Emma sighed. “Who knows when will they start again?”

Dakota narrowed her eyes. Though she preferred not to pry into others’ lives, Dakota felt there is more to the story. Her conscience compelled her to inquire. “Is there any reason they bully you and Luke?”

“Do they need a reason, Dakota?”

Gloominess engulfed Emma’s face, and it told a story that she didn’t tell by words. Dakota leaned forward and directed an assuring glance at Emma. “I know. It is solely based on their random pleasure in bullying someone. But Emma, you guys should tell someone about this.”

“It’s useless complaining to the school. After all, the school board is always in Brian’s father’s pocket.” Emma shook her head from side to side. Her voice carried hints of irritation.

“Privilege of being Mayor’s son,” Dakota let out a disappointed sigh. “Then, at least you have to stand up for yourself, Emma. Unless they won’t let you go.”

“I spent my whole life as a joke to others, simply because of my body shape, Dakota. It will always remain like that. Standing up for myself won’t change anything,”

The hurt in Emma’s eyes provides all silent pieces of evidence that how many painful encounters she has to face, and how many struggles she has had to endure throughout the years because of body shaming. Dakota could guess how much damage has been done to this innocent girl by others until her self-esteem became low to the point that she unknowingly expressed it through her words.

Dakota’s forehead furrowed. “Let me tell you something, Emma. You have to love yourself. No one loves or accepts you unless you accept yourself as who you are. It is something I have learned in my life,”

Emma’s eyes remained on Dakota’s face for some time, as if she was trying to find some assurance. Then she lowered her head and remain silent, deeply drowning in her thoughts. Dakota decided not to break the silence, understanding a girl like Emma needs time to think.

“Hmmm…. I don’t know what to say, Dakota,” finally, she broke the silence, after what felt like a decade. She placed the sandwich that she was eating on the tray and started rubbing her palms.

“You can call me, DK. Josh, call me by that. Take your time and think about what I said,” Dakota nodded encouraging manner.

Emma leaned forward on the chair, with a lit-up face. “I will, DK,”

“Good,”

They both shared a smile. Before they could say anything else, a shrill tone interrupted them.

“OMG… look who it is!”

Ashley Jackson’s voice wasn’t a new thing for both Dakota and Emma. In Lakeville High, there was only one voice that could give people a suffocating feeling.

Emma turned her face at once. Dakota shook her head slightly and continue eating her meal, pretending not to recognize Ashley’s voice.

“Seems like you were correct, Ash,” Maddison Weil’s voice came next.

Dakota controlled the urge to look in the direction the voices came from, knowing Tessa is probably with Asley and Maddison.

“I told you, girls. These two are becoming a thing.” Ashley’s jeering words made Dakota turn her head this time. She narrowed her eyes at Ashley.

“Dating is dating. Why so secretively? Right?” Maddison asked. Her voice was loud enough to take everyone’s attention in the cafeteria area by the time. Whispering and murmuring sounds start rising.

“T…?” Ashley looked at Tessa as if she was expecting something.

Tessa, who was looking somewhere else through the window, turn her attention towards Ashley first. They shared a glance before Tessa moved her gaze in the direction of Dakota and Emma. She shrugged her shoulders. “They are such a unique couple. So, how could their dating life be normal? ”

Ashley and Maddison burst into a laugh, hearing Tessa’s words. Dakota rolled her eyes, standing up. For some reason, she didn’t feel good about where this talk starting to head. What did she expect from Tessa?

“Hey… it’s not like that. Don’t makeup stories,” Emma cried out. She stood up, clenching her hands. Dakota remained where she was and directed a praising glance at Emma. The shocked look on Ashley’s face was indeed satisfying to see.

“Damn neckless dotty… you are capable of raising your voice,”

“It is the power of love, Ash,” Maddison sneered, wrapping a curl around her finger. “WOW!”

“Don’t… drag Dakota… into this,” Emma tried to speak up again. “She is the only one….”

“I am moved… Such a devoted love….”

Dakota placed the food tray on the table, making a loud sound. As she expected it took the bothersome girls’ attention. They became silent. Their meaningless words didn’t hurt Dakota, since she never took irrelevant people or their words to heart. Emma wasn’t like her. She certainly became uncomfortable with Ashley’s sarcastic words.

Dakota’s eyes met Tessa’s eyes when she was not expecting it. Her heart starts beating faster, and she worried for a second Tessa might hear how loud her heart is beating at the moment. Even so, Dakota tried to find pieces of old Tessa in those beautiful sapphire eyes whom she used to know before Tessa changed into a stranger. Her attempt failed, gifting Dakota a sense of disappointment.

“It’s not like we are dying to talk to you two,” said Tessa. “We are here to tell this one that the drama club needs her. Mrs Potter is looking for her,”

It shocked Dakota how much Tessa has changed. Her words, her actions and every little thing about her had changed as if she was born again as another person. If Dakota didn’t know Tessa until middle school, even she will never believe this girl once had another side to her.

What surprised Dakota more was her own heart. Even after listening to all these cruel words, or even after seeing how insensitive Tessa can be, Dakota couldn’t hate her. Instead of hating, Dakota ended up worrying about Tessa more.

“What!” Dakota questioned. Her brows knitted together, showing her inner frustration.

Emma stood up to her feet with wide eyes. The way how she was collecting her belongings revealed her restlessness.

“DK, it’s okay. I am fine,” she mouthed. “I’ll go and find Mrs Potter,”

Dakota simply nodded after struggling to control her anger. She knew at this moment Emma didn’t need her help.

When they were about to leave, Dakota saw a slight movement of Ashley. The next second, Emma fell. The loud ‘thud’ sound made everyone look in their direction.

It was Ashley. Dakota easily understood what Ashley did. Dakota hurried around the table and kneeled next to Emma.

“Hey… hey... are you okay, Emma?” Dakota asked gently. She met Emma's blurry eyes, who is struggling to handle the embarrassment. The whole cafeteria was watching them like they are watching a film. Some were laughing, some were murmuring...

Dakota put her hand around Emma’s shoulder and helped her to straighten her body.

“She tripped me,” Emma mumbled. Her entire body was shaking, as well as her voice.

“I saw it,” said Dakota, patting lightly on Emma’s shoulder. “I am here. It’s okay,”. She didn’t forget to direct a reassuring glance at Emma.

Emma buried her head in Dakota’s shoulder, hiding her face from others. Dakota slowly helped Emma to stand up, letting her keep hiding her face. She could sense Emma is crying.

“Oh, my god… we thought it was an earth quick,” Ashley raised her voice dramatically while directing a satisfying glance at Dakota and Emma.

“This is damn hilarious,” Maddison giggled, sitting on a table.

The crowd gathered around them started laughing, making Dakota almost lose her control. She tightened her grasp around Emma’s shaking shoulder while taking both of their empty food trays using her free hand.

“Let’s go,” Dakota whispered to Emma.

“Girls, we should go,” Tessa interrupted. “This is quite a disgusting sight,”

Tessa’s words froze Dakota’s legs for a second. A sharp pain hit her. She forced her legs and body to move forward, reminding herself that she has to help Emma as well. It wasn’t time to hesitate.

Dakota slowed down while passing Tessa for a second and directed a sideway glance at her. She didn't forget to state what was inside her mind using a lower voice.

“Fake people have no right to comment or judge how disgusting the rest of the world is,”