"Dude where were you Saturday?" Dylan asked ruffling his red hair.

"Out." Dakota grumbled leaning back in his chair.

"We needed an extra hand for the tournament." Garret explained sipping his cafeteria milk.

"Too bad." Dakota chuckled, playing his usual brooding mysterious persona. His friends didn't bother to question him as they were used to his limited responses.

Friends.... Can I even call them that?

He didn't know how he ended up with them but they've been stuck to him for as far back as he could recall. They'd drag him around to play games and to go to the movies, to parties or just to chill at each other's houses.

They were annoying at first, he didn't get why they continued to talk to him even though he barely spoke. He was grateful they were still around him and while he might not be able to be his true self around them he enjoyed their company.

He listened to them talk strategy for the next tournament they'd probably drag him to and looked up to see Frankie.

He watched her sit with her friend's laughing about something they said.

She was so beautiful, he wondered how he never saw it before. The more he saw her the more attractive she seemed to be in his eyes.

He continued to watch her, and frowned seeing her look in a specific direction but it was the almost heart broken wishful look on her face that got him to follow her gaze, to see she was staring at.... Nathan? His brows furrowed in confusion.

Why is she looking at Nathan?

He glanced between the two with narrowed eyes.

Does he owe her money? Mmm. No. That's not the expression of a dept collector.....

He continued to examine the scene before him and tensed as her expression softened. He stared in silent shock trying not to let his mask break.

He's never seen her look so.... fragile? Vulnerable? She just looked so much smaller than usual.

He felt his chest tighten but not in the way it did before, this one hurt.

He looked away not sure what he was feeling.

"Frankieeeee."

She groaned leaving the cafeteria and turned to see Dakota.

"Yes Satan?"

"Oi, be nice." He warned watching as she clicked her tongue and glared at nothing.

"Yes....Dakota?"

"Ahh... Isn't that better?" He asked throwing his hand over her shoulder and she immediately moved to break his wrist.

"AH! AH! OKAY MESSAGE RECEIVED!" He yelled sighing in relief once she let him go.

She brushed her shoulder off and walked away leaving him to play catch up.

He walked behind her wondering if he should bring up what he saw earlier, he felt his chest tighten in that uncomfortable sensation again and decided to just ask what he had a hunch on.

"Do you like Nathan?"

It happened so fast he didn't even have a moment to think.

Frankie yanked him by his sleeve and pulled him into the Janitor's closet, into a chair by the door, slammed it shut and flicked the single hanging light on.

"Who told you?" She sneered grabbing him by his collar to glare at him.

Dakota felt uncomfortable, not even by the almost impossible stunt Frankie just pulled but by his hunch being right....

"No one. You make it pretty obvious." He teased his heart not really in it. He expected her to cuss at him or hit him, the usual but instead she flushed red looking panicked.

"Oh my gosh really??"

Dakota felt sick.

Who was this?

He watched Frankie try to hide her embarrassment and felt himself physically get angry.

What's up with me..?? It's fine if she has a crush.... Isn't it?

He gave her a second to calm down before continuing.

"Why haven't you told him yet?"

Frankie let out a frustrated sound, that was almost animalistic.

"It's your damn fault!!" She spat pointing a accusing finger.

"Because of your stupid meddling I missed my chance to confess to him! People still think we're dating!!" She yelled sounding disgusted by the mere thought.

Dakota ignored his hurt over that and said:

"Well can't you just explain-"

"No!...ah...I mean I could but...." She mumbled looking down her anger quickly fading.

"But what...?" He asked looking up at her from his seat. He could clearly see her expression even though she had her head down.

She looked sad, and dare he say pitiful.

"I'm not exactly his type anyway.... I was pretty upset when he heard the rumor..." She sighed chuckling bitterly.

"I cried so much, gosh I wanted you dead that day!" She turned to glare at him.

Dakota recalled her pushing him and crying in the middle of the corridor.

Was it then?

"After that I realized he might've rejected me anyway. He was the only guy I didn't hate.... I've liked him for two years now."

"Huh?! Two years??"

"Mm." Frankie shrugged trying to brush off her confession.

"So I figured letting him misunderstand was better."

Dakota sat there feeling empty and oddly numb. He understood now why he kept wanting Frankie around, why he even bothered to keep up with her insults. It wasn't because he wanted a girl who knew he crossdressed to hang out with, that was partially true; but it wasn't that he was lonely or wanted some sort of revenge, it wasn't any of these feeble reasons he kept telling himself.

He liked Frankie. He liked her romantically.

He laughed loudly, unable to contain the irony of his realization. He realized this only while the girl he liked spoke so fondly of her two year crush?

"Are you going crazy?"

"I might as well...." He mumbled bitterly to himself.

"Anyway! Don't tell anyone, you're already causing me enough problems!" She spat ready to leave.

Not thinking about it and being caught up in the moment Dakota suggested something he didn't think he would.

"Let me help!"

Frankie stopped to turn around.

"Huh? Help with what?"

"Let me help you get Nathan, I'll help you be the girl he wants! I'll help you confess."

Ahhh.....I really have gone mad!

Frankie paused, looking down at her feet and considering his suggestion. The memory of Dakota talking to Nathan flashed through her mind.

If they were friends then that means.....

She looked up to meet his eyes.

"How?"

"I'm the most gorgeous person you know I'm sure, I can teach you makeup, fashion and everything Nathan likes in a woman."

"Are you friends with Nathan?"

"You could say that... So I know what he's into."

He looked away as he said that and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

Could she really become the girl Nathan wanted? Could her first love live again?

She grinned liking the idea.

"All right! You got yourself a deal. I'll consider it a reimbursement for having to put up with you."

Frankie winked, oblivious to the pain she just threw at Dakota and left the Janitor's closet. He didn't know why he suggested such a thing, maybe he was desperate to be around her for other reasons besides blackmailing? or maybe he wanted to sabotage this two year long love?

He sighed exiting the closet.

Ahhh. Just what am I doing?

☆

Dakota sat outside after school in the garden.

Frankie already left school as did his friends.

His parents were home and while he didn't mind them he knew they'd question his less than happy attitude and he really didn't want to talk about it.

Since the Janitor's closet he's been pretty miserable, his realization coming to him at a really bad time.

When did I even start liking her?

They only met a month ago.... He remembers seeing her before then, from time to time; as they shared certain classes but it's not like he singled her out. She was just another face in the crowd so when did he start.....

He thought back to those days she'd avoid him and how worried he was. How he'd find his eyes watching her at lunch or staring at her longer than he needed to, if he caught a glimpse of her in the halls. At first he stared at her in annoyance, ticked off by the way she treated him but at some point his gaze changed from anger to curiosity, to want and then to yearning.

He sighed holding his face in his hands.

"Maybe I really am a Masochist."

"You're a masochist too?"

He tensed hearing a familiar voice, looking past his fingers he glanced at his cousin in annoyance.

"What do you want Nathan?"

The blue eyed boy grinned, still sweaty from practice, his jersey muddy and damp.

"I was just passing by and saw you; figured I'd say hi."

"You're not exactly the type to say hi just for the sake of it. What is it?" He spat already fed up with him.

Nathan had everyone in this school, down to the teachers fooled. He wasn't any saint.

A few students are aware of this of course but due to his influence, saying anything bad about him immediately got you shunned. It was cult like behavior but nothing could be done, it was of their free will anyway.

"I hear you're dating...."

Dakota tensed and glared at him.

"Stay away from her."

"I didn't believe it when I first heard, so I ignored you but you two seem pretty buddy buddy huh." He grinned pulling out his phone to show a picture of them at the mall.

"You were there??"

"Dah. Isn't this the hot spot for most of us every Saturday?"

Dakota glared standing up, Frankie's confession coming to mind.

"I mean it Nathan, leave her alone... just don't."

Nathan had a bad attitude of playing with people like they were toys. He'd use them, manipulate them and squeeze them until they were too broken to fight against him anymore.

They'd end up depressed and their personalities would change all together. After he was done he'd just toss around money to get them to hush up.

He was horrible.

He's taken most of Dakota's girlfriends, granted it was easy for him to do so as they weren't loyal to him but either way it was unforgivable.

Nathan looked down at his phone to chuckle.

"I guess she knows you crossdress, damn... And she still hangs out with you? She's interesting."

"Can you not-"

"Anyway! Gotta run, I'll see you later?" He smiled going back to his prince like persona and ran off.

Dakota fell back to his seat feeling frustrated.

Nathan found out about his crossdressing from a few clothes he bought and hid in his room. He found them by pure chance.

He thankfully vowed to keep it a secret saying something about the least he could do for family but he still teased and mocked him in other ways.

Ugh why does Frankie even like him?

He couldn't blame her.

She wasn't seeing the real him, just a fabricated image.

He needed to do something.