"Ugh. My head." Frankie groaned resting her head on the steering wheel.

"Get some sleep today, I'll visit- ah... I mean I'll check in on you....yeah?"

Dakota mumbled looking at her in worry, Frankie smiled turning to mindlessly brushing her fingers through his hair as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"You can visit why wouldn't you-"

"Ahhh. Nothing, no reason!" He almost yelled looking fretful, Frankie stared at his obvious body language screaming 'Don't ask me.'

she narrowed her eyes having an inkling as to why he might be reacting like this but didn't bother to voice it. She sat up properly to trail her fingers behind his ear, she smirked watching him flush with the way she caressed him and pulled back.

"We still need to talk.... okay?" She reminded him watching as he nodded, Frankie finding the gesture cute with the way his hair bounced.

"Of course."

He replied softly, he didn't look upset or even sad.

"Ah. Right." He pulled her to him then, to kiss her forehead.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet so this the best I can do."

Frankie laughed blushing at his need to always kiss her, She liked it.

Dakota got out, a large coat he took from Frankie's car over his dress. She waved to him as she pulled away. He watched her go feeling worried about how she'd take what he had to say during their talk.

When she found him, he realized just how much she actively cared for him. She didn't get upset and curse at him, she was willing to wait to hear his reasons, she made him feel... Safe. He smiled to himself, wondering how he could've gotten her personality so wrong; first impressions were important but they weren't everything.

He went inside and went up to his room, his parents more or likely still asleep.

He showered and checked to see if he had everything he had carried to the party before going into his bed.

His body relaxed being in a familiar environment.

He sighed deeply his worry still sitting on his chest. No matter how much Lewis had hurt him he didn't want Frankie to dislike him, to cut him from her life. He feared she'd do it for his sake; he'd only feel guilty in the long run even though he knew he has nothing to be guilty of.

He felt his eyes get heavier from all the drama and activities he did the night before and soon he was asleep.

-

"Oh thank heavens!! I was worried, she looked so heartbroken when I told her you didn't want to see her!" Dakota's mom gushed watching her son eat.

"She was?"

"Yes! The poor girl looked like she wanted to cry but she was glaring the whole time" she mumbled thinking back.

Dakota chuckled, his mother's description matching Frankie to a T.

"Will you be back later?"

"Oh? Yes why wouldn't I?"

"Oh nothing...." She hummed looking at him suggestively.

"Mom!"

"What?? I know you did it!" She yelled matter of factly.

"Dad!"

"I don't know what she's on about." His dad muttered burying his face in his food.

Dakota blushed red feeling utterly embarrassed.

"You make it obvious sweety. Either way good luck." He groaned rolling his eyes wanting for forget the entire conversation. He finished and stood up.

He spent most of the day asleep and the last two hours recovering.

It was almost a few minutes past five but Frankie didn't want to delay them talking and ordered him to meet her in the local park. He was nervous and planned to actually avoid her again so he's glad she's forcing him to just do what he's afraid to.

He knew he couldn't refuse either as she threatened to "drag him by his wig" her words not his.

He smiled and stood up collecting his things and making the small trek to their meeting spot. He wore a simple blue hoodie, dark basketball shorts and some sneakers.

As he walked he collected his thoughts and choose his words carefully.

"Hey...."

He greeted Frankie watching as she stood up to greet him in return. They were meeting at a gazebo in the local park. It was really clean and comfortable, being surrounded by a few trees so it thankfully wasn't as windy.

He sat down feeling his nerves get to him.

Frankie watched him as he tried to calm down and sighed. He wasn't wearing anything grand yet those simple clothes looked like luxury brands on that body of his.

She took his hand in hers once he sat down and reached over to gently peck him on the cheek. He laughed at the sudden affection and relaxed feeling a bit better from the attention he got.

"Relax Dakota. I'm not mad okay?"

He nodded understanding this.

"What happened....why didn't you contact me?"

Frankie already knew the answer to the very question she asked, but a apart of her wanted to see how deep of a hold the culprit had on Dakota. If he'd lie straight to her face without batting a single ey-

"It was Lewis!! He threatened me, and tailed me! He even has pictures! I don't know where he got them. Ah!! I was worried I couldn't eat or sleep I kept thinking he'd out me anyway if I did listen to him and stay away from you....I didn't want to! But I had to, Frankie I like you a lot and I understand that I'm a little different, but I didn't think I'd ever find someone who-"

Frankie covered his mouth her eyes wide, amusement written across her face.

I overestimated him.

She laughed not believing how easily he confessed the entire thing.

She smiled at him feeling proud for his bravery, she knew that he probably stressed over this more than he needed to.

"Thank you...Dakota, for not lying to me."

Dakota felt his heart warm at the smirk she wore on her lips.

Frankie....

She sat back and sighed loudly.

"I actually wasn't going to go to the party until last minute....."

☆ A day earlier...☆

Where did you go.... Dakota....?

Frankie clenched her teeth together feeling her blood boil.

How dare that pest suddenly stop being attached to me?? Did I give him permission to suddenly vanish?

She glanced at her brother who was now humming delighted to himself. She glared and decided to no longer go to the party, she knew that would definitely make him sad.

She was miserable so she figured he should be too!

Getting up she went upstairs to change her uniform when her brother's odd behavior earlier came to mind. It was subtle but she's been around him long enough for it to linger in the back of her mind.

She hummed putting a shirt on.

As she went back down she paused at her brother's room that was still partially open.

Am I thinking too much?

She shrugged walking past it and going back downstairs.

"Yeah keep an eye on him. We can't have him going to the party, most kids from her school will be there."

Frankie stilled, frozen in place by the hushed tone her brother was using. Something told her not to move.

"What? No. Doesn't matter if he crossdresses he's still a guy so if you gotta use force it's no problem."

Crossdresses? Wait....it couldn't be.....

"Mm. Yeah, just be on standby, if he goes out we'll spread the images immediately.... Headlines will only have Dakota Song the local pervert in bold for weeks"

Lewis cackled silently thinking no one heard him.

Images...?

Frankie exhaled slowly, her blind rage taking control of her. She turned and went back upstairs as her brother continued to brag to whoever he was talking to about how he was bullying a poor highschool student.

She entered his room, frowning at how messy and disgusting it was. She went through his draws not the least bit bothered she was leaving traces of her presence and looked for evidence of his deeds.

After a moment she found nothing.

She quickly realized it's probably digital and that made her tense.

Mm. This is bad.....

She turned to her side to see her brother's wooden bat. She stared at it for a moment her mind slowly formulating a way to protect Dakota.

-

Lewis ended the call tossing his phone to the side. He felt pretty good, he was finally going to hang out with his sister and the pervert wasn't around her anymore.

He wondered if what the kid said of Frankie knowing of his sick activities was true, but figured he'd ask her once he got into her good graces, for now she at least wasn't mad at him, he'd take that as a-

He jumped up hearing something shatter upstairs.

What the- ah.. Frankie!

He stood and bolted up the stairs worried she might be hurt. Their parents were working late so he hoped that wasn't the case.

"Frankie are you-.....F-Frankie?"

He gasped looking around his room.

Every trophy he had on display was now broken

"What...why are you in my room??!" He screamed finally realizing where she stood. Frankie was hunched over having used all her force to break the last of his precious items.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He yelled his anger rising.

Lewis watched her stand fully and turn to him, her fine twist hair covering most of her face.

"Oi..... Lewis."

She started sounding eeriely calm. He tensed a shiver running down his spine and his anger quickly going.

Something wasn't right.

"How does it feel to lose something precious? Bad right? You're angry right? It's not a nice feeling right?? Having someone mess with your things?"

He suddenly felt scared, it didn't make sense it wasn't like she suddenly grew horns so why should he be scared, he should be angry!

Frankie lifted the bat to point at him and he stepped back instinctively.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from him?"

It clicked and Lewis felt his stomach fall through his ass.

She knows?!!

He didn't have time to think about how she knew, he slowly stepped back feeling that same fear grow the longer he stood infront of her. There was another reason why he couldn't hit his sister besides the fact that she was a girl....

Frankie bent down to pick up a baseball that conveniently sat by her feet.

..... Frankie was the type to give back what you gave her ten fold once you pissed her off; especially if you were a male. He made a mistake once of touching her on a bad day, it was one of those days after the incident of him stealing money. He came back wanting to visit her and from his slip up he soon he found himself in the ER. He didn't know how it happened, he only remembered hearing something snap.

Be it her sanity or her last straw.

Everything after was just a blur and all he remembered was pain.

"AHHHH!!!" Lewis screamed as the ball came right at him, Frankie had swung the bat to hit it. He ducked, his heart slamming wildly. He looked up where he once stood to see it was a baseball lodged into the dry wall behind him.

He swallowed thickly.

"You've done enough to piss me off Lewis. I told you....I warned you...." She whispered dragging the bat behind her. Lewis stood up and jumped down the stairs running towards the door, suddenly something large crashed in front of him.

"AHH SHIT!!" He yelled falling down, he scrambled back to see it was one of the large vases from upstairs. He looked up to see Frankie glaring down at him as she came down.

"Ugh annoying, My aim still sucks."

"Fr- Frankie listen I.. I just wanted to help... I-"

She sighed her anger almost oozing from her body to how much she had. She didn't even sound angry, she spoke so casually and relaxed but her entire face and body language spoke in volumes, she was pissed.

This was why Lewis was afraid, he'd rather she screamed at him like before, when she got like this she could seriously hurt him...just like that time.

Lewis looked down feeling tears in his eyes. He was scared and now he was frustrated, he can't hurt her, he refuses to raise his hand at his little sister but if he can't defend himself then she'd probably kill him.

The bat rested on his shoulder and he tensed completely not moving at inch.

"Are you the reason behind Dakota's odd behavior"

"I don't know who you're-"

Frankie swung the bat into the counter breaking it into half, a loud bang echoed into the house.

He flinched and looked up at her to see she looked murderous. The broken bat turned into a spiked weapon from her destruction, it was then pointed directly at Lewis.

"You're nothing more than a filthy maggot who just so happened to be related to me. I'm tired of you, and if I'm tired of you....I'll remove you."

"Wait I-"

"Do you think I'm playing?" Lewis watched a crooked smile form on her face her eyes wide and unfocused.

"I'll gut you like fish and sell you on the market. You don't deserve mercy. Men like you are nothing more than annoyances in my life...." She whispered her voice getting lower.

He stared at her and she stared back in silence waiting for him to answer her.

"Yes.... It was me. I met with Dakota." He finally admitted not wanting to be hurt by the broken bat still dangerously close to his face.

Frankie stared at him, she threw the bat away and walked closer to stand infront of him.

"It was me! Yes but listen Frankie he-"

She silenced him with a back handed slap, watching as his face snapped to the side from the force. Her anger subsided and soon she felt tears fill her eyes.

"How dare you. Fucking pig." She spat glaring down at him.

"Delete everything you collected on Dakota Song, and keep your people's mouth shut. If you don't I'll report you to the police for blackmailing."

"Why the fuck do you keep protecting that pervert??" He yelled looking down at his feet still trying to recover from the shock of being slapped.

He didn't get it. He was trying to protect her so why?? Why?? Why?? Why?? Why can't she see that he's doing this for her own good???

"Because I like him!"

Huh....? Like..?

"That 'pervert' is my boyfriend, and if he's a pervert I am too." Frankie stated clearly as she stared down at him, his head still hanging low.

"Frankie no you-"

He started finally looking up to met her eyes wanting to object until he saw the one thing that kept his mouth clamped shut.

"You're pathetic. I can't believe you're my brother."

"No...." He whispered watching the disappointed look in her eyes.

He looked away that same gaze haunting him for most of his life.

He hated it.

"Oh my gosh!! What the hell happened??"

Lewis flinched hearing his mother enter the room, not even hearing the door open from being too caught up in his own thoughts.

Frankie glared down at him before turning to go up stairs avoiding the many questions from her mother and leaving him to sort it out.

Let's go get Dakota.

☆ Presently... ☆

Dakota gasped covering his mouth.

"Holy crap...."

Frankie did that? Is it bad that he found that badass....maybe a little hot...?

He blushed holding his cheeks, they felt hot.

He was right, he knew Frankie would fight for him and while she sounded so cool he still felt bad that they fought.

He's never had a sibling so he wasn't sure how that dynamic worked but he knew they were people to be cherished the same way he would with his little cousins. He hated when they'd fight with each other.

He glanced at Frankie who looked perfectly fine, giving him a moment to digest all she told him.

Ah well.... Frankie wasn't him so maybe she didn't feel too bad...

"Then...what did your mom do? I'm sure she was shocked."

"She was upset but I just stayed in my room listening to her cuss at my brother. She reprimanded me too so I'm actually grounded...." She chuckled sheepishly. Dakota smiled listening as she continued.

"But! She let me come talk to you as this is important."

Dakota's heart skipped a beat at this.

"My brother said he'd pay for the repairs and we haven't said a word to each other since. I went to the party hoping you'd be there and thankfully I found you." Frankie gave his hand a small squeeze and Dakota smiled in return.

"I didn't think he'd go so far, before leaving he told me he took care of everything and he was sorry."

"Do you forgive him?"

"No. Not yet.....I'll never forgive anyone who hurt you, but....sigh he's my brother so I'm considering it."

Dakota cleared his throat trying to quell his excitement, the serious expression she wore getting to him.

Ah. I feel like a damsel....mmm. It's not a bad feeling....

"Why do I feel you're always protecting me?"

"I'm not. You just get in more trouble than I do. You protect me too, even though you do it in a dumb way; you staying away from me is a dumb way to protect me."

Dakota smiled though it didn't reach him eyes. Frankie was so honest that it hurt sometimes.

He chuckled knowing it was just another thing that fascinated him about her.

"Okay okay....I get it. Sigh. I let him use my own insecurities against me."

"You should've trusted me more...." She whispered turning to meet his eyes.

Dakota looked down knowing she was right.

"I should have...." He admitted gazing at their joined hands.

"I decided to date you of my own free will. Do you really think I didn't consider the public opinion or how our families might take it?"

Dakota smiled sheepishly coming to fully understand his mistake. Frankie moved her hand from his to gently hold his face and guide him to face her, staring deep into his eyes.

"That didn't matter to me Dakota; their opinions aren't mine. You need to remember that."

He looked at her, seeing no doubt in her her eyes or her words.

"Yes. I'll remember." He smiled sadly his heart swelling and aching as he realized how wrong he was.

"....but... I guess thank you...for trying to protect me" she smiled letting go to hold his hand again.

"Haha...You're wel-"

"But if you pull that stunt again I'll break your legs."

Dakota swallowed thickly his heart coming to a stop.

"Ha! I'm joking! Gosh!..... Sorta....I'm half Joking."

Ah. So the other half you're serious?

Dakota laughed pulling her to him for hug, he felt his heart skip a beat as she snuggled into him.

He caressed her face taking in how cute she was, her cheeks were chubby and her hands were so small. He kissed her on the cheek, loving how his lips sunk into her skin.

He nuzzled her with his nose and sighed loving everything about this moment.

"Ah I feel so dumb for being so happy." He admitted burying his face in her hair to take in her scent. He breathed deeply.

"Dakota stop being a creep."

"I'm already a pervert just let me..." She laughed pulling back to hit him and he smiled.

"Alright alright. I won't be a creep.... Ugh people just won't let you shine."

She laughed at his obvious joke shaking her head at his antics.

"Should we stay a bit longer?"

"Definitely." He agreed hugging her tighter.

It's here he came to realize that his feelings of like were maybe just a bit more than that.....