Dear Dakota | Academic Rivalry Story

Twenty Nine | Anything For Her

D A K O T A R E I D

"You don't think she is being serious, do you?" Atlas opens his mouth to answer but no words come out of his mouth. "Amazing answer." I applaud. "I agree all the way."

"Excuse me sir but I had to think before something unwanted comes out of my mouth."

"What could be unwanted?" I question, thinking about the endless possibilities.

At says stupid things all the time.

I never expected him to say what he does. "Your sister agrees with Nyla."

I didn't know what to say when she told me there was a possibility that she would go to Syracuse. I can't get mad at her. It is her education and she should go to a school that makes her happy.

But Syracuse? Seriously Nyla.

"Hey man. As long as she isn't an Orange during the games then we will be good."

"What about the Presley vs Syracuse games. Where do you think she would go?"

At thinks then responds with, "Presley for sure. Syracuse loses at all the games. If I went there I would do the same."

I hate to admit this but the things Nyla said yesterday about the campus were true. The campus is beautiful. It is perfect for students... but so is Presley.

She hates the way Presley teaches but I love it.

This is disgusting. I feel like I am writing an argumentative essay with my girlfriend.

"At least she will have friends there right?" Atlas shrugs, not sure if I would take that positively or negatively. I don't respond. I don't really know how to. "Dakota is jealous! He doesn't want Ny to be friends with those boys! This is amazing."

I could roll my eyes but that is Nyla's thing. "I know those guys. Each of them has their own girl they're going for. They're cool people."

"Mhmm. Okay." At responds after taking a sip of some random smoothie he made.

"Do you not believe me?"

He shakes his head as the corner of his mouth tips up. "Nope, I definitely believe you." He says in the most lying tone I have ever heard before. "Nyla lied about not having friends here, though."

"No, she didn't. Neighborhood friends can be people you say hi to once every week. Rowan and Damien knew about us before we knew about them." I let him know. "I say hi to the junior that lives across the street from us but he isn't my friend."

He puts his hand up. "Yikes, I didn't mean for you to go all lawyer on me. Is that what you're doing after college cause I can definitely see you as a judge."

"And make a lot of money? Maybe. I could consider it."

"Also," Atlas starts a different topic that is beyond stupid to talk about. He swirls the straw in his smoothie as he asks, "Will you and Ny still be together?"

"We are only going to be thirty minutes apart. That is nothing. Plus, we still live next door to each other. None of that is going to change." I also want to tell him to not mention the topic ever again. Thinking about Nyla and me being apart makes me queasy. I have to keep reminding myself this is nothing compared to the Florida distance we had as friends.

"Fair enough. She is a smart girl, D. You can't take that part from her. Nyla knows what she wants and goes for it. I am not going to lie. I thought you were going to flip out."

"Why would I? I can't stop her from going somewhere she likes."

"But you're Dakota. You don't like it when things don't go your way?"