Danni could still feel the hot touch of Dustin's' hand on her hip even now as she drove home. Tink gave her a questioning look before she left the house. Explaining to her as well that nothing happened last night. Hating the fact that everyone still thought of her as a child. She was going to be twenty-one in less than a month. More than old enough to decide on her own. Though last night was more of a choice made by Dustin passing out on top of her. His weight to heavy for her to push so she couldn’t get from underneath him.

Before she even had time to get out of her car Mike came walking out the front door demanding to know where she was at all night. From the look of things, he was still hungover himself. Shaking her head as she passed him not caring to answer the question. He grabbed her arm pulling her back towards him.

“I said where were you?”

“I stayed at Tink’s last night, okay.”

The answer seemed to please him. Releasing her from his grip so she could walk inside. Mike following along behind her.

“You know I worry about you. Didn’t bother to text me or anything to let me know you were okay.”

“I don’t have to tell you everything and you were so drunk. You wouldn’t have even notice if I texted you.”

Mike gave her a hard look that quickly turned Danni’s tone around, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I really need to get ready for class.”

With that said she ran up the stairs to her room before Mike couldn't say anything else to her about it. It was just Mike and her. Their father left soon after she was born. At the time Mike was still so young he doesn’t remember much if anything about him. As for their mother, that’s just a sad story all around.

For a long while she blamed the two of them for their father leaving. Got to the point she just acted as if they were never around. Caused Mike to turn to the streets to support the two of them just before his eighteen birthday she got herself killed in a car accident hitting a tree. The courts allowed him to become her legal guardian. Nothing changed; he had already been the one taking care of her just the courts made it official.

Since she has gotten older and started to grow into her own his protectiveness has grown as well. To the point of being almost over-barring about it. From what she could see he found comfort in knowing all aspects of her life. Having some sense of control to his own.

Well, that’s what she told herself when she stopped believing it was just all the care he had for her. Now don’t get her wrong she loved her brother in and out. He’s the only one that’s ever truly been there for her but there were sometimes she just didn’t like him.

Showering and changing for school she grabbed her backpack by her bedroom door and headed back downstairs. Hearing voices in the kitchen she peeped her head inside before walking in. Catching Tiffany sitting on top of their kitchen counter. Her legs wrapped around her brother as she giggled about something he must have said.

Danni didn’t like Tiffany. Both of them knew it too. Grabbing one of her protein bars from the cabinet she tossed Tiffany a displeased looked. Mike to tangle up in her webs to even notice she entered the kitchen. Tiffany wasn’t ugly but she wasn’t the prettiest by any means; mossy brown hair, pale green eyes, long legs slimmer than Danni but not as curved out.

“Oh Danni I didn’t know you were home,” spoke Tiffany, returning the same look.

“Oh! Don’t mind me I’m just leaving," she spoke in the same fake happy tone Tiffany used around her. “I’ll be back later tonight after study group.”

Danni grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to her car. Tossing her things in the back seat before she sped out of the driveway. Hopefully, when she got home Mike would have sent Tiffany back to the gutter she crawled out of. Tiffany just used Mike. Everyone could see it and part of her even believed Mike saw it just didn’t do anything about it. Tiffany opened her legs for anything that had some form of money or power.

Being late to class didn’t help her mood much. Everyone turning around as she walked in five minutes late. The teacher didn’t continue on till after she took her seat. Pulling out her notepad and pencil she quickly started taking notes. It wasn’t long before her mind started to drift off to other more pleasing thoughts.

Thoughts of Dustin pulling her close to him the night before. Holding her tight and not letting go. She had never been held like that before in her life; it made her feel needed. Her mind skipping over the fact that he was drunk and probably didn’t know what he was doing. Also the fact that he didn’t seem to remember anything about the night. In her mind those things didn’t matter.

The clock struck three. The sound of other students getting up and leaving for their next class pulled her back to reality. Looking down and her non-existent notes for the day. Gathering her things she moved on to her last class. Telling herself that nothing was going to happen and to forget about it. Making her was through her next class with ease taking more notes than she really needed to. In hopes of making up for missing out in her fist class.

By five o’clock she was at her part time job, changing into her waitress uniform in the bathroom before clocking in. Four days a week she worked at the local twenty-four hour diner just long enough to make a little cash to take care of her car and help Mike out with the bills.

Most of the time Mike told her to keep her money that he has everything under control. She knew that he ran drugs as the main income for the gang and that money has been the money that’s been taking care of her since she was a little girl.

Last minute she received a text that the study group had been cancelled for the week rolling her eyes at her phone before she made a U-turn in the road. Her house in the opposite direction of the library. Saying that it was fine because it gave her more time to finish the paper that’s due Monday.

“I’m home.” she spoke walking in the front door locking it behind her.

Once again a voice coming from the kitchen this time it was a male. Making her way over she peeped in again first before walking in. Something she learned as a small child to do. Scolded many times over that adult business was taking place and it wasn’t something she needed to be involved in.

Dustin sat at the kitchen table beer in hand with Mike across from him. Her heart raced again at the sight of him. Having rushed out of his room this morning after sleeping with him in some sorts. Dustin avoiding eye contact with her for that very reason.

“You’re early?” questioned Mike.

“Ummm, yeah study group got canceled tonight.”

“Study group?” questioned Dustin looking over his shoulder at her slightly.

“Yeah, Dannielle here is going to be a nurse. Just this last semester and she’ll have all her pre-crap done. She’s already been accepted to the nursing program just has to show proof she’s passed everything. Which she will.”

Mike's tone showed that he was more than proud of Danni. For this simple fact that she was trying to make something of herself in the world. Something he liked to take credit for and she did give some of the credit to him. Mike was her rock that allowed her have the life she had. Foster care wasn't a threat they took lightly when their mother passed.

Danni felt her cheeks blush as her brother talked about her.

“You make it sound like I’m going to be a doctor or something.”

“No, he’s right. Danni that’s awesome better than most of us here in this shit of a town.” Dustin praised raising his beer to her.

She was doing more than the two of them ever have. Hell Dustin fucked up high school when he was there. Let alone even think about going to college or getting a real career for himself. What she was doing was something to really be proud of.

“I gotta go work on my paper that’s due. Y'all don’t get too crazy down here.” Danni smiled at the two of them before she headed off to her room.