“So we have started this and we’re walking out with almost the same as when we got here?” she asked, puzzled.
He laughed as they left the main gate. “That’s the military for you—all powerful and slower than a snail.”
The drive back wasn’t so bad. Dakota was telling her about his friends on the base, and she started to envy him. He had two lives to live, and both were hard on him. She shook her head at what it must be like for him to straddle two completely separate lives. She just wished there was something she could do for him.
They stopped in front of her school before she realized it. He grabbed all the papers and asked, “Are you sure you want to change everything?”
She looked him in the eyes and said, “I married you. I took you as my husband. And I’m going to admit it to the world and accept it fully, including at school.”
When they walked in the office, the assistant principal, Mr. Damarion, was looking right at her. She wanted to hide, because she knew he didn’t like her. Dakota pulled his hat off, and Mr. Damarion seemed to change as he said, “Dakota Hunter, it’s been a while. How are you doing?”
Dakota smiled. “Good, I just got married.”
Mr. Damarion looked at her and shook his head. “At least you’re doing better.”
Dakota looked at her, but shook it off. “We need to get Cally’s records and address changed.”
Ms. Johnson got up and asked, “Is there a policy or form for a student getting married?”
Mr. Damarion walked over to them. “Can I see the marriage certificate?”
Dakota handed him the whole folder, and they just stood there, waiting for his judgment. “We can get the address changed today, but I will have to see what we need to do about the name change.” He looked at her. “This doesn’t happen very often, if ever.”
Dakota was a solid strength beside her as she stood up and said, “I love him, and our parents approve.”
Ms. Johnson handed Dakota a paper to fill out, and then said, “While you’re doing that, I should make copies of those for our records.”
While the two of them were busy, Mr. Damarion asked her, “Is this going to cause trouble?”
She knew what he was asking. Were Seth and his friends going to start something over this? Cally just nodded. “Probably.” Then she smiled. “But that’s high school.”
Mr. Damarion groaned. “I don’t want to have to deal with your mother over this.”
Dakota interjected, “You won’t have to. She’s not going to be a part of this anymore. If there’s a problem, you can come to me.”
Mr. Damarion looked to Dakota, smiling. “Does he know what has happened?” The question was directed to her.
“Sort of. He knows about Seth and the fact Seth is still stalking me. But I don’t care if you tell him.” But he turned to her, and she knew what he wanted her to do. “Dakota, last year, I was dating Seth, and throughout the year, we ended up down here for a few issues. Mainly fighting over boyfriends and girlfriends and things like that.”
Dakota was looking at her a little curiously, and she finished saying, “But that won’t happen this year, because I’m married and I have no real interest in establishing friendships. I’m only coming here to do my work, and that’s it.” She knew she was getting a little cocky as she gave Mr. Damarion a great big grin. “Besides, I’ll only be here a few months, because when the housing comes through, I’ll be moving.”
Mr. Damarion just shook his head. “That is yet to be seen.”
Dakota was clearly surprised at the way she was acting, but he confirmed it. “I was told it should take less than six months to get housing, and then she’s going to move up to the base with me.”
Mr. Damarion just shook his head as he walked back around the counter. “You have your work cut out for you if you think this is going to work. Ninety-three percent of teen marriages end in divorce within three years.” He pointed at her. “And that one is trouble.”
Dakota was clearly surprised. “She’s as quiet as they come, and we’ll make this work.”
She wrapped her arm around him as she asked as sweetly as she could, “Is there anything else we need to do?”
Ms. Johnson looked to Mr. Damarion, and he said, “Have them turn in the name change form for the adoption sheet. We can adjust the form later if we need to.” Then he disappeared into his office.
Dakota shook his head. “You have to explain this one.”
She couldn’t hold back the laugh as she said, “What can I say? I’m a little wild, but I think you’re taming me very well.” She reached up and kissed him, not caring that they were still in the school.
They were about to walk out when Mr. Damarion peered around the corner and added, “She better not get knocked up before she moves. I don’t need a pregnant teen running the halls.”
Dakota turned to him, and as formal as he could be, he said, “Sir, yes, sir.”
Then he leaned over and whispered to her, “We may have to wait on the babies until we’re on the base.”
She knew her face was turning red, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She had no intention of having a baby anytime in the foreseeable future. Being married at fifteen was one thing, but having a baby was pushing it way too far for her. She wasn’t even out of high school, and they were talking about babies and kids and things she so wasn’t ready for. She had thought this move was to help get her away from having to raise her sister, not to start a family of her own. She may be a teen bride, but there was no way she was going to be a teen mom too!
Dakota turned her back to the car and asked. “Why are you so quiet all of a sudden? I thought you were enjoying tormenting Mr. Damarion.”
She just blurted it out, “I’m not ready to have a baby. I’m not even out of school yet.”
He just laughed. “I was just teasing. There’s plenty of time for that later.” He kissed her and smiled. “Besides, I would at least want us living in the same house before we even think about that.”
“Great, now I’m going to be a teen bride and mom all before I have a diploma,” she groaned unceremoniously.
She let her head fall back to hit the car, and he took advantage of that by kissing her neck as he opened the door next to her, saying, “I want to pick up a few things before we head back.”
She just nodded. “Fine,” she said and slipped in the car with her blood on fire and her head spinning from his well-practiced kisses.
She looked around the drive and noticed there was no one home at his parent’s house. She looked to him and said, “I’ll wait while you get what you need.”
“They’re not home,” he assured her.
She just smiled, knowing the truth of it. “No, but Hannah is, and I have a feeling she’s not too happy with me.”
He got out and went in while she waited. Not five minutes went by when Hannah came out and got in on the driver’s side. Her look put fear into Cally as she demanded, “Why?” It sounded like an accusation more than anything.
“Because,” was Cally’s only answer, and then she offered, “I’ll still pick you up for school if that helps.”
Hannah debated that, but the door was opened again, and Dakota ordered, “Out.”
“Fine,” Hannah tried as she got out, clearly still pouting because Cally hadn’t wanted to move in with her