what's it gonna be

Dakota was getting used to the idea of having a new sibling. Summer was here and she had a new room, new house, new family. Or so it felt that way, even if the house was kind of old, she was with her dad and his new wife Liv. Actually, she felt happy.

She'd made a new friend on the block. Mona lived a few houses down from her. It was good to have someone to do things with. They also went to the same school so she hoped the summer would be splendid, riding bikes, making slime and hopefully trips to the pool.

"Do you think you could take me to the pool, sometime?"  She asked Kevin when he stopped by. She knew she was the only reason he dropped in. She couldn't exactly say what it was about him, but she felt he was like an uncle of some kind. Then again, she thought he only liked her because she knew his mother that he never got to know. It was pointless to explain this to anyone. Still, no one complained about him being around.

"I dunno." He shook his head as if it were out of the question. She thought it had to do with the strangeness of it, a grown man taking a pre-teen girl to the pool. Although, he quickly informed her he wasn't a babysitter.

She didn't like hearing his words. She thought they were close. At this rate, this might be the last time she ever saw him.

"Why is he like this?" She asked Liv later after Kevin dropped off the fruit and veg he'd gotten at the farmer's market.

"Who knows." Liv shrugged, letting her know it wasn't her fault. "He's got his own issues." She then mentioned she didn't think he'd ever really had a family. Yes, his dad raised him, but they never did anything together. "So, its hard for him."

Still, Dakota thought she was on the verge of tears. Here, she'd hoped to have the best summer ever, but now he made her feel things she didn't want to feel. She wasn't sure if she was angry with him or felt sorry for him.