Dakota Black

*Play the song above*

🎵'Ain't no sunshine when she is gone..'🎵

🎵'It's not warm when she is away..'🎵

My fingers softly strum on the steering wheel as I drive through the highway. Music flows through me and I instinctively run a hand through my hair as I think of her..

Emara.

Her name alone makes my chest tighten and stomach flip in a way that shouldn't be legal. Only God knows how much I miss her!

🎵'Ain't no sunshine when she is gone..'🎵

🎵'Only darkness every day..'🎵

How long has it been since I last saw her?

Too damn long to forget how short she was, how she had to tilt her head up just to meet my eyes. And honestly, I am scared..

Like really scared that I will forget the sound of her giggles, the way she laughed like a complete crack-head at her own jokes.

I long to hear the sound of her voice, how she murmured in her sleep. I am shit-scared I will never get to hear it again.

My fingers tighten around the steering wheel in a steel grip. I am fucking terrified of the thought that I will never get to see her again. That she is already gone.. And I have lost her forever.

🎵'And this house just ain't no home..'🎵

🎵'Anytime she goes away..'🎵

The song drifts on, each word nudging those memories of the Seven Nights I spent with her.

Like her crazy fan, I have been replaying the clips of when she was still living with me. I am addicted to those videos, to her laugh, her curses, her dances, and her.

Always her.

"Wonder this time where she is gone.. Wonder if she is gone to stay." I sing along, slowing down and taking a right turn while entering into the university campus.

Having a good connection with the Director, I asked him to let me honour the felicitation ceremony, just so I could sneak in and catch a glimpse of her.

And if Emara doesn't try to murder me on the spot, I'll get to talk to her too.

Hell! I'll drop to my knees if I have to for another chance, or I don't know kidnap her maybe. She hardly weighs anything anyway.

🎵'I know.. I know.. I know.. I know.. I know..'🎵

I pull into the parking lot and the car rolls into a flawless stop. Memories of my own college days flood back in and I smile at the flashback of bunking, pulling off stupid dares, playing around, getting test-papers leaked..

But no matter how beautiful the day is, the Sun eventually sets.

Stepping out of the car,I glance around, only to notice numerous eyes and cameras locking on me. Well.. Not actually me, but my car!

With a single click, the glass roof of the convertible Roadster activates and in the most smoothest way it slides up like a ribbon through air, as if performing just for them.

It's hard not to grin as the roof finally settles into the place, causing 'Woo' from the crowd.

Only if it was that easy to impress her too!

I walk into the familiar hall of my old college, with every step I stride forward it feels like a trip down the memory lane.

"There comes my favorite student!" The Director, Roger Williams calls me out, his eyes lightning up like a proud father seeing his son return.

"Dakota! Oh, what a surprise!" My former professors greet me almost instantly by a wave of handshakes and warm smiles welcoming me as if I had never left.

"It's great to see you all again. It feels refreshing." I say with a smile, trying to mask this rare surge of emotions that I don't typically indulge in.

"But we see you every day! You are all over the internet. You are like AI Jesus now. " Professor Elvis Precisely jokes, patting my back with pride.

"We believed in you from the start, Dakota." One of them adds, "And look at you now.. A CEO!"

I couldn't help but smile in return, feeling utterly proud and lucky at the same time.

It feels good, the attention, the admiration.. But deep down, what I truly crave is something more. Like affection.

I glance around as we head to the backstage, from where I can see the hall packed with fresh graduates smiling, some sneaking in late, others recording on their phones.

"Kudos, my students! You have made it to the finish line." Director's voice booms as he delivers his speech, but my mind is too distracted to process his words.

My gaze keeps sweeping across the sea of faces in the shadow, searching for that one particular cute face that never left my mind.

Where is she?

I know she is sitting somewhere out there, blending in between faces, and eventually, I am going to see her.

Just the thought of seeing her makes my chest pound heavily. I am excited and nervous all at once. I can feel my heart thrashing against my ribs, beating at the same speed as the growing tension inside me.

Fuck! This is too much.

I need to pull it together. I can't lose my shit now, not when she is about to see me.

I pull out a Xanax and pop it into my mouth, hoping to calm the nervous energy buzzing through me. Just as the pill hits my tongue, I hear my name.

"Co-founder and CEO of HighBars System, also my personal favorite student, Dakota Black!"

I take a deep breath and force the pill down my throat as I remember, who I am.

I am Dakota Black.

I am the CEO. I am the success story everyone looks up to.

A man who built himself up from broken ribs, who believed in his own potential and avant garde of technology. That's me!

And I am about to own this stage, like always.

I roll my shoulders back and straighten my spine, letting the familiar swagger take over my posture as I step onto the stage, right into the limelight I have worked my ass to deserve.

The applause is deafening, and I smirk, taking in their cheers, along with whistles. It's a reminder of how far I have come, and how far I still want to go.

My smile sharpens and I raise my hand in acknowledgment, feeling the wave of energy hit me with the confidence I need.

I was made for moments like this!

Walking towards the podium, I take my place as the Teflon King, a name I live up to.

"Congratulation, graduates!" The cheers are immediate, and I smile, feeling the attention of a thousand eyes on me.

"Today, you are here because you refused to settle." I pause, letting that sink in, before saying, "And neither did I."

"It's not your talent, or your grades, not even your connections that will get you where you want to be in life. It's your stubbornness to not quit, even when the world rejects you on the face." My voice echoes through the mic, silencing even the silence.

Because when I speak, people listen.

"The world doesn't hand you success. It hands you obstacles and waits to see what you are going to do about it. So never refuse to try again, and again."

My eyes dart across the crowd, they all are staring back at me, silently waiting for more. They want me to keep delivering, and normally I do it effortlessly.

But right now.. It's hard. It's fucking hard not to think about her, when I know she is out there.

"Chase your dreams, even if that dream looks like your crush." I say, tossing it out casually.

Chuckles erupt from the crowd and I smile along, hoping Emara is listening to this.

"Lets be real.." I say, with a drastic shifting of energy in me. "You can have all the success in the world. A big house, fast car, maybe even a yacht. But what's the point of having all these expensive things when the one you desire the most has blocked you?"

Laughter echoes and I scan through the crowd, praying to catch a glimpse of her.

"I mean, what's the point of driving the limited-edition Tesla Roadster if the passenger seat is empty? Is it even worth it?" I casually lean on to the podium, after throwing out the question.

A few playful 'Nooo' responses float around the room, and I nod my head at them.

"Exactly! No amount of success or pile of money will ever fill that void if you don't have friends, family and a lover to share it with. And trust me, it's a tried-and-tested theory." I tell them honestly.

I have always been proud of my money, power and intelligence. But no amount of all that together could stop her from leaving me.

It was all useless when I needed it the most!

"So yeah, go ahead chase your goals, and get that corner office with a view. But don't forget to chase the girl of your world too. Who knows, it could be the best marathon you ever run."

I hear whistles blowing and make no attempt to hide my grin as I pull out a paper from my pocket, which was the original speech I wrote for today.

"A wise man once told me.." I wait for the crowd to silence once again, as I get back into my CEO demeanor.

"FAILURE has seven letters, but so does SUCCESS. NEGATIVITY has ten letters, but so does POSITIVITY. LYING has five letters, but so does TRUTH. ENEMIES has seven letters, but so does FRIENDS."

I lick my lips, and add some extra set of words on the spot as I think of her.

"HATE has four letters, but so does LOVE, and REVENGE has seven letters, but so does ROMANCE."

I pause for a second, letting the silence grow with anticipation, before I conclude my speech.

"You always have a choice, so choose the better side of it."

Folding the paper, I look up and see the entire room rise to their feet, one by one, clapping and cheering me with the applause I knew was coming.

This speech is going to be written in the books of golden words ever spoken. And just like that, spotlight comes naturally to me.

Only if Emara's name was spotlight too!

I smile, feeling a force of pride swell my chest as I take in the sight of my professors, the very people I once looked up to, my mentors and all the students giving me a standing ovation.

It's a one in a million feeling, I am blessed to touch.

Just then, among the sea of people, I notice someone sitting in their spot with folded arms, refusing to stand up while everyone else around that person is on their feet and applauding me.

Of course! It had to be her.

I grin. My heart confirms by skipping a beat as I finally find my kitty.

🐈‍⬛ ྀི

Hey.. Did you see the new cover? Any thought on it, chicas!

Also, whose POV's you like reading the most? Just asking..