Once we had finished the movie we were all just chatting for a while. I must have subconsciously felt too hot a rolled my sleeves up because suddenly Noah seemed to notice.
"Woah. That's a pretty impressive cut and bruise you got there on your arm how did you get it." Summer also looked at me for and answer and my stomach sunk. Parker turned to me but I was too busy trying to think about what to say to take note of his expression.
"I just-" I awkwardly hesitated. "It's nothing." That was the best I could come up with.
"Oh come on, there's gotta be a pretty interesting story behind getting that!" To my relief, Parker stepped in and luckily he was better at spitting his words out that I was.
"It's not really that interesting or worth telling. OK?" I noticed the hint of annoyance in his voice and the sheer persistence of Noah, but I kind of understood where Noah was coming from. In his defence, he didn't have a clue what actually happened and he just wanted to hear what he thought would be a fun story.
"We don't have a lot else to talk about so why not hear the story?" I could tell Parker was getting angry now and it was strange to see him like that because he was usually pretty calm and rational.
"Noah, it's really nothing. Take a hint and stop asking." He advised patronisingly.
"OK." Noah muttered. I felt Parker's anger release and I relaxed. "I just don't see why-"
"You don't see why what? You don't see why she doesn't want to share her entire life with you? It that what you don't understand Noah? Do us all a favour and learn how to take a hint, and maybe that would knock a little sense into you. If someone doesn't give you a straight answer, then they probably don't want to answer you! Have you even considered that?" A deathly silence fell leaving a noticeable void where sound should be. There was no response to what Parker had said, so instead we sat in it and the undeniable awkwardness. Something had really triggered Parker when Noah continuously went on about knowing the story behind my injury, and as thankful I was that he defended me, I couldn't refrain from wondering if I was destroying his friendship. We all heard Parker heavily breathe after a long moment.
"Screw this, sorry Riley." He quickly got up and walked out of the room with clear haste. I didn't want to put myself in an even worse position so I forced myself to speak.
"I'm so sorry, this is my fault. Do you know where he would be?" I exclaimed.
"It's not your fault, sorry for pressing it." Noah responded guiltily and I nodded at him.
"I'm willing to bet Parker will be on the balcony, if you go left down the hallway and all the way to the end you will probably see him." Summer elaborated slightly dryly, though clearly only as a reaction to what had just happened. I mouthed sorry at the both of them before darting off to follow Parker.
He was indeed standing on the balcony, staring out blankly over the city. He seemed upset and I wasn't used to see him like that. Usually he was so bright and cheery, and he was so positive that he made even me smile for no reason. But in the moment I came and stood behind him of that balcony, he didn't have the same sunny aurora that I was so used to. He looked lost, and I realised it was my turn to be there for him. I had depended on him and now he needed comfort, and it would be unfair of me not to offer it.
"Are you OK?" I asked simply as I wondered to his side and stood closely next to him. He quickly glanced at me, his intense green eyes illuminated by the soft moonlight. He nodded slowly before speaking.
"Sorry for ruining the evening and sorry for bringing the mood down. I don't want to go have to see me getting angry like that. Please don't think I'm normally like that, generally I'm a pretty calm person." He was like that because of me. It was Noah asked questions about me that I didn't want to answer that hit a nerve for him and I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for wrecking his peaceful glow.
"It's my fault you got angry isn't it? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your friendship over me not wanted to explain something." He looked at me oddly for a moment, and unexpectedly he began to chuckle. I glared at him and waited for him to explain his amusement.
"I must say, at first glance Riley Atkinson never struck me as the kind to overthink and care too much about unreasonable things." I rolled my eyes, but I had noticed some changes in myself too. "It's not your fault I couldn't control myself, I'll manage to get used to it and get a grip, don't you worry."
"You want to get used to it?" I picked out.
"I mean, I hope to but I guess we'll see where your head is at."
Parker
Not good. I need to be able to control myself because that was what half of my existence relied on, part of me was that I was a calm and consistent person. It wasn't exactly a part of me I wanted to change to drastically. But when I heard Riley getting uncomfortable and Noah continuing to persist it was like a reflex. I had to do anything in my power to protect the girl I seemed to have become maybe a little too fond of. All I could think was what to do next. This certainly wasn't how I had pictured things a couple of weeks ago.
YOU ARE READING
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Romance(COMPLETED) He's everything she hates. A rich, arrogant, cocky playboy. She should be repulsed by him, but from the first moment she met him face to face, her heart of ice ineluctably set on fire. He had one mission. Something he had struggled for h...
