UNCONDITIONALLY YOURS

Not what the media shows // 22

"You know, before I met you, I used to really hate you."

"I thought you just acted like that with everyone." He said wonderingly and I gave him a harsh glare. "In the nicest way possible...?" He continued and I laughed.

"I mean, yes... I was, I still am like that! But before I even saw you had quite the opinion on you. It wasn't a positive one." He furrowed his eyebrow.

"I know me and your father don't get along, but I thought if anything you would have opposite opinions to him?" He questioned.

"In fact, it may have been the first things in my life we could fully agree on."

Parker and I had started texting the day after we had dinner with Summer and Noah. I had never had much of a social life on my phone, but it was nice having someone to chat to while I was restless at home. He said that he wanted to meet up with me, but he had lots of work to catch up on, so it was a few days before we got the chance to go out together. We had settled on a walk, and Parker drove me away from the city a bit before we wandered around.

"Wow. I'm honoured." Parker muttered sarcastically. "I know you don't just copy your father, so where exactly did this random hatred come from?"

"Honestly?" I sighed. He wouldn't be...too offended, right? "Well, I was pretty sick of you, to be perfectly honest." He showed no sign of reaction, he just listened intently. "I mean, all the people in the world I hated but was forced to be around was just consistently talking about you. Parker Jones this and that and I just wasn't bothered, so it annoyed me. Besides, from stories I heard you always seemed pretty full of yourself. And as I'm sure you know; the media doesn't present you and girls in the most modest way."

"I guess that's what you would think, who can really blame you?" He tried to sound neutral, but I could sense the slight agitation in his voice.

"Sorry."

"No, don't worry it's not your fault. I'm just mad that people see me that way." He sighed.

"I think that was mainly me, actually." He chuckled.

"I just want you to know that rumours and picture of me with girls at events and so on were purely because I need a date for things like that. I don't like taking anyone multiple times because I haven't wanted a relationship with them and even though I would never allow someone to think it was anything more, I wouldn't want to risk leading them on. If it wouldn't draw too much attention, I would have rather gone alone to most of them. If I'm honest, I'm further from a 'playboy', as the media likes to show it, than most people could imagine."

"Look at you having to fight off all the ladies. Deve essere dura." I teased.  He looked at me suddenly and I suddenly realised why.

"Was that Italian?" He questioned and looked shocked.

"Sorry, I don't usually speak in Italian. My mother used to say 'it must be tough' in Italian to put things into perspective for me when little things happened to me. I forget it's not English because it was like her catchphrase." I explained and he intently listened.

"Don't apologise. You told me you learnt Italian, but I didn't realise your accent was good and everything." He observed.

"How do you know my accent is good?"

"I don't speak a word of Italian, but I've heard it be spoken. Trust me I know."

Time started to pass by quicker than it used to. I had actually been doing a fair amount and I was doing better for it. I'd been working as usual three days a week, and I found new ways to occupy myself otherwise, as oppose to the usual running and taking online courses. I guess having people to talk to opened up a few options. I had asked Parker for Summer's number, and after apologising about the previous time I saw her, though she insisted it was nothing to worry about, we had met up a few times. I got to know her more and she was incredibly sweet.

She was always very lively which sometimes didn't match my own mood, but I liked her a lot, and she was great fun to be around. She had tried to convince me to come shopping with her multiple times, however I relentlessly continued to turn her down, so we usually stuck with other things. I had done enough shopping in my life and it wasn't something I enjoyed. Besides, I didn't want to spend my savings on clothes I didn't need, and I also didn't want to use my father's money for something I didn't need. He usually paid for my clothes, and I let him because as far as he knew I had no money of my own. Summer assured me that it was fine because she usually just steals Parker's credit card but that definitely wasn't something, I was willing to do.

I continued to text Parker most days... and nights. He also helped me get out when I could. I had never felt quite as free to sneak out the house without the same fear of my father knowing and punishing me for it. I didn't know if I was beginning to care less or if it was just becoming worth the risk, but it was really nice to feel like I never do anything. Every day I had a shift, Parker would come in and order something. Logan was getting over-excited because of it, but I guessed it was a small sacrifice. After I told him I was going running whilst I was texting him, he also insisted that it was better to run with someone else and I therefore ended up running with him every few days. When he wasn't working and I wasn't either, we often took the opportunity to go out for a walk together or go to his, and sometimes Noah and Summer would be there too.

When I was alone, I sometimes got out my notebook about the weird text messages I was getting. I often stared at it for hours, hoping that something may click, but it never seemed to. Whatever was going on, I wished it would explain itself before it drove me completely crazy. At that point asking for help didn't seem like a valid option.

But overall, things, they were getting better. It was a good job over the years I had adapted to be the kind of person that doesn't adapt too quickly, and the kind of person who knows that most of the time, things won't just run smoothly.