What I Wish You Knew | ꪜ

Chapter Forty One

To Parker,

41. I wish you knew how special you are to me.

Hayley's POV

The movie credits rolled down the screen and yet still Parker and I remained glued to our seat, staring straight ahead as blinding lights flashed across our faces. Hovering between a mixture of awe and horror, Parker's head tilted towards me, an undecipherable look etched on his face. I most likely looked the same.

"Why, Parker, why?" I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. He leaned his head back and hollered in laughter, beckoning me unwillingly to follow in his lead. My face fell into the palm of my hands, thinking back to the movie we had just finished watching.

Crawling in my skin, I desperately wanted to get the hell out of this theatre. I stood upright and took Parker's hand in mine. He was still laughing uncontrollably, so I ignored him and tugged him down the staircases leading to the exit. "Hay Bear, I'm so sorry I didn't know it would have been this disturbing. You don't peg me as the rom-com type of girl, so I thought this was at least appropriate."

This was partly true. I usually only watched rom-com's whenever I was going through a relationship crisis, ie; Landon Carmichael. But this movie was beyond the spectrum of what I like to call normal. "The movie is called Possession what could you possibly think it was about?" I chortled as we sauntered into the hallway.

He wove his fingers through mine and flashed me a warming smile, "I'll make it up to you. Tonight we're heading to our final destination, a place quite special to me and something is telling me you're gonna love it." He said without giving me a second to respond before he began to jog across the arcade, me in tow behind him.

Giggling hysterically, I tightened my grip on his hand, afraid that it might slip as I struggled to keep up with him. Parker's feet were incredibly long compared to mine, there's a possibility I might trip and eat my teeth. "Why are we running!?" We wove past people, laughing hysterically at the distasteful expressions on their faces, probably wondering what the hell we were doing.

As we jogged to our final destination, everything seemed to move around me in slow motion: the blank faces that swept past us, the chorus of laughter and voices that merged into a serenading symphony. Every single person here had their own stories, struggles, ups and downs.

Before, I wouldn't care for anyone's problems except my own. Without realizing it, I neglected to acknowledge the people around me. That was until I met Parker, someone who gave more than he was ever given. As angry and broken as he was, he still managed to radiate nothing but love and show me the good in everyone. . .in their stories.

I couldn't wipe the permanent smile off my face, and for once in such a long time my chest warmed with pure giddiness. "We're here!" He bellowed out, coming to an abrupt stop outside a restaurant. Above us, glowing in bright red and yellow fonts read the words 'Chaoxiang's hotpot' I snapped my head upwards, facing Parker who was already peering down at me, a giddy smile on his face.

"Hotpot, w-we're having hotpot?" It was as if I were staring into a mirror. A smile stretched across his face, eyes sparkling with pure excitement, body visibly shaking with anticipation. I sure wasn't the only one awaiting what was inside. "Come on," he tugged me into the open arms of oyster sauce, noodles, chicken, greens and so much more.

The overpowering scent wafted over my face, enveloping me so tightly I feared that at this moment I would have fainted. The last time I had hot pot was last year when Drayton and I visited Korea. I admit that it was hands down the single most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my 16 years of living.