What I Wish You Knew | ꪜ

Chapter Forty Three

To Parker,

43. I wish you knew what I said.

Hayley's POV

It took me a second to realize that the clicking sound which echoed through my room wasn't part of my wild imagination. I shuffled towards my window, eyes burning, hands rummaging through my tousled hair–courtesy of being roused from my beauty sleep.

Considering that it was still dark out, it didn't take a genius to figure out that it was still early in the morning. I'm easily awoken and irritable, there is no way I'll be able to fall asleep with a continuous clicking sound ringing in my ears.

Whoever is doing this has to be the luckiest person alive seeing as I have neither the energy nor will to argue. I wove my fingers through the white curtains and pulled it to the side. Light streaked through the window and directly into my eyes, temporarily blinding me as I pressed my forehead to the cold glass panes.

Something slammed into the window, causing me to recoil back in shock. "What the-" I peered down from the closed window that overlooked our backyard and gasped at the tall figure standing on the neatly trimmed grass, one hand motioning to the other which held what looked to be a phone.

I prepared to back away in fear until my phone suddenly began to blare from my bedside. I lunged towards it and peered down, frowning as Parker's name glided across the screen. I answered, "Hay Bear, did I scare you?" I sauntered back towards the window and hesitantly looked down once again.

The figure was staring up at me, their face no longer concealed by the black baseball cap. "P-parker, is that you?" He threw his thumb upwards and smiled, "what are you doing in my backyard at five in the bloody morning!?" I whisper yelled into the phone.

"Dress up, get your guitar and skateboard and come down, I wanna take you somewhere." At five in the MORNING? Is he out of his goddamn mind? I wouldn't necessarily classify myself as a spontaneous person but this just took the cake. "Parker I can't-"

"Hayley."

I froze. I didn't realize how much I've become comfortable with him referring to me as Hay Bear until this moment. My name sounded foreign coming from his mouth, I didn't like it and there's no way he would call me that unless he was either baffled at me or something was wrong.

"Please come down. . ." he said, his lips no longer tugged into a smile, "I need you."

And that's the straw that broke the camel's back. I sighed, unable to resist him. I agreed to come down and hung up the phone, swearing under my breath as I pulled a sweater over my head and a pair of faded black jeans. I don't deceive or disobey Drayton, it was like I was compelled to not do so.

Maybe it's because of everything he's done for me, I feel guilty whenever I do something against his will. So when I grabbed my guitar and skateboard I did something no normal teenager would: I left a note informing him that I went out with Parker and that I would be back possibly before nine am.

Yes, I will die.

But Parker needs me.

I unlocked the front door swiftly and crept out, making sure that I didn't make a sound to rouse Drayton. When I locked the door behind me and pivoted on my heels to face the front lawn, Parker was standing behind the white picket fence, perched upon a bicycle, one hand waving.

Curse you and your irresistible cuteness Parker!

Why am I doing this!?

"Hey," I mumbled groggily when I finally made it to him. He immediately took the guitar from my grasp and pulled it over his head, securing it on his back. "I'm sorry for waking you up so early," he apologized. I couldn't help but smile as I pressed my palm against his cheeks. His eyes were red, but even if it were fading I could tell it was once bloodshot.