On The Highest Branch

Chapter 9

"Hey! Wait up!"

Parker pretended not to have heard Levin calling out to him and continued walking.

"Metzer, wait!"

He was too annoyed at the stunt she pulled earlier at lunchtime, that even though he knew he was being childish, he didn't really care.

She finally caught up to him. She was out of breath after having pursued him for half the length of the parking lot.

"Where are you off to, in such a hurry? Didn't you hear me call you?" Levin asked while adjusting her backpack's straps on her shoulders. She always organized all the contents of her bag meticulously, but after that run, they had no doubt gotten all shuffled together inside. Parker could tell she was worrying about them now. He still didn't care.

"Tutoring," he answered the first question, while ignoring the second.

"Okay, but what's wrong? Why have you been snubbing me the whole day?"

He gave his rubber band a snap. "Nothing's wrong. I haven't."

"Great!" She visibly perked up. "In that case, when do we meet to come up with our campaign slogan and platform?"

He let out a sigh he didn't even know he had been holding. "Levin, whatever gave you the idea that I wanted to be your VP? The least you could have done was ask me first before blurting it out to the whole school."

She merely looked confused, which incensed him even more. He continued walking, leaving her still processing his outburst.

"But, I.. I thought..." she started.

"You thought what, Levin?" He did not need to raise his voice. Anger seeped out of each word. "That, like always, I'd come following you around like a puppy? Regardless of what my personal plans are? Just because you snapped your fingers?"

Levin's face crumpled in hurt, and Parker regretted his harsh words.

"That's unfair, Metzer, and you know it."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"That's fine." She smiled. "So when do we meet?"

"Are you serious?"

"What? Do you truly mean you don't wanna be my running mate?"

"Haven't you been listening?"

"Look here, Parker Metzer." Parker could tell she was gearing up for her own explosion. "You need someone to drive you around, I volunteer without hesitation! You need a house to wait out your mother's worst bender, my door is always open! I ask one teeny, tiny thing and you ---"

He shook his head in disbelief and started walking away from her again. This was typical Levin. He knew she didn't mean any of it.

She changed tack. "Okay, okay, I'm begging you, Metzer. I need you."

"What the hell for, Levin? You could run alone, and win by a landslide. Or, you could literally grab any other classmate, and prop them up as your running mate, and they'll lick your boot in gratitude. After all, anyone who runs with you would essentially be a powerless figurehead anyway."

"That's exactly why I need you." Levin said quietly. "You won't be."

Parker stopped walking again and waited for Levin to continue.

"I need you to keep me grounded. I need someone who would have no qualms about calling me out when I am being unreasonable. I need someone to pull the brakes when I become too ambitious. I need someone who is smart enough and patient enough and realistic enough to iron out the details, when my head is up in the clouds, fantasizing about the destination, not caring about how to get there. I need you."