As Good As It Gets

Chapter 2

SONG THAT BOTH PARKER AND LAYLA DANCED TO IN 8TH GRADE AND
PICTURE OF LAYLA 👆🏻
Layla's POV
He said those words. He told me that when we were little those words would be really special said by someone special. He took them away from me. I wanted to be with someone when they said those to me. River Simmons wasn't my boyfriend. It was the first guy I could think of off the top of my head. That's why I said that. I was too upset for Parker to say anymore. I couldn't handle it. I'm sitting in the tree house thinking everything over. I was happy but then again I was sad because
1) he took the words I love you from me
And
2)I lied to him about River.
What if he asks River something? What would I do then when he found out that I didn't tell him the truth? I wasn't ready to deal with River or even Parker for that matter. He left me shocked and lonely. I just wanted to cry. But I knew I needed to talk it out. And I knew the best place to do it. With Parker's dad.
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I waited till Parker left for football practice he had every Monday night. I then took the extra key under the doormat and went into Parker's dad's room. His name was Mel. I knocked on the door and then opened it. Mrs.Evans was sitting next to Mel talking to him.
"Layla. Hey baby." She said talking like someone I loved so much as a kid.
"I'm sorry Mrs.Evans I just wanted to talk to Mr.Mel because-"
"Baby you don't have to say anymore. I completely understand. It's easy to talk to someone who doesn't give you advice back. Talk to me. I want to know what happened. Darling I know it's hard to talk to someone because your mother.......But I'm here for you if you ever need me." She said wrapping her arms around me. A tear slipped down my face. She noticed and she sat me down in the chair and asked me what the matter was.
"Ever since my mom passed, I couldn't talk to anyone about my problems and when Mr.Mel went into shock, it was easy to open up to him because he didn't talk back. He didn't give me a reaction back. I used to talk to him for small problems but I don't know if this one is small and it's definitely not a problem it's just something that's bothering me." I said looking at my hands. I couldn't look up at her.
"What happened today at school?" She asked me.
"How do you know it happened at-
"Parker told me what Lola did. And he told me what he said to her and what he said to you in the tree house. He loves you very much and he wants to be together with you Layla." She said holding my hands.
"I wasn't ready to admit that I want to be with him too. I've had feelings for him too. It's just it's junior year. We only have one more year and then one of us is going to go away to college and that will be the end of it. I don't want to get hurt." I said a tear escaping my eye.
"Layla you cannot think like that. You have to think positive and Parker would never hurt you. He in fact told me you had a boyfriend which is why he didn't convince you to do anything." She said raising her eye brow in question.
"I-....I don't really have a boyfriend. I told him I was dating River Simmons but I'm not. I haven't talked to River since 8th grade. I just needed time to think and talk to someone. Now I'm scared that he will somehow talk to River tomorrow." I said holding my head in my hands.
"If you really like Parker then go for it and tell him. But if you aren't really sure then I'll tell him to leave you alone for a couple of days to think things over and think about your feelings. If you are really sure that you don't like him. I'll break it to him somehow for you." She said brushing my hair out of my face.
"I'd like to have that time. I just want some time to think things over and maybe when the time is right I'll date him but junior year is gonna be over soon and-"
"Don't think about that. When you look back you will regret wasting time. Live life to the fullest and just have fun with it. If you like Parker ask him out or I'll tell him to give you a shot. Just don't let graduating in a year keep you from doing things, okay?" She asked me.
"Sure Mrs.Evans. Thank you so much. " I said smiling down at her.
"Don't call me Mrs.Evans. It makes me sound old. I'm 35 I'm not 40. Call me Barbara or Barb." She said making a face pulling me up to stand up. She wrapped her arms around me.
"Okay Barb." I said laughing.
"I would go over to Parker's practice and tell him that you need some space. And also....tell him that you aren't actual dating River because he is on the lacrosse team and they have practice on Monday nights too. Knowing Parker he would go over and talk to River about you. Go to him before he does." She said pushing me forward. And then I started running.
"Thank you!" I said running out the door. I looked around for someone to drive. And then I saw the motorcycle.
Mel taught me how to ride it when I was 14. I grabbed the keys which we in the flower pot in case of an emergency. I hoped I still remembered how to ride it. I hopped on the bike and turned the ignition. I sped down the block and to the school to stop Parker from looking like a crazy person.
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I stopped the bike in a jolt and took the keys out of the ignition. I ran as fast as I could to the field behind the school where the boys practiced. The lacrosse team practiced in the gym but after practice the boys shared the locker room to change. The boys weren't on the field. Oh no. They were in the locker room. I ran inside the school and down the steps to the basement. All the boys were coming out of the locker room. But I knew Parker would stay in there. He would stay after practice and take a shower. All the other boys took quicker showers. Parker took the last shower and he took the longest. I opened the door to the boys locker room. The showers were in the back.
"Parker?" I called out.
"Hello?" Parker called back.
"Parker? Are you naked?" I called again.
"No. Come by the showers." He said. I followed his voice and found him by the shower in a speedo. He had no shirt on. I REPEAT NO SHIRT. JESUS HAS BLESSED THE WORLD WITH THIS BOY. OH JESUS. I don't think I am breathing.
"Layla. You got to breathe." He said coming over to me. My eyes were locked on his stomach. Wait he didn't have a stomach I meant his 6 pack. I repeat 6 pack.
"Layla breathe." He said coming even closer.
I wasn't getting any air. I couldn't breathe.
The closer he came the more I backed away until I hit the lockers behind me.
"Layla..." He called out my name. He came even closer. He stopped moving when he was in my personal space. One more move and we would be lip locked. I couldn't get air into my system.
"In---ha----Ler...." I gasped.
"I don't have one of those. Does resuscitation work?" He asked me. He was worried. Frantically waiting for an answer.
I nodded. And it was all so fast. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. In all one motion. Well I would call it kissing he basically put air back into my system. And after he did it twice he stopped.
"Thank you." I said catching my breath.
"I thought you were gonna pass out. Do you get those when you get scared or is it just cause you saw my amazing bod that it just made you go breathless?" He said smirking. He took another step closer where our noses were touching.
I sucked in a quick breath and said, " I think it was the fact that I was scared. Because I don't see any amazing bodies but mine in this room." I said laughing.
He wrapped his arm around my waist.
"That's true." He said his eyes wandering down.
"Pervert." I said pulling away from him.
"Did you know that was my first kiss?" I asked him.
"No. That wasn't your first kiss. This is." He said closing the space in between us and showing me what I was missing in this world. My knees gave out but Park picked me right back up when I couldn't. My arms wound themselves around his neck. Electricity was running in and out of me. I felt like a circuit. It was one of the best feelings ever. Parker pulled back to make sure I was okay.
"What are you doing?" I asked him.
"I'm-"
"Don't tell me cause I don't care." I said grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward me. I kissed him hard this time. His lips were still soft and warm on mine but this time there was some passion and hope in this kiss.
He pulled back and said, "I've got to take a shower. Even though I want to stay here and continue this with you."
"Go take a shower. Oh and by the way, River is not my boyfriend." I said sitting down on the bench facing the wall.
"I know." He said turning the shower on.
"How did you know?" I asked him talking to the wall.
"I talked to him after practice. He says that you guys haven't even talked since 8th grade. I didn't ask him if the two of you were dating because I had a feeling that you weren't. I asked him when the last time you two talked was. I knew that you two couldn't be dating in 8th grade because I remember he asked you to the dance and you didn't go with him." He said.
"No I didn't go with him. I went with you instead." I said smiling.
"Yep. That dance was amazing I loved it. Do you remember our first dance?" He asked me.
"I remember. I even remember the song that we first danced to. I sang that song everyday after. I even sing it to this day.
"Would you sing it for me?" He asked me.
"Like right now?" I asked him shocked.
"Yea. Your voice is amazing and I love that song. Like I love you." He said.
I blushed a deep red. Maybe I could love him back.
"Ugh I'll sing the song." I said.
And that's exactly what I did.
"Uh,oh,oh
Uh,oh,oh
You were in college working part time waiting tables left a small town never looked back. I was a flight risk with the fear of falling wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts. I say can you believe it? As we're lying on the couch the moment I can see it. Yes yes I can see it now.
Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time.
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter.
You are the best thing that's ever been mine.
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together,
And there's a drawer of my things at your place.
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded,
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes.
But we got bills to pay,
We got nothing figured out,
When it was hard to take,
Yes, yes, this is what I thought about.
Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water?
You put your arm around me for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine.
Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
And I remember that fight
Two-thirty AM
As everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street
Braced myself for the "Goodbye."
'Cause that's all I've ever known
Then you took me by surprise
You said, "I'll never leave you alone."
You said, "I remember how we felt sitting by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing that's ever been mine."
Hold on, make it last
Hold on, never turn back
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine.
do you believe it?
we're gonna make it now. and I can see it,
I can see it now." I sung messing up not even once without warming up. Wow...
"That was amazing." I heard him say coming closer.
"Thank you. Can I turn around now?" I asked him.
"Yea." He said. And then he wrapped his arms around me. He sat down next to me. I leaned into him. My head was on his shoulder and my hand was against his chest. Heat was pouring into my hand. I then realized that that he was only wrapped in his towel around his waist. He pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me, one arm wrapping around my waist.
"How's the musical coming together?" He asked me.
"You mean the one the school is putting on right?" I asked him.
"Yea of course. How is it?" He asked me.
"It's good. We did auditions last week. We are supposed to get our part either tomorrow or Friday. But I think it's gonna be Friday." I said.
"What are they putting on this year?" He asked me.
"Dreamgirls." I said.
"Didn't they do that last year?" He asked me.
"No they did Hairspray last year if you even came to see it." I said rolling my eyes.
"I've seen every show with you in it. From the first one in middle school to the last one that you put on. I haven't paid attention to anyone else but you up there cause I love you and because I didn't know what was happening and stuff." He said scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh." I said laughing.
"Yea." He said laughing back.
"Hey Layla?" He asked me.
"Yea Park?" I asked him.
"Would you go out with me to see a movie or we could go to the carnival that just opened at-"
"Can you give me a couple of days to think about everything? Because a lot has happened and I-I just want a couple of days to think. Can you give me that?" I asked him standing up and facing him.
"Of course. Take your time. I'll be waiting forever." He said standing up and kissing me on the cheek. I blushed.
"Hey Layla how did you get here?" He asked me.
"I took the motorcycle." I said laughing.
"Woah.....Layla Reynolds is badass. Just my type of girl." He said winking at me. We walked out of the school together.
"Where's your ride?" I asked him.
"My mom dropped me off." He said opening the door for me.
"Why thank you kind sir." I said with a curtsy.
"Why of course my lady." He said bowing with his hand forward as if to offer me his hand.
"Come on idiot." I said pulling his hand along with me.
"Do you want to catch a ride with me?" I asked him.
"Duh!! I dips driving!!" He said laughing running to the motorcycle.
"No!!!! Don't drive....I'm scared of you driving with me on the back." I said laughing.
"Too bad. I'm better than you at driving it so don't be scared. I'd hold on tight though." He said climbing onto the motorcycle.
Oh God. This is gonna be a hell of a ride.
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