As Good As It Gets

Chapter 5

Parker went back to his family and I went back to mine. My dad was in the kitchen cooking like he did every night. My dad was an author and a business man. He published a book about group of teens in high school how didn't believe in themselves but people around them encouraged them to do what they loved and they became big stars. It was on the best-sellers list. He still makes money off of it. It was an amazing book. I never read it but I heard it was amazing. Maybe I should read it sometime. My sister who was 5 named Ariel came rushing down the stairs.
"Layla your home!" She yelled and jumped into my arms.
"Hey sugar mush what's up?" I asked her kissing the top of her head.
"School today was awesome. I met this boy and-"
"Did I just hear boy?!" My dad screamed from the kitchen.
"Yes daddy and he was a very nice boy!" She yelled. I put her down so she could go give my father a piece of her mind. She was a feisty little girl.
"Daddy I'm 5 I'm not a baby anymore and he was a very nice boy and he gave me his ring pop and we sit next to each other and his name is Troy. He's a nice good boy daddy. Stop being a baby." She said hitting him countless times.
"Ow Ariel!! I made you and I can take you out of this earth the same way I put you here." He said picking her up over his head and walking out of the kitchen into the living room and throwing her on the couch. He ticked her while I held her feet down.
"Daddy!!!! Hehe...daddy stop!!!" She screamed.
He stopped and she asked the question that nobody wanted to answer.
"What do you mean you made me daddy? I thought mommy made me." She said holding onto his leg.
"Me and Mommy made you." He said looking up at me.
"You told me just Mommy." She said hitting his leg one more time.
"Ow Ariel! Layla can you help me out here? I've got lasagna in the oven and-"
"You had me at lasagna." I said picking Ariel up off my dad bringing her over to sit by me on the couch.
"You two are savages. I swear you have your mothers' beauty and my appetite." He said laughing, going back into the kitchen.
"Flounder," she said calling me the nickname she always called me," what does he mean when he said that both he and Mommy made me?" She looked up at me with her sea blue eyes.
"Well Twinkle," I said calling her the nickname I always called her, "Mommy and Daddy went into their room and sat down on the side of the bed and prayed really hard for us. They prayed night and day. And then one day, mommy felt a kick in her tummy and we were in there. Not together but me first and then you came." I said holding her hand.
"Oh so God did the work?" She asked me.
"Yep Twinkle. It was all God." I said patting her head.
She ran into the kitchen and I followed.
"Hey Daddy Layla told me the reason and now I know how babies are made. For real this time. My friends at school are gonna be amazed. I'm practically an adult now." She said tossing her red hair to the side.
"Hey Twinkle don't tell your friends at school because then they would be adults too. And we don't want that right? We just want you to be the adult. And good vocabulary Twinkle. You are growing up so fast." I said brushing away a fake tear.
"Oh be quiet Flounder," she said punching me in the thigh (oh I forgot how much that hurts),"I promise not to tell anybody about my new discovery of how babies are made. I promise to keep it a secret like how I promise to keep it a secret that Parker Evans has a new girlfriend." She said looking at me.
She knows about me and Parker. She had that evil glint in her eyes. Oh no Twinkle please don't.
"Oh yea Sparkles who is it?" My dad said calling the both of us.
"It's-"
"Nobody." I said finishing for Ariel.
"But-"
"Nothing." I said pointing at her.
My dad loved Parker like a son but I still didn't want to tell him just yet.
"Flounder-"
"Zip" I said.
"Layla let her finish or no lasagna." My dad said opening the oven and making the aroma pour out. I couldn't. I had to stop- oh what the hell.
"Go ahead." I said my eyes glued to the lasagna.
"Parker Evans is dating one of his close friends." She said smiling.
"Do you know who?" He asked us.
"I'll find out tomorrow." She said walking out of the room and upstairs.
"What about you, Layla? Do you know who my non-biological son is dating?" He asked me looking me straight in the eyes. Something he only did when he wants to know something really important to him.
"Umm...." I said adjusting the collar of my shirt.
"Who is it Layla?" He asked opening the oven again. He was teasing me so bad. The lasagna looked so good.
"He asked her out today and he got a part in the show as Curtis Taylor Jr and I'm Effie White and it was me." I said so fast I didn't even know what I was saying.
"You?" He asked me dropping the spoon to the lasagna he just took out of the oven.
"Yes me. Why are you so surprised? I could get a boyfriend." I said pouting.
"Of course I know you could but Parker? Are you sure?" He asked me.
"I've never been more sure." I said overthinking it. Every Time he asked me are you sure, I would always overthink things.
"Okay if you know what you are getting into Layla. Just be careful. Parker was like me as a teenager. He was a heartbreaker. It just takes a good girl like your mother to break the curse." He said picking up the spoon and throwing it in the sink.
"He's not a-"
"Of course he is. He has a different girl like every month." He said dishing out the lasagna with a new spoon.
"No. He's had Lola for two years. No other girl ever." I said.
"Not any other girl that anyone's ever known about. He tells me all the time. He's like the son I never had." He said saying so proudly.
"Hey that's mean." I said hitting him.
"Ow you all hit like me too." He said holding his arm.
"Anyways....he's been with a lot of one night stands. Girls that he never cared really about. It sucks but I used to be the same way and not have anyone to tell. That's why I am there for him. Maybe you could get him to become different." He said sitting down at the table eating dinner with me. Ariel could smell the food so she rushed down and sat next to me and dad. Maybe I could change butt face for the better.
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A couple days had passed since me and Parker were together. The date that we had gotten together was December 20th. It was December 23 and today was the last day of school until we came back from Christmas/New Years Break. I was so happy it was Christmas and New Years. They were my favorite holidays. I wanted to make it big this year. We were having a party at our house for New Years. And for Christmas I was just thinking of making a meal and inviting my closest friends, my boyfriend and his family. I called Sara one of my best friends and my other best friend Sam. Sam was like a brother to me. His parents haven't been really close with him so he always comes to my house for the holidays. On the other hand, Sara's parents were strict and wanted to know everything. But she really didn't want to tell them everything. It was hard for her because she didn't have freedom like a regular teen would. We all had parent problems so we were all there for each other when they needed us. We've been like this since pre-school. Sam and Sara were definitely coming. Sam would go by to Sara's house and seek her out all the time. Sara was never caught. My best friends were daredevils and masterminds. I went to see Parker at lunch. I tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hi." He said as he turned around.
"Hi." I said blushing.
"What do you need babe?" He said taking my hand. He called me babe. My heart did a dance.
"I-I was just wondering if you wanted to come to my house for Christmas cause we do dinner and sing songs and you could invite your family. I know that Ariel would be happy to see Troy." I said lacing our fingers together.
"Of course I'll come. And I'll bring my mom and my brothers and sister." He said pulling me down to sit on his lap.
"Park....." I said looking around to see if anyone noticed. All eyes were on us.
"Ignore them. Focus on me..." He said kissing my cheek.
Breathe Layla breathe.....
In......Out
In......Out
Oh who am I kidding?
I ran out of the cafeteria and into the girls locker room. All the girls left the locker room when I came in and I heard them whispering, "that's the girl that beat up Lola. Now she is in the hospital. It's all that girls fault."
I took off my shirt and my pants and I went to where the showers were located. In my bra and underwear, I turned the water on and just let my body cool off. I was freezing so running hot water over me helped a great deal.
"Layla?" A voice asked. Parker. I thought.
It was Sam and Sara.
"Oh Layla." Sara said.
"Guys I got the role of Effie White," I said waiting for their reactions, there faces lit up, "I'm dating Parker Evans."
"Oh my God." Sara said covering her mouth.
"That's why you've been so distant from us?" Sam asked.
"Yea. But my anxiety came back too." I said crying under the water.
"Oh Layla." Sam and Sara said together.
"Well....forget about me what's new with you guys?" I asked them.
"Nothing really.." Sara said blushing.
"What do you mean nothing really?" Sam looked hurt.
"I don't know if we should tell her just yet." Sara said loud enough for me to hear.
"She needs to hear it." Sam said.
"Fine. Me and Sam are together now." Sara said locking hands with Sam. Wow. Never expected this. (Sarcastic) I totally expected this. They have had some weird connection ever since we met. I think they were just meant to be.
"That's great." I said under the water.
"Sam and I are going to go back to lunch because we know that you want to talk with who's outside waiting for us to come out. Be careful Lays." Sara said pulling Sam out of the girls locker room.
Great Parker is outside.
"Layla?" He asked coming over to the showers.
"Yeah?" I asked him as his voice got closer.
"Why did you-" he stopped because I guess he saw what I was wearing. And it wasn't much.
I turned around to face Parker who was right in front of me in his boxers.
"What the hell-"
I was cut off by Parker's lips connecting with mine. It was a passionate kiss that was hungry. He deepened it and he picked me up and pushed me against the wall. We were both wet from the water that was coming out of the shower head above us. Parker kissed my jawline down to my neck.
"Why....are.....you...doing this?" I asked him in between his kisses.
"Because," kiss," I," kiss," love," kiss,"you." He said kissing me in between.
"Park we need to stop." I said pulling his face off my neck.
He pouted. "Why?" He asked me with that sad face.
"Because I'm not ready for this and I don't want to have my first time in this school. There could be cameras or something." I said disgusted.
"Fine," he said putting me down.
I shut the shower. "Go change over there." I said pointing to the other side of the room. I grabbed my clothes from the bench and grabbed a new bra and underwear that I kept in my locker in case I ever needed it. I took off my bra and put the new bra on in the other corner away from Parker. I then put my shirt on that was long enough to cover my bum. I took my underwear off and put the new pair on. As I was finishing putting on my pants, two arms wrapped around my waist and hugged me, pressing me against him.
"Nice Dora the explorer underwear by the way. They were very sexy." He said kissing my cheek. He rested his head in my neck, breathing deeply.
"We have to get back to lunch." I said my stomach grumbling.
"How about we go out to eat, my treat?" He asked.
"You had me at 'eat'." I said taking his hand and running out of the school together, not looking back.
Oh Layla.....I hope you know what you are getting into. I said to myself
I know what I am doing. <- that couldn't fool anyone Layla. Not even yourself.