Just Friends. (A falling in love with my best friend story)

Chapter 4: Shock

 Genna's POV:

I was trapped in the blue punch bug. I felt glass shards all over me as I watched from inside the overturned car as my mother was carried away. I tried to climb out and chase after her but seat belts were strapped all over me. Choking me... strangling me... "Moooom!" I screamed.

I was pulled up into a sitting position and I struggled against arms that were around me. Someone was telling me to calm down. I yelled and struggled against him, but I recognized the voice. I opened my eyes and I was sitting up on my bed, Parker's arms around my waist, telling me to calm down. I stopped struggling, but I was still in shock.

        "It's just me Genna, calm down." I heard Parker's voice in my ear. I swallowed and realized my throat ached.

        "Was I screaming?" I asked hoarsely. He let go and moved so he faced me.

        "Yeah. And crying. You looked like you were being possessed or something. You scared the shit out of me that's for sure." He said. I wiped at my face and felt it heat up. How embarrassing.

        "You wanna tell me what happened?" He asked. I shook my head, not meeting his eyes. Not only did I just see him last night for the first time in two months, but I woke him up by scaring him and thrashing around like some freak.

        "Leave while you can, I'm a mess." I said, putting my face in my hands. He took my hands off my face and gave me a confused look.

        "What do you mean?" He asked.

        "I mean I'm not the same friend you remember from 2 months ago. And I probably never will be. I've changed for the worse and it's not gonna get better. So I understand if you don't wanna get wrapped up in this mess." I said. He started laughing and I looked down at my lap. Go ahead, laugh at my pain. I know, I'm crazy. I don't care.

        "Genna if you think I'm going to leave you now, you're nuts." He said. I looked back up. How could he say that? He didn't even know half of what happened to me. I bet he doesn't know I'm in therapy. I bet he didn't know I went to rehab, nor does he know about the scars up and down my arms.

        "You're signing yourself up for a shit load of trouble you know." I said. He smiled.

        "I already signed up for that 10 years ago when we were six. Let's go get breakfast. You're still a vegetarian right?" He asked. I nodded, but I just wanted to lay back down and drown in my music for a few hours. I didn't wanna go anywhere. Especially not with Parker. He doesn't wanna be seen with me, he's just trying to be nice.

        "I will carry you over my back like a sack of flour if I have to Genna, you're way too skinny. You need to eat." He said.

He pulled me out of bed and told me to go get dressed, and he wouldn't leave me alone until I did. Stubborn jerk.

I dressed and he nodded in approval and took me downstairs. We passed our parents, who were in deep conversation. His mom seemed to be yelling at my dad about something, while his dad was sitting there helpless. He looked over at us.

        "Where are you two going?" He asked.

        "I'm taking Genna to breakfast. She needs to eat." Parker said, determined. I rubbed at my eyes, hoping I didn't look as terrible as I felt. My dad looked around and tossed me his wallet.

        "Don't spend too much." He said to me. I wordlessly handed the wallet to Parker and he nodded, putting his arm around me and taking me out the door. 

***

We sat across from each other in the cafe that used to be my favorite. He ordered what we always got, and I'm surprised he still remembered.

        "I don't like this." I said truthfully. He looked at me weird.

        "We used to go here all the time." He said. I shook my head.

        "It's not that. I feel like I'm being babied." I said. He rolled his eyes.

        "Genna, I'm not babying you, I can tell you that. My mom probably will, but you need someone to take care of you dammit. You were always stubbornly independent and now's not the time to be like that. Okay?" he asked.

I sighed and nodded, and took his hand across the table. He softened from his usual harshness.

        "I like the nose piercing by the way. And the hair. It's edgy." He said. I felt the corners of my mouth lift up slightly, my first smile in months.

If you would call it that.

Our food came, along with coffee and I actually felt a bit hungry. He got me my usual breakfast grilled cheese with tofu, which isn't as bad as some people say it is; with a side of hashbrowns.

        "We'll get you better in time for school. Trust me." He said. I seriously doubted him, and played with the locket mom gave me that I always wear.