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

Chapter 7: Change

   Genna's POV:

I sat in my empty room, plastic on the floor and my hair in a ponytail. Parker told me that his mom wanted to make things easier for me so she told me I could paint my room however I wanted. I could tell that I probably wasn't moving out. My lip quivered as I looked at the rainbow of colors in front of me. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, and black were in front of me, including like, 10 mixing bowls to mix colors. Yeah, I definitely wasn't moving out. I put my face in my hands, wishing they hadn't left me completely alone in the house. I'd probably do something stupid and drink the paint. I screamed angrily and threw the bucket of red paint at the wall, making a huge splot on the wall. I stood up, then threw the orange on a different side of the wall. Again, it made a satisfying splattering sound. I began mixing colors making amazing rainbows all over my walls and ceiling, until the room was completely covered in splatter paint. There were still white spots on the wall. I saved the black paint for last, but then I got another idea. I took a small black paint brush, the one with the smallest tip, dipped it in the black bowl and started writing out quotes, words I was thinking, and other stuff on the white spots. I spent what seemed like hours writing quotes, and finally on top of the drying colors. I left enough room in case I wanted to add more, especially if I found some in mom's diary.

Finished, I looked at the plain wooden door, and threw the rest of the black paint on it and then slapped my hands against it, leaving two prints. I then began drawing shapes with my fingers, making brown shapes appear in the black paint.

Finished, I sat back on the floor, splattered with paint, but satisfied. A small smile crept its way to my face, thinking how my mom would've loved this.

        "Hey Genna are youuuuuu what the fuck happened in here?" He asked, gazing around. He looked at me and I shrugged, anxiously pulling the sleeves of my shirt back down from my elbows back to my hands.

        "The paint attacked me." I said, getting up and rushing past him.

***

        "Genevieve, next time you decide to splatter paint, remind me to cover you in plastic too." Parker's mom joked as she scrubbed really smelly paint remover on my face with a napkin as I sat on the kitchen stool.

I smelled terrible, but I didn't regret what I did. My furniture was now sitting there in the basement, just waiting for me to move into my room. Parker told me he wanted to help move furniture, but I told him I could do it myself. Unfortunately that will have to wait till tomorrow while the paint dries. I was told I could sleep on the couch down there.

        "Okay, you're paint free. Now go take a shower." She said, pinching my cheek. I jumped off the stool, and was about to walk downstairs before I looked back at her, starting to clean up the area. She made tons of sacrifices for me today, calling up my dad who had apparently gotten drunk, taking me in, and even buying a whole new selection of foods that were vegetarian and met my protein requirements as well.

I walked over and hugged her from behind.

        "Goodness dear, what's this?" She asked, turning around and hugging me back.

        "Thankyou." I said, about to start crying, since this was the first time in two months that I've hugged a motherly figure to me.

She must've sensed how I felt because she held me tight.

        "Any time." She said.

***

        "When was the last time we've had a sleepover in this basement?" Parker asked. I shrugged. We were currently in a fort that we built and were watching The Avengers online. I was convieniently wearing my Black Widow pajama dress, since she was my favorite. He was wearing his Iron Man T-shirt and matching bottoms.

I grabbed a handful of popcorn, feeling a wave of sadness rush over me. I remember doing sleepovers with mom all the time. Especially when dad went on trips with his job, we'd order out and make messes in the kitchen and just hang out. The good thing about being an only child with teenager-like parents is that you get most of their attention. The other half goes to eachother, but that was one of the best parts.

        "Hey, there's no crying in the avengers." Parker said, his voice getting worried. I shook my head and stood up, walking to where my furniture was piled in the corner including a bunch of suitcases and boxes. I dug out one of my blankets and brought it over.

        "No, sorry." I said. He put his arm around me when I crawled back under the fort.

        "Hey, I understand." he said. I didn't think he understood at all.

He still had both his parents. He didn't have to go through rehab. He didn't see his dead mother being carried away. He didn't have to move to a whole new place in just two days and quickly adjust from being neglected to being smothered.

        "Hey. You're crying again." Parker said, now worried. I snapped.

        "Wouldn't you!?!?" I said loudly. He flinched and immediately looked guilty. I looked down, embarrassed.

        "You're right. I'm an idiot, of course I'd be crying. You're actually doing better than I would be." He said. I scratched my arms. You wish. I thought.

        "Sorry I snapped. I'm...." I was about to confess that I was torturing myself on the inside, but I couldn't tell him that. Could I? I trusted him, but I didn't want to worry him.

        "You're what?" He asked. I turned over on my side, not facing him and shutting my eyes.

        "Tired. I'm going to sleep. Night." I said, shrugging it off. I felt him wrap his arms around me and pull me close.

        "Goodnight Genna." He said. Then he let go, giving me space. I felt tears leak down my face.

I just wasn't ready for all this change.