Living Life With The Parker Boys

Chapter Thirty

Author's note: Long time no see! I know it's been such a long time coming but the next chapter is finally here. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty

My skin tingled where his fingers played with the hem of my shirt. We'd been stood in each other's arms for ten minutes? an hour? I wasn't sure how long it had been but I dared move worried I'd break this moment between us.

It was Ryder who spoke first, "So, what now?" He asked. I gazed up at him with questioning eyes.

"What do you mean?"

He continued to circle his thumb on my skin just underneath the hem of my shirt. "What I mean is will you be my girlfriend. My official girlfriend?"

I paused for a moment, thinking long and hard; "No." I watched as the hope in his eyes began to fade and hurt began to creep onto his face.

"No?" He repeated dumfounded, dropping his arms from around me.

I nodded my head in confirmation a smirk on my face; "You didn't think it'd be that easy to get me did you? You're gonna have to try a lot harder than an empty classroom and a few nice words if you want me to say yes."

Amusedly he said, "Alright, I see how it is. I'll pick you up at 7 tonight."

The bell rang and we parted with a brief goodbye going our separate ways to class. For the rest of the day my mind was stuck on Ryder. I wondered where he was going to take me. What I would wear. How I should do my hair. I stopped in my tracks as these thoughts ran through my head. I'd never sounded like such a...girl. It was laughable really. I could barely remember a time when I'd cared about these things.

As usual after school I grabbed a ride home with the boys. Their conversation was filled with girls, football, girls, more girls. I rolled my eyes as they debated who was hotter, their English teacher or a girl named Kara in our grade. Mrs Davis was winning so far.

When we got the house I bee lined straight  for the kitchen where the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted through the house. My mouth watered at the smell. At the heart of it I found Beth with her apron wrapped around her. 

"Hi sweetie, how was school?" She beamed as she saw me. 

"Eh, same old same old. They try to teach me, I try to listen, they get angry, I get angry. Someone leaves in tears and it's not me." I joked. She scolded me but her smile betrayed her.

"I do have a question." I stated. She rose her eyebrows at me in suspicion telling me to continue. "I know its a school night and I know going out is completely against the rules but just this once can there be an exception. Ryder wants to take me out, I'm not sure where yet but I promise I'll keep in touch the whole night and be home by curfew." I shot her my best puppy dog eyes and saw her resistance already begin to crumble.

"Fine! But only this once and only if you let me help you get ready!" She smiled excitedly. I groaned ready to protest before I heard an exclamation of voices behind me.

"That is so not fair!"

"You're letting her go?!"

"What ever happened to 'parents don't have favourites'."

I span around on my heels, not realising they had been stood there the whole time. The boys all wore incredulous looks as though they couldn't believe she'd just agreed. I smirked at them, shrugging my shoulders.

"I'm not favouriting, Brooklyn asked me nicely and it's only on this rare occasion."

"Fine, mother may I please take Annalise to the movies tonight." Tristan asked.