Stereotypical

XVIII | She, Who Couldn't Bear to Lose a Friend

Sorry if you hate me after this chapter.

:D

When the next week rolled by, it seemed as though everything had changed. Parker had completely fallen under the radar, and left my attempts at communication unread or ignored. School surfaced, and he went out of his way to, well, stay out of mine. It wasn't the most unusual thing to have happened, because things got worse.

The fourth period bell rang, and I slipped my books into my bag before jogging out into the hallways. They were packed with students migrating towards the cafeteria. I made myself smaller and tried to blend in, only to be butted to the side by an angry sophomore.

"Skinny bitch," she muttered.

Her comment had caught me off guard and I froze. That was a mistake, because someone rammed the front edge of their binder into my back. "Oh my god, get out of the way!" he hissed.

As my feet began taking me to the cafeteria, I realized that these comments weren't new, just unacknowledged. I'd brushed things off so quickly that I never stopped once to think about what had actually been said or done. Now that I was taking in more, I was finally soaking in the tension.

These people hated me.

I threw my chin up and tried to look as indifferent as I possibly could. I wove through the crowd, letting the voices of those around me dim down to a soft hum. I understood what Parker meant about them thinking that I put myself on a pedestal. While I piled a juice carton, chicken sandwich and a packet of mayonnaise on my tray, I planned my next step.

The student body wanted my innards on the floor, Parker wanted nothing to do with me, and I was about to enter the runner up of Hell. I licked my lips, paid for my food, and strode into chaos. I took the only vacant table and pulled my phone out. I'd unwrapped my sandwich, spread mayonnaise on the fried chicken patty, and opened a book by the time my name had been called.

I didn't look up; it was like embracing a cactus.

"Why don't you close your legs, slut?" It was Camilla.

Oh Jesus Christ. I took a deep breath and started reading. Camilla didn't stop there. She kept calling my name, adding a comment each time. I reminded myself that she was just upset about our last encounter. And now that Parker was back to their table, she would be rubbing my face in mud.

I took a deep breath and pretended not to hear. This was Camilla. Camilla. If anything she said were ever accurate, I'd have a heart attack and die. So I ate and read in peace - up until she decided that she'd walk all the way over and say hi to my face.

"Are you deaf?" she demanded, scowling at me. "Or are you too good to talk to me?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Its called ignor -"

"Shut up. I just wanted to let you know that Parker's done with you. He doesn't want to hang out with skinny sluts anymore." She said it as though it would end the universe as we knew it. She said it as though Parker were a god.

I clicked my tongue. "Okay. Bye."

"And Bryan told us that you were going out with him. He has a girlfriend you know."

My hand, on its own accord, rose and clenched into a fist, excluding my middle finger. When she gawked at it, I pushed my hand closer. Get a good look at it, I thought furiously.

I started to pick my tray up when she snapped. "Did you just flip me off?" She was coming closer. I readied myself for battle. A pair of arms restrained her, and we both looked to their source.

Parker grimaced. "Stop it," he ordered. My heart leapt in my chest, and a slow confidence bubbled up. He was still there! I could count on him even when things weren't going the best. I was so overcome with relief that I almost missed the next words to leave his mouth.

"She's not worth it."

My heart gasped and sputtered and the confidence drowned in the blood of my newest wound. The pain that took my heart was akin to the pain from a headache you get from fevers. It traveled to my stomach. Camilla laughed at her obvious success and shrugged him off. "I knew you'd come to your senses," she chirped, practically glowing.

Because, for once, she had me pinned.

My head was spinning. This couldn't have been happening. It certainly wasn't Parker - he was better than that. Just a few days ago, he was cheering me on and teasing me about my dancing. He drove me home and promised that we'd hang out soon.

If hang out meant completely crush and destroy whatever bridges we had, then he was keeping his word beautifully. It felt unreal, as though I were dreaming. I felt like everything was staged. That, in a matter of seconds, he'd smile and tell me that I'd completely fallen for his act.

He didn't smile.

"What are you staring at?"

I blinked in surprise, feeling my chest constrict. "I...Parker..." I stood. "What the hell are you doing?" I demanded. "You act like we've never met. Why are you taking," I gestured to Camilla, "her side? And why'd you suddenly vanish?"

He cocked an eyebrow, and I seriously feared that I'd dreamt the whole experience up. Oh god, that would have been mortifying. I crossed my arms. Parker turned around and strode off with Camilla close on his heels. Tears pricked at my eyes and I tried to blink them away as quickly as I could.

Carson didn't cry in front of the school.

Not over a boy.

"P-Parker, you can't pretend I don't exist." I snapped. Desperation consumed me. I could not be losing him. I can't just forget him after every ounce of trust I'd invested in him. Why wasn't he giving me a reason?

Is this how my friends felt when I left them hanging?

Thoroughly humiliated, I snatched my bag and shoved my book inside. My mouth was running on its own. "Good job, you got me to believe your pity story about fitting in and being the real you." I tossed my tray into the trash can. "You can brag about how I wasted my time on a fuck boy like Parker Winston."

He turned on the last part, scanning my expression. I shrugged. "I hope you give Emily STDs." And I walked out with as much civility as I possibly could. Everyone was laughing at me. At my poor attempt to get at him.

I wasn't coming back here.

As I stumbled through the front doors, I came to the final realization that Parker may have never really been my friend. Or it was something I had said to him. I was in shambles, barely finding my way home. I locked the front door, launched my bag blindly into the living room, and collapsed in bed. I found myself crying uncontrollably, praying to a god that had long since abandoned me.

"Please," I quaked, feeling my last supports giving out. "Please don't do this." Every carefully placed block was falling out of place.

I can't lose Parker.

I can't lose Parker.

I don't know.

I

don't

know

sorry

but this is the end of part two. See, it didn't really get so bad until the very end!