Youth Group Popularity

Chapter 27 - A Different Perspective

Parker and I both stared up at the ceiling as we began a silence from our talk. We were just talking about our favorite music. His favorite band is Lifehouse while mine is Skillet. But Lifehouse is a close second for me.

I scrolled down Instagram blankly, not even really focusing on the pictures. I was really just liking anything I saw as Parker watched. My arms grew tired as I held my phone up in the air for both of us to see. A few more moments of mindless scrolling passed before something actually caught my eye: A familiar face. Two to be exact.

"Thanks for letting me 'use' your phone. Well, for not taking it away when I stole it. Sincerely, your best friend." Is was read underneath the picture of Katie and Danny. Danny seemed to have a half-smirk on his face while Katie was smiling brightly, her perfect white teeth being a focal point of the picture.

I ground my teeth as my nerves tingled with jealousy. I locked my phone and threw it down between both of us. I covered my face with my hands and took a deep breath.

"It's only been one day," I muttered.

"It doesn't mean anything. You know it doesn't," Parker tried to reason with me.

"All of this crap happened just yesterday. He's already got a girl who's his 'Best friend' now. What if they post more pictures like that?"

"You know girls, they say everyone's their 'Best Friend'. How would you feel if you were Danny and we posted a picture like that?"

I hesitated to give an answer because heat was boiling in my temples. I rolled my eyes before closing them and answered, "I'd rather go blind than see them together again."

"See? He probably feels the exact same way about you. You don't even know the girl! She could be mean and vicious, you never know!"

"I met her," I stated after a long, drawn-out groan. "She was really nice. And she's gorgeous. I just think she'd be an easier person to deal with than me. Less baggage, you know?"

I sat back up and focused on my ice-cream again that had melted most of the way since the last time I was working on it. Oh well, it still taste good. I spooned the melted cream into my mouth as I waited for Parker to say something.

"Everyone has baggage. It just takes a good person to help carry all of it," Parker said with a warm humming in his voice.

I took the lid from the Wal-Mart bag and stuck it on my ice-cream carton before setting it down on my nightstand. I set the spoon down on top of the lid. I sat cross-legged on the bed as I looked up at Parker, who was staring right back at me.

"Do you think he'd wait for me?" I spoke just above a whisper.

"I don't know him so I can't guarantee that..."

I lowered my gaze into my hands as they covered my face. My headache was coming back again and I felt awful. This has to be the worst day ever. Well, one of the worst.

"I trust that he will," I said quietly, my hands still remained over my face.

He didn't answer for a long time. I tried to get past a wave of nausea because throwing up was the least of my problems. After a short hiatus, Parker responded to my statement.

"That's good," Parker replied, his voice not sounding too convincing.

"What's wrong?" I questioned him as I laid one hand on the bed, my tone sounding a little harsh.

"Nothing..." He avoided eye contact.

"It sounds like something," Was my immediate answer.

My eyes scanned his face for emotion but I found none, the only thing changing was his jaw clenching and unclenching. I widened my eyes innocently before speaking again, "Please tell me."