My Life With the Parker Boys

Chapter 5

Dinner that night was awkward.

Aidan was obviously still pissed about what happened at lunch and before my tryout, but I was over it because I had spent an hour putting all of my anger into a punching bag that the boys kept in their gym room towards the back of the house. At dinner, none of the boys talked to me. It seemed as if they had formed a pact against me, and the only reason for that pact I could even begin to fathom was probably behind Aidan's fury.

Note to self: Pretty boy can dish it, but he can't take it.

I tried making eye contact with Colton, because I thought he could've helped me out, but he just put his head down, appearing ashamed of his actions.

I looked to the twins, and both of their cheeks became pink and suddenly they acted as if their mashed potatoes were the most interesting thing in the world.

Aidan was glaring daggers into my head, so I made sure to steer my eyesight clear of his direction.

So I just sat there in my own head, with a lost appetite, zoning out Max who was sitting next to me and excitedly talking about his field trip to the zoo.

Tracey must have noticed the tension, because she kept glancing to me with a worried expression, but she knew better than to comment on it.

I felt little fingers tapping my arm and I had turned to see the culprit, Max smiling at me.

"Have you ever been to the zoo?" he asks with a little lisp present, probably due to the absence of his right front tooth.

"Yes, my dad used to take me and my brother all the time when we were little," I answer, smiling slightly at the flood of happy memories.

"You have siblings?" Max questions, looking excited.

"Max, that's enough," Tracey cuts in, shaking her head.

"No it's fine," I tell Tracey. I then turn back to Max and answer his question. "Yes, I have one older brother."

"How old?" Max continues, looking intrigued. The rest of the boys seem interested too, encouraging Max with their eyes to pry answers out of me that they want.

"Braden's age."

"Is he back at home?" Max asks.

I feel a pang in my heart, but answer his question anyways, "Yes, he's with my parents."

"Why aren't you with them?"

Why do little kids asks so many questions?

I look down at my untouched food and then look to Tracey, then pushing my chair back I say, "If you'll please excuse me."

"Of course," she nods with a sad smile on her face.

I walk up the stairs and find my room, and as soon as I shut the door I slide along the back of it and put my head in my hands, allowing the tears to fall.

After a solid thirty minute sob session, I managed to calm down and make my over to my bed, thanking my brain for thinking to shower before dinner and not waiting until afterwards.

I crawl under the covers and curl into a ball, resting my head on my pillow and allowing fatigue to wash over me.

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"It's all your fault," he says, shaking his head at me.

"No it's not," I plead.

"You did this to me!" James yells, pointing to his grave stone.