Beware of Brooklyn *Beware of the Parker Boys Sequel*

Chapter Four

"What are you thinking?" he asks me, his eyes meeting mine with a soft stare.

"Nothing." I shrug meeting his gaze before looking down at my feet. I burrow my white sneakers into the pebbles, watching as they are stained with orange lines and dots. My hands grip the chilled chains of the park swing and I sway slightly.

We are silent for a moment, the only sound being the wind blowing through the leafless branches, and the occasional car passing by.

"How is she?" his voice breaks the silence, and this time I do not meet his eyes. Rather, I stare on past the faded playset that sits in the middle of the park yard, watching as a bird lands at the top of the yellow peak of the 'castle'. It allows itself to sit for a moment, its head twitching back and forth in both directions. Finally, it launches itself forward and I watch as its small figure retreats in the distance.

"She won't come out of her room, she used to come and make me dinner, but she has stopped doing that." I announce and I feel his eyes remaining fixated on me. "I don't know what to do to help, Tanner. I have picked up the house, I tried making her some dinner for a change but she wouldn't even open the door to take it, I left it on the floor but it went uneaten."

He doesn't say anything for a moment and I watch out of the corner of my eyes as he looks away from me. I hear him take a deep breath and he pinches the bridge of his nose quickly before answering.

"My mom offered you the extra room a while back, you could always come over tonight and have dinner, maybe stay for a while."

"I don't need to be a bother to anyone else."

I feel his hand overlap mine, making the top of my hand warm against the cold winter breeze.

"You know good and well you are nothing but a bother." I meet his gaze and find nothing but sincerity. "Come and stay with us, Brooklyn."

·

I hold my warm mug in my hands as I gaze at his house. I am able to see through one of the downstairs windows and am able to gaze upon his kitchen. I can see his mother putting dishes away in the cupboards before turning to another figure. Her arms go around him and he returns the embrace, their mouths move with smiles with the words I cannot hear.

I become aware of the fact that the glass sliding door is opening behind me, announcing the fact that I am no longer alone. I turn around and find Rodger coming from inside the house. I feel a gust of cool air come from inside the air conditioned building and my skin cools for a moment before the door is shut again.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks me, his eyes flickering in mine, searching for anything that he will not find in my words.

"Just getting some fresh air." I reply, turning away from him, this time facing the lake rather than Tanner's house.

He comes to stand beside me silently, his eyes casting their gaze on the lake much like my own.

"It's the last day of summer break, what would you like to do?" he announces.

I watch as three ducks wade in the water, one occasionally dipping its head into the water and appearing with its beak in the air as it swallows whatever it was that it was able to catch.

"I want to go swimming." I find myself replying.

He looks at me and I meet his surprised expression.