Parker

Chapter 12: Parker

Author's note:

Hey guys,

As promised, here's the second chapter of the week.  As always, feedback is appreciated and please don't forget to vote if you like it!

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Parker had never seen Heath's house so packed. It was in such a state that when he walked through the doors he wondered momentarily if he had wandered into someone else's home. Usually, it was rather pristine. His mother was always cooking something delicious, and his father was always reading the newspaper and smiled genuinely whenever anyone entered. It was the absolute dream of the perfect American home.

But at that moment, it looked as if the apocalypse had happened inside the four walls of the house within the span of one hour. Half the partygoers were guests of Heath's mom, meaning that there were more drunk middle-aged women then he had ever seen in his life. Parker's mother ran off to join her friends the moment they arrived, while his father went outside to smoke a cigar with Heath's father. Parker had a feeling he'd be the one driving them both home.

Heath spotted Parker before he could duck back outside. He was drunk, or high. Probably both. He was laughing at something that no one else seemed to find all that funny, with one arm over Jay, the other over Ron.

The moment his pale brown eyes met Parker's he broke out into a huge stupid grin.

"Park!" he said, "Park! Park!"

He sounded like a dog barking.

"Hey man, I'm glad you came," Ron said, looking genuinely relieved.

"Solid," Jay agreed.

Heath half hugged half hurled himself at Parker, slapping his back aggressively. "I knew you'd come," he slurred.

"Parker!" came a high pitched girl's voice. Suddenly Becca had flung herself on him as well, arms wrapped around his neck, cheek pressed against his face. He couldn't help note that the two people he'd rather not see for the rest of his life were both embracing him at once.

"Hi," he said. Heath stumbled back over to Ron, but Becca stayed next to him, smiling. "Where have you been all week?" she asked, placing a hand delicately on his arm. Normally such an action would have sent his mind racing, but somehow at that moment, he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Just school, work, you know," he said.

She nodded understandingly. "Well I'm glad you came," she said, giving his arm a squeeze.

The five of them stood around in the corner drinking and reminiscing as the party got wilder around them. Parker couldn't help think that even though it was one of the biggest days of Heath and Becca's lives, they were basically doing the same thing they did every day in the basement.

An hour passed and Parker was beginning to think that Aggie wouldn't show.

"Why are you glancing at the door every minute?" Becca whispered to him.

"I'm not," he said.

"Holy shit is that..." Heath's voice trailed off and his eyes got wide.

Parker followed his gaze and laid eyes on a girl standing on the opposite side of the room. She was tall and thin, wearing a pale pink dress that hugged her body as if it was a second skin. Her long strawberry blonde hair swished as she looked every which way. It wasn't until he saw her startling green eyes locked on him, that he realized who she was.