『 the sound of you and i 』 ➤ the first "sounds" book

★ Ⅵ ｐ．３ ∞ 𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 ★

I'm sitting in the library. I thought Harley might have been here but he isn't. I don't know if I'm relieved or not. If Parker really cares about me, if she knows enough about me, then she'll know this is where I am. Everyone close to me knows I read when I'm stressed. She could tell I was stressed, right?

I bite my lip and the librarian, who is actually Chase's mom, Alison, looks up at me and smiles. "Hi, Grace," she hums and she walks out of her desk over to me. "Didn't see you sneak in."

"You know me, Miss Xander," I mumble. "Quiet and stealthy."

"You've been here for a while, haven't you?" I nod. "You only sit in here for this long if you're stressed. Does your council teacher know you're here?"

"She does, and yeah, I'm a bit stressed."

"Is it Parker?"

My eyes widen. "Did Chase tell you about her?"

"Of course he did, you know Chase, tells his mom everything."

I grin a bit. "True." I look away from her. "I guess she's part of it, yeah."

"You don't want to talk about it, huh?"

"Not really."

"That's fine." She smiles and I wonder how all of my friend's parents are so amazing. "I've got a book I think you'll love." She goes back over to her desk and reveals a book hidden away, she always keeps a few books for me that she thinks I'll like. "Here you go."

"'Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock'? That sounds interesting."

"It is. I read it and cried."

I smile. "You cry at a lot of books."

"Not the point! Park your bum and start reading!"

I nod and get comfy again.

~

About half an hour later, most of my hope of Parker coming has disappeared, I notice someone come into the library. I look up and I grin. It's Parker. 

But she walks right past me. She doesn't even notice me.

She talks to Miss Xander and I just stare at the back of her head as if I'm trying to telepathically tell her I'm right behind her. I sigh quietly and look back to my book as if I never saw her. I guess she's only here for a book, or something.

I get lost in the book so quickly I barely realise Parker sit next to me. I jump and look at her and she smiles, quickly surprising me with a kiss. I kiss her back and smile softly.

"Hey," she mumbles against my lips before pulling back and looking at me. "I didn't realise you were in here."

She doesn't know this is where I go to let all my emotions out. It hurts a little. "Yeah, I'm always at the library when I need to think."

"I'm sorry about earlier," she whispers and I shake my head.

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just so caught up in frustration with Harley."

"What even happened?"

"I told him about how close we were to... y'know."

"And he got mad?"

"Yeah."

"He sounds jealous."

I'm taken aback. "Parker!"

"It's true, he's never out of your sight. I think you should let him go cool off for a bit."

"You don't want me around him?"

"Not while he's like this, no."

I nod my head a little. "Alright."

"I can't tell you what you can and cannot do," she continues. "I just want what's best for you."

"I know."

"I love you, Grace. You know that, right?" She leans in and presses a kiss to my head.

"I know," I say again, but as we get up and head out of the library hand in hand, I let my mind wander and start to doubt if she really does.

~

"Grace!"

I'm sitting in art class, going through Oscar's folder, looking for something he told me very vaguely about. He needs it for a painting he's doing in the next room. I look up and notice Lovelle and I smile as she comes in. She sits on the table I'm sitting at and swings her legs about.

"I'm worried about Tiffany," she whispers.

"Were you here this morning?"

"Subject change, much?" She shakes her head. "Nah, I had an appointment. Therapist, the one that helps with the anger issues."

"Ah, okay. Sorry. Continue."

"Tiffany, right." She bites her lip a bit and stares at me. "She's really taking the diagnosis hard and I'm worried that she's gonna think too much about it and harm her mental health."

"I don't get how it's a big deal. She's got a learning disability, so what?"

"She just thought she was a little behind, that's all. And now she knows that it's not her fault. She's angry at the world, Grace. She wanted something to blame her slowness on ages ago. All the shit people have given her for it, she could've had an excuse this entire time."

"I think you know what's going through her head."

She thinks for a moment before smiling slightly. "I guess I do. Maybe I just needed to get it off my chest."

"You're a really good girlfriend."

She grins. "I know. I'll see you around, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you third period tomorrow."

"Alright. Have fun! And tell those twins that they need to chill with their exams," she mumbles as she skips back to the door. "They're just stressing themselves." 

She smiles as I wave and she leaves. I lean back in my seat and I wonder if Parker talks to people about me. If she knows what's going through my head.

"Grace," Oscar hisses, rushing into the class. "Miss Boatz is getting impatient! How haven't you found the work yet?"

"You said it was a really good piece. My problem is that you've never done a bad piece."

He laughs a little and brushes me off. "Go help Oli. I'll get this."

"Right, right."

I smile and make my way to the other class and I wonder if the Cadwell twins work like a couple, too. If they know what's going through each other's heads. If they know how the other one ticks. I think I like that thought. They seem really close and have a really strong bond.

I love all of my friends.