All These Years

Chapter 2

Parker's P.O.V.
2014- January 11
My tire became flat yesterday, and I hadn't bothered to have it fixed, so I asked Emma to take me. She agreed, with whines along the way, but it was a form of agreeing. She honks, and I put on a leather jacket. I go inside the car of hers and she drives out the driveway. "You ready?" She asks. I nod, smiling. "Nice coat." She says, putting her hand on the material, making me flinch quickly.

Emma always made me uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that sometimes I'd cringe, I've always hated that I never was able to let her touch me or something without wincing or flinching, she never seemed to care, nor notice.

I sigh under my breath. Emma and I never talk, she's only nice to me when she comes over, makes me concerned that she's with someone. But, I never ask, even if, she is actually with someone. "Thanks. Nice o-ou-outfit." I say, stumbling on my words. Truth is, she was wearing way too much makeup, she was showing a cleavage, and wore extremely short shorts. "Aw, thanks Parker, and it's all for you." She says sheepishly making my stomach drop; the bad kind, not the good kind. I giggle at it fakely and we arrive.

-

The first people that arrived was Emma's "closest" friends, Jess, Amanda and Kaitlyn. They really were just friends with her because of popularity. And Emma was friends with them because they were really popular themselves; together they'd be "valuable."

Soon enough people came. Surprisingly, Ashley and 2 other friends of hers, Chrissy and Josh, had shown up. To my most surprise, Ashley was here, because she knew I date Emma, she knew it was risky. Why'd she come?

-

Ashley's P.O.V.

I see Parker, and our eyes lock for 10 unbearable seconds. It was possibly the most contact we'd have these whole 2 years. I look away and he does too. I go over to Josh, who was talking to Chrissy.

"I think Parker's channel on YouTube is great." Chrissy huffed at me after finishing her statement to Josh. Chrissy was the type of people that liked things way too easily. "Yeah, yeah. I'll check him out one day." I mumble dismissively. If I was his friend now, I'd been his first subscriber. I glance over at Parker and see he's on the phone. I look away and get a drink with Chrissy.

There was a line for punch. A pretty long one if you ask me. Another person forms into the line. Emma. She's wearing a lot of makeup, possibly gained 2 pounds applying it all, she's showing her cleavage, and wearing unacceptably short shorts.

"Hey, Ashley?" Emma says to me innocently. I nod, trying to be friendly with the host. "Why'd you leave Parker? You're really missing out, like a lot." She asks, still innocently. My hands form into clenched fists. "Reasons, reasons you won't understand." I say strongly. She smiles, and plays with the edge of her shirt. "But really, you are missing out. The way his hair is so perfect to ruffle. Have you ever realized how beautiful his eyes are?" She asks, getting into my personal space. "Yes, yes I have." I confess uninterested. "Do you ever miss that beautiful, beautiful blue-green of them? They just twinkle, if you ask me." She gloats. "You really shouldn't have left." She says diabolically, leaving the line.

"I feel like she's reading porn to me." Chrissy mumbles making me laugh. We soon enough have our punch in our hands, and we make our way to Josh. Josh was talking to a guy, who I've seen around, not often. Josh shooed the guy away and came to us. "No punch for me?" He says, pouting his lip jokingly. Chrissy rolls her eyes playfully.

This party seemed to go on forever.

-

Parker's P.O.V.

"Emma! Wake up!" I yell at her. She was asleep on the couch in an uncomfortable position. "Can you puh-leez drive me home?" I beg. She groans and rolls over. "I can't." Then I realized; she was drunk. I sigh and start walking to the last people that were here.

Most people had left already, except for a few more people. Hopefully one group was kind enough to take me home.

No group had agreed to take me home. There was only one more group of people left that I hadn't asked.

-

Ashley's P.O.V.

"Hey, uh, my car got a flat tire yesterday, and I need a ride, can you guys take me home?" Parker asked desperately. I hadn't heard his voice in ages, well, this close, and I kinda missed it. Chrissy licked her lips quickly, "Uh, sure..." she had said. Then I tap her on the shoulder. "Quick meeting please?" And I haul her over to the hallway.

"Are you crazy?" I exclaimed. "The poor kid doesn't have a ride! Give him slack!" She retorted. "Well it's his fault!" I yelled back. "We can't just leave him here! What if he was your friend now? Would you let him ride with you?" She said, tempting me. She knew the answer. "...fine." I say, defeated.

"Okay, Parker, you can ride with us." Parker smiled, his pearly, perky, wide smile that I hadn't seen in those 2 damn years, he grabbed his stuff while I went into the car, in the passenger's seat.

-

We all were in the car, Josh had fallen asleep, and Chrissy was installing Parker's address to the GPS. Other than the slight deep breaths of Josh's sleep, and Chrissy's long fingernail tapping away on the screen, the car was utter silence. "We'll take Josh away first, Parker, then Ashley." Chrissy announced aloud.

Josh was dropped off, and other than the fenimine voice guiding Chrissy, the car was again, utter silence.

"So, Parker, what have you been up to?" Chrissy said, trying to start up small talk.

"I moved to L.A. a while ago, and now I'm back here, I started YouTubing too. Hit 5K or so like a rough week ago." He said nonchalant, but I saw him staring at me through the rearview mirror. 5K already? I think to myself, impressed.

"Good, so uhm" Chrissy says, then clears her throat, "What's your YouTube name?" She asked, although she knew it.

"I work for the staff of Mineplex. My name is Mineplexofficial." Parker said calmly.

"Okay Parker, we're here." She says. "Can I use your restroom?" Then there was a pause of thought. "Sure, the door is open." Chrissy nods. And leaves the car. There was silence and darkness for the time she was gone. Then Chrissy comes back a few minutes later.

"I'm sorry." Parker mumbles while getting out of the car.

"Did you hear that? Parker said I'm sorry!" Chrissy said, once he left. I shrug. "I'm sure he didn't mean it, I'm sure you heard him wrong," I say, although I knew that wasn't true. I heard it. Even if it was a soft mumble. I heard it.

I heard it as clear as day.