The Fixing of Parker Grey

The Fixing- Chapter 1

I stared down at my feet. The floor of the pickup truck I was in was covered ankle-deep in receipts, parking tickets, various food wrappers, and wrappers to things I don't care to mention. I had been staring at my feet for a while now, lost in my thoughts.
Thoughts like: Is that seriously a rash on my ankle? or, Did leave some gum behind my ear? But as I started looking around, I started thinking more deeply. Sometimes I get lost in my own mind, enveloped in the dark recesses known as my imagination.
And then my eyes fell on Anna May. Even after the massive tailgating party we went to,she had still managed to look like the picture perfect southern lady. I admired that about her. Her blond hair was pulled into a perfect ponytail, revealing pearl earrings that went with the rest of her outfit. Her blue blouse, jeans, and knee high brown leather boots didn't even have the slightest hint of a barbecue stain on them. Meanwhile, I didn't know where my left shoe was.
Sometimes I doubt if Anna May likes hanging out with me. We were so different, but honestly, I think the only reason we're friends is that we're the only two people who aren't crazy in the suburban hell known as our school.
Anna May turned around to look at me. "Parker," she asked, "do you ever wonder what we're gonna do with our lives after all this is over?" I was taken aback for a moment, stunned by her breaking of the silence. "After all what is over?" I said with a confused look on my face. "Well," she said, "you know, going to parties and stuff. Eventually, we're gonna have to go off to college and start our lives, Parker." I had never really thought about that much. I honestly thought I was gonna be a stay at home mom, but then I remembered I don't want to have kids. " I don't know," I told Anna May. She sighed and turned her head to gaze out the window.
Sometimes Anna May surprised me with how deep her thoughts get, considering the fact that she had a huge crush on some boy band, and she has these random, ahem, blond moments.
Before I could finish my thoughts, the car came to an abrupt stop. Hunter, my cousin, turned around to look at me. "C'mon, get you two," he said in his southern drawl, " we're already half an hour late."
I didn't know how I felt about Hunter. He was fifteen, ate about two truck fulls of food every day, and was about 6'5. He claims to be smart, but the thing I he just doesn't care about school. The only two options he has for a career is the NFL or the military, which is fine with me for all I care. Either way he'll end up with some girl who he accidentally got pregnant, and spend the rest of his life dragging himself and her wherever he happens to get stationed.
I walked in the house with Anna May trailing timidly behind me. Of course, my mom was already in her room with her boyfriend and a towel shoved under the door, as if that would block out the sound. I was used to this kind of thing by now, but Anna May still couldn't help but shudder every time she heard a noise escape that room.
Not surprisingly, Hunter was on Steve's side of the "family." My mother insisted that we call ourselves a family, because for some reason my mom actually thought Steve was going to propose to her. I mean, the woman already had a wedding dress picked out, and it was so short you could see most of her thighs.
We went into my room. "Your mother is disgusting," Anna May said. "I know," I told her, "I feel like Steve takes advantage of her though. I mean, he's really fat, only comes to our house at night, and spanks her right in front of my face." Anna May looked me I the eyes and said, "I am so sorry." "You know," I said, "my mother has hurt me so many times, it's as if I can no longer fell sadness, let alone anything else."
I got two pairs of earplugs out of my nightstand and handed one to Anna May. I dug out a place to sleep through all the junk on the floor. I would have slept on the bed if it was any softer than the floor, but I didn't want to leave Anna May all by herself. I drifted off to sleep, listening to the comforting sounds of my best friend's breathing.