Living Life With The Parker Boys

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

There was a knock on my bedroom door and I knew instantly who it was. Guilt rushed through me.

"Come in." I called. Charlie poked his head around the door before stepping in and closing the door behind him. I got up from where I was sitting. 

"Look, I'm really sorry for taking your car and-" I was cut off by him pulling me into a crushing hug.

"You're okay." He said. He put me back at arms length smiling his golden boy smile that I'm sure made all the girls swoon at school. 

"Yeah." I dragged out. 

"I was so worried, I couldn't stop picturing you in my car in some ditch somewhere, it would have been all my fault. I should have stopped you from getting in the car."

"You couldn't have done anything to stop me."

"I should have-"

"Who am I?" I asked.

"Uh-Brooklyn Matthews. Are you sure you didn't hit your head last night?" He asked, pushing my head side to side checking for any visible sign of an injury. I slapped his hand away in amused annoyance. 

"What is one thing that everyone knows about me?" I continued.

"You're hot?" He offered. I narrowed my eyes at him, he laughed holding his hands up in surrender. "Fine, you're stubborn, very very stubborn"

"Yes, I'm stubborn which means no one could have gotten me out of that car." I said in a determined voice. He sighed, looking at me closely.

"Fine, you win." He said, flopping down on my bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, hands on my hips. He flashed me a smile.

"Lying on your bed." 

"Yeah, I can see that. Why don't you pick yourself up and go lie on your own perfectly comfortable bed?" 

"Where's the fun in that?" He groaned. I rose my eyebrow at him. He sighed, getting up.

"Fine, I'm gone! Call me if you need anything." He said, darting out his hand to ruffle my hair. Before I had a chance to smack him, he'd already sprinted out of the room his laughter growing fainter with each step. 

The next morning was the same chaos as usual but I found myself trying to hide my smile as everyone rushed passed each other, shouting until my ears were sore and throwing things back and forth. We took the cars to school again, I drove with Charlie which was definitely more amusing than driving with any of the other boys. By the time we got to school my stomach was sore from laughing at Charlie singing along to Taylor Swift's greatest hits. We hopped out of the car, the parking lot filling up quickly. 

"See you later." I said. Before he could reach my hair to ruffle, I slapped his hand away. He smiled cheekily, before walking towards a few guys on the football team. I scanned the parking lot for Ryder. I found him sat on the steps with Lacey, Haley, Cole and Derek. As I approached Lacey gazed up, her eyes meeting mine. She shook her head slightly, looking away quickly whispering to Haley. Hayley's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing at me across the parking lot. The hostility hit me in waves, keeping me in place. What had I done? Before I had a chance to find an answer the bell for homeroom rang. 

It wasn't until lunch when I was able to grab Ryder whilst he was alone. Everyone had been ignoring me the whole morning. Lacey and Hayley had made it clear to me when we were in the corridors and they spun around and walked the opposite way to avoid me. Ryder on the other hand had been beside Becca the whole day carrying her books. Her foot was wrapped in gauze and she got around the school on crutches. I was still sure she was faking.