This Can't Be Good

Chapter 39

I knew that Max was still will Parker when he called me so I sent it to voicemail. I sent the next five calls after that to voicemail too. I was surprised when a sixth call didn’t come in. I figured they had given up or at least figured out that I knew the two of them were still together.

It was getting late so I decided to get ready for bed. On my way to the closet I picked up the frame that I had thrown the other night. I placed it on my desk face down so I couldn’t see the picture. After I had changed I crawled into my bed and turned the TV on. I was absentmindedly flipping through the channels when I heard the front door open followed by footsteps up the stairs. I figured it was just Cassadee but then I remembered she was still out with everyone. It wasn’t Lexis because she was out with Trevor, and Jayden was going to Jared’s tonight, which left only one person. I heard a door shut which indicated that he was in his room.

I continued to flip through the channels when my phone chimed from my nightstand. I groaned rolling over to grab it. It was a text from Max asking me to answer my phone. There was no way I was getting out of talking to him tonight. I got up to lock my bedroom door and turned the volume of my television all the way up. There would be no eavesdropping on this conversation, at least not if I could help it. I crawled back into bed and dialed Max number. He picked up on the first ring.

“Hey.”

“You’re alive!” Max yelled. I figured he was trying to play off what this conversation was going to be about.

“Ha ha very funny Max.”

“Why haven’t you answered my calls?”

“Max do you really think I’m stupid? Come on, you know exactly why I haven’t answered your calls.”

“Parker was right, you do catch on fast.”

I stayed quiet. For some reason hearing Max say his name got to me. It probably had to do with the information that came after his name. I would hope by now Parker knew I caught on to things fast, we’ve only been around each other since birth.

“You still there Jos?”

“Yeah,” I said snapping out of my trance.

“So...you want to tell me what’s going on between the two of you?”

“I’m sure you already know the story so what’s the point of telling it over.”

“The point is I get to hear it from a different perspective.”

“Max,” I said sternly. “This isn’t your fight. You don’t need to be in the middle again.”

Max let out a chuckle on the other end. “Josylne, in case you’ve forgotten I’m already in the middle. I don’t mind being there; in fact, I put myself there. You might as well start talking.”

I groaned. This is why no one should have ever known about Parker and I. It was bound to end up bad. I gave in to Max, I told him what happened. As the words left my mouth I could feel my eyes filling with water. I regained my composure and continued to tell the story. Max never interrupted me he just listened.

“So that’s the story Max. I confronted him and then walked away. I went home and he went on to New York. That’s that.”

“Josylne, Parker didn’t go to New York.”

“What?” That was the first time I was hearing about this. Miranda and Jayden hadn’t mentioned that Parker never went with them. His parents didn’t say anything either when they came back. Max must be wrong.

“He didn’t go to New York...he never made it to the airport. No one told you?”

“If I knew he didn’t go would I really be questioning you?” I snapped, sarcasm dripping from my words.

“Okay okay sorry Jos! Man you and Parker are the same person when your mad.”

Yeah, that makes me feel better.

“I didn’t mean that in a bad way!” Max said realizing what he just said.

“Its fine Maxxy. So wait, where was he then?” I knew I shouldn’t be asking but something inside of me couldn’t help it.

“Parker? He was at my house. You know he’s really sorry Josylne.”

I laughed to myself. Of coarse.

“He said he was sorry that night, it doesn’t change what happened.”

“Come on Jos. It’s a big deal if Parker admits he was wrong. You of all people should know that.”

“Okay and he of all people should have known not to lie to me,” I shot back. I wasn’t going to take the blame for this mess. It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t hide a letter from him, I didn’t ignore him for a week. He did it all.

“Josylne,” Max pleaded.

“Max don’t.”

“You can’t stay mad at him forever. It was a mistake but-”

I cut him off, “Stop making excused for him!”

“I’m not. I just, you guys put so much into this relationship to give up.”

“There’s just too much history. It was never going to work. I’m over it.”

“Well, maybe you are but he isn’t.”

“That’s not my problem anymore,” I hung up the phone.

***
It was Monday morning and I was purposely running late. I needed an excuse to drive myself to school by myself. Everyone left ten minutes ago and I was still up in my room getting ready. To be honest I didn’t feel like going to school at all. I had a test in my first period though so I got ready.

I didn’t have time to stop by my locker, thankfully I had my calculator in my bag. I walked into class with a minute to spare. I was definitely cutting it close. The test took the whole period. When the bell rang I was the first person out the door. I needed to stop by my locker to get my book for AP Chemistry.

I opened the locker to grab the book when a piece of paper fell to the floor. I bent down to get it instantly regretting my actions. It was a purple piece of paper. I stuffed it back into my bag without even looking at it.

I was not playing this game again.