This Can't Be Good

Chapter 58

I hadn’t been able to eat lunch with my friends for the last two weeks. Since AP tests usually took four hours I had been eating lunch with the other designated “smart” kids. Now that all that was behind me I made my way over to my usual lunch table.

“I missed you guys so much!” I exclaimed.

Lunch carried on as usual. It was as if my two week absence hadn’t even occurred. That was the thing I loved about my group of friends, they never made anyone feel left out.

As lunch carried on the boys seemed to have lost themselves in their own conversation. Now that the end of May was approaching, reality was beginning to hit them. I tried to get Parker’s attention a few times throughout the duration of lunch but was met with no response. I didn’t take it too personal.

***

“Hey you,” I heard a familiar voice murmur.

I turned around abruptly consequently knocking my backpack-that was balanced on my knee-to the floor causing everything to scatter. It had been a long time since Parker’s presence startled me. Before I could even react to the scattered remains of my books, Parker had placed them back into my bag handing me my backpack when he was finished. He made sure it was zipped so the same thing didn’t occur again.

“Sorry,” I apologized.

“For what? Dropping your bag on the floor, that’s a silly reason to apologize to me.”

“Psh, I wasn’t apologizing to you I was apologizing to my books,” I teased.

Parker let out a loud gasp before a chuckle escaped his lips. My lips tugged up into a smile before they were met with his.

“Are you going home right now?”

“I was planning on it. Why?” Given Parker’s question I knew there was no way I was actually going home now.

“Come with me to the park.”

“The park?” I questioned. The only park that was remotely close to Mass High was the one found adjacent to our old elementary school. I hadn’t been there since I went with Ava a few months ago. “Guess I’m going to the park then.”

Parker’s face lit up as he laced our fingers together leading me out of Mass High toward the parking lot. Like usual our cars managed to be parked beside each other. I quickly got in mine starting the engine before looking up to find Parker staring at me. I rolled down my window so that I could speak.

“I don’t want to leave her here,” I said. I knew Parker wanted me to go with him in his car but I didn’t want to have to drive back to Mass High after to get my car. It was just easier if we both drove there. “I’ll follow you.”

“We’re not being very environmentally friendly,” Parker teased, trying to guilt me into driving with him.

***

Me being the child I am ran straight for the swings before he even finished getting out of his car. I saw him a minute later walking towards me a cheeky grin radiating off his face. Soon he occupied the swing next to me and the two of us swung our legs in perfect unison.

Before long the sun began to set. I wouldn’t have minded too much but as the sun disappeared the air became chillier. Parker took notice, shrugging off his jacket to lend me. He got off the swing taking my hand with him as he ushered us towards a bench overlooking the park.

“All right Daniels, what’s up?” I asked. He definitely didn’t drag me to the park to swing on the swings with me for an hour.

“I’ve started looking at flight information for June.”