You belong to me

Chapter 23 - Parker

Come on Parker you can do it, it's only Charlotte. You can do this. "You're being awfully quiet Parker," mum whispers to me in the back of the car. "I just well, you know, what went down, I not only have to see her but I have to see her family, this was a shit idea!" I say taking deep breaths as I look out the car window. My mum places her hand on my arm and gently strokes it, "Parker, Angie wanted you to come, if she hates you like you think she does she wouldn't want you here," she tries to reassure me but I can't shake the guilt I feel. We turn onto my old childhood street, and pass my old home and I know we're less than thirty seconds away from Charlotte's house and I could be physically sick. "Thank you," mum politely says to the Uber driver and practically pushes me out the door. "I can't do it mum, I really can't" I say cowering away from the door. "Of course you can," she hisses at me as she forcefully grabs my wrist, pulling me to the front door. Just as mum was about to knock on the door, "Oh hi! Got to do the airport run!" Warren smiles as he shimmies past us and runs towards his car. "See, you're fine!" mum hisses at me as we walk into the house.

I can literally feel my insides churning and I've lost complete control of my body temperature as I can feel myself burning up. Angie comes bounding towards me and mum with her arms open wide, "Julie, Parker!" she shouts, as my mother shoots me another glare that it's okay. "How long are you here this time, Parker?" Angie asks me, acting as though I didn't just break her daughter's heart over Christmas. "Erm not sure really, I have a lot of time off," I stutter out and I can sense that Angie knows I'm nervous. Angie leans in towards me to whisper something in my ear and in a blind panic I can't see my mum, as I'm faced one on one with the mother of the girl's heart I shattered. "Thank you for coming, it wouldn't be right without you even if you were a prat, but all is forgotten the new fella is doing the right thing," Angie very passively aggressively whispers in my ear. The new fella is doing the right thing. I keep replaying that in my mind and it's actually distracting me from the fact I feel sick just being here. Maybe if I just kind of stay in the back garden away from the kitchen and patio where everyone seems to be congregating, I'll not be bothered much. I've found the perfect spot, a seat to myself where I can see all the action going on but I don't necessarily have to be involved in any of it.

"I didn't think you'd rock up here," a voice says to me literally causing me to jump. "Jesus Christ, Grandad! You scared the shit out of me!" I say, clenching my heart. "You saw her yet?" he asks me, totally ignoring my reaction. I shake my head and look at the ground. "You're a stupid boy, I told your mum all that money would go to your head," he says sharply, not even looking at me. "That's not really fair to say, it wasn't like that. It was...," I begin to say before my Grandad elbows me in the ribcage, "There she is, the beautiful Charlotte," he says with a smile on his face. I look over to the patio doors as Charlotte is standing in the doorway in a beautiful white dress that fits her so perfectly. Her hair is in a messy low bun and her skin is glowing, she looks so happy. Then I see JT with his arm draped around her waist and his hand placed on her hips and he's in a suit. A fucking suit.

I knew this was a bad idea. I need to find my mum and tell her that I'm leaving and she can't change my mind. I slip my way around the outsides of the patio and towards the kitchen just as Warren appears with his parents. "Parker Kingston, I can't believe how big you are!" Warren's mum squeals as she wraps her arms around me. "It's been too long since we were in London, I miss my grandbabies!" she says as she has a firm grip of my shoulders so I can't escape. "Nanny!" I hear Charlotte shout. I feel sick again, but this time like I could be sick everywhere right now as I know I have to face Charlotte. I literally can't escape her, Nanny still has a tight hold on my shoulders. She finally releases me from her grip as she moves to hug Charlotte and I try to swiftly make my escape. "Mhm, where do you think you're going Parker?!" Gina sassily shouts at me. "Yeah Parker, where are you going?" Charlotte chimes in, stopping me in my tracks. I turn around and walk back to Charlotte and her Nanny, making sure not to make eye contact with Charlotte. "Congratulations on graduating Charlotte," I awkwardly say. "Thanks, it's also my leaving party, not sure if you've heard but I'm moving to LA for a bit," she bluntly says. Wow, and she's moving. My mum failed to mention that important detail. I look up from the ground and for the first time in a long time I look into her eyes, I can see the hurt glistening in her brown eyes. "Wow, I didn't know that. Congratulations on that too," I say giving her an awkward nod. "Babe, there you are!" JT bounds over and kisses Charlotte on her cheek right in front of me. "I er..I should be going, congratulations again, Char." I say as I cringe at the way I could even hear my own sadness. "Parker, you don't have to go, I wouldn't want you to feel left out when my family is practically your family too," Charlotte says with a slight smile and I notice JT glaring me up and down. "Yeah, erm alright then, I'll stay for a bit," I awkwardly reply.

There's only one thing left to do now, especially now that parts out the way, I'm going to get drunk. "Thank God you're here, I thought I was going to be the only one getting drunk!" Jake says as he places his hand on my shoulder. I'm quite surprised by his reaction to seeing me, I assumed he would have punched me. "Yeah, I take the title of the biggest fuck here," I say laughing and much to my pleasure Jake laughs too, "Yeah...yeah you are mate, but you've got Mckenna and Char has JT," he says, swigging his drink. "Yeah but only I don't really have Mckenna, no one knows though but turns out she was fucking this Italian model," I say as I take a straight pull from the whiskey bottle, watching Charlotte and JT.