Take Me Home {Completed}

Chapter Seventeen

Unedited!

"Sometimes a player's greatest challenge is coming to grips with his role on the team." 

- Scottie Pippen

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Chapter Seventeen:

"I'm home!" Parker yelled as he entered the dimly lit apartment. Two grocery bags swayed from his right arm as silence filled the air. His eyes scanned the living room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Nola. The corner of his lips twitched down when he noticed that Nola was not in the living room.

Parker set down the bags by the front door and glanced down the hallway, wondering where Nola was.

With curious steps, Parker went into the bedroom to see if she was there. "Nola?" He questioned as he opened the bedroom door. Upon looking around the room he noted that she was not in the bedroom either. The bathroom door was open and the light was out, so Parker knew that she was not in there.

"Nola, are you here?!" He called out.

Worry set in him as he went into the kitchen and found she was not there too. Parker glanced around for a note. He hoped that she had listened to him and wrote that she was going out but he couldn't find one. Running his hands through his dirty blond hair, Parker started to feel concern boil up.

Anger coursed through him.

She left.

Not thinking straight, Parker punched the fridge in rage - denting a small portion.

She was gone ... She could be back with Mitch.

With large inhales and exhales, Parker tried to push down the hurt he felt at the fact that she had left. He wanted her to stay, that way he would know she was safe. Now ... well, now she could be in trouble and he wouldn't be able to help her. The thought of her needing him and he not being around made Parker feel worry and anger. He attempted to convince himself that she was safe, wherever she was. He controlled his rage by repeating that she would be back soon.

"At least she remembered to take her key," Parker noted as he tried to look on the positive side of things. "She's safe and on her way back right now..."

Slowly, Parker walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. He looked at the door waiting and hoping that Nola would stroll in, unharmed.

Knock.

The sound was unexpected and immediately Parker was alert. His eyes glanced at the door, wondering if that was the source of the knock. It had to be ... Where else would a knock come from? Parker stood up and went to the door. A quick rush of hope flooded him as he thought that it might be Nola at the door.

However when he opened the door, he saw that no one was there. He stuck his head out the door and looked right before looking left. There was not a single soul out and about. Retreating inside, Parker closed the door and sighed. He was imagining it - at least, that was what he was trying to convince himself.

"You're once more going crazy, Parker. No wonder the girl left, you're half crazier than a pineapple!"

Knock.

Turning on his heel, he immediately opened the door and looked around to see who had knocked. Yet, once again, there was no one outside. Parker closed the door once more and this time, he placed his eye on the peephole of the door, to see if he could catch whoever was play ding dong ditch.

Knock.

The sound startled Parker, not because he wasn't expecting it but more so because it was not coming from the door, like he so thought. He stepped away from the door and began to listen to the origin of the sound.