Parker Hanson was crying, her face red and sad as she sat on the hood of her car. She wiped at her face frantically, hating that Drew had gotten to her once again. But his words had hurt, and he hadn't needed to use her issues against her like he did. Parker wasn't entirely sure where she was, she knew she was pulled into some scenic overlook of L.A. but she didn't remember getting there.
She sniffled, the girl lifting her phone from where it was sat on the hood beside her, her tears blurring her vision as she looked at all the missed calls and texts. She ignored them all, going straight to her photo album, lifting the bottle of alcohol she had acquired apparently on her way to the overlook. She took a long sip, feeling as if she was going to throw up from crying so hard. She went to the album in her phone that she knew she should've deleted, her eyes closing as she pressed on the first picture.
The picture was of Parker and Drew, the girl sitting at a table, her hand gripping Drew's chin as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, the boy smiling ridiculously with his eyes closed. She felt as if her heart was being ripped into two just looking at the picture, the girl lifting the bottle to her lips and taking a long swig. She wiped her mouth, letting out a sigh as she swiped, wondering how they had ever been so happy when all she could do was hate him now.
But she didn't hate him, she wasn't anywhere close to hating him. Still loving him with everything in her was the part that hurt the most, the fact that he wouldn't ever feel the same way about her that he did. Parker's tears continued to blur her vision as she swiped through the album, her heart hurting more as she tortured herself by looking at pictures of what was arguably the love of her life.
Parker wanted to go home, wanted to get some sleep. She rubbed her eyes, sliding off the front of the car and stumbling towards the drivers side. She pulled the door open, slumping into the seat and wiping her eyes as she let out a short sob. She threw her phone into the passenger seat, starting the car and buckling her seatbelt. She knew that driving was a bad idea, but she didn't want to call someone to come get her, she couldn't think of someone she trusted enough to get her that she wasn't currently infuriated with.
Parker somehow made it to the small trail to get back to town, her eyes blurred from the alcohol and the tears. She couldn't even stop herself from flipping through her contacts on the car phone, the girl hitting call on the last person she needed to.
She let out a shaky breath as it rang, the girl wiping her nose as she silently begged for the person to pick up. On the last ring they picked up, a sigh coming through the car radio and making Parker feel a pang of regret.
"Drew...are you there?" She cried out, the girl stopping at a stop light. Drew was in fact there, his ears perking at the sound of an engine running, his eyes wide as he realized she was not home. A rush of worry flew through him, the boy immediately answering.
"Yeah yeah. I'm here Parker. Hey, where are you?" He said, trying not to sound panicky.
"Uh I don't know. I called- I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I don't hate you. Okay? I don't." She said, crying as she spoke. Drew was far from sober, he had picked up his own liquor on the way home, but knowing that she was out there endangering herself was enough to sober him up all the way.
"That's-okay I um...where are you P? Hm?" Drew asked, rubbing his hand across his pants as his palms got sweaty.
"P? You haven't called me that in awhile Drew." Parker swerved slightly, the girl turning so that she could continue to talk. She had no idea where she was going, and Drew was getting more and more worried by the second. He felt a twinge of something go through his chest, the sound of his full name slurring on her tongue making him go crazy. He used to love hearing her say his name like that.
"Alright alright. How drunk are you right now?" Drew stood from his couch, pacing slightly as he tried to contemplate what he could do. The others has been trying to get ahold of her for hours, he needed to find where she was and then tell everyone that she was okay.
"Very. That's why I'm calling you to tell you I miss you." Parker didn't know what she had said, but Drew... Drew felt his breathing stop. He knew that he shouldn't feel the way he was feeling, she had put him through hell. Over and over again . But hearing those words fall from her lips...he couldn't help but want to give in.
"I- I miss you too Parker. Now tell me where you are. You're drunk and you don't need to be driving." Drew tried to be nonchalant, but he had meant the words he said. He silently hoped that she would finally reveal her location, so that he could go find her. So that he could go get her and she would thank him and things would be right again just for a little bit.
"I'm uh...I'm outside your building. Can I-I wanna come up. I want to see you and say sorry because I don't hate you. And I miss you...."Now that she was here Drew was faced with the real decision. He knew she shouldn't come up, he knew she should stay down there. But his mind was already excusing it away, screaming at him to say okay. He wanted to see her, even though not two hours prior he never wanted to see her again.
"I don't know if that's the best idea. We're not together anymore-"
"I love you. Please. I just want to see you." Drew's breath stopped again, his eyes closing briefly as the side of himself that was attached to her won. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he looked down at the floor, his heartbeat thumping frantically in his chest as he thought of what she had just said. He had never expected to hear those words come from her lips again and yet...there they were. And they meant just as much now, if not more. Drew could see how this was toxic behavior, could see why he shouldn't let her up, and yet he spoke, ignoring the red flags and replying.
"Yeah come on up." He was relieved that she was there, not only because he didn't want her to kill someone or be killed, but because he wanted to be near her, even if they weren't good. The phone hung up, Drew letting out a deep regretful sigh as he pushed himself up from the couch. He staggered towards the foyer of his apartment, eyeing the door warily as he felt his chest clenching with despair. This was pure torture, and yet he couldn't help but give in. With every step he felt his heart beat quicken, his palms begin to sweat, he hadn't been alone with her in a long time.
A knock on the door made him close his eyes, Drew realizing once again that this was a bad idea. The thing about growth was that you had to move on, but he couldn't do it, he couldn't grow. Not when she was still out there. Not when everything he did reminded him of her. Drew pressed his forehead against the door, taking a deep breath as he tried to work up the courage to just not open it.
"Drew please." She knew him too well. He seemed to remember all the times they had been in this exact position, her on the other side of the door, just begging to be let in so she could apologize and they could talk. She knew he was standing there, his fingers gripping the handle but not quite turning it, his head pressed against the door as he tried to resist her. "Please let me in."
Drew turned the handle, pulling his head back from the door and opening it. His breath caught in his throat as he spotted her, her red and blotchy face making his stomach stir. She was absolutely beautiful, even with the smeared makeup and the red face. There was something peculiar between them, the air shifting as they made eye contact. Parker let out a staggered breath, her eyes running over his face as she tried to remember his features. She was quick to realize she had never forgotten the tiny details, not a single one. Drew blinked slowly, a frown covering his lips as she looked him over. He wasn't sure where to go from here.
"Hi." Parker said, her voice alone making his heart ache. The corner of her lips lifted slightly, Drew not able to keep himself from following her lead, his hand lifting to the back of his neck as he scratched at it.
"Hey."
