Stupid Cupid

Oh, he's just my deadbeat chicken baby daddy

"Nah," Parker replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I can remember it."

"Whatever," I mumbled under my breath, and I motioned for Parker to keep asking me questions so that I could get home.

"What's the craziest thing you've ever done?" Parker asked, and I blanched.

That was a hard question... especially since I hadn't done anything crazy. At least, I don't think an all day Harry Potter movie marathon was crazy.

Just as I opened my mouth to give Parker a bullshit answer, Eddie appeared in front of the chairs we'd taken at the edge of the room. He had this strange emotion in his eyes, and he looked really flushed.

"Parker, mate, we gotta leave," Eddie said urgently, and when Parker didn't move, he added, "Now!"

"What did you do?" I asked, and when I looked past Eddie, I noticed a group of guys glaring at Eddie's back and talking to each other, their mouths stretched into fatal scowls. Suddenly, I didn't want Eddie to answer that question.

"Let's just say," Eddie said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "that some guys are sore losers. And when said guys get mad, they like to take it out on poor English lads."

Without having said a word, Parker glanced behind Eddie, and he got a pained look on his face. "Eddie, Eddie, Eddie," Parker chastised, "How many times do I need to tell you not to play cards with Ron and his pals?"

Parker was trying to be light and casual, but I could see right through his act. Apparently, it seemed like this Ron dude wasn't someone you wanted to piss off, and Eddie had managed to do just that.

"They're coming this way," I whispered, glancing over at Parker, "Should we leave?"

"Immediately."

I stood up from the dirty, plastic chair I'd been perched on, and I hurried behind Parker as he made his way towards the front of the room. Eddie was behind me, but suddenly, I sensed that he wasn't there. When I turned around, I was right.

"Parker," I called, getting his attention. I turned around to see Eddie, the collar of his shirt gripped tightly in a beefy man's hand, getting yelled at. The man pulled his fist back just as Parker shoved past me.

Right before my eyes, Parker landed a right hook on the man's face. Eddie was released, and Parker grabbed him and started to drag him quickly out of Paulie's. "C'mon Reed!" Parker yelled as he passed me, "Let's get the hell out of here!"

There was no way I was going to protest to that.

I shoved through the mass of people and burst out through the metal door, right behind Eddie and Parker. We didn't stop running until we were across the street and down the sidewalk a bit. I spotted my car parked against the curb and sent a silent 'thank you' to the heavens.

"Well, I had a great time," I said sarcastically, and I pointed to my car, "but I really do need to get home."

"Nice to meet you, Love," Eddie replied with a half-hearted wave, and he immediately started to fish in his pockets to find a cigarette and lighter, since Parker wouldn't let him smoke with me around.

"Likewise," I said slowly, and I turned to look at Parker. "I'll see you around, Baby Daddy."

"Until next time, Baby Mama," Parker replied, his smirk dripping with arrogance.

I turned quickly on my heel and hurried towards my car as the wind started to pick up and whip my ponytail around. I unlocked the driver's side door and ducked into the car seat. After a moment of sitting there and letting the events sink in, I turned on the car and peeled away from the curb.