Invisible String

Chapter 3

Parker

        We pull into the parking lot of Greenville Elementary to go and get my brother. School got out a couple of minutes ago, so he should be around here somewhere, but all I see is his tiny, slightly beat-up school, and the trees surrounding it.

        "PARKERRR!!!" I hear my little brother before I even see him. Then, before I know it, I'm being strangled at the waist.

        "Hey bud, how'd school go today?" I smile down at him while I ruffle his hair.

        "Hey stop that," he backs away, "but Dad lied. I didn't get bullied. I didn't even see them once," he has a big smile so he must be telling the truth.

        "See I told you, you had nothing to worry about Em," I try not to look over at my friend's curious eyes. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

        Whatever Tyler was thinking was off his mind when he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed. I wince because it's a little harder than I'm comfortable with but that's just Tyler.

        "Let's go get ice cream broskis," my little brother says, as he races to the car. I smile to myself as we try to catch up.

...

        As we walk in the slightly muffled sound of a bell rings above us, "Hi, welcome in! Let me know when you're ready."

        I smile at the lady behind the counter. She's slightly shorter than me, with long brown hair and what appears to be blue eyes. At the distance we're at, I can't quite tell. What I can tell is she is totally Tyler's type.

        I smirk at him before squatting behind my brother. "Whacha feel like today Em?"

        "Hm, I'm not sure, but definitely something chocolate," he says with the biggest grin I've ever seen.

        "The day you don't get chocolate ice cream is the day I take you to the doctor." I stand up and walk behind Tyler.

        "Chocolate is just the best," he looks up at me, "what are you gonna get? Chocolate chunk and strawberry?"

        "You know it," I've gotten the same thing since I was in grade school.

        "The day you don't get a chocolate chunk and strawberry is the day I take you to the doctor's," Emmett mocks me.

        "Touche."

        "What are you getting Tyler," Emmett asked with a slightly disgusted face because we both knew the answer to this.

        "Take a wild guess bud?"

        "Vanilla, like the weirdo you are."

        The lady behind the counter turns her head at that exact moment, "Vanilla, seriously?"

       "What's wrong with that," Tyler looks genuinely curious, which would be cute if I was into him at all.

        "I don't know, doesn't it seem just a little plain for someone like you," she says as she eyes him up and down.

       "Maybe I'm a little more plain than you'd think," he says while taking a quick look back at me.