Parker Stevens, I Can Hold a Grudge

Parker Stevens; Chapter Twenty-Six

                Sure enough, a figure was lounged against the beige steel that encased all my books.

                I choked on the deep breath that I had just taken and spun around; turning back around the corner I had just come from.

                Alright, I thought, now that I know he’s there, I can prepare myself.

                I took my breath and let it out before heading back around the corner. He already looking straight at me- clearly he had heard my entrance only moments early. I cursed myself for not being prepared earlier.

                Bri and I had planned out Parker and I’s first meeting and I really didn’t want go through with this, but I wanted to hurt him just as much as he hurt me.

                He looked like crap, and that made a small piece of me feel better. But only a small piece.

                Resuming the plan, I looked away from him and didn’t let any recognition or expression pass my features.

                “Grace, look, I was never going to follow through with what I said to Teagan. I know I was a huge asshole but I was never going to do that, you have to believe me,” He pleaded with me. I knew that tone. The ‘please forgive me’ tone. I had only heard it a few times before from movies and TV shows. The girl always forgave him when he gave her that look and that tone. But not this girl. I was stronger than that. Besides, he was obviously lying to me. When has he ever been truthful with me? I furrowed my eyebrows and looked over at him.

                “Do I know you?” I asked him slowly, making sure I gave him the most confused look I could come up with. His entire expression faltered and he flinched back. He knew exactly what I was doing. I was sincerely forgetting all about him.

                “Please don’t do this,” He said quietly, eyes falling to the floor.

                “I think you have me mistaken for someone else. Another Grace maybe. Whatever you did to her, it sounds pretty horrible and I’m thinking she’s not going to forgive you,” I continued, still holding my confused expression.

                “Grace, please, hear me out,” His eyes flew up to my face. His hand reached out and grabbed my own. I yanked my hand from his grip, a disgusted frown forming on my lips.

                “I really don’t know who the hell you are- but you don’t go touching girls who don’t even know you!” I exclaimed, wiping my hand on my pants. I spun towards my locker and did the combination on the lock, swinging the door open in the process, praying it would hit him in the face. It didn’t and I cursed Lady Luck for not being present at the moment.

                “You’re right, we don’t know each other. I guess the other Grace deserves to know that I never meant to ever hurt her and that I know she’ll hate me forever,” He paused and suddenly my locker door slammed in front of my face and his arm grabbed my own- spinning me towards him. I was too shocked to keep up my facade. His eyes searched my own and I could practically feel the internal battle. One half of me yelled “forgive him!” while the other half yelled, “Punch him in the face again!”

                “But she needs to know that I never lied about my feelings towards her. And I hope she’ll find it in her heart to give me one last chance before giving up on me entirely,” He paused once again before gripping my chin in one of his hands. I was paralyzed. My feet were certainly glued to the ground. His hand trailed down my cheek as he observed my features. What was I doing, standing here and letting him do this to me? I took a step back and his hands dropped from me.

                “No,” I whispered, my voice clearly strained. I shook my head and closed my eyes. “She can’t give you another chance.”

                He sucked in a breath but when I opened my eyes, judging by the look on his face, he knew that this was done and he had known I wasn’t going to give him a second chance. He nodded slowly before stepping backwards and creating more space between us. I could almost feel everything I felt drifting up into the air, but once I looked into his eyes, it all came crashing down onto me like a Tsunami. A hurricane. A tidal wave.

                His eyes were dark with emotion, something that was rare for him and it may have been the first time I saw actual hurt in his eyes. My heart ached in my chest and all I wanted to do was tell him okay, I forgive you. I didn’t want to hurt him. Why was I doing this?

                I had fallen pretty damn hard for him and I hadn’t even realized it until last week.

                And now I was shoving him away.

                “Okay, then I guess I should just give up,” He whispered.

                No, I wanted to yell, fight for me; I swear I’ll give in eventually!

                But I didn’t say it. I simply nodded at him and watched as he backed up and turned away from me, slowly and painfully.

                I quickly opened my locker and leaned my head inside it for a moment, biting back stupid tears that threatened to flow.

                God, I thought I would never turn into one of these pathetic high school girls who cries over a guy. A girl who got in so deep just for him to twist it around and break her heart anyways. I always swore to myself that I would never trust a guy so much that he was able to break my heart.

                Guess I lied.

                But I was strong and I could make it through this. I didn’t need him. I never needed anybody and I could rely on myself. I was fine. Everything was going to be okay.

                I just had to dig myself out of the hole I put myself into.

                The Parker hole. I might’ve been too deep for me to climb back out. The hole was already starting to fill with water and I was going to drown if I couldn’t get myself out soon.

                Did I really want to get out though?

                No. I didn’t think I did.

*****

yes, short chapter again, but the next three chapters are going to be longer, I swear it! There may or may not be an epilogue.. we shall see. Anyways. The ending is already being planned and I think everyone will be happy. 

Question: Is there any unanswered questions that you'd like to see be answered still? (other than the whole parker/grace thing) 

I'm trying to make sure I get everything in before I end it. I know I have to tie up the Harris/Teagan thing, and the Greg thing (yes, I haven't forgotten about him)

alright, I'll try and update really soon because of how short this one was.. Sorry again guys! It's just I didn't want this confrontation to be part of any other chapter