The Good Girl's Bad Boys [Book One of TGGBB Series] (Completed, Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Six: Closer Than You Think

Parker played with the straw of his drink. "Yeah, I think they threw a party in celebration for that."

I took a bite of my burger before swallowing. "Was it fun?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "At first, but then it got boring and I left early."

"Really?" I asked, not believing him. "Parker O'Neil, also known as Party Parker got bored at a party? I don't believe it."

"Believe it or not. It got lame, I didn't feel like in the partying mood that night."

I said nothing and continued eating my burger. Parker had stopped eating and was just drinking his soda, watching me as he did. I paused from eating, suddenly feeling a bit self conscious.

"What are you looking at?" I asked. "Is there something on my face?"

His eyes looked down at his drink as he shook his head. "No, there's nothing."

"You sure?" I asked, grabbing a napkin but Parker stopped me, grabbing my wrist.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Oh," I said, my cheeks suddenly turning warm. "Okay."

"I-it was just..." He paused, thinking of what to say. "I never saw a girl eat a burger like that."

"What? Double burger, extra cheese, hold the onions? I just didn't feel like having onion breath, that's all."

He laughed. "No, not that. Just the burger entirely. From the girls who hang out in lunch, I thought a girl's diet consists of salads and water."

I snorted. "Yeah, sure, if you want to die of starvation. I don't get those girls. Actually watching their weight for their body. They are actually starving themselves when there are people in other countries who are just starving."

Parker said nothing and continued to listen.

"What I like to do," I said, leaning close to him like I was telling a secret, "when I go to malls and into the food court, I buy burgers, pizzas, soda, the works. Then I sit next to a table of girls who are eating nothing but salads. And I just chow down." I smiled at the memories. "Of course, they would tell me I was disgusting for eating that crap. But I could actually hear their stomachs growling that said otherwise."

The both of us burst into laughter.

"You're not like most girls, Naomi," Parker told me.

"Is that a good thing?" I asked him.

He thought it over, a smile then forming on his lips. "Yes, yes it is."

"Well, you're not like most jocks," I told him.

"I take it that's a good thing?" He asked hopefully.

I pondered over it, tapping my chin thoughtfully. Then I looked back at him and smiled. "Yes, it definitely is." We both shared the same smile.

"Tell me about yourself," he asked me.

I raised an eyebrow. "Parker, you've been bullying me for years. Don't tell me you don't know a single thing about me."

His eyes looked down at his half eaten burger. "I don't," he admitted. "I mean, I know some things, but not enough. I've been doing this for years and I don't even know the first thing about you. I don't know enough about you to know why exactly I hate you, why exactly I bully you. Can you believe that?" Parker shook his head. "I can't believe it myself, it's so sick."

I couldn't believe it either. For years him and the other guys on the football team have been bullying me. And they don't even know the first thing about me. My story, my life, anything. Then I thought, if Raymond's own friends don't know anything about me, what about other kids in school? Do they also not know a single thing about me? They've been bullying, ignoring, scorning me for years, and they can't even say what's my favorite color?