Dare You To Move

Chapter 12 - Wanted

"Yep, be callin' Collyn from the ER 'bout having toes frostbit." Parker chuckles as he follows Elli out to the kitchen.

"Can you imagine frostbitten toes? That'd be horrible." Elli laughs as she takes a seat at the table.

"Yeah, so make sure you've your other shoes with socks, please. I don't wanna have to give you my shoes and I end up with frostbite." Parker teases as he grabs his shoes and takes the seat beside her.

"Already in your car." Elli winks at him before going back to her shoe. "Put my bag with pants and a hoodie and shoes in there already."

"Prepared." Parker says, tone mocking which gains him a glare from Elli before she sticks her tongue out at him.

"Only for work." Elli smirks before working on her second shoe.

Parker finishes tying his own and there's been a question eating at the back of his mind all day. It's her job, sure, but everyone always asks. They always assume they're together and they ask how long Parker and Elli have been dating. Always. And if this were someone either of them knew, they'd laugh it off and say they're still just friends but came together since that's what friends do and then they'd go off and complain that everyone thinks they're together. But, they don't know this couple. They won't know anyone there so, are they friends tonight or are they more?

"Uh, hey." Parker pulls Elli's attention as she rests her foot on the floor, both heels on. "If someone asks, what do I say?" Parker keeps it short and nonchalant, casual like he normally would because this is normal.

"Oh," Elli furrows her brows, the thought never crossing her mind. "Whatever you want." Elli gives him a sincere smile as she stands up.

That puts Parker in an uncomfortable situation. It'd be so much easier just to play it off like they're together on the off-chance that someone does ask. He knows Elli and he knows before they're let off, Elli will be a pile of mush. Weddings make her mushy and cuddly and the cute kind of clingy. It'd be so much easier to just say they're together that way when Elli gets like that and Parker embraces it and encourages it, it won't seem like they lied or that it's weird. But, Elli doesn't know Parker's in love with her and as her friend, it feels wrong to want to say they're together. Even though Parker would never trick her into a date or manipulate her or take advantage, it feels like if he says they should lie, he would be. He'd be doing it for himself and not her.

"We can say we're friends if you want." Parker shrugs, standing up and grabbing his coat from the back of the chair.

"Okay." Elli agrees with ease, shrugging her coat onto her shoulders. "Ready, then?"

"Yep." Parker nods with a close-mouthed smile as he grabs Elli's camera bags from the table.

Elli thanks him before the two of them exit the apartment and head out to Parker's car. Elli gives Parker another rundown of the camera he'll be using and likely what he'll be photographing after the ceremony, assuming this wedding is like every other one she's done. Parker nods along, paying attention to her words while his eyes pay attention to the road. There's not a chance Parker will mess this up for her so he's been taking note of everything Elli does with her camera. He's helped her before but not with a wedding like this. This is bigger and is paying way more than Elli's ever earned. So, Parker is determined to make sure he doesn't mess anything up.

They reach the Shedd aquarium and Parker parks where he's supposed to before the two make their way into the building. They're directed to where the bride is getting ready with his bridesmaids. Elli already knew this wedding was going to be something else but she didn't expect the energy to be different. It's a wedding. The bride is always stressed to hell beforehand and then a happy and apologizing mess during the reception, even when the bride wasn't mean. But, it's always stressful first and then it's filled with the feeling of magic after. But this? It's different.