Dare You To Move

Chapter 13 - It's Jenny

"Hello?" Elli asks, phone to her ear, one hand running through Parker's hair as he's laid on her lap reading an old comic book.

"Hey, is this Elli?" The feminine voice asks.

"Yeah, who's this?" Elli's question brings Parker's eyes up to her's.

"Hey, um, it's Jenny." Jenny says, the timidness reading through the few words.

Elli pauses, fingers still threaded through Parker's hair. "Uh....hi?"Elli says, unsure of what else to say.

"Um, I know this is random and totally out of the blue but...I'm in town." Jenny says in a quick ramble.

"Okay." Elli states, allowing her uncertainty to come through while Parker mouths a 'who is it?' to which Elli just shakes her head.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up? Maybe today if you could? I just want to catch up and explain everything if that's okay. You can say no, I understand." Jenny rambles and Elli just sighs, looking down to Parker and she feels herself wanting to scream a no but Parker's big brown eyes are always so damn forgiving that Elli knows what the right thing to do is.

"Yeah, okay." Elli says after a few beats. "Starbucks on Madison and Clark?"

"Two hours?" Jenny offers.

"I'll be there." Elli agrees.

"Awesome." Jenny's voice lightens for a split second. "And....do you still live with Parker?"

"Yup." Elli answers flatly.

"Can I talk to him, please?"

Elli has half a mind to hang up but Parker's still looking at her with big puppy-like eyes and she can't withhold the call from him. So, she hands Parker the phone.

"Hello?" Parker asks.

"Hey, Parker." Jenny says, voice sweet but ringing sour in Parker's ears.

"Jenny?" Parker asks, breath nearly hitching in his throat as he stares wide-eyed at Elli, all color draining from his face.

"Yeah, um, hey."Jenny says.

"What do you want?" Parker's voice goes cold as he sits up.

"I just...I wanna meet up if that's okay with you. I owe you an apology."

"Yeah, you do." Parker states, no sympathy or empathy in his tone.

"Please? Give me an hour tomorrow." Jenny pleads.

"Hold on." Parker groans, putting her on hold. "What the fuck?"

He thought he'd never see her again. He didn't think he'd ever even hear her voice again and he's been more than okay with that. She hurt him, broke his heart. People don't just up and leave like nothing ever happened and then come back like this. Parker's heart aches with every beat, just staring at Elli, almost pleading for her to take the phone away. He doesn't like her. He's not in love with her but hearing Jenny's voice hurts.

"Yeah." Elli says with eyes just as wide as his. "What's she want?"

"To meet tomorrow." Parker mutters.

"Meeting up in two hours." Elli says, eyes soft.

"You're gonna meet with her? After everything?" Parker nearly yells, almost offended by it.

"She was my friend before she was your girlfriend, so yeah. I'm gonna see what she has to say."

Parker looks to the phone and Elli's heart aches for him. He's fighting a losing battle. "I should go then, right?"