Beware of the Parker Boys *UNDER EDITING*

Chapter Sixteen

This chapter has been rewritten and events have changed.

Time passed quickly living at the Parkers', Rodger and I avoided each other the rest of the week. I stayed in my room, and he was hardly home to dodge anyways. No one spoke as to where he spent his time, but if anyone knew, it would be Dalton.

Tanner, Monica and I walk into the main doors of the highschool, finding that even with it being Friday and a gameday, the hallways were oddly settled. Slight conversation still buzzed throughout the halls, but nothing carried the same enthusiasm as it normally would.

"Did someone die or something?" Dalton jokes to us, his smile fading when a look of realization settles onto Monicas' face. "What?" he asks slowly and she shakes her head.

Before we can say anything, the cheerleading squad pushes through the double doors of the auditorium. Their walk held no cheer, no smiles. The cheer captain walks in the front, her cheeks wet from fallen tears as she carries something in her hands.

A folded cheer uniform.

"What's going on?" I whisper once they have passed us, eyeing Monica for an answer.

She signs, looking to her locker as if she wants to climb inside the metal compartment.

"A year ago today, a girl that went to school here died." She informs, but there is something in her tone that hints there is more to the statement. "She was super popular, head cheerleader, her dad owns the car dealership here in town-..." She rambles, hugging her left arm around herself nervously.

"And she was Rodgers' girlfriend."

*

The bell had rang, leaving no time for Monica to spill any more information other than the bombshell she dropped.

The classrooms were quiet, allowing for her words to echo loudly in my brain for the rest of the day.

Everything was coming together, the picture, his drinking.

He was nowhere to be found the entire day.

There was no pep rally for the game that night, no afterschool activities. Every one came and went, leaving the parking lot in an odd silence. Words like 'be safe' and 'wear your seatbelt' were repeated several times by various voices throughout the day.

Nothing had been said by anyone that could give any idea as to what had happened, and I couldn't help but be curious by the entire situation.

Once I had returned home, I scurried quickly to my room, only glancing ever so slightly into his bedroom.

Empty.

Shutting my bedroom door behind me, I instantly open the safari browser on my phone and type in the information I had.

Beloved Daughter and Student of Cedar Park Killed in Car Crash, One Other Injured.

I click into the article, my heart racing in my chest. My eyes quickly scan the print, brain grasping all of the information as my hands grow clammy.

The young woman, Lexi Greenland (16), was pronounced dead at the scene, the passenger, Rodger Parker (16), is currently hospitalized in critical condition.

Her name had been Alexis, Lexi for short. Like Monica had said, she came from a known caring family, was very active in school activities, and was loved by the community. The website provided the second picture of her I had seen, a happy smile beaming, framed by her pretty blonde hair.

The article was strangely vague, there was nothing about what had caused the accident, just mainly talked about Alexis in the past tense.

A soft knock at my bedroom door makes me jump and I quickly clear my tabs before locking my phone. Pushing the door open, Dalton peers inside making me raise a brow.