"Let's follow them," Laura urged, a malicious smile on her face as her eyes remained on our targets.
No, targets made it sound like I was willing to join Laura and her fucked up suggestion of stalking Parker and Isabella. Passers-by we just happened to see huddled in front of the library was more appropriate. Less true, but also less stalker-ish.
I had mentioned the thing at lunch to Laura, of course. And she convinced me to go with her when school was out to check things out, of course. Following them around wasn't demarcated in the 'Check Things Out' department.
"What? No." I shook my head.
She narrowed her eyes at the same moment Isabella stretched out her hand for Parker to put his in it, turning it around in hers twice and giggling. "Why not? Something's obviously going on, and it's extra sus knowing they're not a couple."
"Did you just say sus?"
"Yes. Get with the times." She nudged me with her elbow. It hurt more than I would like to admit.
Rubbing my aching side, I frowned at her. "Well, I still think it's wrong to follow them."
"Well, I think it's wrong for them to be moving around like that, especially if Parker's just playing with you on this," Laura said, pulling me back once they descended the stairs and headed for the parking lot. "They've started moving, let's go."
"Laura, we really shouldn't---"
"Hurry! We're gonna lose them."
Even though I voiced my protests the entire span of Laura dragging me as she ran to my ride, I ended up behind the wheel with my eyes trained on the rearview mirror as I put the car in reverse.
She swung around in the passenger seat, hanging on to the headrest and staring behind her, fingers tapping on it relentlessly.
"Seatbelt on, else I'm not moving this car."
Groaning loudly, she turned back around and strapped herself in. Once I started the engine, I looked around to find that Isabella's car was already out of sight, but Laura insisted that we still trailed them, adding that they had made a left turn at the closest traffic light.
I made a left turn too.
"We should turn back, it's been twenty minutes and I don't think they're stopping soon. Plus, I have to get home before my parents do." I hated having to whine and complain, but I was genuinely scared of what might happen if any of them arrived before I did.
Laura's head rested against the window now, the initial drive and excitement she had for our quest charring at the edges. Still, she gave a dismissive wave of her hand despite her bored expression. "Give it a few minutes, I'm sure they'll pull over soon."
Soon was another fifteen minutes of rounding curves and making the most spontaneous turns in a part of town I never knew existed. If it was part of town, that is. I was certain we'd crossed Northwood, and several others, by now.
Eventually, they stopped at a curb and Isabella got out first, beckoning Parker to follow as she disappeared into an alley.
Laura snorted at the sight, facing me as I parked a distance away from Laura's convertible. "Kinda looks like they're gonna have alley sex."
My cheeks heated as I covered my face. "Oh my God, don't say things like that."
Laura pressed a hand to her chin. "Right, you're in love with Parker and all, I guess I shouldn't mention that."
I breathed hard through my mouth, undoing my seatbelt, mumbling, "You shouldn't be mentioning that either."
"Come on, let's go see what they're up to." Laura shut the door, tugging the collar of her denim jacket higher.
"What if they're actually... you know?" I whispered.
"Then we'll know Parker's a liar and no good for you," she replied, already heading into the partially lit path. I followed closely, eyes lowered, ears perked, and hand over my mouth to keep myself quiet. Say no evil. See no evil. Hearing the evil was permitted, so I'd know it was time to get the fuck out of there.
Parker and Isabella walked farther ahead, darting into thin paths you'd miss if you walked too quickly. After a while, I started smelling the evil too, and I couldn't wait to leave. Luckily, they went through a small door attached to a brick building, so charred and unstable it looked like it would cave in any moment.
The doors and windows were both tinted to enable only those inside to see, so we had to keep to the side of the wall and do our spying from there.
"What's that?" Laura whispered.
"What?"
"That buzzing sound."
She was already hearing the evil. Oh no.
"What do you think this place is?" I whispered back.
"Looks like a salon. For like, witches and voodoo men, looking at the appearance," she observed, sizing the weird exterior. "Holy fucking---they're in a cult!"
"I'm not sure that's quite right."
"Who's there?" A voice came from inside. A deep, rambling voice, which I was sure would cause the collapse of the building, eventually. Even though we were both curious to know what the place was, we weren't so keen on meeting its owners.
"I think... we should leave." Laura started backing away, pushing me so I moved faster.
"You little fuckers better answer me, yeah?" The buzzing stopped, and the booming voice was accompanied with footsteps this time around.
Our own footsteps didn't stop until we had raced out of the serpentine alleys and found our way back onto the trafficked, more familiar streets in Northwood.
Laura was in as much shock as I was from our impromptu run, and she didn't utter a word until she was saying goodbye when I dropped her off at her house. Her mother wasn't pleased with the wide-eyed and mildly disheveled look she had, but she brushed it off by saving we had been practicing for a play at school that involved a lot of sprinting and prancing.
She had never been involved in a school play, and her mother was well aware of that.
Witnessing Laura's confrontation got my mind off mine, weirdly, so much that I had to remind myself that the "Where were you?" question was expected.
The gravelly voice had come out of the blue, and it took a lot of strength not to scream at its suddenness. It took even more effort to stand tall and firm when I turned to meet my father's stern gaze on me from where he sat in the living room.
I avoided meeting his eyes after seeing the liquid fire in them, looking down at the floor as soon as I hung the car keys. "Out."
"Where?" He stressed his question by leaning forward, making his posture more imposing, even though he sat quite a length away.
"Around."
He dwelt little on my answer like I expected him to. Instead, he went on to ask, "Who were you with?"
This was a tricky question, and I took longer than necessary to answer. I didn't want to get Laura in trouble, as she already had enough on her plate. "No one. I was alone."
Loud, erratic laughter burst out from his lips as he held his head in his hands. Seeing his reaction made me shudder and unconsciously take a step back. "You know? You've never been a good liar. You mean to tell me you went out, by yourself, and just chose to come back this late... by yourself? You expect me to believe this? You left this house before I did today, with my car. Do you think I'm stupid, huh?"
The reason I visibly flinched wasn't because of the words he used---neither was it the intense tone---it was the fact that they were exclusively in English. My father spoke more Spanish to me than my mother did, and hearing him yell in this language was very unusual.. and frankly scary.
I didn't answer, not that he expected me to. The only thing I could do was stay quiet and hope that he'd tire of me and not press on. However, it wasn't meant to be that easy; the teenage curse still had a firm grip on me for another two years and decided it was time to cash in and make the most of it.
The loud vibration in my pocket was misplaced in the quiet tension and caused it to stretch taut to its limit. So was the light that glowed through my shorts.
I watched my father closely, teeth digging into my lip, when I noticed how his eyes lingered on the light the screen emitted. "Give me the phone."
"Papá, it had nothing---"
"Give me the fucking phone, Adrián."
Now it was cursing, oh God. Argument or any sort of explanation was out of the question. The only thing I could do now was to pray whoever had texted---whatever they had texted---was not enough to get me into deep trouble.
Don't be Laura. Please, don't be Laura. Slowly, I pulled out the phone, and afraid of what I would see, handed it to my father without checking.
His expressions were the only thing I could use as a determiner as I waited for the outburst that was likely to come.
"Adrián," he sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead, as if trying to suppress an ache. Why was his voice so calm suddenly? "I'm not... going to deter you from entering relationships. I've been your age and I know how feelings get all over the place. But don't let those feelings control you like this. You can't just disappear for almost two hours and lie when I ask you about it. And for God's sake, please tell me you're being safe."
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. What did the message say for him to bring up relationships, and feelings and... sex? Alley sex. Laura.
"And that panic attack you got, was it because you were scared we'd find out your little secret? Or you just wanted to save yourself from having to do the project... get yourself an easy passing grade because you study nothing except your phone's screen?"
I hated that he assumed it was on purpose. I hated even more that he thought I'd use it as a Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card. Even so, I remained mute, only letting my quivering lips, itching hands, and clouding face to speak for me.
"You were exceptional before this school year, but now I can't even tell what's happening to you." He shook his head woefully, giving me another stare before lifting my phone. "Take it and get out of my face. I'm talking to Carmela about this when she's back from her errand."
Hesitantly, I stared at his extended hand. My stiffness frustrated him, causing him to toss my phone onto the table and storm off, saying something under his breath. In Spanish this time.
I took my phone when I was certain he was gone, noticing a line which previously hadn't been existent.
Jellybean was in my room when I let myself fall into bed. She liked to watch the neighbourhood from there, instead of actually experiencing the outside life.
If I had a choice, I'd do the same. Stay out of everyone's way---and watch from the outside in my case.
I hadn't noticed tears were spilling out of my eyes until a stray one ran down the side of my cheek and onto my hands, which were tucked under my head. And seeing how I was crying over something like this, suddenly had me sobbing some more.
The way I cried over every little thing lately was getting ridiculous. You'd think puberty would be done with me by now, not let testosterone turn me moody instead of manly.
The tabby moved from the window ledge and balanced herself on my bed's headboard, staring down at me. She usually did that for long moments when she wanted attention or was hungry---since her bowl was still full, I could tell which it was. "Jellybean, I don't really wanna play right now."
She mewled once, then continued to stare at my exposed vulnerability, until tears blinded me and I could no longer see her tiny nose pointed down at me. "You probably think I'm pathetic, don't you?" My laugh was humorless and dry. "I mean, I'm still talking to you even though you can't answer back." I wiped my face, sniffling.
Jellybean stretched down as far as she could without toppling off. Next thing I knew, fur brushed my face as she bumped foreheads with me. It was an insignificant gesture---one Jellybean was doing for the first time---and it squeezed out even more tears.
I sat up, lifting Jellybean so I could hug her. Turns out, affection wasn't what she craved after all. She tried to bat me away with her paws, eliciting a laugh that had life to it from me. Once I set her down, she approached my phone, which vibrated and lit up at that same moment, using her paws to tap on the screen.
It was during the struggle to pry it from her clutches I spotted the notifications. The latest one, a new post alert of the selfie Laura took in the car, and the other one was from... Parker.
I wasn't surprised that he had texted. What had the wheels in my head turning was the message itself---what my father had seen?
Parks: i think i like you
This was what influenced the idea that I was engaging in throes of passion instead of coming home: a sentence that one could consider an affirmation after a good lay. I had no way of knowing whether to laugh at how awkward the situation looked.
Me: You're kidding.
Honestly, I didn't get how he could send that text so casually, on today of all days---besides what Laura and I witnessed in front of that shop, or whatever it was.
Parks: do i say i am?
because im really not, im serious
Me: You can't. You don't even know me.
Parks: only because you dont want me to.
makes me feel like a dumbass because ive caught feelings through texts. it doesnt make any sense.
is it the way you type, Mystery?
is your pretentious use of punctuation why i like you so much?
This was the part where I should have been overjoyed; my crush had just expressed feeling for me. But I felt terrible.
If Parker truly meant his words, that would make me the worst person to ever live. Sure, you could challenge me to it just by pulling out history books, but all of that meant nothing to the world my mind inhabited. I was being deceptive, withholding my identity and then manipulating him.
Me: I'd love to talk about that with you, but I have to study.
His reply took awfully long to arrive, but it wasn't in my place to complain. If it were me, I'd never reply.
Parks: oh cools. we can do it together over the phone. what are you studying??
How to Cleanse My System of You. How to Concentrate More on Everything Apart From You. How to be a better son.
Me: Just some Chemistry.
... and How to Destroy the One Between Adrian Gonzalez and Parker Thompson.
Parks: want me to call now?
Me: No. I don't want to slow you down.
Parks: is something wrong, Mystery?
Me: Not at all.
Parks: you sure?? im here if you want to talk
Me: Yes, I'm sure.
Parks: if you say so.
anyways i got the tattoo
Me: I didn't think you were serious.
Parks: well i was. i told you, i feel it was important somehow
Me: You really didn't have to do that.
Parks: i know. but the marker got erased and i kinda missed it.
Me: Can I see?
Parks: i dont want to distract you from your studies because its sure to get you thinking.
meet me in the library tomorrow and you can see it.
Me: Come on. You promised.
Parks: i did, but i never said id show you in a chat
Me: That's not fair.
Parks: alls fair in love and war
Nothing was ever fair in love and war. Both were an endless cycle, cultivated to push you to limits and leave you broken when you failed to withstand the pressure.
Love begot war, and there was never an even battlefield to fight on. Right now I was failing, miserably. I was losing as Adrian to my family, to school, even to Parker from what I saw today.
Mystery had it set out. Mystery got told the best things, got attention from the person Adrian would die to get a smile from. Mystery would not have to face parents who were discussing ways to get their son in check that very moment---I could hear one voice ask why I could take the car, another argue that it was for a good cause, the first counter that there was nothing good about what I did.
With all my being, I prayed to dissipate, lose myself and become the alter ego Parker liked. At least that persona wouldn't have to force themselves to sleep, even when drowning in salty rivers.
~
Word Count: 2896
Thank you for reading!!!
This chapter felt a little intense compared to the usual ones, I think. Thoughts?