"Shit" she cursed and removed her hair from her face so she could glare at who just interrupted her movement. But her glare turned to a smile on seeing who it was.
"Where are you going?"
She scratched her head as she looked at the grumpy blonde before her.
"Uh, I- I was just–"
"Didn't Noelle tell you to stay home today?" He interrupted again.
The frown on his face told Kate that it would be almost impossible to leave the house now. If she thought Noelle was protective of her at times, then Parker was way worse.
She and Parker had been friends long before Noelle came into the picture. They practically grew up together and knew everything about each other. He has been in her life for as long as she could remember, attended the same schools and now he lived a few blocks from her and Noelle's apartment with his roommate.
"What are you doing here?" She asked instead.
"Babysitting" Parker gave her a toothy smile.
Kate cursed within herself. Why did Noelle have to do this to her? How did she even know that she would eventually want to leave the house?
"Inside you go" He lifted her by the waist and walked into the apartment.
"Hey! Put me down!"
She glared as he dropped her down carelessly, ignoring her as he looked around the sitting room.
"I'm hungry" he mumbled and held his tummy.
An idea struck Kate at his words. She played with her keys as she avoided his gaze.
"Well, I was just about to go grocery shopping before you came" She dropped the keys and looked up at him. He had managed to grow up to 6ft and now liked to act like he was a giant. "We can skip this whole babysitting thing and go down the street and grab some food"
"Yeah, right" Parker scoffed. "And then have you crawl out of the toilet window again? No thank you"
"What is wrong with you!?" She groaned out.
"Just be a good girl, Kate." He smirked as he looked down at her.
Oh, how she wished to wipe that look off his face. He was probably feeling like a giant again.
Parker was a handsome guy if he could just put all his annoying features aside. It was shocking that Kate hadn't had any kind of feelings for him while growing up. It had only been pure friendship and now, they were even like siblings. He had beautiful pair of hazel eyes and a cute dimple on his left cheek. He liked to think of himself as a ladies' man and was a typical playboy.
"You're not taller than me!" She argued as she squared her shoulders with a domineering look.
That guy she punched in the bar was very much taller than this proud peacock in front of her. Kate got angrier as she thought about the guy and the things he had said to her.
"Just sit down and let's not make my work any harder"
"No"
"Okay." Parker shrugged and made himself comfortable on the couch.
Kate held her hair in frustration, she could almost tear them off her scalp. So he wasn't even going to argue with her?
"I thought you were hungry?"
"I'm not hungry anymore."
"Well, I am. And I need to get some things from the store to fix my bookshelf"
Parker's interest seemed pricked and he turned to her.
"You're finally going to build yourself a bookshelf?"
"Yes," she nodded.
Parker liked to get his hands dirty, fixing and repairing furniture. If she could convince him to take her out of the house, then she could make a run for it at the store and head to the bar.
"I'm proud of you, Kate" he said and turned back to the TV.
"So? Are you taking me?"
"Of course not"
"C'mon Par"
"Don't call me Par. You're ruining my reputation"
"Then take me to the store"
"No. You're going to run away"
"I won't, promise"
He turned to her and she gave him the most convincing look she could muster, eyes pleading, lips quivering.
"You promise?" He asked again to confirm.
"I promise" She crossed her hands over her chest.
"Fine" He stood up and grabbed the keys she earlier dropped.
Sometimes, it was just so easy.
"You brought your car right?" Kate asked casually, in a bid to hide her excitement.
"I don't go anywhere without my baby, Kate"
Parker locked up and held her as they walked to his car. He could try to cage her all he wanted but she was still going to escape from him, one way or the other.
They stopped by at a Macdonald's drive-in for some food before heading to the store.
"So you'll wait in the car while I get my stuff?" Kate asked when they got to the store.
Parker chuckled and shook his head as he got down from the car.
"A simple 'no' would have been nice," she said with an eye roll and got down too.
Parker was busy with picking up materials for the shelf and all Kate could think about was how to escape. She noticed a few girls around staring at Parker while he acted not to notice.
Pretentious peacock.
"Hey, Par?"
"What?" He looked absorbed in the build-it-yourself shelf boxes on display but Kate knew better.
"Those girls are staring at you" She nodded in the girls' direction.
"So?"
"I'm just saying" She shrugged and grabbed a pack of rusty-looking nails. "They look pretty interested"
"Sure, Kate. If this is your plan to run away, it's not going to work"
Eye-roll.
"I already said I wasn't going to run away. You just look like you need to get laid"
"It shows?"
Disgusting.
"And that's my cue to stop talking"
Parker laughed and looked over at the girls. One of them was giving him a look that made Kate want to pluck the girl's eyes out. But right now, that look was just what she needed for Parker to leave.
"Alright, I'll be right back"
Kate smirked as she watched him walk over to the girls. She acted to be into the wood shopping for a few minutes since Parker was still looking over at her now and then. When she noticed he was completely absorbed with the girls, she made a run for it by sneaking out through the back door of the store. She had managed to snag Parker's keys while he wasn't looking so she got into his car and drove off to the bar.
***
A few cars and people were loitering about when Kate got to the bar. She used the back door so she could have easy access to the working counter.
She chuckled on sighting Noelle in an apron, serving drinks at a table. She looked funny but seemed to be doing just fine with the work. It was a surprise James wasn't following her around. The guys she was serving flashed her smiles as she left their table and returned to the counter.
"Hey," Kate greeted.
"Oh my God, Kat!" Noelle shook, startled. "What..." She looked at the doors, stretching her head here and there before looking at Kate again. "Where's Parker?"
Kate shrugged and grabbed a drink.
"Kat!"
"Stop yelling" Kate shushed.
"Did you run away again?"
"No. Parker decided he wanted to get laid so I just left"
It wasn't a complete lie.
"Fucking pervert" Noelle hissed.
"How's work?" Kate grabbed an apron and tied it around her waist.
"Uh, what are you doing?"
"Working my shift", she answered without turning to her.
"Kat" Noelle sighed and rubbed her temples.
"You need me here. And where's James?"
"Kat, you can't be here. You're going to kill yourself."
"At least I'd die with all this sweet alcohol around me" she winked.
"You are a lost cause, girl" Noelle laughed.
Kate was about to respond but immediately dunked under the counter on seeing the bar doors open and the person that walked in. She kept cursing to herself as she bit her fingernails.
"Uh, crazy bitch say hi? What are you doing?"
"Shhh!" She whisper-yelled at Noelle.
"Okay, we'll have to get you some medicines later honey"
"Hey"
Kate cursed at the voice that called out to Noelle. She would recognize that smooth honey-like voice anywhere.
"Hi." Noelle finally looked away from under the counter and turned to the customer. But she immediately gasped. "Oh my, what happened to you?"
"Just a freak accident" the guy chuckled.
Kate gasped, offended. Did he just call her a freak?
"Oh I'm sorry," Noelle said and slid a glass to him. "Do you box?"
"This isn't from boxing. A little girl just punched me in the face"
And who the hell was he calling 'little girl'?
"That little girl doesn't sound so little" Noelle laughed.
Kate frowned. Must she flirt with this guy now? Was it because of his impressive accent? Now that she listened to him, it sounded a little British. But it sounded like he was trying to hide it or it was just going away on its own. She chose the latter.
Before she knew what she was doing, her legs moved and she was already up from underneath the counter, glaring at the two of them. She glared at Blue first, even though he was still putting on very dark shades. What a weirdo. She could recognize this guy anywhere, even with the shades and a plaster on his nose.
Blue didn't seem to pay any attention to her and just continued with his drink while shaking his head.
"Who are you calling little?" She asked, arms folded under her chest.
"Uh..." He seemed to be trying to recall where he knew her from. But it only happened for a second before he removed his glasses and flashed her a smile, blue orbs dancing with something she couldn't fathom just yet. "Oh, hi doll"
"Oh my God, it's Damien" Noelle whispered.
"I'm not your doll, Blue" Kate shot at him.
"See, we're sticking to the nicknames"
"How do you know, Damien?" Noelle asked Kate.
"Little girl hit me in the face" Damien pointed at his nose. "Little girl" he directed at Kate with a smile.
"Oh my gosh, Kat!"
Kate looked down at the floor. Why did she come out from her hiding spot again?
--------------------------------------------------
Third chapter of the week and third chapter of the story!!❤️✨
We'll arrange an update schedule depending on you guys' mood, that is, how you vote and comment and share😌❤️
Your Shady writer, Sommy