The one in the picture is Cara.
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A week from the party had passed. Parker didn't even talk to me at all. At first, I kind of missed him, but, I kept telling myself it was the right thing to do. And it was.
That night, in which I sneaked back in from the party, went as smoothly as possible. I was able to sneak back into the house without a problem and without meeting with Hunter. I did, however, meet Xavier.
I instantly apologized for leaving the house. Unlike Hunter, he was more lenient and fine with me living my own life. He later agreed to not say anything, once again, and left into his room to sleep.
Anyways, as the week passed, me and Parker didn't speak a word. Except for the occasional 'excuse me' when passing by each other.
No one noticed anything different, since my friendship with Parker was a secret, everyone just carried on with their life not knowing that deep inside, I regretted my decision. I know it was for the best and it was better for the both of us.
But, after that one week, I got to see Parker for who he really was.
A player.
No longer did he seem dangerous, but just another high school pretty boy that strings the hearts of the many unfortunate girls.
I started regretting my decision, once again. Was it all because of me? Is this who he really is? Or is it just a cover up?
Maybe it was a cover up, I don't know. And if it is, it really is working because my past thoughts about him is changing. Feelings I've had before, will surface and blind me like the fool I once was.
No. I will not fall into that trap. Parker is in the past and I have to look forward. I have to forget about him, the guy that went against my brother to hang out with me...for a few days.
You may think that it will be easy to avoid and ignore his existence. Well, let me tell you it wasn't. He was literally everywhere. It had started Wednesday when I was walking to my class.
I was passing the janitors closet when I heard him...and his friend.
Never will I forget the words that were being exchanged. It was just horrifying and utterly disgusting. I almost vomited right then and there.
Anyways, then there was Thursday. The day when I was taking a bathroom break during class.
I had entered the bathroom and once I did, I had seen Parker and some brown haired girl making out on the wall.
I quickly backed up to get out of there, but, unfortunately, I had backed into the big trash can that was in the bathroom.
The noise separated them, scaring them half to death. I made eye contact with Parker, then ran out the bathroom.
Reflecting back on those two days, I had wondered if maybe the cover up idea was bizarre. Maybe...that really was the real Parker. What if he, was pretending to be my friend to just win another girl's heart?
That theory became more and more real when Friday had approached and I had caught Parker and Alice in an empty classroom, him on top of her.
His shirt was off, exposing his defined muscles and abs. Thankfully, his pants were on and Alice's clothes were too.
But, I knew that if I had interrupted minutes later, that there would have been many more pieces of clothing off.
I felt very stupid to have thought that he was nothing like that. But the week after the party, had shown me who he truly was. He was someone in which I couldn't involve myself with. Someone who wasn't good for me.
We were going into our second week, until something terrible happened in Mrs. Jane's math class: group work.
I instantly cursed her for putting us into a group. Our group consisted of only three people; me, Parker, and this nerdy guy named Fred. But like every nerd or genius in this school, they preferred to work alone.
So just like that, it became a group of two. I just grabbed the worksheets that were needed to get done and instantly got to work on them...alone.
"Ms. James, the whole point of group work was to interact with your classmate to get the work done," Mrs. Jane told me. She turned to look at Parker, who was on his phone. "And you, Mr. Parker, the assignment needs to be done and you being on your phone isn't going to get it done."
"I suggest both of you to get to work this instant or I will give you three days of detention for not following instructions and for refusing to do your work. Am I clear?"
"Yes ma'am," Parker and I mumbled.
Once Mrs. Jane left, we were silent, staring back at each other. I decided to be the better person and spoke, for both out sakes.
"So, Par-Andrew, what should we start with? I personally believe that we're supposed to find Y first because then we'll be able to put it in our calculator and just solve it easily."
For the next few minutes, Parker was just staring at me, rolling his eyes at me, and passing his hand through his hair. All signs that he was bored, tired of me talking about math, and frustrated with me.
"I'm done!" He interrupted me, slamming his hands on the table. "Stop talking and face the real problem."
"Look Par-" I stopped. I have to stop trying to call him by the name I had called him when we were friends. Wait, were we even friends at all?
Sighing, I continued, "Look Andrew, I want to finish this assignment and get back to the way we were before."
Parker just stared at me. "Which one? The time where we were talking and hanging out, or after that when we didn't even look or speak to each other?"
"And which one would you like to go back to?" I asked him.
"Isn't it obvious?" He told me in disbelief. "I'd like for us to go back to the way we were. Hanging out and talking to each other like real friends do. Laughing and playin-"
"Real friends? Real friends?! Stop trying to make me laugh Andrew. I don't know who you are because, quite frankly, you aren't Parker. The guy that was friendly and acted like a true friend. But then again, I don't want to know that part of you because he is secretive and dangerous."
"Right now, I see your other half. All I can see, is a manwhore named Andrew who brings the cliche player back to life. Who plays girls as if they are toys. An emotionless-"
"I can't believe this," he said, shaking his head.
"-guy that wants nothing to do with a petty friendship that he had with a girl named Carolina," I finished. "So, Andrew, let's get back to work so we can finish this and act as if we never knew each other."
Parker looked at me, not daring to speak to me.
"Well, that's not what I want," Parker said, breaking the silence.
He got up and left the classroom, slamming the door in the process.
"Well, Ms. James, I don't think dismissing Mr. Parker was part of the assignment," Mrs. Jane scolded. "But, I do expect that assignment to be done. I suggest you finish it by the end of class."
"Yes Mrs. Jane," I mumbled.
"Good, now get to work."
Well, Mrs. Jane if you hadn't assigned Parker and me to work together, this wouldn't have happened, I thought.
I looked at the clock, only twenty more minutes to go till class finishes.
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I was just finishing the last problem on the worksheet, when he bell rang.
Finally!
Grabbing my stuff, I started to make my way to the door.
"May I speak with you Ms. James."
Crap.
I turned to look at Mrs. Jane, who was looking at me expectantly.
"Of course," I told her with a fake smile.
I was very happy to hear from Hunter that she was the teacher that wanted me in a class without Hunter. Now, I realize that a class with Hunter is a hundred times better than a class with her.
Once everyone had left, Mrs. Jane spoke.
"I see that you haven't been attending the detentions I had given you. Neither has Mr. Parker," she told me.
Shoot! I totally forgot about those!
I skipped school the day she gave it to us and I didn't go the second day because Parker was injured.
"I-I'm so sorry. I totally forgot about them. This was the first time I had ever gotten a detention. I don't know why-"
"Ms. James," Mrs. Jane interrupted, giving me a bored look.
"Sorry," I mumbled.
"Since you haven't been going to your detention, I have decided to give you an alternative."
"I'll take it," I quickly said.
"You haven't even heard my offer," Mrs. Jane replied, raising her eyebrow.
"Anything is better than having detention," I told her.
"Very well," she responded. "The alternative is, that you have to tutor a student in this class."
I frowned. "That doesn't sound too bad."
Mrs. Jane grabbed her grading sheet and looked through it.
"Well, everyone in my class is doing excellent with their assignments and test scores. Everyone except for one student. This person has missed class various times and currently has a seventy-three in my class."
I wondered as to who that student is. Like, come one. This type of math isn't even that hard.
"You are doing remarkably well in my class and your grades are very high," she continues. "So, I believe you will do well with this student. Especially since you have communicated with this person."
"Well, omit the fallout and you are the perfect pair," she mumbled under her breath.
Wait. Fallout?
"So you're saying..."
"Yes Ms. James, the alternative is that you have to tutor Mr. Andrew Parker."
"I take that back. I'll rather have detention."
"Oh, I don't think you would," she smiled.
I looked at her in confusion.
"You were given two weeks of detention simply because you lied to a teacher," she told me with a smug smile. "Oh and didn't you 'forget' to go?"
Well, who's fault was that? I thought sarcastically.
"And don't forget that you have the highest GPA as a senior and is going to be valedictorian this year. What college would want someone who can lie to a teacher whilst being a very studious student?"
"Are you blackmailing me? Because I'm pretty sure that sounds like blackmail," I reasoned.
"Oh no, you're mistaken by someone else. I'm just pointing out the consequences of having detention on your transcript. That would be a shame. You are a brilliant student."
I can't accept detention now. Not since my education is being threaten.
"Fine," I told her.
"Great!" She chirped. "Tutoring will start today."
"Wait, no. It can't start today during lunch. He's not even here anymore."
"Well, I guess you better go to his house tonight," she said with a smile.
"What! But-"
"Everything will be fine Ms. James. Now, go eat your lunch. You have thirty minutes left till your next class starts."
The last thing I could think about after I left her class was...how will Parker react?
++++++
"-and that's what happened. Now I have to tutor him because Mrs. Jane said so," I told Liz.
"Wow, your senior year is starting to become pretty interesting," she said, taking a bite out of her pizza.
I groaned. "You don't know the half of it."
"I don't? Well, you better start talking then," she replied, wagging her finger at me.
I laughed. "You always seem to lighten up the mood."
"I'm glad I can," she replied. "But, I'm sorry to kill the mood, how will you tell Hunter about your tutoring sessions with Andrew? I know you wouldn't want to tutor him at school."
"No freaking way! You got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed.
"W-What if we tell him that I'm tutoring you?" I asked desperately.
Liz shrugged. "I don't know if my perfect grades will help you at a time like this."
"Liz!"
"Sorry, sorry," she told me. "You could...tell him you want to study and do your homework at my house?"
"That's a great idea!" I told her.
"What's a great idea?" A deep voice asked.
I turned to look at Hunter and Cara.
"That since I'm getting a lot of homework, I can go to Liz's house so we can work on it together to get it done," I rushed.
Hunter looked at me for a second. After a few seconds, Cara answers.
"That's actually a smart plan. I say go for it, right Hunter?"
Cara turns to look at Hunter.
"Sure," he replies. "I think it's a good idea too. Are you starting today?"
"Yeah. I'm going to go to her house right after school's finished," I responded, trying to keep the lie alive.
"Don't spend so much time at her house," Hunter warned. "You still have to get up early tomorrow for school."
"Yes Dad, and would you like me to drink warm milk before I go to sleep too?" I sarcastically responded.
Does he have to act like my dad? He's my brother for Christ sake! Not my guardian, not my boss, and certainly not my dad.
"Carolina..."
"It's not up to you Hunter," I huffed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class. The bells about to ring."
I grabbed my stuff and left without a word.
++++++
"You can do it. Just knock on the door and wait to be ushered in," I told myself.
"Oh come on already. Get your butt out the freaking car and into that house!" Liz yelled from my phone.
I gritted my teeth. "It's harder than you think, Liz."
"Why I called you, I don't know," I mumbled to myself.
"You called me, so I could make sure you didn't back down like a coward," she reasoned.
"Liz, we haven't spoke for about a week, and when we did, it wasn't pleasant," I told her. "I know when I'm not wanted."
"Just go in and see what happens. You can do it."
It was silent for a few minutes till Liz spoke again.
"NOW GO INSIDE AND MAKE BABIES!" She exclaimed.
My eyes widened. "Liz!"
She burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to say that for a long time."
My cheeks reddened.
"Geez Liz, you know I'm still a virgin."
"Not for long," she replied.
I can just imagine her winking.
"Haha," I told her. "I'm about to hang up. Wish me luck."
"Good luck! And I hope you'll tell me all the details tomorrow!"
"Yeah, yeah. Bye Liz," I responded, hanging up.
My eyes darted towards Parker's front door.
"Ok, I can do this."
I took the keys out of the ignition and got out of my car, bringing my math book, a notebook, and my pencil case.
After locking the car, I headed towards the front door.
"Just knock, just knock," I mumbled to myself.
I lifted my fist and knocked on the door.
I waited a few minutes.
When no one came, I knocked again.
"Where is he?" I asked myself. I lifted my phone up and checked the time.
4:10 pm
I lifted my fist to knock once again, but before I could, a car pulled into the drive way.
It was a black mustang and inside, was Parker and...
Alice?
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Heyyyy! I finally finished this chapter and I wanted to say how happy I am. Please continue reading and share this book if you can!
Read, comment, vote.
~leslymm
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Sneak Peek of the Next Chapter:
"Oh, I'm sorry to intrude, are you one of Andrew's...friends?" She asked, cringing.
She must think I'm here to sleep with him. I'm glad to tell her I'm not.
"I'm not that kind of friend," I assured her. "I'm just here to tutor Parker."
"I have a feeling you'll be coming here often then," she replied.
"I doubt that," I mumbled. "I'm sorry to say but, Parker never mentioned a brother."
She smiled at what I had called Andrew.
"Well, Reece was hard to forget," she smiled, staring at the picture of Reece.
"I'm sorry, was?"