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Often Parker found himself awake rather than asleep.
His mind lurched back and forth like waves on a rock. He ran a calloused a hand over his face.
Parker's mother and father's arguing echoed into his room and at this point in time, he wished the acoustics weren't so good.
"You are not listening!—" he stopped tuning in to their heated argument when he saw his little sister, Paige open his door with a frown on her circular face. Her neatly braided blonde hair and silk pajamas, made her look very put together for a seven year old.
He quickly closed his eyes and pretended he was sleeping, "Parker wake up!" She whispered slapping his face.
"Yes, I'm awake Paige Alexandria," he answered getting out of his bed, he was prepared to take her back to her room, but he watched the seven year old take a seat on his plush bedding. Paige began to play with the ears of Penelope the stuffed bunny she had since she was a few days old.
"Don't patronize me Parker Kai" the girl crossed her arms.
The older brother stared at his sister, "Where did you learn that word?"
"I heard mom say it and it sounded like a fun word to say, so I said it" The older brother tried to not laugh at his sisters serious expression. Paige was seven years old nearing eight, she was very emotionally intelligent for a child under the age of 10. Being being exposed to an abusive father and a battered mother from a young age, it was necessary to pick up on cues quickly. Although, the abuse wasn't directed at her, it was only a matter of time before the the mother and son stopped being the only family members at the brunt of the father's rage.
Parker swore to himself that the day his father laid a hand on his sister, was the day he died.
"You okay?" his sister had a blank look on her face, he remembered the look distinctly. The numbness. He knew his sister came into the room because she was concerned about the yelling, which wasn't a new occurrence.
"I'm okay, just can't sleep" shattered glass could be heard from downstairs.
"Want me to tuck you in?" he was standing by the door with a grimace but tried to save face for Paige.
"Sure" the young girl left Parker's corner room and walked down a long wide hall and to her room. It was a room filled with creams, baby pink and black. Her room was mature, but she had a large mural on the backside of her wall that looked exactly like Paris. She got on her queen sized bed and placed Penelope next to her.
Parker placed the covers over her and his hand on her head and stroked it, not before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Good night Parker."
"Good night Paige."
His mother's hysterical sobs swirled in the air and gripped Parker with a vice.
He could not remember the first time his father laid hands on his mother but he could remember the first time he intervened. He was seven, at least that is what he thought. Trauma had a strange way of altering what people thought they knew.
His father hit him in the face that day. Ever since then it was difficult to stop stepping in.
A familiar dread sunk to the pit of his stomach, when he saw his mother laying on the ground, utterly defeated. His father was standing over her with a Jack Daniels bottle in his hand. He looked ready to smash her over the head with it. No matter how much Parker was bruised and beat, his fear was always for his mother and sister.
He had low self regard, maybe it was because everything he did was deemed below satisfactory, he was a living and walking disappointment to his father. His mother stopped trying to correct his father's degradation especially when he beat Parker and her so bad it was difficult to move.
"Aaron" Parker called, the son stood straight with his hand in his pockets "That's enough." Outside of the house Aaron Maddox was a doting husband and caring dad. Inside the Maddox estate he was the nightmare that never ended.
Aaron Maddox's eyes cut to his son.
"Boy" he drawled, it had the familiar twang that only made its appearance when he had several drinks.
"leave her alone."
He stepped over her and stood in front of his son. His father had scarily blue eyes, it was only frightening because Parker had the same ones. Clear but so empty.
Aaron was a tall well built man in his early fifties. He had blonde hair that fell in waves at his shoulder.
Parker brazenly looked his old man in the eyes, he had no fear and no respect for the man who terrorized his own family.
Amanda Maddox laid on the ground with tears streaming down her face. Her mascara was ruined, wrist partially sprained and blood was dripping from her slender nose.
Despite her injuries, she pulled out a compact mirror and wiped away her mascara and applied the lip balm she always had on her. Appearances were everything.
"Son you have been stepping out your place a lot lately" the blonde man said tilting his head to the side. "I'm not your little friends, that you can talk to any kind of way—"
Parker ignored his father's tangent and went to his mother and helped her off the floor.
"Mom you go lay down, I will bring your ice pack." The Woman bobbed her head with an inorganic smile she somehow produced on her face. Everything about Amanda Maddox was a facade. She smiled when she wanted to frown and laughed when she felt like sobbing. Despite this, she was always able to keep up appearances, constantly being watched and judged took its toll.
"Did you hear what I said?" The father asks gripping the front of his sons hoodie in a tight fist.
"Yes, but I ignored you."
Parker realized early on that it didn't matter what he said to his father. He would still get hit. Pleading him to stop only egged him on more.
So it was no surprise when a fist came barreling towards his face, in repeated succession.
Parker welcomed the pain.
☆ ☆ ☆
Parker had a strange relationship with money. He had everything he wanted cars, the clothes, but not his freedom.
The logical expectation was to buy his way out of his family. Yet it wasn't that simple. He had a trust fund that he could not access until he was 24. So he was under his fathers thumb until then unless he wanted to be penniless.
His Father owned Maddox Tech, a software company that was contracted by the government and other agencies. It made Aaron Maddox one of the wealthiest men alive.
Parker was supposed to go to an Ivy League and take over his fathers company and continue the legacy.
Being a CEO, disinterested Parker immensely. He didn't even want to be associated with his father. It was unfortunate but a reality he faced everyday.
Parker eyed the field he was supposed to be running sprints on with disdain. He was 30 minutes late and didn't notify anyone in advance about his late arrival. He hated football with a passion. Ironically, it had nothing to do with the sport. His father was very adamant about his son being the best quarterback and the best player that he drained any joy that could come from the sport. But that is what his father usually did.
Football was just another task that he had to do in order to get through the day.
He sat in the car trying to gather his bearings. His eyes was swollen and his lip was busted and he didn't need a doctor to tell him his ribs were fucked up.
Parker grabbed his Nike duffel bag and tried to walk as normal as possible with a wrapped rib cage. He was in a lot of pain and it was clear in his outward disposition.
He wasn't mentally prepared for practice today or faking his way through the day.
☆ ☆ ☆
"Maddox why are you late?" Coach Lee asked the late footballer with his clipboard in his hand, never taking his eyes off the guys on the field now doing suicides.
"Got caught up in some stuff" Parker said shrugging his duffel bag off his shoulder with a wince.
The whole team looked like they wanted to plan Parker's slow death.
Yeah, get in line.
"Since your free now, go out and join your teammates on the field. They have been doing drills for every minute you were late. You all are a team it's time to start acting like one."
Parker began to unzip his jacket but Coach Lee stopped him "Maddox you stay in your clothes and get out on the field."
He knew coach saw his face but they didn't even care to tell him to stop, Nobody cared about parker as long as He came through for them.
It was something Parker didn't have the patience to understand or have the energy to reverse.
By the time the team was done, Parker was covered in sweat and barely able to stand, his injuries didn't help.
The team walked to the locker room, moaning and groaning in pain. Parker said nothing, holding his ribs while craving for ibuprofen and his bed.
"Man, why weren't you here? every minute you were late he added 10 more" Christian asked with a scowl.
Christian had tested Parker's patience since junior high, he had always been stirring up beef with him and try to one up him on shit. It was especially apparent when Parker became quarterback of the team.
Which wasn't all that great. The only reason he had the position was because his father gave him no choice.
"Something came up" The pain in his rib cage and head. Parker dug around in his duffel bag for his medicine — he forgot to grab it.
"Man that's a wack ass excuse you are fucking quarterback of this team-"
"Exactly I am and you're not, I'm not understanding why we are having this conversation"
Christian chuckles and says nothing but steps up into Parker's face. Parker glowered down at the shorter boy, "I suggest that you get the fuck outta my face-"
"Ladies, simmer down" Marcus says pushing both of the guys out of the way.
Parker was pissed off to the fullest extent. And it wasn't just because of Christian, he can usually put up with a lot but today was different.
Christian just smirks and heads off to the opposite side of the locker room, knowing that he ticked off Parker enough.
"You good?" Marcus asks his friend, who looked like he got into a fight but that wasn't any of his business.
"Fine" Parker says slamming his locker shut and heading to the showers.
He was always fine.
☆ ☆ ☆
Parker maneuvered through the halls easily with his eyes glued to his phone as he scrolled through his unopened emails. He headed towards AP Biology in D Hall that regretted taking his senior year.
Mac stood next to a set of lockers talking to Grace when she and Parker made eye contact. Mac's eyes trailed over his face and she walked in his direction with concern prevalent on her features. "Hey Parker, you don't look too good, you should go to the nurse."
Parker grinned, his cheeks widening and a dimple appearing as he looked down at her. "I'm not kidding, you look terrible."
"Gee thanks. If I go, will you walk me?" He raised a blonde brow and watched her lips purse.
"Not you trying to get me to skip class."
"Is that a no"
"No, I'll go" Mac said moving her hair out of her face trying to come across as nonchalant but internally she was screaming.
"Oh, so you just like to give me a hard time?" Parker asked as they walked towards the front of the building. They were walking in step, he had to walk a little faster to keep up with her because she walked with pep in her step.
"Well... maybe just a little bit" Mac replied with a cheeky grin on her face. "So are you okay?" she asked again.
"Not really, but I will be" he said with a soft smile. Parker usually just said he was fine, he could tell she wouldn't appreciate the generic answer. So he gave her one better, the truth—kind of.
They arrived at the nurses office and Mac stood idle at the door. Her heart was beating fast, it felt like someone was doing a tap dance. This was the most she had interacted with a boy. She didn't think it would be this difficult.
"Thanks for walking me" He said with a grin. "There is a party this weekend, would you like to come with me? Parties aren't really my scene but Marcus is throwing it so I was going to go."
"No, that sounds great" She did not know why she was agreeing to go out with her sisters ex.
"I actually don't have your phone number so I can get your address"
"Where is the fun in that? Lets email instead. It keeps things interesting." Mac said with a smirk, and turned on her heel. "Bye Parker, I hope you feel better" Mac said with a wave and heading in the opposite direction for her class.
Parker laughed out loud and he could hear her returning giggles.
He pretended to go inside the office, but couldn't knowing the nurse would question his bruises. And that would put things in motion that he couldn't stop.
Parker decided to leave for the day, knowing he wouldn't be able to focus.
But when he got to his car, he pulled out his phone and addressed an email to: Macalisterbrown@Eastwood.org
Hi Mac,
Thank you for walking me to the nurse.
Yours,
Parker
He pressed send and was happy with the bold sign off. Parker was regaining his usual boldness, he didn't realize how easy and natural it would feel to talk to her.
After stopping at Kroger's for a couple snacks and medicine, Parker drove to his favorite park and decided to sleep there until he would be forced to go back home.
His phone beeped and he saw the email and the apple of his cheeks raised and his jaw hurt from smiling so hard.
Hi Parker,
Of course, I hope you feel better. How are you supposed to dance with me this weekend if you are injured? You better heal and bring your moves.
(Not yet) Yours,
Mac
Not yet.
He liked that.
★ ★ ★
A/n: I wish somebody would email me like this. Sigh
Word count: 2490+
Radiantbrown