"We've got a game tonight," Emmett reminded me, as I buttered my toast.
"I'll be there," I said.
"Have you seen my belt?" Parker called from his bedroom.
"Nope!" Emmett and I called back in unison.
"Don't do that," Parker called.
I took a bite of my toast, taking a seat at the counter as Parker came out into the kitchen, holding his pants up.
"I need to borrow a belt," he said to Emmett.
"You need to buy more than one belt," Emmett retorted.
"Not too high on my To Do list," Parker snapped. "I need a belt."
"Chill," Emmett said, taking a bite of his muffin before heading back to his bedroom.
"Good morning," I said, as he poured himself a cup of coffee, still holding up his pants with one hand.
"All of this stress lately has taken its toll," Parker informed me, turning to face me. "And my jeans don't fit."
"Well you're just going to have to eat a lot of McDonald's in the next week."
"My coach is going to love this," Parker muttered.
"Here," I said, handing him my second piece of buttered toast. "At least eat this."
"It's fine."
"It's not fine. Dropping that much weight during Christmas break is unhealthy. Now eat this piece of toast before I go all therapist on you."
Parker rolled his eyes, taking a bite of the toast.
I pulled out a yogurt for myself to be sure to get a balanced breakfast.
I don't think my therapist, or Emmett for that matter, would be happy to hear that I ate a piece of toast for breakfast.
"Here," Emmett said, tossing Parker a belt.
He looped it around his waist, thanking Emmett before finishing off the toast.
"The tension is suffocating in here, so I'm going to go and pretend I have something to do in my room," Emmett said, after a few minutes of silence in the kitchen. He disappeared back into his bedroom.
I took a sip of my coffee.
"I'm sorry," Parker stated.
"You can't just say you're sorry and expect that to fix everything," I said, looking over at him.
"Well it's a starting point."
"I don't want to be your rebound Parker," I said, my chest tight.
Parker tightened his jaw. "That's not what you are."
"Really? Because that's the second slip."
"My ex-girlfriend died," Parker stated, in a monotone voice. "Sorry if I slip up sometimes."
At least he said ex-girlfriend this time.
"If you're upset then talk to me," I said, staring into his eyes. "If you're hurting, then let me in. But God Parker, just say something."
"I'm not good at this, any of it."
"I can't be Annalise for you," I said, quietly.
He froze.
"I can't compete with her," I continued. "Because she was beautiful."
"You looked her up?"
I nodded.
"Emily, I don't want you to be Annalise," he said, quietly.
"Really? Because I'm feeling some mixed signals here lately."
"I was in love with Lise," he admitted, his grip tightening in his coffee mug.
I felt my heart shatter into pieces.
"But that's past tense," he continued. "And I'm not asking you to be her, because you don't need to be. You're perfect the way you are. But I am asking you to be patient with me, because you're the first relationship I've had since she died."
I'd say that that was progress. He'd opened up a little bit, let me see inside his head.
"I'm not here to be your rebound," I repeated. "And right now, I don't think you need a girlfriend."
He stared at me.
"I think you need a friend," I continued. "Someone to be there for you and to listen to you. I think you need to move on before you dive into another relationship."
"So what are you saying?" Parker asked, quietly.
"I'm saying that we should take a break," I said, my throat tightening.
"Sorry to break up the party," Emmett said, coming back into the kitchen. "But we've got to get a move on if we want to make it to school today."
"If that's what you want," Parker said, his gaze never breaking from mine.
"It's not what I want," I said, my chest aching. "But it's what you need."
Emmett looked between the two of us, figuring out that he interrupted something important.
Parker shook his head, storming out of the apartment and letting the door slam behind him.
"Mind giving me a ride to school?" I asked Emmett.
"Sure," Emmett agreed, clearly confused.
~*~
"How was your session with Dr. Harrison?" Emmett asked me, as I cradled my phone to my ear.
"Same as it always is," I said, unlocking my car.
"Okay, well I had to swing by the shop before the game, but Parker should be home."
Great.
"Okay," I said, as I pulled out of my therapist's office. "I guess I'll see you at the game then."
"Are you grabbing something to eat before?"
"Subtle," I said, rolling my eyes. "And yes, Michelle and I are going out."
"I can't always be subtle," Emmett defended. "And there are leftovers in the refrigerator just in case."
"Okay," I agreed. "See you at the game. Love you."
"Love you too," he said, before hanging up.
Parker's car was parked in the apartment complex parking lot when I pulled up.
I really hope he doesn't still hate me. But judging by the way he avoided me like the plague today, I'm not too sure on that.
I headed upstairs and let myself into the apartment, stopping short when I stepped inside.
Parker's, well Emmett's, belt was strewn across the counter, along with Parker's jeans and a lacy bra.
I wanted to puke.
I didn't want to believe it. I felt rooted in my place, my eyes focused on the bra.
And then I heard them, and the tears sprang to my eyes.
I wanted to run away, my heart in my throat.
But I wasn't that girl anymore. So I slammed the front door behind me, making sure that it would be echoed throughout the apartment.
And as predicted, the noises from Parker's room ceased.
I couldn't find my voice, so I just stayed standing in the front hallway, waiting for Parker or the slut to emerge.
And it wasn't long before Veronica Mahoney came out of the back.
"This must be yours," I said, looping her bra strap around my pinky finger.
"I think so," she agreed, breathlessly.
I tossed it to her, my heart pounding in my chest. "I think you should leave."
She nodded before practically running out of the apartment.
I wanted to cry, a tear dripping down my cheek.
But I held it together, waiting for Parker to emerge.
Anger was pulsing through my veins. I thought he was different, that he'd changed.
Was I really that easy to forget?
It was close to fifteen minutes before Parker came out of his bedroom.
He didn't say anything. He was shirtless and wearing a pair of sweatpants, but his face said it all.
"So that's it then?" I asked, my voice breaking.
"It's not like that," Parker defended.
"I said that we should take a break so you bang the first slut that walks through the door," I said, with a sarcastic laugh.
Parker shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Glad to know that I meant so much to you," I said, the tears dripping down my cheeks. "That I was something special."
"You were," Parker defended, desperately. "I mean, you are, you still are."
I shook my head, wiping the tears away. "I thought you were different."
Parker opened his mouth to say something, anything, but then closed it again.
Because he knows that he broke my heart.
"It was too much," Parker finally said. "With the name slip and the heartache I was feeling, I really needed you."
"I was still here for you," I said, looking away from him. "I said that we should take a break so you could talk to me, so I could help you move on."
"It's not the same."
"Because you needed the sex to help you forget," I said, my eyes snapping back over to him.
He didn't answer.
"Well okay then," I said, with a laugh. "Have fun with your whores."
"Emily-" Parker started.
But I walked out before he had the chance to finish.
"So you're not going to the game?" Michelle asked, as I pulled into the gym parking lot.
"No," I said, turning off my car. "I just need some time."
"Okay," she agreed. "I'm here if you need me."
"I know," I said, before ending the phone call.
I hadn't been the gym in a long while, and I could really use a good workout to clear my mind.
I changed out in the locker rooms into my spare workout clothes that I keep in my car before hitting the treadmill.
Why couldn't I be good enough for him?
I brushed my hair out of my face, upping the speed on the treadmill.
I guess our relationship meant nothing to him, that I was just his rebound girl. That hurt more than I thought it would.
I stayed on the treadmill until my body was numb and exhausted. And even then I pushed for the extra mile.
As I exited the gym, I pressed my cell phone to my ear, running my fingers through my sweaty hair.
"I knew it wouldn't be long," Daniel's voice said, answering my call.
"Shut up and listen," I snapped. "Meet me at your place in 15."
"Did Parker finally realize that he'll never be good enough for you?"
Actually it was the other way around.
"Ask me another question about Parker and you can forget this."
"Okay," Daniel agreed. "My place in fifteen."
I hung up, knowing I'd regret this in the morning. But I needed this for tonight.
I'd always be good enough for Daniel.
~*~
I woke up in Daniel's bed. I rolled over and checked my phone. It was 1:53 AM and I had more than 6 missed calls from Emmett.
Fuck my life.
I slowly crawled out of Daniel's bed, getting dressed as I gathered my things.
I left his place before calling Emmett.
"Where the hell are you?" Emmett demanded, picking up on the second ring.
"Headed home," I promised.
"You didn't come to the game," he said, his breath ragged. "And Michelle said you cancelled out on her."
"I just had a rough night," I said, starting up my car. "I'll be home in 10."
"That's all you have to say?" Emmett demanded. "I've been up half the night looking for you-"
I hung up, dropping my phone in the passenger seat.
I felt awful that Emmett had been up looking for me, but the last thing I needed to hear right now was how I let another person down.
I pulled into the apartment complex, turning off my car and sitting inside for a few more moments, taking in the peace before heading inside.
Emmett was bouncing a quarter on the counter when I walked in, and Parker was pacing the living room floor.
"Fucking hell," Parker muttered.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Emmett demanded.
"I don't see what the big deal is," I said, letting the apartment door shut behind me. "It's not like you haven't come home before."
"But I call," Emmett snapped. "And I don't disappear off the face of the fucking planet."
"Are you okay?" Parker asked, concernedly.
"Like you care."
He clenched his jaw.
"Where have you been?" Emmett asked.
I looked directly at Parker. "I've been with Daniel."
Parker pressed his lips together, storming back towards his bedroom and letting his door slam behind him.
"Great," Emmett said, with a nod. "So while you were off fucking Daniel, I was calling the entire town trying to locate you."
"You don't need to be so protective-"
"The last time you didn't answer my call you were in a hospital, practically dead," Emmett hissed. "So don't lecture me on protectiveness."
"You can't hold that over me forever," I snapped. "I'm sorry that I OD'd Emmett, but God give a girl some space."
"Maybe if you didn't stay out half the night at the gym I wouldn't worry about you so much."
"You stalked me?"
"I was worried about you."
"Well stop," I ordered, my heart racing. "I can take care of myself, and I don't need you breathing down my neck every ten seconds like I'm some sort of mentally unstable child."
He shook his head at me. "I don't know who the fuck you are right now, but I don't appreciate it." And with that he stormed back to his bedroom.
"Great," I muttered. "This is just great."
**************************************************************************************************************
So what did you guys think about Parker's added stress lately? And then, of course, Emily's suggestion for them to take a break? How about the way both of them dealt with it? Did you expect that out of Parker or Emily? And then Emmett's overprotectiveness there at the end, surprise anybody?
The cover off to the right was created by TessaWayland. Check it out! -->
Teaser: Emmett has an asthma issue post-practice & Emily and Parker talk about what happened.
Update: Oh my gosh guys, leaving the update blank was an accident. I just forgot to fill it in before posting. But wow, you guys need to get ahold of yourselves. The update will be Monday or Tuesday of next week, just like it always is.