Family Ties (28 page)

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Jason shuts the trunk of his car and moves to the driver’s side where I load a box into the back seat. “Last chance to change your mind, Parker,” he says, leaning against the car.

I shut the door and straighten up, facing him. “Not going to happen.” 

“Can’t blame me for trying.” A weak smile crosses his face.

“I don’t want this to be the thing that comes between us. I’m just not ready for it right now.” 

“I know. I’m making light of it because I miss you already.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and kicks the ground with toe of his Vans. “I’m going to say goodbye to my parents.” 

“It’s sad that Alana’s not going,” Arissa states.

“Mike can’t go and she can’t leave him here alone,” I remind her.

“Doesn’t make it less sad. He shouldn’t have to do this alone.” 

I fight against my chest’s attempts to heave from the sorrow. Mike and Alana should be going with him, but the trip would drain Mike’s energy. It’s not fucking fair. He’s doing this on his own. I can’t even follow him up because I’ve never driven that far on my own.   

“Don’t be a stranger,” Arissa teases, punching Jason on his shoulder when he returns.

He covers his shoulder and feigns pain. “Ow!”

“Wuss.” She smirks.

He grins. “You’re going to miss me, Jericho.”

She throws her arms around him for a moment. “Yes, I am. But don’t let it go to your head.” She turns to me. “We’ll wait for you in the car.” 

Jason cradles my face in his hands and brings his lips to mine. I open up to a fervent kiss as I wrap my arms around his waist. He breaks off and enfolds me tight in his arms.

“I love you so, so much, Parker.”

“I love you too, J.” I inhale his scent in a long, deep breath to keep a part of him with me.

He kisses the top of my head and releases me. His red-rimmed eyes brim with tears as he climbs in the car. He grinds the heels of his hands into his eyes. I press my palms on the car and peer inside. He rolls down the window when he drops his hands in his lap and sees me.

“Call me later?” I ask.

He nods and turns the key in the ignition. I step back and watch him drive away as tears well in my own eyes. I want to chase after him, get in the car, and tell him to take me with him. But my feet are rooted in the driveway.

I’m left with my demons and my tears.

The bubbly Skype ring sounds on my laptop. I drop my book and click the answer button. Jason’s face fills the screen and a smile spreads across my face.

“Hey.” He grins.

“Hey. Did you get everything unpacked okay?”

“Yeah. Piece of cake.”

“Can I see?”

“Sure.” He moves to the side of his laptop, then shifts it around in a slow semi-circle.

Two beds, two desks, two armoires, and two dressers line the walls so that one of each is on opposite sides of the room.

“Small,” I state.

“Yeah.” He returns to his chair and folds his arms in front of his laptop. “We have another bedroom that looks the same, plus a living room. Kind of like our own apartment, but no kitchen.” 

“That blows.”

“Small price to pay.” He shrugs. “The guys are taking me to my first party tonight.”

“You party animal,” I joke.

“J! We’re leaving for dinner! You coming?” someone calls from off-camera.

He looks to the side and answers, “Give me a sec!” He turns back to the camera. “I’ve gotta go. I love you, Parker.”

“I love you too.”

Hunter calls after dinner, asking if I want to go to Biggie’s, a game place with an arcade, go karts, laser tag, bumper boats and cars, and kids rides.

“Are you sure this is a good idea,” Arissa asks while I wait for Hunter to pick me up.

“What do you mean?” I curl my legs up next to me on the sofa.

“I mean you and Hunter going out alone.”

I groan. I can’t believe she’s starting this again. “Who do you think went out with us when I was in Foster Hell? No one.”

“But you haven’t gone out alone with him since you came back, and Jason just left for college today.”

The doorbell rings and I scramble off the sofa. “Jason trusts us. I wish you would too.” I yank the door open and rush out without another word.

“Whoa. What did I walk into?” Hunter asks, walking me to his car.

“My sister doesn’t like the idea of me going out with you while Jason’s not here.”

We settle into his car. “I thought she was okay with us being friends,” he says.

“Apparently only if Jason is in the same city.”

“How is he?”

“Okay since he got up there. We were both a wreck when he drove off this morning.”

“That’s why I wanted to take you out tonight. I knew you’d need to get your mind off of it for a while.”

“Should I have gone with him?”

“If you wanted to.”

I flick the hat off his head. “That’s a cop-out answer, Hunter.”

“Okay. If I were in Jason’s shoes, I’d be devastated that you didn’t come with me. Better?”

My heart falls into the pit of my stomach. “No. Now I feel like shit.”

“It’s the truth. If I loved a girl half as much as he loves you, I’d want her with me.”

For the first time, my plan to focus on myself and live one day at a time feels selfish; like I’ve had enough of making sacrifices. I have, but where does one end and the other begin?

He clasps my hand and squeezes for a second. “Hey. No beating yourself up tonight. I’m taking you out to have fun, and dammit, you’re going to have fun.” His goofy insistence makes me snicker and he chuckles with me.

We spend the next two hours spinning in tea cups, racing go karts, crashing bumper cars into others, and soaking each other in bumper boats. For two hours, I laugh instead of cry.

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

“How was work today?” Jason asks, peering at me through the laptop screen.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand the need for so much paperwork. I’m either typing it up, sending it somewhere, or filing it.” I cradle my jaw in my hand. “How are classes?”

“Intense. I need to concentrate more when I study. I might start going to the library for some quiet.” 

“Four grown men and their freedom from parental oppression. It must be rough being an adult away at school,” I quip.

“Remember the parties my teammates would throw?” he whispers.

“Yeah.”

“It’s like that a lot.” 

I laugh.

“Seriously, Parker. We keep the front door open a lot, so people are constantly coming and going. Not always a bad thing. I’m making more friends. It’s just not what I’m used to, living with Mom and Dad.” 

I stifle a chuckle. “How’s the food?” 

He shrugs. “It’s cafeteria food.” A smirk crosses his face. “Only good for one thing.”

I laugh again. “You remember.” 

His smirk morphs into his half-cocked grin. “How can I forget the day I met you?” 

“You
are
a male.”

“Yes, I am. But that was one of the best moments of my life so far.”

I blush and avert my eyes.

“I really miss you,” he says, then a hard knock comes from his bedroom door.

He turns to his right, “Yeah?”

“You have a visitor.”

“Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.” 

“She’s pretty anxious.”

“She?” He releases an exasperated sigh. “Tell her I’m busy.”

“You don’t want to talk to your friend?” I ask.

“She’s more of a parasite. She won’t leave me alone,” he replies, shifting in his seat like he has sand stuck in his shorts.

“J, you’re allowed to have female friends. You trust me with Hunter as a friend. I trust you.”

He scowls and snaps, “I don’t think a woman who won’t accept the fact that I have you is someone I want as a friend.”

“Hey, don’t take it out on me,” I warn as my body heat rises. “I was trying to tell you I wouldn’t be jealous if you make friends with other women.”

He exhales heavily and runs both hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. She won’t stop. I’m tired of it.” He smiles. “I’m going to drive home Friday after my last class. I need you in my arms.”

“That sounds heavenly.” Even if it’s only two nights, I’ll take what I can get. A light knock comes from my door. “Come in!”

I twist at the waist as the door opens to Hunter’s smile. “I can wait downstairs,” he says.

“No,” Jason says. “Come in. What’s up?”

Hunter shuts the door behind him and sits on my bed. I shift the laptop so Jason can see him. “Hey, just picking Sara up for some dessert. How’s school?”

“Good, man. Trying to keep up with everything.”

Hunter smirks. “Overwhelming, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Hey, don’t let me keep you guys.”

“No,” I protest. “You’re not.”

“Yeah, dude. I was early,” Hunter says.

“No, really. Go out. I should be studying.”

Hunter leaves the room so I can say goodbye to Jason in private, then drives us to Seaside Café. I settle in at a bistro table with a Black Forest cupcake while Hunter sits down with a giant white cupcake topped with white frosting and fruity cereal. We both peel the paper liner off and I pick up a fork, while he picks up the cupcake in his hand.

He’s about to bite into his cupcake when he notices the fork in my hand. “Seriously?”

“What?”

He gestures with a chin thrust. “Put that thing down. You look like you’ve never eaten a cupcake before.”

“I have!”

“Then do it right.”

I drop my fork and pick up the cupcake, giving him a brief, fake smile. Without looking at the cupcake, I take a large bite and my nose hits the frosting.

Hunter laughs as I chew. He reaches over and wipes the frosting off the tip of my nose with his finger. I grab a napkin and get the rest of it off as he licks his finger clean.

“Tasty,” he says, waggling his eyebrows and biting into his own cupcake.

I smirk, then shove the cupcake into his face. Frosting and cereal cover his lower face while cupcake chunks rain down on the plate. I double over, laughing so hard it turns into a wheeze. When I sit up, Hunter smashes the rest of my cupcake in my face.

If we had more food in front of us, it might’ve turned into a real food fight. Instead, we clean ourselves up and buy another cupcake each; this time eating them like civilized people instead of using them as face decoration.

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

“I’m unlocking the door now,” Jason tells me over the phone.

“Glad you made it back up there safe.”

“Jason!” a woman calls out through the phone.

“Shit. Hold on, Parker.”

He mutes the phone and there is only silence for several long minutes. I stare at the textured white ceiling as I wait for him to get back on the phone.

“Sorry,” he says. 

“Was that her again?”

“Yeah.”

“She doesn’t give up.” She always seems to come around when we’re on the phone or Skype. I can’t imagine how often she shows up when we’re not talking.

“What can I say? I’m irresistible,” he jokes half-heartedly.

“Are you okay?”

“No. She makes me miss you more.” 

“Five more days until you see me again,” I say, trying to cheer him up.

“Friday won’t come fast enough.”

“You’re right. Maybe you can hide out in the library until then. Maybe she won’t think to look for you there.”

“Maybe,” he says, flat.

“J?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” he says cheerfully.

Arissa watches her blue bowling ball roll down the lane as she backs up one slow step at a time. The ball spins down the middle of her split and falls off the back of the lane. She spins around, pouting, and flops onto Damian’s lap.

Hunter grabs his ball off the rack as Arissa’s ball spits out and joins the rest.

“Gutterball!” Arissa calls out as Hunter lines himself up.

I smack her arm while he flips her off without looking.

She holds her arm over where I hit her. “Ow!”

“Be nice.” She’s still not happy that I go out with Hunter between Jason’s visits home. It’s caused many arguments since Jason left for school.

“Jeez. I was
teasing
.”

Truth is, I never know whether she’s ribbing or taking jabs at him anymore. She’s always edgy when he’s around. He never acts like she bothers him and returns anything she dishes out to him good-humored. Damian and I thought a joint outing would be helpful. I’m having second thoughts now.

Hunter’s ball speeds down the lane and knocks out all the pins. I let out a “woo” and jump up with my arms overhead. We give each other a high ten and sit back down as Damian gets ready for his turn. Hunter sets his arm on the back of my seat and Arissa sneers. I roll my eyes at her.

“Hunter!”

“Oomph!” Hunter exhales like he was just punched in the stomach.

I turn to find Nicole in his lap kissing him all over his face and Becky standing over them with a grin.

Hunter pulls his head away. “Get the fuck off me!” He heaves Nicole off his lap and onto the floor. She catches herself before her head can hit the ground.

“What the fuck, Hunter?” Becky asks, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

“He doesn’t want crabs,” I say.

Hunter and Arissa snicker, covering their mouths.

“How dare you!” Nicole shouts, pushing herself to her feet.

“That was the rumor at the end of the school year when I was at La Costa,” I state. “That is, after you told Hunter his benefits were over and started seeing other guys.”

Becky scans the area, then sets her eyes on me. “Where’s Jason?”

“Somewhere safe from your cracked ass.”

“
Where is he?
”

I shrug. “That’s need to know and you don’t need to know.”

Hunter busts out laughing and Nicole slaps his cheek. We spring out of our seats at the same time.

“That was for dumping me on the ground,” she says.

He pushes her and she stumbles backwards, windmilling her arms. “That was for jumping on my lap.”

“Fucking dickwad!” Becky screams, shoving Hunter. “Don’t push my sister!”

“Why? Because she’s a girl?” he asks.

“Yeah!”

“Fuck that. She wants to sit in someone’s lap and kiss them when it’s unwelcome, she better be prepared for the consequences.”

Nicole creases her brow and steps into him. “You’re a fucking jackass with a limp dick.”

He gives her a smug look. “You always screamed with pleasure when I gave you a good pounding with my so-called limp dick.”

Nicole and Becky both swing at Hunter. I push Becky back as Hunter catches Nicole’s wrist. Nicole spits in his face and he shoves her away, wiping his face with his shirt. Becky lunges at me with her hands out, fingers curled claw-like. Damian wedges his way between me and Becky, grabbing her forearms, while Arissa steps between Hunter and Nicole. 

“Get out of here,” Damian says, his muscles flexing and tensing in his arms, keeping his eye on Becky while releasing her.

She eyes him up and down, then sticks her finger in his face. “Don’t think for one minute that this is over.”

“You’ve said that before,” he says in return. “But this isn’t high school and suspensions don’t exist. If I were you, I’d leave Sara alone. We’ve seen her put three people in prison already. I would love to watch her put you two there as well.”

“She’s the one who pushed me!”

“After you tried to hit Hunter,” Arissa says.

“You know what,” I say. “They’ve killed the fun here. Let’s get out of here.” I’m tired of the drama and fights.

“I’m down with that,” Hunter says.

“But we paid for more games,” Arissa reminds us.

Damian crosses his arms over his chest in an imposing stance. “I’m with Sara.”

“Fine.”

We stroll past slack-jawed Nicole and Becky. Maybe they expected a cat fight complete with hair pulling, scratching, and name calling. I want them to get over it already, whatever
it
is. Something keeps them both going on this irrational tirade. Something they never voice. Something we may never know.

“That was so random,” Damian says once we’re outside.

“It’s not like we haven’t run into Becky out in public before,” I state.

“True.”

I just hope it doesn’t happen again.