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Excuse the mistakes

Because I'm wonderful, I put another picture of Parker on the side... He's just so cute (I'm a teenage girl, don't judge me)

IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN AUTHOR'S NOTE

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This was one of those things you watched through your fingers, because you were trying to look away, but you couldn’t.

“How does that even fit?” Parker breathed next to me, and I glanced at him to see that he was actually leaning towards the screen.

“Women are magical beings,” I replied slowly, and that’s when the baby’s head popped out of the woman’s hoo-ha.

Mrs. Matthews decided that today was the fateful day that the class was to watch a birthing video. She’d also had the brilliant idea to use the projector, so there was now a wall plastered with the image of a woman giving birth. To add to the uncomfortable atmosphere of the classroom, I was sitting next to Parker.

“Will it go back to the same… shape afterwards?” Parker whispered, and my head whipped around to face him. I slapped Parker in the shoulder, and he threw his hands up with a seemingly innocent look on his face, but I could see right through it. He was amused at my reaction, but I was too embarrassed to care.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the video rolled its credits and Mrs. Matthews turned on the lights. Slowly, I turned around to look at the rest of my classmates, and most of them were completely white with their mouths hanging open. A few guys were laughing, but even they looked sick.

Mrs. Matthews got up to say something about the video, but before she could get any actual words out, the bell rang, signaling the end of the class period. I grabbed my backpack and books, and along with every other girl in the class, stampeded towards the door.

I wanted to get as far away from that video as possible, because maybe then, the flushed look I’d achieved throughout the entire birthing process would go away. If you’ve ever watched a video of a woman giving birth, you should understand where I’m coming from, because that shit is terrifying, fascinating, and disgusting all at the same time.

“Hey, Reed, wait up!”

I thought about speeding up and ignoring Parker, but people were staring, and I didn’t want to give people a reason to think something in our imaginary relationship was wrong. So, I stopped and turned around just in time to see Parker catch up to me.

“If you make any comment about that damn birthing video, Parker, I swear to God,” I said, putting my finger up in warning.

“You swear to God what?” Parker replied, waiting expectantly.

“Um,” my voice trailed off, and I shook my head in frustration, “I don’t know yet, but it will be bad!”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Parker stated, smirking, but he didn’t make a comment about the video, like I’d asked him to. Together, we walked down the hallway, and as we passed my locker, I remembered that I’d forgotten my homework for my next class inside it.

“Hang on a second,” I said, backtracking to my locker.

“What’s wrong?” Parker asked, coming to lean against the locker next to mine.

“Nothing,” I replied, spinning my combination into the lock, “I just have to grab something.” I yanked my locker door open, and suddenly, I started getting pelted in the head with something. I let out a cry of surprise and took a step back, and that’s when I saw what they were.

“Are those what I think they are?” Parker asked, looking strangely pissed off.

“Fucking condoms,” I replied through clenched teeth, “Someone put fucking condoms in my locker, and I know who it was.” They were wrapped condoms that you could get in bulk from Planned Parenthood for free, and there were a lot of them piling up in front of my locker.

I swear, steam was coming out of my ears, and my fingernails were digging so far into my palms that I was about to draw blood.

“Who?” Parker asked, but I wasn’t listening to him. I grabbed the homework I needed, slammed my locker door shut, and stalked down the hall to where I knew the two little shits would be hiding, ready to reap the benefits of their little prank.

Sure enough, right around the corner, Triss and Maya were standing together giggling. When they saw me, Triss and Maya suppressed their laughter, but the mocking look was still clear on their faces. “Did you enjoy your present?” Triss asked, smirking at me.

“Yeah, I did, actually,” I spat back, crossing my arms over my chest, “Maybe, you should’ve kept some, though. We wouldn’t want anyone catching the STD’s you’re harboring in your skanky self.”

“Excuse me, bitch?” Triss demanded, taking a step towards me, “Did you just call me a slut?”

“Well, if the hooker heel fits,” I replied simply, and Triss turned bright red.

“You’re just saying all this shit because you’re insecure, Reed.”

The words came from not Triss’s mouth, but Maya’s. Taken aback, I turned my attention to her. “You’re saying I’m insecure?” I stated through clenched teeth, “Well, that’s a load of bullshit coming from a backstabbing motherf—”

“Okay!”

Suddenly, Parker appeared next to me, and he wrapped his arm gently, but firmly, around my waist and started to pretty much drag me away. I started to protest, and Parker leaned down to my ear and whispered, “Reed, just chill. You’re making a scene and letting them get to you.”

“Let me go, Parker. I’m not a child,” I hissed, and Parker hesitated. “I’m not going back to bitch slap them, so just let me go already!” He let out a sigh and released me, and I straightened my shirt.

Without looking back towards Maya and Triss, I started walking towards my next class, even though I was in no mood for school today. Parker kept in stride with me, and I could feel the tension between us as he wanted to say something to me, but couldn’t figure out the wording.

“When did my life start seeming like the deleted scenes from Mean Girls?” I muttered, finally breaking the silence.

“I dunno,” Parker said, shrugging, “But how did they actually manage to get into your locker? I mean, I don’t know about Maya, but Triss isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.”

“Maya has my locker combination,” I deadpanned, remembering my birthday two years ago, when she’d demanded my combination to leave me a present and decorate my locker. I regretted the decision, and I probably should’ve listened to those stupid speeches at the beginning of the year where they warn you about sharing combinations.

“Do you want to switch locks?” Parker asked, and I frowned in confusion. “Triss doesn’t know my combination, so neither of the girls would be able to get into your locker.”

“Oh,” I replied, genuinely surprised and appreciative, “That would be awesome, you know, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Parker said, waving a hand dismissively. “I don’t really use my locker anyways.”

“Thanks, Parker,” I said with a smile, and he swept his arm around my shoulder.

“Well, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t protect my girl?” Parker replied, making me laugh. Together, we walked down the hallway, and I could feel the anger I had towards Triss and Maya starting to drain away.

I mean, sure, I still wanted to rip Triss’s crappy extensions out and scream in Maya’s face, but the desire had lessened some. It was weird, the effect Parker seemed to have over me at times. Almost, like he was actually my boyfriend.

*

I parked the Grouch in the driveway, and just as I climbed out of the driver’s seat, Parker walked up. This is what we did after school now; Parker would park his motorcycle at his house down the street, and then he walked over to mine so that we could hang out in front of my mom.

“Hey, did you bring Benedict?” I asked, grabbing my backpack and slamming the car door shut.

“Shit,” Parker said, pausing and taking step back. “Shit, I forgot. I can go back home quickly and get him.” He pointed towards his house, but I shook my head.

“Don’t bother,” I replied, shrugging, “We don’t have a health assignment, so it doesn’t really matter where he is.”

Parker nodded, and he followed me up the front walk, where I unlocked the front door and let us both in. Parker closed the door behind himself, but before we could disappear, my mom appeared at the end of the hallway.

“Reed!” she called, hurrying towards me, “May I talk to you for a moment?” I didn’t have much of a choice, since my mom had a determined look on her face that meant I was doomed.

“Sure,” I drawled, even though I would rather not. I glanced over at Parker and said, “Just go up to my room. I’ll be there in a minute.” Parker took one look at my mom and hurried up the stairs without complaining.

“What’s up?” I asked as my mom reached me.

“So, you remember how the charity gala my company throws every year is coming up this weekend, yes?” my mom asked, and I nodded slowly, wondering what she was getting at with this.

“Well,” my mom continued, “I think that you should invite Parker along, since you have been dating for about a month.”

“I’m not sure he’ll say yes,” I said quickly, “I mean, I’m not sure he can go, seeing as it’s in a few days. Parker would have to get a suit, and I don’t—”

“Oh, what a pity then,” my mom interrupted, and that’s when I realized that she didn’t actually want Parker to come. She was asking because she already knew Parker would have a hard time making it.

“Actually,” I said, stopping my mom as she turned to go back to her office, “I remember Parker telling me that he didn’t have anything to do this weekend. I’m sure he can find a tux, and he’ll be glad to come. Thanks for inviting him!”

Then, after taking a satisfied look at my mom’s stunned expression, I turned on my heel and walked up the stairs. I padded down the hallway, but when I came to my bedroom, I hesitated for a moment.

The charity gala my mom was talking about was a black tie event, and it was also very boring. A bunch of celebrities and past matches my mom had made would come and spend money on auction items. It didn’t really seem like Parker’s scene, but I’d already committed him.

I opened the door to my bedroom and stepped inside, and Parker looked over from my CD collection. He frowned and asked, “Why do you look so guilty, Reed?”

“Funny you should mention that,” I said slowly, and I folded my arms over my chest uncomfortably. “There’s this thing this Saturday, and I kinda told my mom that you would come with me.”

“Uh,” Parker’s voice trailed off for a moment, and he placed the CDs in his hands on my dresser. “What might this thing be?”

“Just your average, run of the mill charity gala,” I stated, shifting from one foot to the other uneasily. Parker’s eyebrows shut up into the air, and he ran a hand through his hair. He sighed and muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t seem to make out.

“Am I going to need a tux?” Parker asked after a moment, his voice tired.

“Yes,” I replied honestly, “But there’s an open bar and bribe-ready bartenders.”

Parker threw his hands up in the air. “I guess I’ll be there,” he stated, and my lips curved into a small, thankful smile.

“I’m sorry for the short notice,” I said as Parker placed a White Stripes CD in the player. “I’ve known about it for a while, and I would’ve asked you sooner if I’d remembered.”

“Don’t worry about it, Reed,” Parker replied, making himself at home on my bed. “I have a tux from my cousin’s wedding last year, and I don’t have any plans this weekend that I can’t bail out of. 

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So... they're going to a dance!! What do you guys think about that? The song on the side is by the White Stripes, who were mentioned in this chapter.

In case you don't check my message board or aren't a fan, I have an important message. I am continuing pluckmystrings's story, All Apologies. She is unable to complete it, due to family problems, and despite her only have writing four chapters, I don't want to let it die. We practically came up with the idea together, so I offered to finish it, and she said yes.

NO! Stupid Cupid will not be neglected, so don't worry about that. However, the information for All Apologies is up on my page, and I might just post the prologue today. Please go check it out.

Also, people are saying they want Parker's POV. If you want it, please mention in your comments. I have an idea that just might work if people are interested enough ;)

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