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Excuse the mistakes

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My brain was ready to explode.

I slammed the physics textbook shut and slid it off the side of my bed to the wooden floor below. I fell back against the unmade blankets on my bed and sighed. I’d just finished piles of homework, and I didn’t think my brain had the capacity to do anything anymore. I was surprised that I was still functioning.

As I raised my hand to brush the hair out of my eyes, I noticed the faint black ink that was somehow still visible on palm, even after my shower last night. That’s when I remembered my encounter with Parker, and the fact that our health questions were due tomorrow. We hadn’t had health today, so I didn’t have a chance to fill in any of the questions.

“Crap,” I muttered, and I felt around on my bed until I found my phone. I checked the time and saw that it was past eight, and I sighed. It wasn’t that late at night, but my parents might not let me out of the house.

However, that wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t find Parker.                                                    

Slowly and reluctantly, I propped myself up on my elbows, and I scanned the phone number printed on my hand. The numbers had faded and smudged some, but the numbers were individually still legible.

A strong part of me really didn’t want to call Parker, since his attitude was irritating. I didn’t like the cocky way he acted like he could get any girl, and the act didn’t work on me. Another part of me, though, just wanted to get these questions done and turned in.

After a few minutes of weighing the options, I punched Parker’s cell number into my phone and held it up to my ear as it rang. Just as I thought Parker wasn’t going to answer, there was a click as the other line picked up.

“Hello?” Parker called, his words coming out in a jumbled chuckle.

“Hey, Parker,” I said tiredly, “It’s Reed.”

“Oh,” he replied, and I could almost hear the smirk stretching across his lips, “What’s up, Baby Mama?”

“Is it necessary to call me that?” I asked, rolling my eyes and frowning.

“Maybe,” Parker drawled, and I heard him laugh and say something to someone else, but the words were muffled to me. “So, what brings you to call me at this fine hour, Reed?”

“We still have those questions,” I deadpanned, and there was a long pause on Parker’s end.

“Shit,” he murmured, “Well, we won’t be able to do it tonight, so I guess that’s a zero.”

“Wait!” I said, sitting straight up, “Why can’t we do it tonight? It’s not that late, and the questions won’t take that long. I can meet you somewhere.”

“I’m sort of in the middle of something that I can’t leave, Reed,” Parker stated.

“Well where are you?” I asked persistently. Now that I’d called Parker, I was determined to get these damn questions done. If that meant going to him, so be it.

The phone crackled as Parker laughed, and he said, “Reed, I’m at a joint on Milton with some gentlemen who would be very pissed off if I left. Look, I’ll try and find you tomorrow morning before health, but if we don’t get the questions done, it’s no big deal.”

“Oh, no,” I said firmly, “I’m getting these questions done, so tell me where you are, because I’m coming to you. Then, you don’t have to leave.”

“Are you sure about that?” Parker replied, and I could hear the doubtful tone in his voice.

“Yep,” I quipped, raising an eyebrow even though I knew that he couldn’t see it. “Now, you can tell me where you are, but if you don’t, I’ll find you.”

“Damn, I didn’t know I was that addictive,” Parker said with an amused tone.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Hunt,” I scoffed.

“Fine, I’m at a place called Paulie’s Poker Palace,” Parker said after a moment, “I’ll see you soon, Baby Mama.”

Then, the line went dead.

Did that ass seriously just hang up on me? I thought, staring at my phone as it returned to the home screen. Parker had, and I pursed my lips and let out a frustrated grunt. Parker said he was at a place called Paulie’s Poker Palace on Milton, so I was going to drive down there and find him.

Maybe this seemed a little extreme just to get some little piece of homework done, but I was pissed. Now I was determined to get it done.

I scooted off of my bed and ran a hand lazily through my hair. Then, I changed out of the dancing banana pajama pants I had on, and I pulled on a pair of slightly ripped jeans. I exchanged my sports bra on for a regular one so that I didn’t have a uni-boob. Then, I tugged on plain, red t-shirt over my head.

I grabbed my cell phone, car keys, and dance jacket, and I hurried out of my room and down the stairs. I walked into the living room to find one of my parents, but it was vacant. Suddenly, I heard someone in the kitchen, and I walked in to find my dad doing the dishes.

If I had to pick which parent I would ask to go out on a Wednesday night, it would be my dad. He wasn’t exactly a pushover, but he wasn’t a strict guy. My mom, on the other hand, could be pretty controlling.

“Hey, sweetheart,” my dad said as he finished drying the dinner plate in his hand.

“Hi Dad,” I replied, leaning against the kitchen island. My dad eyed my jacket and car keys, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Going somewhere, Reed?” he asked, swinging his dish towel over his shoulder.

“About that,” I said, plastering on my best ‘good Christian daughter’ smile. “I have to run to my health partner’s house to finish some questions that are due tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“Is this partner a boy?” My dad asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yes,” I answered sheepishly, “but it’s just for school. Trust me; we aren’t exactly what you would call friends.”

My dad tipped his head to the side as he thought. I bit my lip and made myself look as innocent as possible, which involved a lot of batting of the eyelashes and widening of the eyes. Finally, my dad sighed and nodded.

“I want you home by ten-thirty at the latest, Reed,” my dad stated, and I nodded vigorously.

“Thanks, Dad!” I said, and I grinned at him as I turned around and hurried from the room. I walked down a hallway past the laundry room, and I pushed into the garage. I opened the garage door and hopped into my baby, the emerald green Ford Pinto parked between my parents’ cars.

I pulled out of the garage and down the driveway, and I started down the street towards Milton Avenue. It was a popular district in LA, and was actually pretty close to my dance studio. However, there were definitely some sketchy places there.

Others might label my search for Paulie’s Poker Palace and Parker as excessive, impulsive and stupid. However, I would disagree and call it badass.

I parked my Pinto closer to some clean, safe-looking establishments, and I quickly climbed out of the drivers’ side. I locked the door twice behind me, just for good measure. I didn’t know how long I’d be, so I was better off safe than sorry.

As I strolled down the street by myself, I shoved my phone and car keys into my pocket, and I pulled my hair back into a sloppy ponytail. Then, I scanned the street until my eyes landed on a grungy looking building. As I read the red-painted letters, which were faded and peeling, I sighed.

I pursed my lips together for a moment. Then, I shrugged and crossed the street to Paulie’s Poker Palace. This place looked disgusting and somewhere I didn’t want to be, yet it was where Parker was. To put things in perspective, it looked like one of those shady places where there was a drug ring just waiting to get busted.

I pulled open the heavy metal front door and ducked inside, only to be bombarded with the thick scent of cigarette smoke mixed with cheap beer. I coughed instinctively and resisted the urge to cover my nose with my hand.

“What is a pretty little thing like you doing here?”

I jumped and glanced over to where the voice had come from. My eyes found an overweight, greasy looking man with Coke bottle glasses and brown, twisted teeth. To say he was slightly unattractive was the understatement of the century.

“I’m looking for someone,” I stated, keeping my distance.

“Aren’t we all?” the man replied, and he started to try and get up from his stool. However, before the man could hobble across the room to me, I took off through the front room. I suddenly found myself standing in a room full of green felt-covered tables, which were surrounded by men playing poker.

Just as I was about to give up and try a different room, I saw Parker’s face illuminated in the hazy lights. “Gotcha,” I muttered, grinning, and I wove through the tables until I reached Parker’s.

He didn’t notice me at first, so I grabbed a vacant seat and pulled it up right next to him. Then, I propped my elbows on the table and kicked Parker in the shin.

“What the fu—”

Parker’s head swiveled around to face me, and his words were cut off as he recognized me mid-sentence. His mouth was open, like he wanted to say something, but he just looked too shocked.

“Hey there, Baby Daddy,” I said, winking at him.

“What are you doing here, Reed?” Parker demanded, finding his voice.

“Isn’t it obvious?” I replied, putting my hands up in the air, “I’m here to play some poker, and maybe, ask the father of my egg child some questions. Besides, I told you that I was coming.”

“I didn’t actually think you’d come,” Parker snorted, his personality returning, and he shook the hair out of his eyes. “Besides, I never said I would answer those questions here.”

That asshole! Did he really expect me to give up on the health homework after driving all the way down here and actually coming to a place that was right out of a stereotypical gang movie. No. No, Parker was going to answer my questions.

“So, you’d really rather lose at poker instead of answering a few personal questions?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level and controlled.

“What would you know about poker, Reed?” Parker replied, raising his eyebrows. I didn’t reply for a moment, and he laughed and waved at me dismissively. “Maybe it would be better if you just went home or something.”

Oh, no. I was not someone you could just wave off.

I looked at the dealer, and as soon as we made eye contact, I hit my fist against the table and said, “Deal me in.”

“What are you doing?” Parker asked, looking genuinely surprised.

My eyes narrowed, and I replied, “If I beat you at a hand of poker, you have to answer the questions.”

“And if I win?” Parker asked with interest, and he raised his eyebrows. I shrugged, and Parker tapped his fingertips one by one against his chin as he thought. “How about,” Parker started to suggest, “if I win, you have to come to a party with me on Saturday night.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend for that?” I asked, hooking an arm around the back of my chair. “Triss, or whatever her name is.” I’d been to my fair share of parties, but they were usually with my friends, not some arrogant prick who I was partners with on a school project.

“I dumped her,” Parker said casually, “Triss got too clingy and thought our little agreement was more than it was. So, I ended it before things got worse.”

“Fine,” I stated after a moment, “If I win, you answer the questions, and if you win, I go to some party with you.”

“Better start picking your outfit out now, Baby Mama,” Parker said cockily, and he motioned for the dealer to deal me into the game. As I faced the cards I’d been dealt, I noticed someone sit down next to Parker.

He looked to be the same age as me and Parker, if not a year older. His blonde hair was cut close to his head, and his dark brown eyes flicked across my face as he studied me. I felt pretty uncomfortable, but it was obvious that this guy was friends with Parker. I wasn’t going to show that his leering was getting to me.

“Who’s this?” asked the boy, surprising me with a British accent.

“Reed,” I replied, and I was about to stick my hand out before noticing the boy had pulled out a cigarette and was sticking it in his mouth to be lit.

“What?” the boy asked, noticing the way I eyed his cigarette with disgust, “You straight edge or something, Babe?”

“Asthmatic, actually,” I replied genuinely. Before the boy could say anything in response, Parker had snatched the cigarette from his mouth and flicked it over his shoulder.

“What the hell was that, Mate?” the boy demanded, throwing his arms up in the air in surprise and annoyance.

“She’s asthmatic, Eddie,” Parker said, narrowing his eyes. Just as I thought he was being sweet, Parker had to go ruining it by saying, “I don’t need her wheezing and coughing all over the poker table.”

“Can we just get this show on the road?” I asked tiredly, “I have questions to ask.”

Parker smirked, and he signaled to the dealer to start the poker game. We were playing Texas Hold ‘Em, and it was actually amusing to see how Parker thought he was great. However, I had a major advantage over him.

I’d gone through an online poker phase.

It was back when I was a gullible fourteen-year-old, and I’d seen those fun commercials on television. I’d decided to give it a try on a site where you didn’t actually gamble with real money, and I’d become pretty good.

However, when my mom had found out about the website, where’d I’d become a small time celebrity, she’d put a swift end to my online gambling habits. However, my dad did sometimes invite me to play with his friends at their monthly poker nights.

Taking money from middle-aged men was pretty satisfying.

When I set the straight flush down on the poker table, I thought Parker’s eyes were going to bug out. Suddenly, his flush wasn’t looking so good. Eddie smirked and gave me a high five, and I crossed my arms over my chest and locked gazes with Parker.

“So,” I said, grinning victoriously, “How about those questions?”

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Can we just take a moment to talk about how hard it is to write when the pain medication you're on makes you pass out every couple hours... It was awful. But, here is the new chapter for your reading pleasure. 

This chapter is dedicated to RainRibbon because I love her story Pink Cigarettes, and I think it is phenominal and beautiful and just AMAZING!!!

Also, THIS STORY HAS HAD OVER 1000 READS SINCE THE LAST CHAPTER!!!! That is amazing guys, and appreciate it so much!!!

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