Defending Parker

[Chapter 7]

Chapter 7

Waking up the next morning, I lifted my head slightly and instantly felt the muscles in the back of my neck tighten up. Cracking my eyes opened as I tried to rub out my muscles, I came face to face with the pages of my history textbook. Hitting rewind on my brain, I realized that I had fallen asleep trying to study the night before.

Over the weekend I had come to terms with the fact that, even though I was going to apologize and try to talk it out, Parker probably wouldn’t want to waste his time helping me in history any more.

I was more than likely going to have to rely on my own cramming and studying for the time being.

Picking up my textbook yawning, I realized that page nineteen now had a wonderful spot of drool right smack dab in the middle of a picture depicting a scene from World War I.

“Gross,” I muttered, wiping the side of my mouth before pulling my sleeve over my hand and wiping the page clean as well.

Sighing, I flipped the book closed and tossed it on the floor beside my school bag before grabbing my training clothes to get ready for my morning run.

Half an hour later I was jogging up my driveway, slowing my heart rate down and steading my breathing. I had taken my usual route through the forest path, but even though the sun was rising up through the trees, it seemed as though I was alone at the pond that morning.

It was strange to me, the fact that when I turned my head to see Parker resting up against his usual trees with a sketch pad and pen, that he wasn’t there. It confused me, and for a second I even thought about seeing if he had moved to a place where I wouldn’t run into him constantly, but afters shaking off that crazy thought, I just continued running.

We were still off because of our faulty tutoring arrangements, and even though I promised myself that I’d talk to him today, I realized that maybe it was a good thing I didn’t run into him so early in the morning. Maybe the fact that I hadn’t seen him in a few days would boost my confidence when I did confront him.

Maybe, in my mind, our conversation would go smoothly and we would get back on good terms.

Oh who was I kidding, this was probably just going to blow up in my face later on.

After washing up and making myself a quick breakfast, I jumped into my car and headed down the, now familiar, roads of Byrendale until I reached the high school.

I had barely taken five steps towards the school building in front of me before I heard my name being called. Before I could even turn around however, a body barreled into my side. Tumbling off balancing, a set of hands steadied me quickly, and as I got my footing back, I looked to the side to see Saige with a guilty smile on her face.

“Sorry,” she said, stepping to the side as I shook my head in amusement.

“Sorry for what?” I asked as we fell into step. “Sorry for almost knocking me down to the pavement, or sorry for getting us kicked out of that arcade?”