P A R K E R

01 | maybe crazy

I didn't get sick but now as I stood on the neatly trimmed grass on Payne High, I really wish that I'd done something emergency worthy to myself. Either way with this sun, I'll be in the ER soon.

"One! Two! Three! Four and... Spin!"

I stand there drowning in my own sweats as I watch other girls jump around and do the nearly impossible spin so effortlessly and I wonder if maybe I'm from another planet. I can't understand how they can be so agile and fit on a blazing summer afternoon like this especially since its the first day of school.

Was there some kind of practice thing going on during the summer break that I wasn't aware of?

"Parker." I turn around to see Riley Trinke walking towards me and a sigh escapes my lips as I know that nothing good would come out of this. She stops a few steps away from me and places a had on her hip. "Are you in any way confused about the routines?"

"No." I answer not sure why she's asking me that.

She huffs flipping her hair back, "Well then, what the hell is wrong with you? You're doing everything wrong and killing our mojo."

"I'm sorry?"

She glares then a pretentious look of sympathy settles on her eyes as she walks closer and places the hand that was once on her hip, on my shoulder. "I know you suffered a great loss and have been away to God knows where. I really won't be mad at you if you decide to quit the team."

Now I glare at her and shrug her hand off me. "I'm not that bad. I just haven't practiced in a while that's all. I'm not quitting."

Yes I didn't like Cheer leading that much - and that's mainly because of the witch standing right in front of me - but I loved dancing and Gymnastics. Cheer leading was the closest I'd get to any one of these two in this school and town.

Plus I've been on the Cheer team since forever, quitting now is like going through the stress of making waffles and waiting all through the time its in the maker, then giving up right when you've poured syrup all over. I can't do that, no one can. And if I really want to leave town one day and enter into a good art school, then my college application needs to look beautiful. Cheer leading is one of the things that'll help me achieve that.

Cheer leading is something that can keep me busy from drowning in my own thoughts. If I quit then I'll have more free time on my hands and that's not good at all. Not now that I suffered a great loss.

In summary, quitting is not an option.

"Fine," Riley snaps, all look of pretentious sympathy giving way to the natural evil glare. "Get your act together, I won't have anyone pulling us behind."

I mimic her glare as she walks away and sigh knowing that she's right. I'm slacking badly and I really need to get my act back together. I don't want to pull anyone behind or be a disappointment. Yay to workouts and more practice. All through summer I haven't done anything useful, except from repeatedly mastering the act to cry on a spot and reclaim my mind from whatever depth it sunk into. I came back to town three days ago and I've spent my time memorizing every nook and corner of a particular gravestone.

Isn't walking supposed to count as exercise? I've been doing a lot of walking.

I absentmindedly watch the football players run around, tossing the ball around and hitting each other. The coach shouts repeatedly at Blake Trinke and feel a little pity for him. He helped us pack back into our home and we did a little catching up on the six months absence. We seem to be in the same situation and that's not surprising since we both suffered a great loss. With the quarterback lying six feet below, Blake is meant to feel up the space. Maybe its the sadness of taking over your former best friend's spot or lack of experience, but Blake is not acing this.

I'm going with the former since Blake Trinke is actually a great football player, second best-- well, first best now.

The coach's voice stops shouting and I look away from Blake to see what or who's got his attention now. Turns out not only him but majority of the boys in the field are looking over at some guy that's strolling over with a handful of students flanking him. The beings surrounding him don't give me the chance to see him, even with my narrowed eyes. I blame the blazing sun.

Names fly out and some of the boys rush towards the new guy slapping and embracing him in their own boyish way. My eyes move black to Blake and he has pried his helmet off. He walks to the boy and they share a little bro hug. I watch as they start talking and Blake's head starts searching around the field, he points to the squad and I immediately look away taking that as my cue to leave.

I don't know if it's me he is searching for but I don't wait to find out. I'm not in the mood to see or reunite with anybody, I've been doing that for the past three days and nothing good has come out of it. People keep telling me sorry, I have to explain why I left and then they welcome me back. Bull crap.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who's attention was captured because Riley was already walking towards the football players.

I walk over to my gym bag, grab it and walk away from the field heading to the locker room to go pull my regular clothes back on. As I towel myself, I hear my phone buzzing from inside my gym back and I retrieve it, seeing that I've received a text from Nova, my one and closest friend. I have some other friends but I cut connection from them over the months, I tried to do the same for Nova but her new nickname isn't taxi glue for nothing.

'Nova' - WHERE ARE YOU?!

I roll my eyes as I read the message. If there's anything one should know about Nova, its she's a drama queen. She's the kind of person who'd text in block letters saying that the pastry shop has only one piece of red velvet cake left - well, that really calls for block letters but another example is her screaming through her text that a raccoon just ran past her feet. She gets excited and emotional way to easy and I don't really mind.

I text her back saying I'm in the locker rooms and I drop down my phone to successfully pull my flannel shirt over my sports bra and pull my boy shorts off, so I can struggle into my dark jeans in peace. When I'm done dressing I pull out my phone to see that she's already texted back.

' Nova ' - come over to the field and see who's here.

I shake my head as if she can actually see me and tell her that I'm already on the road going home. I lied but if I didn't, she won't leave me be. I didn't want to see anybody and this is a small town and small school, eventually I'll see everybody. So even the mayor can wait.

No need to rush or get excited. I'll eventually know eat part of whatever cake that's being shared in the field.

I walk into the parking lot and a frown makes it way to my originally blank face. Parked right in front of my ugly Toyota is a shiny motorcycle. Its like whoever parked it there, deliberately wanted to block my path and make sure I don't leave school. Unfortunately, the person plan just failed.

I drop my bag inside my car and walked to the motorcycle with just the right amount determination. I raise the stand up, then hold onto the steering handle and pull back with all my strength. The motorcycle turns out to be heavier than expected but I don't stop pulling until I've successfully pulled it out of my way.

I wore a triumphant smile on my face even though I was panting from the stress. The smile didn't last though because the next thing I knew the motorcycle fell down to the floor with a clash and my breath was knocked out of me. I stared eye wide in disbelief but then I start hearing faint voices and I rush to raise the motorcycle up. Thankfully there's no harm done - except for the right side mirror that's completely shattered and a large dent on the black shiny body.

Shit.

I hear the voices again, more clearer and I panicked. I jump into my car in a haste and pull out of the parking lot, entering into the main road and rushing to my house. I'm a criminal.

No. Its the person's fault for parking in front of me, I tell myself but the guilt doesn't fade. I feel horrible. I shouldn't have ran, what would the person think of me now. By the time I've parked into my garage and guzzled down a bottle of chill water, I've come to the conclusion that I'll search for the owner of the motorcycle and pay him or her the money for repairs.

My mind returns back to Nova and I retrieve my phone to check for her reply. There's two already.

' Nova' - ugh can't you turn back? SEAN BRYAN IS AT THE FIELD RIGHT NOW.

I swear my heart stopped as I read Bryan but I manage to scroll down and read the other one.

' Nova' - did I shock you much? Its true, Sean Bryan is really here, like I told you before. You have to come see!

I drop my phone and take a seat. Sean Bryan. Bryce Bryan. Wow. When Nova came over to visit me at Peru, she mentioned that Sean Bryan was back but I didn't believe her, I thought she was pulling my legs. She wasn't. Now everything makes sense and Blake was really searching for me. Margaret Bryan also said something about me coming back at the right time. I didn't make sense then but now I know she was talking about her nephew, Bryce's cousin.

That Delinquent is back! Of all times to come back, why didn't he come back since, like a year ago? He wasn't even present at the burial. A mixture of feelings bubble through me and i don't know how to separate and place them.

I swap my jeans for shorts and leave the house, going for a run. A long one.

O_o

I feel like a train ran over me. My bones don't feel mine anymore and after I step out of this warm shower, I plan on sleeping till tomorrow.

A bump rears its head at my plans when I hear the doorbell ring. I frown under the warm water cascading down on me and run over possible visitors. My mind runs blank. If it isn't somebody that's just heard of our return and has come with desserts then there's only Nova but she always calls before she comes over. Mum would be back before dinner time, Trey... Dang it Trey. He always forgets his keys.

I stomp out of the bathroom with a towel when the bell continues ringing and I angrily shrug my flannel over my semi wet body and as I go down, I pull up my shorts. I open the door, ready to glare at Trey, my brother but its not him him standing in front of me.

I recognize him as immediate as a slap sting and he recognizes me too. We both surely weren't expecting to see each other and if it isn't evident on my face, its evident on his.

"Parker." He breathes out. "You're really back."

• • •

And that ladies and gentleman, fellow hybrids, is the first chapter.

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