Parker 

I'm sorry, is what her reply was. I wonder why she decided to help me. Nobody cares about me after all, not even my own father. I think of what to reply to her, should I apologize as well? Or will she think that I am crazy? 

My thoughts are interrupted by the door opening and my dad coming in. I can't look at him after what happened today.

 "Hey son." he greets me.

 "Hey." I mumble, I know that if I said anything else  I'd throw up, start crying or both. He sits on the end of the bed and starts talking. I don't hear him. I am too busy swimming in my ocean of thoughts. 

"Did you hear what I just said son?" He says, I nod in response. "As I was saying," he continues "I am going out for the whole day and you better take care of the house, when I come back you should be in the house, you hear me?" he asks and I nod again, then he takes out a drink and leaves the room. I then feel my eyes fill with tears and I know that I'm going to start crying, and so I let it all out on the pillow. 

Heather

Today is no different than yesterday, everyone is making fun of Parker, some even recording him.  Olivia stopped talking to me. At the beginning of the day I waited for her but she never showed up.

By first period it got worse, students were apparently having more fun with the Parker drama to the point where the principal interrupted history class to talk to him privately. As soon as the principal left with Parker out of the classroom, our teacher started giving us a lecture about equality. 

***

Heather, 6 years ago, 13 years old.

It was one of the saddest and worse days of my life, Oliver was leaving town and it was my last time seeing him. Our parents didn't know each other's well so they didn't exchange phone numbers. I remember when we did our "buddy" hand shake for the last time. "Wait," he'd said, "Do you think you should own something that'll remind you of me?" He asked. I thought hard and deep.

"I guess." I remember my voice coming out wobbly and his expression showed that he noticed too

"Wait here and close your eyes." he commanded, and that's what I did. I heard his footsteps as he ran to my left, I stayed still. Then I heard his footsteps coming back again.

 "okay, open your eyes," he took my hands, his skin felt soft and warm on mine. He placed a red rose on my palms. "That'll help you remember me." Then he smiled that warm smile he always displayed when I needed it the most. But this time, he used his smile to help me get over the pain of losing him. 

Before I knew it, I started to cry, and we hugged for what felt like an hour, me crying into his shoulders and his hands rubbing my back. "You okay?" He asked as we pulled away.

 "Yes." I lied as I looked into  his eyes. All those 10 years of our friendship and I was blinded by how handsome he was. How  messy his blonde hair was that only looked good on him, how his lips always curved into smile, how his blue eyes shone. But of course, It was too late.

We had our moment until his mom yelled from the car, "Oliver, we don't want to be late come on." He looked at me one last time then nodded then we parted.

Parker

I wish that I have told the principal that I am not okay that I need help but I don't blame myself. Who would feel safe talking to a stranger. So I decide to go out and take a walk, maybe doodle on my notebook, the weather outside doesn't seem bad after all, it looks like it might rain, so I grab my notebook, lift my hood up and leave the house.

The neighbor hood is quiet and I feel a calm and  a great feeling that I haven't felt in a long time. I walk down the empty street until I find an empty wooden bench and sit there, ignoring how  cold the wood felt under me.

I start doodling. This time, I think of a stable house, a perfect life, a life where bullying doesn't exist. Where its easy to make friends. I keep thinking of the idea of friends. People that are always there for me, people that won't leave me no matter what. 

I feel a bit of pity for myself but I think to myself, I deserve it after all. I am not who everyone wants me to be, but I try, I swear I try. But its okay, one day we'll all die and nothing will ever matter. This time, I draw dead flowers. 

Heather

I go running outside as a daily routine, the weather is nice, perfect for a picnic or camp. I run around the neighborhood until I get tired and stop for a break. I stand beside a stop sign and chug my water. I look around me for somewhere to sit when I happen to spot a bench. A boy with  a black hoodie was sitting on, without a second thought I rush to sit there. 

I walk to the bench carelessly, my mind traveling to different places. I keep thinking of what I'll do once I get back home. But as soon as I reach the area around the bench, I step on a small rock and that makes me slip and fall on my knees. 

I look up to see parker, and the confused expression on his face. I suddenly feel awkward that I just fell in front of Parker who probably has it worse than me.  "hey." I greet him as I sit beside him.

 "Hey" he partially mumbles without looking at me. 

I notice that he is drawing on his leather notebook that he took every where with him. "cool drawings." I complement him. He has drawn dead flowers in a rainy weather, illuminated by the moonlight. 

He doesn't respond. I wonder what those drawings mean? 

"Do they explain how you feel?" I ask. I suddenly take it back when I see his shoulders tense. I know that I have stuck my nose somewhere I shouldn't have.

 "No." he says, his voice hard and cold. Then: "Why do you care about me anyway?" He says as he looks at me, fully making eye contact with me for the first time. I could see the pain behind his blue eyes.

 "I just want to help you." I say " I know how it feels like to be bullied, to be treated in a bad way. I feel you, I've been there trust me." I state, that is  when his expression softens. "But your friend left to you because of me. Why would you stay on my side when you know your best friend left you because of me?" He asks, this time his voice the softest I've ever heard.  

"Because I'm not selfish." I tell him, he nods then seems to close up again, as if the spell is broken. 

My phones chimes with a text message from my mom, Its been 3 hours, the message says.

 I'm coming, I send and get up to leave. 

 I get up and I think of turning around and tell Parker to text me if he ever needs anything but as soon as I turn around, he is gone in an instant. I wonder if he'll ever open up to me. 

Surprisingly I keep thinking about how I can help him, or if I will ever help him. My mind roam around all places until I bump into someone.

 "sorry." I say as I look up and to my surprise, I see Olivier, My childhood best friend.