Chapter FIVE

That weekend, Parker called to ask if I was home, and if I was free. He was inviting me to his house. I had been at my grandma's house, cutting her lawn, but I was on my way home. My mom had just started letting me drive her car that week, too. I told Parker I would come over after I showered. But as I got dressed again, I realized how nervous I really was. 

   Knocking on the front door an hour later, I felt like I was doing something wrong. My stomach was also in knots. There were no cars in his driveway.

   "Hey," he said, smiling, as he opened the door. "Come in."

   I stepped inside, immediately smelling something delicious cooking.

   Parker closed the door and stepped back. Now, standing close to him, everything felt okay. I'd heard his voice through my cell phone a lot over the past few weeks. We were friends. I wanted to say something, but I just managed to smile at him.

   "So, uh, Aidan just woke up. I usually leave him for a bit and see how he's feeling..."

   "Sure. I mean, okay..." I didn't know what to say to this.

   "He's excited to meet you. He didn't really believe me when I told him about you," Parker went on. Already, I could tell he was a lot calmer around me.

   I smiled again. "I'm excited to meet him, too."

   I followed Parker through the house and into the kitchen, where the smell got stronger. My stomach grumbled.

   "Oh, my mom is making lasagna in the crock pot all day, sorry," he told me. "She just left to do some errands."

   "Oh, it smells really good," I replied.

   He shrugged, pulling out a stool near the island. I sat, then he pulled out another for himself. "I told my mom that you were coming over. I told her you live next door and that we're friends."

   I nodded. "What did she say?"

   "Well, she said she's happy for me. But also she's concerned for me to get too close to anyone. I know she means because... we might move again," he explained.

   I nodded, looking away. I glanced around the kitchen. It was similar to mine, but felt much more lived in. I really liked it.

   "My school dance, for the end of the year, is on Friday," I blurted out. "Would you want to go with me?"

   "School dance?" he asked, as if the words were foreign to him.

   "It's just in the school's gym. Music, dancing, decorations. There's probably a party afterwards, but-"

   "I don't think I can," Parker said quickly.

   I blinked a few times. "Oh. Okay."

   He sighed, squeezing his hands together. "I've never been to anything like that."

   As I was about to say something about that, his cell phone rang. He slid it out of his pocket and answered right away.

   "Hello? Yes.... he's awake... yeah, Becca is here... I will ask her... okay. See you in a bit." As he put his phone down onto the counter, he sighed again. "My mom is asking if you want to stay for dinner."

   "Oh, wow, um-"

   "You don't have to." His eyes were dark, now. Unsure.

   "I want to," I told him. "I just have to tell my mom I won't be home for dinner."

   "Oh. Okay." He smiled, then stood up. "I'm going to check on Aidan."

   While he was upstairs, I pulled out my own phone and texted my mom.

   WONT BE HOME FOR DINNER.

   WHERE ARE YOU? She asked back after a minute.

   TEAH'S. I WONT BE LATE, I lied.

   OK. HAVE FUN.

   Parker was back, leaving onto the door frame to the kitchen a few minutes later. I looked over, curious. His blond hair was sort of messy and his t-shirt had a logo on the front. Our eyes met and just for a split second I wondered if I was doing the right thing, being there with him. Lying to my mom. Was it all going to be worth it?

   "Ready to meet him?" Parker asked me, cautiously.

   I stood up. "Yes."

   Upstairs and down the long hallway, there was a bedroom with the door open. I followed Parker slowly until I saw what was in the room. It was almost like a hospital room. It was an actual hospital bed. Aidan was propped up, his eyes barely open.

   Parker had told me a bit about the disease. He bruised easily, couldn't be in the sun light at all. His skin was super sensitive. It had a long name that I couldn't remember. He'd also told me that Aidan had had extended hospital visits three times already in the last year, along with hundreds of other appointments and doctor visits.

   Aidan didn't look twelve to me, he looked much younger, and too thin. I swallowed hard, knowing I couldn't show that I was nervous.

   "Hey, Aidan," I began, forcing a huge smile. "I'm Becca, I live next door."

   His eyes opened more, and he smiled back at me. I waited as he sat up a bit more.

   "Hi. I know you live next door, because Park talks about you every day," Aidan said to me.

   I glanced at Parker, who was blushing and shaking his head.

   "Well, we're friends. It's really nice to meet you," I told Aidan, ignoring his comment.

   "You too. Finally. I kept telling him to stop being so scared and just invite you over already," Aidan went on, then laughed.

   "Aidan," Parker spoke, then forced a laugh. "Mom made lasagna."

   Aidan rolled his eyes. "I can't eat when I just woke up."

   "I know. Dinner in, like, an hour? Mom's not home yet," Parker told him.

   "Is Becca staying?" he asked, so Parker looked at me. I nodded at Aidan. "Good. I'll be down in a few minutes."

   "You need help?" Parker asked his brother.

   "My legs feel okay today." Aidan's voice was quiet.

   "Okay, call if you need -"

   "Park, just go," Aidan laughed.

   Parker lead me back into the hallway and down towards another bedroom. He opened the door and walked in, then turned back to me.

   "My room."

   I nodded and stepped in, holding my breath.

   I had dated, briefly, Adam Wander, in tenth grade. We had gone to the movies and the mall. We held hands at school. I never went into his bedroom. This felt like... a lot. I hadn't dated at all in Junior year, which was just about finished now.

   Parker pointed to the window. "You made your bed today."

   I let out a laugh. "I try to remember."

   "Do you not want to be in here? Is it weird? I don't know what's normal, or-"

   I took a step forward. "No, not weird."

   But when I walked closer to his window and could clearly see straight into my bedroom, it definitely felt a bit weird. I kept that to myself.

   "So, I... I like that you're here," Parked said, now sort of leaning against his desk.

   "Me too," I smiled, moving away from the window again.

   "Aidan was exaggerating. I don't talk about you... that much..."

   Oh, he was super cute when he was embarrassed. He was a few feet from me now, and I watched as he bit his bottom lip, waiting for me to say something.

   "It's okay. I mean, we've been talking on the phone, like, a lot," I told him.

   "Yeah. Thank you."

   "For what?" I asked.

   "Being my friend."

   I nodded my head, feeling strange about being thanked for being someone's friend. It was something so simple. I liked Parker. He was sweet and easy to talk to. He really wasn't like any of the guys I went to school with.

   "Think about the dance, okay?" I finally asked him. "I think it will be fun."

   "People... your friends... they will think I'm -"

   "Parker, I don't care what anyone thinks... and neither should you," I told him, smiling.

   "That's easy for you to say. You're normal and go to a real high school."

   "It's not that great," I said quickly. "And it's almost summer break, anyway."

   His expression changed. "Oh, yeah."

   "We could hang out, like, whenever we want," I suggested.

   I saw him smile, but it left his face quickly. "If I'm even around then."

   I took in a breath. "How soon does your mom want to leave?"

   He shrugged, putting a hand up to his hair. "Rhett, her stupid boyfriend, went back to Nevada last week. I think he's gone for good, so I want to get a job, so we can stay -"

   "You need a job?" I interrupted.

   Parker shrugged again, then nodded.

   "My dad was just saying that he needs one or two new pool boys... er.... pool maintenance workers, for the summer," I told him.

   "Your... dad?"

   "Him and my uncle own a yard maintenance company. They want to work less now they are older, so they'll been hiring guys..." I explained.

   "Would he hire me?" Parker asked, looking unsure.

   "You would be perfect, actually. I can get my dad to-"

   "Wait... I don't know..." Suddenly Parker looked terrified.

   "It pays well, and it's not a hard job, I'm sure -"

   "Maybe working for your dad would be weird," he said, then looked away.

   "Oh, okay. Yeah. I mean, it's up to you," I finished, suddenly feeling like I'd made a bad suggestion.

   We just stood there in silence and it was only a minute later that we heard his mom calling from downstairs.