It All Started with a Beanie

(15)

I didn't know where to go. I couldn't confront Parsons; I didn't want to know what he thought. I couldn't go home; Mom would wonder what was wrong and then I'd have to explain to her what happened and that conversation wouldn't end well. Elliott was too far away for me to drive to.

Before I knew it, after driving around for an hour or so, I had ended up at a park. I sighed, turning off my car and hopped out. I walked around for a bit before I spotted an empty bench. I made my way there and claimed the spot.

I checked my phone and noticed two missed calls from Parsons and a few texts from him as well. I turned my phone off, wanting to truly be alone. 

Even though I was surrounded by people, I felt isolated. No one looked at me or gave me any attention. Or at least, that's what I thought.

"Is this seat taken?" I look to the voice and quickly recognize Ollie. I shake my head and move over, allowing him to sit. 

When he situates himself, he doesn't speak or even look at me. He looks in the distance, a smile on his face.

"What are you looking at?" I break the silence between us with my question.

"My little sister. Jordan is here on her first 'date'." He puts air quotes around the word date and that brings a small smile to my lips.

"Which one is she?" My eyes scan the park but I don't recognize anyone who looks like Ollie. He's the only one at the park with black curly hair and light eyes.

I watch as he points to a girl on the swings with curly red hair.

"That's your sister?" He hears the confusion in my voice and slightly chuckles. She looks almost nothing like him. Her skin is more pale, freckles all over. Her hair is long, with red curls going all the way down to her mid-back. By first glance, she doesn't look like the twins I know. But if you continue to look at her, she has the same eyes as her older siblings and her facial features are quite similar.

"Half sister, technically. But I've been around her whole life so she feels like a whole sister." I muffle a laugh at his small joke and he breaks out into a small smile.

"But why are you here at the park? Do you have a sibling here as well?" He looks around, probably trying to find someone who looks like me.

"I don't have any siblings. I just needed to clear my mind." He looks to me, taking his eyes off his sister and onto me.

"Wanna talk about it?" I don't immediately answer. It would be nice to open up to someone but I don't want to slip up and say something wrong. However, I find myself nodding.

"Parsons saw me without my beanie on." His eyes widen, either in confusion or shock.

"When?"

"Today. A couple of hours ago." I sigh, looking away from him and off into the distance. "I went to his house. His mom invited me over and offered to teach me how to make blueberry muffins but she had to run some errands and left me and Parsons to bake. It was awkward at first but I accidentally cut my finger and he cleaned the cut and put a band aid on it." I look down to my finger, smiling at the band aid that sits on it. Ollie's eyes also move to my finger and smile at the print on it. "We slowly opened up to each other after that and it was going great. Then we had a bit of a flour fight. He got me covered in flour and he barely had any on him. The kitchen was so messy." I laugh at the memory of how ridiculous we looked. "Then he cleaned the flour off my face. He was gentle. He barely applied pressure. Did you know he sticks his tongue out just a tiny bit when he's concentrating?"

"Yeah, I have noticed. He looks like a baby cow when he does that." I laugh at Ollie's response and he does as well.

"He was so gentle." A smile sits on my face when I speak now. "His hand sat slightly on my cheek. His thumb was placed on my chin. The way he looked at me was a way no one has before." I stop myself, feelings starting to rise.