Parker should've died that night and the whole world knew it. He was an innocent bystander, shot through the heart with at least three bullets and somehow, by some Gods miracle, he pulled through.
But everything came at a cost.
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FD Academy, Chicago, 2005
Tonight was the first night that everyone in his class had any substantial time off. They didn't have to study for any tests, or run any drills until they were blue in the face- it was almost as though it was labour day weekend. Despite them barely entering May.
It took Parker a good week to find a cheap bar that wasn't too far from his apartment but also the academy. It was similar dingy dive bars in the middle of the emptiest of streets in the busiest city.
The bar had good, non-stale snacks and pretty good beers. Their music, though not recent, was good enough to create an atmosphere that no one could resist a sway or head bop. Most of the patrons were double Parker's age but that didn't seem to stop the frequent drop ins on his way back. Whether he wanted to chat or to have a sneaky beer, no one ignored him— most of them probably saw him as their grandson, or own child.
"Look, Murph! There's this really cool bar that I was thinking we could go to? Tonight, say eight?" Parker asked Eden Murphy as the duo were making their way up to the ladder rig training ground.
Narrowing her eyes at him, she stopped him dead in his tracks. Once her hands were firmly on her waist, she tilted her head, a look of humorous irritation graced her features.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to go on a date with you, Par—" "Oh- you think— me and you? God, no! No offence—"
Parker's stumbling and stuttering made Murphy crack a smile onto her face, laughter pushing her cheeks upwards.
"That was cruel— sure, we can grab some drinks. Best be cheap though, my rent is draining my savings as is."
Bingo, Parker thought to himself, at least now he'd be able to have a conversation with his own age, about things that weren't about music or the weather- the awkward ice breaker questions. Maybe, Murphy would help him find himself a date, be his ultimate wingwoman, of sorts.
"Cruel? You were a bigger dick than Kimberleigh-Anne was- or whatever her name was." Parker chided back with a laugh.
Those two were as bad as each other when it came to the bad sarcastic comments and then the hard to suppress laughs. It was like a friendship made in heaven, Parker even thought that Andie would get on with her quite nicely.
"You know they both dropped out because one of them burnt an eyebrow off during an exam? Their own fault, I mean who sprays a flammable material right next to a naked flame and expects everything to be fine? Out of everything, hairspray? This isn't a beauty contest." Murphy scoffed, but Parker knew where she was coming from.
