His Nerdy Red

《Nerdy Red Pt. 23》

/It was just a light tap/

~~

I'm having a dream when I hear it. A light tap on my window.

I ignore it the first few times. Thinking that maybe it was just in my head. But then I hear it again.

I jump out of my bed and shuffle across my room to the window. I open it and Parker jets his head through.

I let out a embarrassing shriek. I turn around and run to my dresser.

Parker chuckles climbing into my room. Not so greatly might I add. He falls onto his face with an oomph. He quickly recovers though.

"Parker! Stop looking at me!"

He just chuckles again, rubbing his face.

I look for a pair of shorts to put on considering I don't have anything but underwear on my lower half.

I slide basketball shorts on and turn around to see Parker still watching me.

"Parker." I say lightly. "That was not funny."

"At least I know what you sleep in now."

I switch on my lamp, getting ready to smack him. Then, I see what this is all about.

Parker tries to smile at me. But that would be impossible. His eye is purple and swollen. His nose is bleeding crimson red, and his lips are pretty bad too.

"Parker," I say for the third time. Except it was barely audible. "What happened?" I make my way over to him. Touching his eye gingerly. He winced in pain. "Sorry."

His face goes sad, "uh, my dad. We got into a fight." A tear slips down Parkers cheek landing in my palm. "Just a light tap, I suppose."

I go to my bathroom and get a rag. I get it just damp enough. I dab it on his lip, soaking up the blood. Then I give it to him to hold on his nose.

"Sorry about coming here. Your dad, you know, his rules."

"I don't give a shit about those damn rules, Parker." I entwined our fingers, perfectly molding together like they were meant to be. With my other hand I wipe away the tears falling from his eyes.

I've never seen a guy cry, but knew Parker was only letting me see because I meant something to him.

He gives my hand a light squeeze. "My mom kicked me out. She was so upset." He takes a deep breath. "She kicked him out too."

"It'll be alright, Parker. She loves you, she'll let you come back."

"How can you be so sure, Rylan?" He says a bit harshly. But I don't react to it, I know he's just upset. "She's gone through a lot, and still is. She can barely put food on the table, and I try to help as often as I can. The last thing she needed was for my dad and I to fight. This is all his fault. If he would've just stayed away."

"Maybe, just maybe he wanted back in? Maybe he wanted a second chance?"

Parker shakes his head, forcefully closing his eyes. "No." He says bitterly.

"Parker, I know he hurt you. You and your mom. But people change... constantly. He probably never even stopped loving you."

Parker pulls his hand away from mine, and at the same time sends a dagger through my heart.

"If he loves me, he wouldn't of left in the first place. You wouldn't understand."

"Maybe he was just scared."

"Would you just shut up? Why are you taking his side anyways?" Parker yells.

In the back of my mind I'm hoping that my parents didn't hear.

I got to my feet, and backed up a few feet. I was trying not to feel hurt, but it was too late.

Parkers face changes again, turning from sour to apologetic. His eyes go soft. He reaches for me but I pull away.

"Ry, I- I'm sorry." He shakes his head. "I didn't mean that. You know that."

"Do I?" I ask, feeling tears stinging my eyes. Parker has never talked to me that way.

Parker gets up from my bed. "I came here for a reason, Ry. You mean everything to me." He rests his arms around me. Pulling me close. I stay stiff. "Everything." He rests his head on top of mine. His tears fall freely, wetting my hair. I go soft and relax into him. Burying my head in the crook of his neck.

"I was just trying to help," I mumble against his chest, feeling my own tears stain his t-shirt. He tightens his grip on me.

"I know, I'm a bastard."

"Yeah." I agree.

"I love you." He murmurs softly.

I close my eyes, my wet eyelashes brushing against soft cotton. I lie my right hand on his chest.

He lifts my chin, so I'm looking at his green eyes. An indication that I don't have to say it back.

He places his lips gingerly on mine. He groans in pain, but lingers anyways. Our tears mingling like old friends.

"You can stay." Is what I offer him instead. I brush his lips softly with my thumb.

"Thank you."

I smile at him. He sheds his light jacket, then his shoes. He lifts my already slept in covers for me to get under. Then he gets under with me.

We hold each other.

"Your dad's going to kill me if he finds us like this."

He means with our legs tangled together, and our chests touching.

"At least we're not naked." I say and immediately regret it. Blush spreads over my cheeks. I just thought of something that shouldn't be there while I'm in this position with Parker.

Parker just lets a bark of laughter out, echoing throughout the room.

Then he groans, touching his lips.

"Shh," I scold through my own laughter. "They'll here us."

Parker finds my hand under the blanket. He holds it up to his beaten lips and kisses it.