The Parker Boys

Chapter Four

Skylar looking like a snack^^

"Don't drop the soap."

"I can't believe you're going through with this." Skylar said batting her long eyelashes.

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. Skylar had been trying to talk me out of going to my lunch detention all day. And now that it was actually time for me to go, she had turned up the heat.

Ryan tried to come to my defense. "If she misses this detention, they'll give her two more." She explained. As if Skylar was a rationally thinking person.

Sky glared at her. "I know how the rules work Ry. I'm just saying maybe they'll make an exception for you."

I shook my head. I was not going to risk getting another punishment from Henry. "It's just one day." I said sending Sky a smile. "You can miss me at lunch for one day."

Sky shrugged. "I'm thinking about your reputation. People are going to start associating you with your brother if you keep this up."

I shrugged. I didn't really care about my reputation.

I stopped outside of the detention hall and turned to my friends. "I'll see you guys later." I said dramatically clutching my heart.

Skylar winked at me. "Don't drop the soap." And then she grabbed Ryan's hand and strutted down the hallway.

I took a deep breath before opening the door.

"Hey princess." Mal said immediately when I walked into the room. I felt my cheeks burn as the class turned their attention to me.

All of the Parker boys were present, sitting in one corner of the room. Brody Saltzman sat in the front sketching out a picture of Mr. Pike who was typing furiously on his computer. Brent Jacobs and Marley Nash were sitting next to each other, making googly eyes.

I sighed.

"Over here." Bates said waving me toward the cluster of desks they were occupying.

I pursed my lips. I liked Bates. I didn't want to be rude. Taking a deep breath, I walked over and sat next to him. He was dressed normally now, with black jeans and a denim jacket. His brown hair was curly and styled cleanly.

"Hi Bates." I said sweetly not even bothering to look at the other brothers.

Bates gave me a charming smile. "Did you think about what I said?" He asked his eyes drifting to my wrist.

I smiled. "I'm still thinking." It was true. I had been thinking about his offer.

Mal winced. "Ouch. My brother has no game." He joked nudging Bates. " He thinks girls still fall for the old 'teach you how to wrestle' line."

I expected Bates to be embarrassed. I was embarrassed.

Instead he laughed sending his brother the bird. "I'm just trying to help." He said nonchalantly.

I smiled. "Do you train at the old gym?" I asked out of curiosity. It was a rumor they did a lot of things at the old gym.

A lot of illegal things.

"When we train, we do it there." Mal said. "We don't train that often."

I thought about how learning how to fight would help out my situation. If I ever decided to stand up to Henry, then learning a few moves would sure come in handy. "I might come." I said nodding my head.

"That's what she said." Rue mumbled chuckling to himself.

Bates ignored his brothers immature comment. "We could do it after school "

"That's what she said." Rue said again.

I elbowed him in the ribs. "Sure. I'll just ride with you guys." I thought of Roy's face if I asked him to drop me off at the gym. He'd have a fit.

Kai finally joined the converosation sending me a sneer. "Wouldn't want anybody seeing you on the wrong side of the tracks right?" He asked looking at me as if I disgusted him.

I shrugged my shoulders. "My brother wouldn't take me."

Mal placed a hand on Kai's arm. "Don't mind him. He doesn't take well to newcomers."

Kai frowned. "She's not a newcomer. We've known her since freshman year. Her and the gang of bitches she runs around with."

I narrowed my eyes, but I wouldn't give him the argument he so obviously wanted. "Tyler would not take kindly to being called a bitch."

Kai still glared. "I said what I said."

I leaned forward in my seat. "Do we have some kind of problem?" I asked annoyed.

Kai actually chuckled- his eyes still full of temper, before leaning forward to meet me. "Sweetheart, even you couldn't afford to have a problem with me."

I froze feeling my pulse spike before Bates grabbed my arm gently pulling me back. "Back off Kai." He said sending Mal an amused look.

Mal smiled bright. "Hey princess, if anyone should teach you a couple of things, it should be me." He pointed a finger at his chest.

Mr Pike glared at us from behind his desk. "At least pretend to have some respect." He said sarcastically.

Mal didn't even miss a step. "I could take Bates with one hand tied behind my back."

Bates snorted. "That's big talk for someone who's two years older than me."

Mal winked. "So is she." He said pointing at me.

Bates rolled his eyes. "A couple of months."  When I narrowed my eyes at him he shrugged. "We were at your 17th birthday party."

Rue burst out laughing. "Ladies and gentlemen we have a stalker."

Bates glared at him. "I noticed you didn't mention your fighting skills Mr. Two hand touch."

Rue slung an arm over my shoulders. "I have a whole other set of skills." He said waggling his eyebrows. I couldn't help but laugh.

"So you  adnit that you can't fight?" Bates asked.

Rue glared at him. "We doing this right now?" He asked sliding out of his desk.

Bates smacked his hands against the desk gaining everyone's attention. "You sure about this?"

Mr. Pike rose up from his desk. "No. No. No. No. We are not going to start with this again. Rue sit down." He said pointing a finger at an already hyped up Rue.

Bates either didn't hear the warning in Mr. Pike's voice or didn't care. He pushed his sleeves up before mimicking Rue's defensive stance.

"What did I say?!" Mr. Pike shouted walking down the aisle. "Back to your seats."

Before he even got the words out of his mouth, Bates was launching himself at Rue.

The Parker boys were anything but boring.