Reliving Yesterday ✔

Chapter 30.

Parker was missing from school the next day.

However, as the world would, it went on without him. Hanna was her bubbly self, Jackson was smitten even though he tried to hide it and Blake was still worried about his grandmother and also tried to hide his worry from me.

My Dad had left this morning, promising that he'll be back the latest, by the end of the week. I hadn't seen Parker or his father since the day before.

The four of us were sitting in the cafeteria having our lunch and laughing over recollections of our favourite Friends episodes, when Chanel stalked over to our table. She gave us all a once over and then fixed her heavily made up eyes on me. "Where's Parker?" she demanded, rather than asked.

I was just opening my mouth to tell her that I had no idea, when Hanna beat me to the punch, narrowed her eyes at Chanel and said, "Why the hell do you care? He dumped your ass a long time ago."

Chanel's eyes narrowed further. "I was talking to her, Blondie," she sneered at Hanna.

Hanna smirked. "You should really look in a mirror before calling me Blondie. At least mine is natural." Hanna turned away.

"I don't know, Chanel," I told her.

"Hell of a neighbor you are," she spat before walking over to her table again.

I rolled my eyes.

*

Parker wasn't at home, either.

His house was quiet and his room was empty, which I could see because the curtains were open. I threw open my window and crept across the railing to his window and peered in. There was no sign of him. I tried the window and it was locked. I sighed and crawled my way back home.my gaze lingered on the closed window for a while before I turned and walked downstairs to make myself some dinner. All through making spaghetti I couldn't stop being worried about Parker and where he might be. If he was hurt, there was no way of knowing. After I got home I had tried his cellphone, but it was turned off. He seemed so okay over the weekend, even when he had come charging through the woods to comfort me that night, that I never thought he'd just disappear like this.

After dinner and cleanup, I locked up and wandered upstairs to do some homework. When I got up there, out of habit, I looked over at Parker's house expecting the darkness I'd been seeing all day, but I was wrong. There was a light coming from the landing upstairs and then from Parker's room. I saw him walk in, which was the exact same moment that my phone beeped. I turned my attention from Parker to my phone.

It was a message from my father: Hey, princess. I hope you've eaten. I just got back after a meeting and I'm very tired. I'll take a rain check on our video chat. Will be dining with Fred and hitting the sack. Love you, sweetheart. Have a goodnight.

I typed back a reply: No problem, Dad. I've had dinner and I'm about to get some work done. Enjoy dinner and get some sleep. Love you, too. Night.

When I put my phone down and looked back across the yard, Parker was gone and his room was in darkness, but the light downstairs was on and Parker's window was open very slightly. Not wanting to unbolt the door which I had carefully locked earlier, I opened my window and went across the railing and slid into Parker's room through the window. It smelt heavily of Parker; his aftershave intertwined with his usual scent of new leather and fresh mint.

I went out on to the landing and went downstairs. All the lights weren't on; there was only one light that was lighting up the entire place and that was the lamp on the table in the foyer. Parker was seated on the ground, with no shirt on and a bottle in hand which was filled – well used to be filled – with what I was pretty sure wasn't iced tea.