by R.A Cullison
Chapter Five
Homecoming Nightmare
I waited in my room for Parker; I looked at my reflection in my mirror. My dress was jewel blue, satin, strapless, fit me good, my shoes matched, my hair was pinned up in tiny pearl clips, my make up done to match my dress, for the first time I really felt pretty.
I heard the door bell, I froze, OMG he was here, I heard Parkers voice,
“Hi Mrs.Treeman, is Nora ready?” I heard him ask
“I think so, Nora dear Parker is here!” My grandma yelled up.
“Breathe.” I told myself, tonight is going to be perfect, no one will ruin this for you, and everything will be ok. I took a deep breath. Then started down the stairs. As I looked towards the bottom in a tuxedo was Parker, he was stunning, and by the way, he looked at me he liked what he saw.
“Nora you look great, absolutely breathtaking.” I smiled at him,
“You look great yourself.” I said as clearing the last step,
“Thanks, shall we go?” He held out his arm for me to take,
“Hold on kids, I need a picture.” I looked at my grandma who was holding a camera, we posed for the picture and then we left for the school.
I searched for Parkers car, “No c…” Then I saw the limo,
“Oh my God, Parker, a limo?” I looked over at him he was smiling,
“I can’t let the most beautiful girl in school arrive in an ordinary car.” I was floored, this guy was too much.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you did this Parker.” I kissed his cheek and we climb into the back of the limo. It was all black with a tv and a mini bar. I sat real close to Parker who smelled as good as he looked.
We pulled up to the front of the school, where we could hear the music blaring. Balloons drifted aimless in the wind outside the door to the gym. I gave myself a look over,
“You look great Nora.” Parker was smiling at me,
“Thanks, shall we go in and shake a tail feather?” we both laughed. The Driver opened the door and Parker helped me out. We walked into the gym holding hands.
The gym was really pretty with balloons, streamers, confetti and lights. There were dancers on the floor dancing to some 80s tune that I didn’t know. I looked around to see if anyone I knew was dancing, and there was Jane and Tony, she looked so pretty in that dress I gave her. She waved and I waved back, Tony looked over at me smiling and waving too.
“Want to dance?” Parker asked, he offered his hand,
“Yeah.” I smiled, we got on the dance floor and started to dance, he was a great dancer he could actually keep up with me, and he looked so good.
I saw Piper and Corbin, he didn’t look happy, and when he saw me. He stared at me in shock, like he seen the beautiful creature in the world. I turned back to Parker; we were laughing having a great time. Piper seen me and looked mad.
Slow song came on I wrapped my arms around Parkers neck and we got real close, almost kissing close, I thought about kissing him, and then I did. Our eyes met he smiled and pulled me closer. I heard his heart thumping in his chest I wasn’t sure if it was his or mine actually.
We sat down tired, I really liked Parker, and he was so sweet and cute,
“Want some punch?” Parker asked,
“Yeah, if you don’t mind?” I smiled,
“No I don’t mind I will be right back.” He kissed my cheek and disappeared in the crowd,
“You look great.” I looked to the voice it was Corbin alone,
“Thanks, how is your date with Piper going?” He rolled his eyes, “That well huh” we both laughed,
“How’s the new guy?” he asked while staring in Parkers direction,
“He is so sweet, I really like him.” The words I really like him struck something in Corbin because his face became drawn.
“Nora I know things between us are weird but they will get better just remember that I still l…” Piper interrupted,
“Corbin come on lets go dance.” They both disappeared onto the dance floor. Parker came back with 2 cups of red punch.
We sat there drinking the punch, and then I looked over at Parker, “Want to dance?” I looked at him,
“Sure let’s go.” He held out his hand, as soon as we got out onto the dance the floor the song changed to missing you, I got close to Parker and I started to cry thinking about Corbin, and when I looked over at him he was looking over at me in torment. This separation was hurting him as much as it was hurting me. I wiped a tear that was rolling down my cheek; Corbin and I didn’t take our eyes off each other the whole time on the dance floor. The song finally ended and I excused myself to use the bathroom, I checked my make up and went into a stall to think. I heard Pipers voice talking to Ashley,
“Why can’t he get over her, I mean she’s with Parker Raptner, he is hot,” Piper said,
“Has he kissed you yet?” Ashley asked, I could tell they were doing their lipstick,
“No, he won’t hold my hand, or kiss me, he said it will take him time, I should respect that, and I am trying.” I heard her zip up her bag, I heard Ashley walk out, and then I heard,
“Tonight Mr. Corbin Crow, make sure you have protection because tonight we are breaking in the backseat of your car.” My mouth fell open, what a slut I thought, Corbin won’t do anything like that with her.
I walked out into the gym, Parker was being held back by a teacher I ran towards them,
“What's going on?” I asked Jane,
“Corbin started a fight with Parker.” I looked at Mr. Brown who had Parker, “Mr. Brown I will take Parker and leave ok?” Mr. Brown let go,
“Come on Parker lets go.” We walked out of the gym, he was really upset, and I didn’t think guys like Parker got mad like he did,
“Parker, what happened?” I asked while placing my hand on his shoulder,
“That Corbin is a big jerk, he said I should be lucky to go out with you, I agreed I was lucky, then he said that guys like me only want to get in your pants, and I’m not like that at all, I enjoy your company, but he was saying I was going to use you and that you will never get over him, I am sorry Nora for ruining your night, I just didn’t like him putting me down.” He really looked sorry, and I was extremely mad a Corbin for sticking his nose into my business,
“Don’t worry about it Parker, Corbin is really stuck on himself, How about we go get some ice cream?” I smiled reaching out my hand for him to take and he took it, we started towards the ice cream shop.
After we shared a huge Sundae, just our luck Corbin, Piper, Ashley, Ashley’s date, Jane and Tony walked in, Jane gave me a look of like sorry, I could see that Corbin was pissed by the look on his face. He seen me and Parker sitting at the booth, he looked the other way real fast, I think Corbin was having a harder time letting go of me then I was of him, I don’t know how that was possible but by his action and his facial expressions he was in pure hell.
“Do you want to go Parker?” I asked him, he gave me a weak smile,
“Yeah that might be a smart idea.” He grabbed his tux jacket and from the empty spot beside him, and we headed out. I glared at Corbin as we passed him he did the same.
Were things between Corbin and me really that bad, I mean right now I disliked him so much, but alittle part of me loves him still. AH! I had to stop thinking or my head was going to blow up. Parker and I walked through town holding hands.
I seen Parker looking at me out of the corner of his eyes so I turned and looked at him,
“I had a great time tonight Nora.” he said, I smiled at him,
“I did too, this is the first time I really truly enjoyed myself.” His smile lit his face up,
“I’m glad, tonight is the first time I feel like I am really going to like it here in Portland, Thanks to you.” He said while smiling and winking. I let him put his arm around me as we started towards my house. It got silent for a few blocks.
“Parker, what's Hollywood like?” I asked him trying to make
conversation,
“Well there are a lot of rich people and movie stars but mostly snobs, the people there are only worried about themselves and money, well I did meet a few nice people, and I think people there are just trying to make it.” I was shaking, just alittle cold. Parker took off his tux jacket and put it over my shoulders with his body heat still in it,
“Thanks, so is it just you and your parents?” I wanted to keep talking to make myself forget how cold I was,
“No, I have four year old twin sisters, Katie and Kathy, the terrors.” We both laughed, “How about you?”
I shook my head, “No, my parents never had any other children but me, my mom dearly died having me and I almost died too, I don’t know much about my birth or my whole family, just my grandparents, parents, my Uncle Roger and his family.” He looked at me funny,
“Roger Treeman? He owns the Auto Garage off Pine?” He asked,
“Yeah, why?” I looked at him, and he laughed,
“I work for him every Sunday.” I started laughing,
“What's so funny?” he kind of laughed too,
“Roger’s daughter Nikki is dating Corbin’s brother Kyle.” Parkers’ body just went slumped,
“Great, my only job maybe ruined by that guy.” his voice sounded defeated, I shook my head no,
“No, my Uncle Roger don’t like the Crows, he thinks their bad news.” I could see my house; “I live right up there.” I pointed to my grandparent’s stone house with the white porch,
“Well before we get there I just wanted to say, thanks for tonight Nora, it was fun.” He walked me up onto the porch I handed him his tux jacket and he kissed me on the cheek then went to walk away,
“Wait, don’t move.” I ran inside and up the stairs grabbed, my car keys off my dresser then ran back downstairs; “I want to take you home.” He smiled
“Cool, which one is your car?” He looked at my grandpa’s BMW and his truck,
“Neither follow me.” I led him to the garage, and I opened the double doors and there was my baby, his mouth fell open with shock,
“Whoa you own this car?” I shook my head
“Yeah Grandpa gave it to me as a gift, cool huh?” his mouth was hung open, “hop in I’ll take you home.”
I dropped him off at his house and slowly drove through town, I wasn’t in a hurry to get home, and I need to think. Why was Corbin acting like a total, I hate to say it but asshole. Was Piper getting to him that badly or what his jealousy really eating away at him so bad that he has to turn into one to cope, I then realized I didn’t care, and I was getting sleepy.
I got home made my way up the stairs, took off my dress and hung it on its hanger, placed it in my closest. I dug out a clean pair of pajamas out of my dresser, pulled them on, threw myself into bed, and fell asleep.