by Taylor Hyer
“I get that, but it wouldn’t hurt to get yourself back out there,” he replied. His voice was softer than usual, more sincere.
“You’ve never wanted that to happen,” I said.
“That’s not true,” my dad said, clearly offended. “I just don’t want to see you hurt the way you were hurt before. I don’t see this from RJ, not in the slightest. If you were to date him, I’d approve.”
My dad smiled and quickly looked over at me. I didn’t smile back until he looked back at the road. My dad never approved of any guy, especially after him. I wasn’t interested in dating anyone, but even the thought of a guy made my dad’s blood boil.
My dad interrupted my thoughts, “I think you should go. Even if you don’t want to date him, having a great friend never hurts.”
“I don’t want to make friends because we could move at any time,” I said softly, “and I don’t want to get hurt.”
“Stop worrying about what could happen and worry about right now.”
I picked up my phone and text RJ back: What time?
RJ
5:00pm, but I’ll talk to you more about it during school this week, I text Parker back as I sat in my towel on my bed after taking a shower.
I sent another message following the prior one: Maybe you and your family can come to the game next week, too. It’s another home one.
Five minutes later, my phone vibrated on my dresser as I put a pair of shorts on.
Sounds fun. See you Monday, Parker text back.
Sweet. See you then.
I ran to the top of the stairs and yelled down to my mom, “Parker said she’ll come!”
I picked my towel up off my floor and threw it into the hamper next to my closet door. I picked up five empty water bottles and threw them into the small basket that was hidden under my desk. It was a nearly empty basket, since I rarely ever threw out the trash I produced in my room.
At times, my mom would come into my room and pick up any empty wrappers or dirty plates and containers. “You’re going to attract bugs,” she’d say, though she never stopped coming in to clean for me, especially during football season.
My mom could say she hated football all she wanted, but she’d take any extra stress from our plates during the season. We appreciated our mom more than anything. She was a Saint for putting up with three boys and my dad. I always wondered how she’d done it when I was born. She had three boys under the age of two; that’s simply Saint status.
Once I cleaned my room, I walked downstairs to find Leighton and Landon sitting on the couch in the living room. They were eating plates filled with an abundance of chicken, penne pasta, and broccoli.
“Your plate is in the kitchen,” my mom kissed the side of my head as she walked out of the living room with an empty plate.
“Thanks, Ma,” I said. Instead of heading toward the kitchen, I moved in front of my brothers.
“I need you to help clean toward the end of next week,” I said, something I never thought would come out of my mouth.
“You’re already whipped by her, huh?” Landon spoke up.
“Shut the hell up,” I said, swinging my hand toward his face. “Mom would kill us if we let a guest come in with a dirty house.”
“We’ll help clean as long as you don’t lose us the game next week,” Leighton spoke up.
“Thank you,” I said as I walked out of the room, giving Landon a quick side eye.
His mouth formed into a snarl, but I ignored it.
◆◆◆
The next week at school seemed to drag on even more than usual. Everyone was anticipating an intense last game before the playoffs. The entire football team was on edge all week. We were rowdier in class, and lacked any sort of focus.
When we arrived on the football field, though, focus was the only concept we understood. Everyone was completely in sync during all practices. Every stride we made, we did it together. There were no missteps from either the offense or defense. We looked like we could beat anyone that tried to challenge us. We were ready for the championship, but we had a few games in our way to secure that spot.
“Damn, no dropped passes this week,” Leighton laughed on Friday after practice. “Maybe that girlfriend of yours is doing something good.”
“I’ll say it again,” I said aggressively, “she isn’t my girlfriend.”
“She sure does like to watch practice, though,” Landon pitched in, motioning toward the bleachers. Parker was toward the middle of the stands, a notebook sitting in her lap.
All week, Parker had stayed after school and sat in the same spot on the bleachers. She always had her notebook and a pencil out. She never told me what she was writing about, though.
“Her car broke down,” I faced my brothers. “I’ve been giving her a ride home after practice every day.”
“Doesn’t she have two parents?” Leighton laughed.
“Yeah, bro,” Landon said. “She is definitely just looking for more time with you.”
As much as I wanted that to be true, I knew Parker probably wouldn’t have stayed at practice if her car was working.
“Her dad’s on the night shift this week,” I said, not completely sure why I felt the need to give them an explanation. “Her mom has an art show coming up, so she has locked herself in the basement and is working nonstop. Jackson is at some neighbor’s house. Just, shut up, okay? She isn’t my girlfriend.”
“But you like her,” Landon said.
I nodded, “And?”
“Just work that Davis charm and you’ll be in her pants in no time,” Leighton laughed, hitting me on my back as he and Landon walked away.
I ignored him, grabbing my gym bag and walking toward Parker. The sound of my foot stepping on the first stair echoed and Parker looked up. “Hey,” she said.
I smiled, “Hey.”
We walked to my car, our arms occasionally brushing against one another. I wanted to hold her hand, but I refrained. Every day after practice I kept my composure, allowing the friend zone to completely consume me. I wanted to show her that I could be a good friend, hoping one day it would flourish into more.
Parker
I’m leaving my house now, I texted RJ the next Sunday afternoon. I was nervous to have dinner with his family, but I was excited to get to know him better.
When I arrived at his house, I knocked on the front door and stared at my feet. Moments later, RJ opened it. “Hi,” he said softly with a smile that didn’t show his teeth.
He motioned for me to walk inside. “Hey,” I replied.
I stepped in the doorway and kicked my flip flops off. I reached down and picked them up. “Where should I put these?” I asked.
RJ reached out his hand and took them from me, “I’ll put them in the mud room.”
“Hi, Parker!” Landon yelled from the living room.
“Hello,” I replied quietly, probably inaudible from the living room. I looked at RJ and said, “You all sound so much alike. I’m not sure who just said that.”
“You’ll learn,” RJ laughed. “Would you like a tour of the house?”
I looked up. Their entryway had vaulted ceilings, and it was very open. The loft upstairs could be seen from the front door. I wasn’t sure what to say. His house looked like something out of a magazine.
“A tour of this house might take a lot longer than a tour of mine,” I laughed nervously.
“Let’s go,” RJ said, playfully pushing his hip against mine. I swayed slightly but smiled at him.
“My mom would kill to have this kitchen,” I said as we made our way through the house.
“Your mom is a smart woman,” RJ’s mom said, appearing into the kitchen from behind us. “Hi Parker.”
“Hi, Mrs. Davis,” I replied softly.
“Please, call me Martha.”
I smiled, and an awkward silence fell in the kitchen, only to be interrupted by someone yelling from the living room.
“Ma, what’s for dinner?” he asked.
�
��I was thinking steak and potatoes,” RJ’s mom replied. She turned to me, “Is that okay? You aren’t a vegetarian are you?”
“My dad would certainly disown me if I were,” I laughed hesitantly.
“Perfect,” Mrs. Davis replied. “I will start it soon and let you know when it’s done. Please make yourself at home.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
We turned and walked out of the kitchen. RJ lead me up the stairs to show me the rest of the house. My heart began to race as we neared what I assumed was his bedroom.
“This is my favorite room in the house,” RJ said, opening the door.
I stepped into his room and looked around. His walls were painted a light gray, and he had multiple football posters spread across the room. There was a poster that said Remember the Titans with faces of many different men on it. I knew it was a movie my dad was fond of, but knew nothing about it.
His bed was definitely a king size, and it was neatly made with the pillows perfectly set on it. He had a dark blue bedspread with gray stripes, and a heating pad was on the left side, plugged in nearby.
There was a dark desk on one side of the bed, and a dark colored nightstand on the other. The desk was almost bare, aside from a couple binders and a water bottle sitting on top. Next to the desk was a mini-fridge. Of course, there was a mini-fridge.
I stayed quiet as I walked around his room; a room that was bigger than my living room at home. I didn’t know what to say. This looks nice. Wow, your house is a mansion. Must be nice to be rich. How do I say it without sounding like I’m judging his lifestyle?
“Do you want to watch TV?” RJ asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I turned to look at the flat-screen TV. It was sitting on a long dresser with eight drawers. Again, it was bigger than the TV we had in our living room. I didn’t even have a TV in my room. My mom always said, “That TV is going to rot your brain.”
“We can watch until dinner,” RJ said. I nodded, and he walked to the side of his bed to grab the remote. He sat in his chair at the desk and said, “You can sit on my bed if you want. I’ll sit here. I don’t have those sweet bean bag chairs like you do.”
He smiled, showing me his perfectly aligned and whitened teeth. I moved toward his bed and sat at the edge, looking at RJ. “It’s your bed,” I said.
“So?” RJ replied.
“You can sit on it too,” I scooted up on his bed, leaning against the soft headboard. I patted the bed next to me, letting RJ know I was okay with him sitting near me.
At that moment, I decided I’d take my dad’s thoughts of RJ into consideration. If you were to date him, I’d approve. Stop thinking about what could happen and worry about right now. RJ didn’t seem like the type of guy to make a move, especially knowing my history already.
RJ moved closer to me and hopped up on the bed. He sat toward the edge, leaving a lot of room between us. “I don’t bite,” I laughed, letting myself open up to him.
“Oh good,” RJ said with relief. “I was worried you’d try and kill me.”
I slowly moved closer to him, “Shut up.”
RJ’s laugh was contagious. It came from deep within his chest, and his shoulders always moved up and down while it was happening. By the time we were done moving toward one another, the sides of our bodies were touching. He was warm, and I could smell his cologne faintly. It didn’t have a distinct smell of Axe or Old Spice, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless.
By now, the TV was turned on, and RJ was flipping through the channels. “Want to watch anything in particular?” he asked.
I shook my head, “It’s up to you.”
“We could start watching a movie and finish it after dinner,” RJ said. He quickly added, “unless you have to go home right after dinner.”
“A movie sounds nice,” I said softly, trying to ease RJ’s apparent worries.
He pressed a button on the remote and the word Netflix lingered on the screen. “What do you want to watch?” RJ asked.
“The worst question to ask me,” I laughed. RJ looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I laughed at his confusion and added, “I spend more time trying to find something to watch than actually watching something.”
RJ replied, “I’ll choose something random, and we have to watch it. It doesn’t matter how awful it may be.”
“Deal,” I looked at him and smiled. When he smiled back, I felt my stomach turn. It turned as if way more than butterflies were fluttering around in there. Maybe mini elephants would be more like it. It was one of the best feelings I had ever experienced.
Ten minutes into The Incredibles 2 RJ slowly moved his arm up and around my shoulders. I twitched when he initially did this, causing him to move away from me and apologize. I eased his nerves and said, “I’m sorry. I’m okay with it, I promise. It just hasn’t happened since, well, you know.”
“You sure it’s okay?” RJ asked. “I should have asked before, I’m so sorry.”
“It wouldn’t have been as smooth,” I smiled, taking his hand and pulling his arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder and kept my hand interlocked with his. His body heat made my naturally chilled body feel comfortable. I could hear his heartbeat, though I wasn’t resting on his chest.
“Have you ever seen this movie?” I asked.
“Never,” RJ replied. “I saw the first one so many years ago, though.”
“I’ve seen it so many times,” I said. “When this one came out, I was so excited. I made Jackson watch the first one and then we watched this one. Jackson was obsessed with both movies. Now we watch each movie at least once a week, usually more. When it came out on Netflix, it was the best day of our lives really, and---"
I realized I was rambling about a silly children’s movie, so I stopped abruptly. I didn’t want him to think I was a child because of my love for an animated movie. We didn’t know each other that well yet, and I didn’t want to be labeled as a “nerd” or “loser”. He was so popular, and I didn’t want him to dislike me.
I realized in that moment I wanted him to like me. Why? Because I liked him. I liked him way more than just a friend, too. Having his arm around me, feeling his heartbeat, feeling his warmth. It all made me hopeful for love again. I never thought it’d be with someone like RJ, though. I promised myself it wouldn’t be like that again; but life had a funny way of pushing you out of your comfort zone, and this time, I didn’t mind.
RJ
Parker’s petite body molded so comfortably in mine. Her body was cold to the touch, but I felt them warm up as I wrapped my arms around her. Her hair smelled like coconut, and a few stray hairs would occasionally tickle my nose.
I didn’t even want to watch the movie; I just wanted to watch Parker. She watched it with such intent, as if she hadn’t watched it one hundred times before. She’d laugh at the funny parts, like she didn’t know that they were coming. She’d turn to me at certain parts and say, “isn’t this movie great?” with the biggest smile on her face. A smile full of teeth; the most comfortable of smiles. It wasn’t a movie that I would have watched in my free time, but it was probably one of the best movies I had ever seen. I’d have to find another spot on my wall for an Incredibles 2 poster.
We were forty minutes into the movie when I heard my mom yell from downstairs, “Dinner!”
Parker pushed one hand against my chest and unraveled herself from my arms. Her relaxed face turned into a frown.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s easy to be comfortable around you,” she said softly. “I’m not used to being around other people’s family members.”
“They’ll love you,” I replied. “Just act like we do, but without the flirting.”
I winked at Parker and she looked away, blushing. I stepped off my bed and walked to the hallway as Parker followed closely behind. Before we descended the stairs, I reached over and grabbed her hand, lightly squeezing it. Parker squeezed back, a little harder than I did, and then let go. She led the way down the stairs, givin
g me the opportunity to look at her curves again. I couldn’t believe that I had her body against me. I never thought she’d put me out of the “friendzone”, especially so quickly.
“It smells good,” Parker whispered in my ear when we reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Mom kicks ass when she cooks steak,” I whispered back.
The corner of Parker’s lip lifted into a half smile, “Yum.”
I could tell Parker was nervous as we walked into the kitchen. When we entered, Landon and Leighton looked at her and smiled. She moved her hand up as if to wave, but quickly put it down. As her hand fell to her side, I grabbed it. It was sweaty, but I didn’t let go.
When Landon and Leighton turned away, I leaned in and whispered, “You’ve got this. I’ve got you.”
I wanted her to know that I wouldn’t let her do this alone. Little did she know, I was nervous too. My parents had never met any girl I had been involved with. I wasn’t even necessarily “involved” with Parker, but I felt this urge to protect her. I knew how my brothers could be, and I didn’t want Parker to feel uncomfortable. I knew my dad wouldn’t approve of Parker, not because he didn’t like her, but because he didn’t like the idea of her.
When we got home from the game the day before, my mom suggested that we invite Parker over for dinner. My dad replied with, “what for?” in a disapproving tone.
“Oh, Richard,” my mom said, “let the boy have a crush.”
“The NFL doesn’t ask if you have a girlfriend,” my dad’s voice echoed across the house.
“What happens when he retires from the NFL and doesn’t have a family to support him?” my mother snapped back quickly.
“I’m his family,” Dad replied.
“You are so full of it sometimes,” Mom said, and that was the end of the conversation. I’m not sure anyone won that discussion, but in a way my mom did, because Parker was at my house, and Dad couldn’t do anything about it.
As we sat at the dining room table, silence filled the air. I was shocked and impressed when Parker spoke up and said, “This food is great, Mrs. Davis.”