Day by Day: Book 1: High School

by Taylor Hyer

  I rubbed her leg. I realized it wasn’t fair for people like me. Athletes were always one tier above everyone else, even though I knew Parker would run circles around me in any classroom setting. I wasn’t dumb by any means, but I was so focused on football that the idea of schooling got away from me at times. I enjoyed science and math classes because I thought more practically. I could work any numbers because I understood football statistics. The abstract idea of writing a creative story was lost on me.

  “You’re smart enough to get into anywhere,” I said. “You’ll also be the prettiest applicant they’ll ever see.”

  “Such a sweet-talker,” Parker rolled her eyes. “So who is RJ without the football?”

  “Just an average guy who would probably go to community college and call it good,” I replied honestly.

  “I don’t think that’s true,” Parker said. “There’s more to you than football. Why do you let the idea of your dad and football define you?”

  “It’s easier that way, I guess,” I admitted.

  “What about your college goals we talked about a while ago?” Parker asked, remembering our conversation from a few months before.

  “I’ll be in that program, but it isn’t going to be easy,” I replied. “My dad told me I could get a tutor and they basically do the work for you so you can play sports. That just doesn’t sound interesting to me anymore, though. I want to be more than football. I have a very good chance of getting into the NFL, but what about when I’m forty and can’t play anymore? It worries me, because my dad only thinks about the football part. What if I get hurt like he did? I need some sort of backup plan. I know that football isn’t forever, but my dad has such tunnel vision; there is no reasoning with him.”

  “Your mom seems to get it,” Parker responded.

  “Of course she does,” I said. “She’s the reason we haven’t been dug into the ground yet. The ying to my dad’s yang, really.

  “You can’t talk to her and have him ease up more?” Parker asked.

  “She talks with him often about it,” I laughed. “My dad is so stubborn, though. He wants what is best for us, I get that; but at what cost? I love the game of football more than most people, and I strongly believe I have a chance at being one of the greats. I’m not going to give up on my dream, but I wish it would first be my dream, and then my dad’s.”

  “What do you mean?” Parker asked.

  “I want to be a professional football player,” I responded, “but I want to do it on my terms. I don’t want my dad always forcing me into something just because his dreams didn’t work out. He’s putting all of this pressure on Leighton, Landon, and me. It’s so stressful sometimes. What if we don’t make it? We’ll either disappoint him, or he won’t love us.”

  “He’ll always love you,” Parker said softly. Her voice was calming, and in that moment I realized I was raising my voice. I took a deep breath, and Parker grabbed my hand. She rubbed her thumb across the back of my hand; such a soothing motion.

  “Let me tell you a quick story about my dad,” Parker said after a few moments of silence. I appreciated that she didn’t pry. She let me take a few moments to just breathe. “My grandfather was an asshole. He was one of the worst people if you didn’t know him well. He was such a hardass, and everything always had to be perfect. My dad wanted to be a football player, but my grandfather wanted it more. He was similar to your dad; always pushing and never letting up.

  “One day, my dad was sent to the hospital because of heat exhaustion. He was outside all day completing football drills my grandfather assigned to him. My dad was in high school, so he was still living with his parents. My grandfather sat on their wrap-around porch and coached from in front of a fan, with a glass of cold lemonade in his hand. They were living in Texas at the time, and my dad said the heat-index was over 120 degrees. It was mid afternoon, and the sun was at its hottest point. My grandfather wouldn’t let my dad take a water break until he finished the speed drill under a specific amount of time. My dad never reached his goal. He collapsed in the middle of their driveway, barely able to breathe.

  “I guess my grandmother came home at almost the same time and called an ambulance. She cursed my grandfather and wouldn’t speak to him for days. Tensions were high in their household, but my grandfather could only think about football. He kept trying to get my dad to go outside and practice more, but my grandmother objected. My dad needed to rest. He said those were the first five consecutive days of rest he ever received. He was grateful for a heat stroke.”

  “So you’re telling me I should fake a heat stroke?” I laughed.

  “No,” Parker smiled. “I’m not done yet.”

  I motioned for her to continue, watching her closely as she told her story. As she spoke, her nose wrinkled during parts she didn’t like, and her voice boomed during the more intense moments. She was such a vivid storyteller, and I could tell her writing would be magnificent.

  “My father decided to join the military, and it was almost the end of his relationship with his own father,” Parker said. “My dad said he wanted more than just football to define him, so he went against his own father’s wishes and did something he was passionate about. My father wanted to help people, and to fight for other people’s freedom. He stopped seeking his father’s approval, and looked to himself for guidance.”

  “Did it work?” I asked. “Your dad and I are quite similar, huh?”

  “It didn’t work at first,” Parker replied. “My grandfather wouldn’t talk to my dad for months. My grandmother would write letters while he was at basic training, but my dad would receive nothing from his own father. He told me that he started to lose hope. He thought his relationship with his father was officially over with; all because he made his own life decision for once. But it wasn’t over.

  “My dad was deployed immediately after his basic training was over. He flew to a country overseas and was immediately on the front line. Just two weeks after they got there, a big battle broke out. Many people in my dad’s infantry were killed. News was sent back home that many people were dying, but no names were given. My grandparents prepared for the worst, and that’s when my grandfather finally saw my father in a different light.”

  “So now you’re telling me I have to almost die for my father to appreciate me?” I laughed.

  “Are you even taking this seriously?” Parker asked sternly.

  “Yes, of course I am,” I replied. “I’m sorry. Keep going.”

  “It was the fact that my dad could have died, and my grandfather didn’t give my dad a chance. My grandfather went months without speaking to his own son. It was almost for the rest of his life. The idea of death made my grandfather realize that they didn’t have forever left,” Parker said. “Maybe your dad just needs to grasp the fact that there’s more to life than just football, and that you don’t have forever together.”

  Parker always knew what to say. Even if it wasn’t exactly what would help, she had some sort of story or life lesson to throw my way. It made me realize how lucky I was. My biggest problem was the fact that my dad was too involved in my life and wouldn’t let me live for myself. How pathetic was that?

  “I’m sorry,” I said suddenly, realizing Parker didn’t have it as easy.

  Parker furrowed her eyebrows, “For what?”

  “I’m so selfish,” I replied. “You’re always giving me advice or consoling me. For what? Because I have an issue with my father being too overbearing? You have so much more going on in your life; it isn’t fair of me.”

  “People suffer differently,” Parker responded. “I won’t take away from the fact that you are hurting simply because I have also felt pain. That’s what I want people to see in this novel: There are different ideas of suffering, and to invalidate one or the other because it may not be as intense will defeat the purpose.”

  I leaned forward, staring into Parker’s deep ocean eyes. I listened for movement in the house, realizing no one was home. With that, I reached
for Parker, grabbing her shirt and pulling her toward me. Our lips met passionately, and our clothes were quickly off. Our bodies were tangled together, and I kept falling in love.

  Parker

  On the last day of Junior Year, RJ convinced me to skip school with him.

  “You’ve aced all of your classes,” he said. “You don’t even need to go.”

  “I have almost perfect attendance,” I countered, remembering that I skipped school for a week after my mom died.

  “Please?” he pleaded.

  I eventually gave in, wondering what all of the fuss was about. RJ drove me to the waterfall we went to so many months ago. I could feel my hands begin to sweat as I remembered the night it was connected to.

  “Why did you bring me here?” I asked, exasperated.

  “I know it ended as a bad night, but I want to change that memory for you,” RJ replied.

  “You can’t change memories,” I repented.

  “Right, but you can make new ones,” RJ said. “I don’t want you to remember my favorite place as something negative. It is somewhere I go to have peace, and I have never taken anyone here before you. It was a really big moment for me. Even my brothers noticed. In a selfish way, I am here for me, but I’m also here to really show you my favorite place. We are closer now, and I can show you why it’s so special to me.”

  “It isn’t just your makeout spot?” I asked spitefully.

  RJ looked hurt. “No, it isn’t a makeout spot,” he said. “It’s a place I go to think. Like I said, you’re the only person I’ve ever brought here.”

  “Then show it to me,” I replied.

  RJ quickly got out of the driver’s seat and walked toward my door. He opened it for me, taking my hand. We walked with our fingers interlocked toward the waterfall. The sound of rushing water filled the air as we got closer.

  “We can go swimming, you know,” RJ smiled as we reached the edge of the water.

  I quickly turned toward him, making sure he was serious. He removed his shoes, letting me know it was no joke. I watched as he lifted his shirt above his head, revealing the chiseled body I had grown so accustomed to. I watched as he reached for his shorts, putting me in a trance.

  “Are you going to join me?” RJ laughed, clearly aware I was staring.

  “Is it cold?” I asked.

  “It’s warming up this time of year,” RJ replied. “Come on, don’t make me go in all by myself.”

  I smiled, slipping my shoes off. I reached for my shirt, but RJ beat me to it. He lifted it above my head, then traced his fingers down my torso, ending at my shorts. He unbuttoned them, and slid them down my legs. We were standing in just our undergarments, the sun kissing our skin. RJ reached for my back, unhooking my bra. As he did this, I grabbed his boxers and pulled them down. He followed by pulling my underwear down. We were then standing naked, taking in every inch of one another.

  “Shall we?” RJ asked, grabbing my hand and leading me toward the water.

  I had never gone skinny dipping before. The sensation that my skin felt as it entered the water was like no other. It was nothing like taking a bath. It was more exciting, and much more open. The water was cool, but not freezing. It was refreshing.

  We swam to the back of the waterfall and felt the water splashing on our bare bodies. RJ leaned against the ledge and pulled me toward him. I wrapped my legs around him as he held my butt up. He held me in a passionate embrace as I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his.

  We kissed like we did the first time we were here, but with more intensity. Electricity flowed through us as we grabbed at each other. I moaned in RJ’s ear as I clawed at his back. Our tongues danced back and forth, and our breathing became heavy. We barely came up for air, drowning in the passion we were feeling.

  Eventually, we decided to just swim. We swam back and forth, racing one another. RJ beat me every time. He could hold his breath for almost the entire length of the pond, which was an impressive distance. His strokes were effortless, while mine were anything but. I had never really enjoyed swimming, so I didn’t take my time getting to know the motions well enough. My dad used to describe my technique as a “fish out of water”. RJ was like a young Michael Phelps.

  “You’re good at anything you do,” I said, barely keeping my head above water.

  “So are you,” RJ countered.

  I laughed, inhaling more water than I intended to. I started coughing. “You’re funny.”

  “You’re a great writer,” RJ said, holding me above the water so I wouldn’t take anymore in.

  “How do you know?” I asked, knowing I still hadn’t shown him any of my work.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to show him, I was just scared. I only shared my writing with my mother, so it would be a big step to share it with others. I knew I would have to once my novel was out there, but it still made me nervous.

  “I just know,” RJ smiled.

  We swam for a few more minutes before RJ decided it was time to go. “Come on,” he motioned. “We have somewhere else to be on our super fun day of skipping school.”

  “You actually planned this day out?” I asked.

  “Duh,” he replied. “You think I’m just going to convince you to skip school without having a perfectly logical reason behind it? I know you better than that.”

  I smiled and followed him out of the pond. “Did you think of towels?” I asked.

  “I did,” RJ smiled, “but they’re in the car. I’ll run quickly.”

  “So you’re going to leave me naked in the middle of the woods?” I asked frantically. “What if someone tries to kill me?”

  RJ laughed. “Who is here? Let’s run to the car together, then.”

  We grabbed our clothes and ran toward the car. A few bushes brushed against my leg, causing me to jump and scream into RJ’s arms. He laughed at me, grabbing my hand and pulling me along behind him.

  By the time we reached the car, we were already almost dry. RJ threw a towel at me, and I quickly dried off any water that was dripping from me. I slipped my clothes on and hopped in the car. We turned the radio up and sang along to Machine Gun Kelly and Halsey. RJ rolled the windows down, and we let the speed of the car blow wind in our direction. My hair blew all around, oftentimes covering my eyes.

  It was one of the most carefree days I had ever experienced, and it wasn’t even over with. I understood the appeal of RJ’s favorite spot, and a new appreciation formed in my mind.

  RJ

  Seeing Parker naked in my favorite place since I was a kid was an encounter I would never forget. The sun made her body glow even more, and each curve was lit up like a Christmas tree. My heart beat at a rapid rate when she was pressed against me, clawing at my back and moaning sweet nothings in my direction. It was unlike any euphoria I had ever felt.

  Once we left the waterfall, I wouldn’t tell Parker where we were headed next. I wanted it to be a day of surprises. First, we stopped at her house so she could change clothes and fix her hair.

  “Is this a public place we are going to?” she asked. When I nodded, she refused to go until she could fix her appearance.

  “You’re beautiful, Parker,” I said, not wanting to make any extra stops.

  “I will not go anywhere until I at least get a brush through this hair,” she demanded. “My mom is looking down on me right now with pain in her eyes as she sees what a mess I have made of it.”

  I laughed. How dramatic. I gave in. “Quickly,” I pleaded.

  “How should I dress?” Parker pried. “Casual? Fancy? Semi-fancy?”

  “Stop trying to get information out of me,” I rolled my eyes. “Wear a skirt and a cute top, or jeans and a cute top. I don’t know; you’re always cute so I can’t really say.”

  “So I need to look cute?” she asked, basically ignoring anything I had said.

  “Just go quickly,” I said as we pulled into her driveway.

  “Want to come help?” she asked, biting her lip.

  “Do
n’t tease me like that,” I said softly. “I would rip those clothes off for you, but we can’t be too late.”

  “Ah, so there is a specific time we must be somewhere,” Parker said, still probing for information.

  I looked down into her eyes with a stern look. “You better get in there right now,” I demanded.

  “Or what?” she flirted back.

  “You are naughty,” I said. “If we weren’t so pressed for time, I would take you upstairs and rip those clothes off of you.”

  “Then what?” Parker reached over and whispered in my ear.

  Damn her. She knew it was one of my weaknesses. “Let’s go,” I said, opening my door and walking toward her side. I opened her door and grabbed her hand.

  We walked quickly to her bedroom, where we frantically took one another’s clothes off. It was one of the quickest yet most intense moments of my life. I had never sweat so much in such a short period of time. Our movements were so strong and deliberate. We knew we had little time, yet we made the most of it.

  Once we finished, we quickly showered to rinse off the sweat we just produced. Parker dried her hair and put on a pair of tight jeans with a white and pink floral blouse. It was loose around the shoulders and tighter on her waist, leaving nothing to my imagination. She slipped on a pair of tan colored sandals, and we walked out the door.

  As we neared our destination, I couldn’t stop my leg from shaking. The anticipation grew with every turn we took. I had been planning this moment for weeks. I contacted dozens of people, trying to make it a time that Parker would never forget. I wanted her to know she was appreciated. I wanted her to know that everything she did in life mattered. Most importantly, I wanted her to know that her mom would be proud of her in everything she had already accomplished in life.

  “Why are you so shaky?” Parker noticed.

  “No reason,” I replied quickly.

  “What is going on?” she asked. “Why do you seem so nervous? What are you hiding from me?”