PARKER

The nerves in my stomach bubbled. My little worries refused to settle down like a bag of hot popcorn still popping, even after the microwave deemed it finished. Now those little nuggets started to burn, and I could taste it. Glancing behind my shoulder, grazing the faces at Taylor #5's party, I tried to find reason in these worries. I felt like some unearthly being was standing just outside my vision, watching me and waiting for the perfect opportunity to pants me in front of the entire drama department.

"Have you seen Lizzie?" I asked Jordan and Ian, who were sitting together on the couch. Despite there being an entirely unoccupied side of the couch and another empty sectional, the boys sat snuggly, wedged into the corner. Ian rested his elbow just behind Jordan with a look that told me I wasn't welcome. The gesture was casual enough not to raise too many questions. Close enough to keep people away.

But not me.

I'm the best at purposely not taking a hint.

"No, we haven't. Go away," Ian deadpanned.

"Is everything okay?" Jordan asked, his puppy dog eyes welling up with worry.

Ian groaned and detached from Prince Charming's side, sinking into the back cushion.

"Have you asked Camille?"

"I can't find her either. Or Norah."

"I'm sure they're fine," Emily insisted, returning to my side with two ice-cold sodas. "Can you like relax for two seconds? Just have fun."

"Yeah, but I need to talk to her."

"It can wait, I promise."

Emily grabbed my wrist and pulled me from the boys. We wandered the party, talking about something, but I wasn't really listening. My eyes were looking through the cast. My heart skipped a beat every time someone walked into the room. Every time I caught the end of someone's short dark hair. Quickly, my hopes were always shattered to see someone other than Elizabeth Gloria Medina Hernandez.

"So? Do you want to?" Emily asked me crisply as if this wasn't the first time she asked me.

"Want to what?" I asked, finally gracing Emily with my full attention. We leaned against the wall as everyone else stood crowded around the living room. Behind us was one of Taylor's dad's photos of an icy forest, sparse of life and covered in snow.

"Do you want to go to the High Museum with me next week?" She turned towards me, her hand grazing up the side of my arm. "I miss hanging out with you. It's been lonely. My life has been quiet without you. I didn't realize how much I liked the noise. How much I liked..."

Her warm hazel eyes flickered up into mine, locking with me. My chest squeezed in a familiar way, but I wrestled with that knot and let it loosen and fall limp.

"Emily," I tried to stop her.

"I think we should try again. I'm sorry for breaking your heart. I've learned my lesson and I won't let you go again."

She touched my cheek and I knew what came next in this dance. A month ago, I would've done anything to kiss Emily again. Tonight, I grabbed her wrist and touched my forehead with hers. "I'm sorry, Em..." I lifted my head. "I don't want to get back together. We weren't good with each other."

"But we could be." Emily's chin trembled, but her jaw fought back and tightened. Her emotions were a splattered mess across her face, shocked widened eyes, a fierce anger straightening her lips while her nose flared, readying for a stream of tears. "Things have changed. You don't even want to try?"

"Things have changed and now, I'm the kind of person who doesn't want this anymore. I'm sorry—"

"I can't believe this!" She shoved me and I took a stumbling step back. "You don't even want to try! It's not fair and it's so mean..." The tears began to fall in fast streams. Everyone's phones must've received a flash flood warning message. "You changed for Lizzie. Why couldn't you change for me? Why her? What's so great about her? Do you know what it's like? Getting treated like garbage and then being forced to watch you be so sweet to another girl?"

"I'm sorry. I know you're mad, but—"

"You think I'm mad? I'm not mad, I'm—" Emily tried to open her mouth to say more, but only a sob fell at my feet. "Don't make me say it!"

She threw the last of her drink at me, before whipping around and running out of the room. She zoomed past Taylor #5, who immediately locked eyes with me. She threw her hands up as if asking what on earth I had done. I just lifted my arms in innocence, which just earned me an eye roll and a huff. Taylor #5 chased after Emily for me.

Thank God.

I shrugged off my jacket, wiping it up and down to shake out the splotches of brown sugary stains bleeding across my outfit. That was too great of a punishment to ruin this jacket. That I was going to have to give back. Dammit. I knew it was too good to be true.

"Where is everybody?" I grumbled when something flew out of the pocket. A little folded up piece of paper flopped on the floor and I did a double-take, glancing around to make sure this definitely came from me.

Dropping to my hindlegs, I picked up the lined notebook paper. I unfolded it to find a message:

"Dear Parker,

I've been lying to you this whole time.

It wasn't "hate at first sight". I'm sure at some point in the saga that was our relationship, I definitely said I hated you the very first time I laid eyes on you, but that's just a lie. The truth is, I liked you first, hated you second, eventually liked you again and now... well.

Do you remember when Camille first introduced us?

We met up at her house and watched a couple of random movies. We barely spoke because I'm awkward and I was so mad at Camille for not warning me about how hot her new friend was. But you. You made faces at me through the whole movie. Whenever I peeked at you, you'd make some random face and I tried not to laugh. I tried to bear it and not smile, so I might look cool. I regret not just laughing. Maybe things would've been different.

Maybe we wouldn't have wasted so much time.

I guess I'm trying to say that I'm in love with you. I think you like me too. So to me, the only thing we can do is be together. Do you want to be my girlfriend? (For real this time)

Please check yes or no.

Lizzie..."

And then, at the bottom, there were two little boxes for me to decide.

I read it again. And again. Still holding onto the note because I don't think it was physically possible for me to let go of the note, I grabbed the leather jacket, looking at it again with the bouquet and everything when it hit me.

Lizzie got me this jacket.

Or why else would there be this note.

"Fuck."

I scrambled to take out my phone as I put the jacket back on, I tried dialing Camille yet again, but as if I summoned her, I could hear her voice. Frantically, with my heartbeat vibrating through my veins, I trailed Camille's voice and others towards the kitchen to find Norah getting into Emily's face. Black tears streaked Emily's flushed cheeks as she yelled back.

It was like turning the corner and discovering a car wreck after the action. Now there was only wreckage, fire and the smell of gasoline.

"I heard you, Emily," Norah growled. I had never seen Norah that mad. Even when we fought, she never got that mad. Any moment, I expected her to burst into flames. "Tell the truth, what did you say?"

"Emily, I swear to God, I will grab you by your frizzy head and take this outside," Camille threatened, rolling up her sleeves. She took one step towards Emily, but Taylor #5 made herself into a protective wall between the girls.

"No, you won't," Taylor #5 glowered.

"What's going on?" I asked, hurrying over.

Norah's eyes sprung open. She ran up to me, grabbing my arms as she pleaded, "Parker! I think Emily called Lizzie's parents."

"What?" The blood drained from my face. "Emily! You didn't!"

"You can't prove it!" Taylor #5 argued.

"What did you tell them?" I asked, only looking at Emily. "You can hurt me all you like, but you need to leave Lizzie alone. She didn't do anything wrong."

Emily's eyes filled with tears again. She hugged herself, staying behind Taylor #5 just in case. "I told them that someone was toilet papering their house and they better get there soon."

"You what?!" Camille yelled, lunging for Emily, but I snagged her wrist and yanked her towards the exit. We didn't have time to fight.

"Leave her, we gotta go!"

Camille still fought me, so Norah scooped up her tiny girlfriend and carried her out of the house as she screamed curses at Emily for the whole house to hear. If Camille's magic was real, Emily would live the rest of her life with bad skin, horrible luck with new restaurants, and bed bugs. Before I left the kitchen, I looked at Emily one last time and shook my head. "Not cool, Em. Not cool."

Finally, I raced to Camille's car, throwing myself in the back. I beat my fists against the front seat. "Go! Go! Go!"

"I'm going!" Camille yelled back and floored the gas pedal. I was knocked back by the force and nearly did a flip into the backseat. Scrambling to get back up, I held onto the headrest for dear life and looked back at Lizzie's note. "I'm so stupid!" I told them.

"I've been telling you that for ages."

"Nice jacket," Norah said.

"Lizzie got it for me..." I said, finally looking at the back of the note and finding something else:

Lizzie's "Lizzie x Parker" Playlist...

"Why does Taylor live in fucking nowhere?!" Camille yelled and her engine growled.

I lunged for Camille's aux cord and desperately searched for Lizzie's Spotify playlist, my data plan be damned. My finger nearly cracked the screen as I slammed the play button. Soft music poured from Camille's speakers and my heart swelled up, stuffing the entirety of my chest with the fluff of crisp white clouds:

1. Will You Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles

2. Be My Baby by The Ronettes

3. Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

4. My Girl by The Temptations

5. Etc...

And the playlist went on and on, ending with Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love with You." I can't believe I almost missed this. I can't believe I almost missed everything. From falling in love with Lizzie to making friends with Norah to meeting Miss Patty to making the costumes and using the tiara and even forgiving my dad.

It has been the best thirty days of my life.

And I wanted a lot more.

#

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Give me those thoughts and feelings ~ What did you think about Emily and Parker's come to Jesus moment? Who would win in a fight between Norah, Camille, Taylor #5 and Emily? Did you really think I wouldn't slip ONE more playlist into this book? Haha. I actually have a legit Spotify playlist with this playlist (which I will of course link). 

Love you guys. 

Twitter: @AuburnMorrow

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