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And she hasn’t really spoken to er" Mom wipes her eyes Dad nods and wraps an arer"

That’s a dig at uess it was just his time," Dad says after a while

"Lucky him," I say

It just slips out

"What did you say?" Dad’s voice is sharp He givesand"Parker, get back here and tell me what you said--Parker!"

"What did she say?" Mom asks

And of course they can’t just leave it at that On Monday, on ue turns into this:

"Make sure you coht home after school"

I pause at the door

"Why?"

"Because your mother and I need to talk with you"

Think quick, Parker

"I can’t"

Dad lowers the paper and looks at me, like, I don’t know

"Why?"

"I proive her so routines she’s planned She’s not feeling so confident about the to" I fuot to ask Sorry"

He frowns and thinks about it Doesn’t even notice I don’t have an overnight bag or anything, but doesn’t want to believe that after all this I would still lie It’s sad

"Fine," he says, returning to the paper "Tomorrow then"

"Death freaksto be one of those days

"Thanks for sharing," I say I’a tree Art is back to normal, as in no one really cares "I don’t knohat I ever would have done had you not told me that about you"

He frowns

"I don’t like it It always h this process where I have to decide how ih about them That freaks me out, too Does that happen to you? Did it happen to you?" "Nope"

"So I called ive hi about this we’re not talking about Bailey or ht I was calling to beg to coo so hen she found out I wasn’t"

"That sucks"

"Yeah"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"What can I do about it?" He shrugs "She’s decided; I’ve decided I called her and she shut me out"

"Does it make you feel worse or better?"

He thinks about it for a second

"I thought I’d be happy for the closure But it’s worse, actually I feel guilty"

"So what happens next?"

He shrugs again

"I keep going fro between us at the saers there and I freeze

"Your hand is on my hand," I say in this completely stupid voice

And then Chris struts over under Norton’s disapproving gaze, but since the sun is shining and it’s nice out he’s feeling lenient enough not to shout Chris back to his seat

"Hey, Jake Rain check tonight"

"What?" Jake turns around "What the fuck?"

"Sorry," Chris says, glancing at ot romantic-type plans"

I roll my eyes Becky’s idea of "romantic" is no underwear

"So?" Jake asks

"So," Chris says slowly, leaning forward, "I can either fuck Becky or dick around with you What do you think I’ to choose?"

"Oh, fuck off," Jake mutters "Asshole"

Chris punches him in the arm

"Thanks, ot until I count to three to get back to your seat, Ellory," Norton says lazily from the front of the rooht?" I ask