Another Life, JenniferNewman [short story to read .TXT] 📗

a load of comfort by holding me it would just be a whole lot worse if I started to cry.
Of course as soon as I thought it large teardrops started to slip down my cheeks and no sooner had they started I realized I couldn’t stop! I tried to bury my face in Parker’s shoulder in a bad excuse of hiding my face but of course Parker noticed and pulls my face round so that he can see me properly with his hand while still keeping the other around me.
“Sweetheart don’t cry it’s okay. I swear I won’t let him touch you! You have nothing to worry about.” He smoothed my hair back from my face and shuffled me back so that I was leaning on his shoulder but so that he could still see my face. His comforting words did near to nothing to calm my already high nerves.
I leaned into his shoulder more as my tears started to turn into great big sobs. How did this keep happening I hardly ever cried! This was pathetic but at the same time I thought this I knew that I couldn’t stop. I needed to let it out and Parker was still trying to comfort me with sweet nicknames like sweetheart and honey ect…
I gave up on trying to keep my tears at bag and just let myself cry. Cry and cry.

It was a wonder at all that I could stop. Five or twenty minutes later I was still on Parker’s lap even though I had ‘tried’ to tell him a million times that I would be squishing him soon although he might not have been able to understand me since I had been still sobbing my heart out and he had instantly just shushed me.
I pulled my head up but turned it away from Parker so as to not let him see my blotchy red face. Talk about another thing to worry about much. If only it was that simple. Still keeping my face away from Parker I shifted myself so that I could get up easily without hurting myself with my clumsy state.
I slide myself off Parker without his complaint. Much. I sat down next to him all the while keeping my face turned the other way.
“Oh come on your not going to totally ignore me now? You have every right to be scared or upset. You just don’t need to be he’s never going to hurt you, or I mean if tis is about something else then you still have every right. You can’t just hold in everything it’s not normal. Anyway I would rather you cried when I or someone else was around I mean if that ever can up again. I mean I hate the thought of you crying your eyes out on your own…..and now I’m just talking myself into a corner and making no sense please feel welcome to tell me to shut up!” Had he even taken a breath throughout that speak?
I smiled slightly feeling my jore click from lack of use and finally peaked back up at him trying not to think about how horrible I must look. Hopefully with most of my heavy hair over my face he won’t be able to see…..
“Is that the best smile I’m going to get?” he laughed slinging his arm round me and pulling my face to his side. Saving me from having to keep hiding my face till it calmed down to its usual tan color.
“Thanks.” I muttered into Parker’s side. I could feel his hand softly smoothing my hair down the side of my face as I continued to hide.
OH MY GOD! What time was it? I thought as I jumped away from Parker and picked up my phone to check the time. 4:58pm oh crap…..
I squeezed my eyes closed and then went over to the living room mirror with its brown border and shell corners to look at my reflection. Scared of what I might see. When I looked into the shinny surface area I saw that my face was once again its normal complexion it was just my eyes which were bright red and I mean what was the most give away thing about crying. The eyes. I groaned before turning back to Parker not looking at him directly and said,
“Sorry I forgot I had to meet my Mum…… one second. You can turn on the TV and watch something if you like.” I yelped before disappearing from the room and running up to the bathroom in the hall which was nearer than my room.
I found my make up bag in the stand I always left it on when I couldn’t be bothered to bring it back upstairs. I unzipped the top half and pulled out my foundation and lipstick the only one I could find was my bright red one. Well at least it would distract people from my flaming eyes and no doubt soon to be cheeks.
I horridly rushed to put both things on and then dug back into the bag trying to find my mascara. When I finely found that and applied three coats. Hopefully this would somehow cover up my eyes which were slowly returning to their normal color.
I looked back up at the mirror to make sure I had gotten near enough all the evidence of my crying episode and then plonked my make up bag back down on the countered before running back down the stairs to where we kept the coats under the stairs and pulled out my blue American cheerleaders jacket from the front and pulled it on. I glanced up[ at the clock in the hall before re-entering the living room where Parker was standing looking at photos on my mantel piece. Well I would have to be embarrassed about that later I was in a rush since I really didn’t want to give my Mum reason to complain at me every time I was late for something the same way I did for her.
Parker turned round as I entered and raised his eye brow. Oh yeah he thought I was mad!
“In a rush?” he asked looking at my coat and walking over to me and leaning against the door frame next to where I was standing. I nodded and rolled my eyes at the note that I had left on the coffee table. Parker laughed before following me towards the door which I had started to. I mean I was already five minutes late and I really didn’t want to be any more or I would never get away with my lateness again plus if I wasn’t there when Mum picked out what we were going to have to eat for the rest of the week it would be murder trying to understand all the furan food she would have bought. She would always say that I would remind her of her and Dads honeymoon in whatever countries they had gone to they had somehow managed to visit seven different countries in the space of two months. I never questioned her about the food but would never be seen cooking it since I had no idea what I was supposed to do with it all. Through it all together?
I grabbed my keys as I disappeared out the door with Parker right behind me. I remembered the incident the time when Parker was in my kitchen and I had turned to quick god I really did manage to embarrass myself way to much when Parker was concerned. I also remembered the coffee problem and just knew that I was blushing a deep red.
As I closed the door behind me and Parker putting the key in my brown stitched hand bag and turning round to face Parker who was still standing just behind me.
“Sorry, I forgot my Mum had asked me to go food shopping with her. It’s impossible to get any descent food if I’m not there.” I apologized starting to walk again. Parker followed by my side looking amused AGAIN! I was starting to think that this was just his normal expression when he said,
“That’s no problem. I pretty much know what you mean it was all ways my brother and sister who bought the food and cooked it now were just skewed.” He smiled again looking down at me before putting his arm round my waist and walking a little faster.
Was this really the first time he had told me anything about his family apart from the fact that my Dad had killed his elder brother two years ago. Apart from this tiny fact I pretty much new nothing. And I was starting to feel bad about it. One I had never asked and two what he told me made me regretful. His brother had looked after his family and now he could not thanks to some stupid decision my Dad had made. Which now had coursed a lot of pain and grief between family and friends on both sides.
I looked down as we carried on walking faster as we neared Sainsbury’s gigantic sine. We had been in silence for most of the walk but it was not an awkward silence like I sometimes had back with Brendon or TJ before that, it was nice. Okay I really was starting to question my sanity but who cares this is fun and if this was mad I guess I could live with it. Apart from the psycho ghost trying to kill me with every move I take. That parts not so cool.
The day was not as warm as it had been but still I really didn’t need my coat the sun was still beating down on the people of Brighton leaving sunburn and tans everywhere you looked.
I could see some people wearing swimming customs with towel around their waist walking in the general direction of the pebbly beach. I felt like doing just that going down for a swim at the local pool or even the not so ruff sea would be right choice right now but instead I was walking down to Sainsbury’s with my…. Well my new boyfriend at my side. Strange way to think about it but still.
We neared the entrance to the wide electric doors and promptly glided through.
No where to find my Mum? I turned to Parker and thanked him for walking me but he really didn’t have to walk around food stores while my Mum tried to persuade me to buy something I can’t even pronounce the name of. He just laughed and kissed my forehead and glanced around the near isle checking for unknown persons.
2Just take your phone and call me if…” He handed me the phone how had he picked that up and how had I managed to forget it? He trained off when a family with two five year old children came round the corner and screamed,
“BUT I WANT CHOCOLATE!” At the top of their lungs.
“Well you know, just call okay?” I nodded when he finished and he gave me quick hug before saying,
“your Mum’s in isle 3 by the way” and then turning to go. I waved and the quickly turned to see sure enough my Mum walking down isle 3 with already five different things in her trolley.

Chapter Six: Monday 2:21am
I woke up to the soft tapping of fingers on glass. I didn’t think much of it until I opened one eye and noticed the time. Why on earth was I awake!?! I groaned and slammed my head back onto the pillow.
I heard once again the sound of tapping and opened my