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

as I turned my head to the side so I could see his face move.
“Okay what is it? Your being way to kind. No teasing. Wait no I take that back but still.....” I was still coming to turns with how lucky I was to still have someone who cared. Or more than cared since he was obsessed with telling me every night before we departed for our different rooms that he loved me. Every time sending the same happy shiver through me.
“Does there have to be something wrong for me to be kind to you?” he asked raising his questioning eye brow at me which I court from the side of my left eye.
“Well...... I don’t know” I admitted letting him laugh at my exasperated face before turning his head to face my neck and kissing it quickly before moving away to take the pan once again out of my hands and placing it in a bag he had somehow pulled out of the cabernet next to where I was standing. How did he do that?
I turned around leaning against the sink and watched him twist the top of the plastic bag and tie it in two before picking up the bin bag I had just emptied out the food and doing the same with that. With one in each hand he kissed me on the forehead before walking to the front door and the garbage bins that sat on his porch. I stayed leaning against the sink while I heard him talking to his neighbour who he complained several times would keep him talking for half an hour out in the freezing cold without a jacket. I laughed silently to myself before pushing off of the sink and marching over to the door and into the living room where I think I had left my phone.
“Yeah Rose is staying with me. So how’s your cat?” I heard Parker voice drift in threw the still open door as the neighbour must have asked about me. I found my phone on the settee where I had abandoned it last night when becoming too tired to text Sophie and inform her on my free day stay at Parkers luxury house. And I mean luxury he had not been joking when he said him family were not on the poor side. Nowhere near was more like it. I mean my family had come in to some money well enough to be able to buy a house the size of the one I had now pretty much abandoned but this place it was huge! And beautiful. Half on a cliff half pretty much hanging off with stilts attached.
I flipped the phone open making the screen light up a bright shade of white as it turned itself on. The sudden vibration of texts coming through sent shocks threw my hand as I looked down to discover what Sophie had said after I had said good night.

Rose hey txt me 2moz need 2 talk 2 u! Xxx S

Well okay.... Sophie had been acting jumpy and not really herself ever since she had come round to my place that day..... the day she found out mum had ......well.... moved on. The thought still made tears prick to my eyes. Free day really is not enough time to get over it. Even though this really was a short amount of time to even think about getting over it I couldn’t even start to image myself doing it. Even though I know from my classes that it takes time and forgiveness to start off with. I just couldn’t seem to get that. This was really my fault so why try to shove it on someone else. Well this is defiantly putting and damper on my career as a consoler/ art therapist.
“Rose. You can stop staring at that message so intently anytime now.” Parkers hand started waving in front of my face as I continued to stare absently at the screen that had started to sleep. I snapped out of it quickly trying to act like normal like I had not really been thinking emo’ish thoughts again..... what a positive way to start the day. Parker had talked me in to this thing where I had to at least think five positive things before I eat lunch. Most of them at the moment include him which he very well knows. Typical.
I feel arms going round my middle before what felt like a hard bolder came behind my back supporting me. I leaned my head up to look at Parkers face before closing my eyes and turning round to face him laying my head against his chest as he pulls me tight against him taking my thoughts away. I raised my head up so I could lean against his shoulder before he steered me over to the settee and pulled me down on his lap where I curled up no longer having a complain since I could take most of my waist by putting my socked feet on the other side of him on the settee.
“Rose don’t just hold it in please. I sound like a broken cheesy record but I mean it.” He whispered into my hair as images of him saying this to me over and over again ever since I moved in. I left my eyes closed until I felt Parker stiffen as him hand stocked my cheek since I hadn’t replied. I lifted my head opening my eyes before lifting my lips to his and losing myself in his sweet arms. I am really turning my life into one of those really bad sitcom movies. Never a good sine......

The day pretty much went on like that. Me curled up next to Parker occasionally kissing or pulling me closer so he could give me a big bear hug. The TV in front of us never even turned on as we sent our day comforting each other. Yeah soppy I know; I really needed it.
We both heard the phone ring at the same time. Turning our heads to look in the direction of the hand set on the other side of the room. Reluctantly I leaned away from Parker who slowly pushed himself up from the settee; grabbing my hand and pulling me with him. It shouldn’t have but it really did make my heart beat several times faster than it normally would.
With his arm now around my shoulders and me tucked against his side he picked up the phone and murmured a slightly annoyed hello into the speaker. I pretty much blanked out after that since I was concentrating on all the little notes Parker must have left himself while on the phone to people. Dates, times, comments there were even a few doodles on a piece of paper on the side where he must have been on a very long and boring convocation to someone. There were imprints of him all over the house from all the times he had past the halls and all the mess he and left behind. its crazy how after only knowing someone for two almost free weeks could make me feel like I had known them my whole life. I felt like I knew Parker more than I knew most people that I had known for years. Yet there was still so much stuff that I didn’t know and was in no hurry to find out either.
Cody hadn’t bothered me since I had moved out of my family’s house. For this I am grateful. Whatever twisted plan he had had planned have not been acted on; hopefully won’t be acted on anytime soon either. Tucking my head under Parkers arm I close my eyes hoping that all the horrific things that have happened over the last two years will just stop and I can finally just be happy with what I have left without someone trying their hardest to stop that. At any costs.
Life hopefully would start to go back to normal and any situation like the ne I'm sure Sophie is going to bring up when I call her back. Later..... I just hope Brendon is not involved; at least he is something I can deal with now. I can’t really give a damn anymore about anything trying to ruin whatever this is that I have now. I have something that I can depend on and that someone is hanging up the phone right now and turning round to kiss my forehead as I snuggle under his arm. Things are going to be okay.

We both looked around at the same time. In time to see a slight dark mist hovering in the door way twisting and turning as it struggled to stay visible. Cody. The light in the room was bright making it easier to see him. His shape taking shape slowly as my heart started to beat a hundred mile an hour. Had in not just had convocation with myself about how everything is going to be okay. How Cody had chosen to move on. Stop making my life misery. Well I have never believed in jinxing things before but now. Hell!
I stood still with parkers arms still around my back and his head slightly turned in my direction. I swallowed loudly before pulling my back up straight and squaring my shoulders. Although I couldn’t stop my hand from shaking a little and decided to hind them behind my back for safety reasons. Parkers arm came around me more tightly while he still started a death glare at his brother who was just hovering there still fading in and out of forces. We stood there still until all that was visible was a hand. Cody’s hand. He waved once before the image slipped away completely.
My mind took time to come to terms with what had just happened. It had been easier earlier when I had been able to convince myself that he would stop without actually proof.
Parker was the first to speak his voice confused but firm although I could still detect that sadness I had sense before when he had been thinking of his lost brother.
For all the things that Cody had done. All thing things he had threatened I still couldn’t hate him. He was Parkers brother and I loved Parker. I couldn’t hate someone he loved so much.
“Well it’s over. Finally.” He looked down at me then and pulled me up into his arms hugging me tightly keeping me to his chest. I hugged him back trying my best to comfort him to. We really were going to be alright. Everything is.
 
Two years later: Saturday 12:46pm
When I woke up this morning to find Parker lying next to me with his arm thrown drastically over his head they way he does when he’s thinking. I knew that today would be different. Don’t ask me how but the years since I had met Parker had made me attuned to his moods and if he had something planned. The years had gone by but most things are the same. I am at the same collage studying art and English. Parkers starting Uni in the fall but is still staying in Brighton since his course is not that far away. Trust me I am glad about that. After my 20th birthday last month Parker had been acting strange. A good strange I'm not sure about.
Putting thoughts thought out of my mind I sat up and rubbed my eyes before I felt Parkers arms going around my waist and pulling me to his chest. I snuggled down knowing it would be some time before I actually find out what it is that has been troubling him for this time.