Contagious

“So if you're some really great singer, why didn't you take a choir class instead of study hall?” Orion asked as the two of them walked into the gym.

Parker shrugged. “Beyond the fact that I didn't get a say in my schedule at all?”

Orion smiled.

“I thought it was too cliché,” she told her. She saw Martin instantly on the other side of the gym, watching her, and she looked away, following Orion into the locker room. She frowned when she saw Dallas in the locker room, changing into her gym clothes. Confused, she spoke slowly and without thinking. “What are you doing here?”

Dallas smiled, pulling the regulation gym shorts up her skinny legs. “My schedule was changed,” she told her before reaching for her gym shoes.

“Convenient,” Parker muttered.

“Afraid of a little competition?” Orion asked, hands on her hips.

Parker rolled her eyes and set her bag down, changing into her gym clothes as the two cousins argued.

“Please, she is not competition,” Dallas said, laughing.

Parker frowned. That comment went beyond the simple thought of what she would do if she even did like Martin (which was nothing) and alluded that even if she did (and she didn't) that she didn't have a chance. She knew she would have more of a chance than anyone else—she knew Martin...or used to. She knew things about him that he would never tell anyone else. She set her bag into her gym locker and slammed the door shut, turning to face Dallas. “What did you just say?”

Dallas sneered down at her, hands on her thin hips. “I said that you aren't competition.”

Parker laughed lightly. “Honey, if I really did want him, you wouldn't stand a chance.”

“Is that so?” Dallas asked. “Last time I checked, he was mine.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Funny. Because last time I checked, I had him first. In more ways than one,” she told her.

Dallas frowned and clenched her fists. “He doesn't want you anymore.”

“I never said he did. And I never said I wanted him either.”

“Good. Because he would never leave me for you,” Dallas snapped.

Parker smiled. “You sure about that?”

“Watch your back,” she warned, shoving past her, causing Parker to fall against the lockers and hit her shoulder.

Orion stuck her foot out just in time, tripping her cousin right as she walked by. The simple action caused Dallas to face plant on the dirty floor. “Don't hit my friend,” Orion told her, reaching over and grabbing Parker's hand, pulling her out of the locker room. “You had him first?” she whispered, words spilling from her mouth so fast that they seemed to become one word.

Parker blushed. “It just slipped out, I assure you.”

Orion rolled her eyes. “You're not over him,” she said. It wasn't a statement and she wasn't waiting for Parker to correct her. It was a mere observation and they both knew that.

Parker sighed and looked back across the gym; Martin had also changed into the school regulation gym clothes (but he pulled them off better than the other boys). She looked away before he caught her staring—he always had a sixth sense about that. “I never said I was.”

+

Martin's eyes widened as they fell on Dallas. “What...are you doing here, Dal?” he asked, trying to fake the happy-but-surprised emotion he was going for.

Dallas smiled. “I switched my classes a little. I felt bad that we didn't have any together so I thought I could do a little switchy.”

He nodded slowly, a less-than-believable smile on his face. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “Totally. You don't believe me?”

“No, I do,” he said. Part of him hoped it was jealousy since Parker was back. He retracted that thought quickly, feeling guilty that he would ever wish such an unhappy feeling on anyone—especially his girlfriend.

Dallas smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her eat against his chest. Her eyes landed on Parker through her bangs and she smiled, mocking. It's on, she mouthed to the red-head, knowing Parker could understand her clearly.

+

two weeks later...

Paul waited for the final bell of the day to ring—he wanted to get out of class so he could find Parker. The second the bell rang, he was out the door and rushing for her locker.

He had a plan.

The past two weeks had been filled with awkward silences in conversation when he was talking to Martin and Parker was brought up; or when he was talking to Parker and Martin was brought up. It was filled with Martin having to separate his time so he could see each of them, since neither one wanted to compromise and budge and hang out like they used to.

He wasn't sure if his plan was going to work or not but he was going to try. He wanted the three of them to be able to hang out and have fun like they used to—whether it was sneaking into R-rated movies at the B-rate movie theater in the middle of town or dine-and-dashing at the local diner, whether it was spray-painting the trains when they were stopped in town or making mock covers of their favorite songs in Paul's basement. He missed it. And he was going to force them to spend time together—it was the last thing either of them wanted. But that was precisely why it was Paul's first plan.

“Hey, Parker,” Paul greeted, leaning against the locker next to hers.

Parker smiled as she grabbed her jacket and bag, still slightly sweaty from gym (which was her last class) but it was nothing she couldn't handle. If she could handle Arizona heat in the middle of July for Warped Tour, she could handle running sprints in the gym and pull-ups for ten minutes straight. “Hey, Poolie. What's up?”

He smiled at the nickname, not surprised that she actually remembered it. “How much do you love me?”

She shook her head. “Not enough for whatever you're thinking. What are you planning?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, her orange and yellow bangs falling over her eyes.

Paul pouted, feigning offense. “Now, why do you suggest I'm up to something?”

“Some things never change,” she told him, patting his forearm affectionately.

“Well, I was going to ask you a question...but I can see you're not interested,” he said, turning away.

Parker rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, stopping him. “No, no. You can't do that. Finish what you started.”

Paul smiled. “We're having band practice in my basement after school. Please come.”

She sighed. “Paul—“

“Please,” he pleaded, pouting. “For me! You won't even have to look at Martin!”

She rose an eyebrow at him as if to say 'yeah, right.'

He sighed. “Okay, fine, but you don't have to talk to him. Please? For me?” he asked again, wrapping his arms around her tightly in a hug that her five-foot-four frame couldn't fight. “Please, please, please!”

“Okay, okay! I can't breathe, Poolie!” she said through laughter.

Paul smiled and sat her down. “For someone who couldn't breathe, you sure could scream.”

She took a few deep breaths and flipped him off, smiling as she did so. “I'll go. Can Orion come, too?” she asked. If she was going to be stuck in a basement with Martin (sure, and the rest of the guys) for a few hours, then her best friend (well, best female friend...) was going with her.

Paul bit his lip. “Dallas is going to be there,” he told her simply.

“That's not what I asked, Poolie.”

He sighed. “Sure. She can come. But no cat fights!”

She nodded. “I promise.”

He paused briefly. “Well, unless you all take your tops off.”

Parker slapped him on the shoulder. “Jerk. When should we be over?”

“Four,” he told her, beginning to walk away.

“Hey, what's your band's name?” she called after him.

Paul turned around and smiled, still walking backwards. “We have absolutely no idea yet!”

Parker laughed. That's Paul for ya... she thought to herself.

+

“Tell me again why we're doing this?” Orion asked as they walked the two blocks from Parker's house to Paul's.

Parker shrugged. “He asked me to come and I forced you to join me.”

Orion rolled her eyes. “No shit. You know what I mean.”

Parker nodded. “I'm...trying to be civil. For Paul's sake, you know? We all used to be tight and now it's all...awkward. So I'm trying to be decent for him. I'm going to make the effort, anyway.

“My ass,” Orion snorted. “You guys have been ignoring each other all day in school.”

“And?”

“I don't know,” she said. “You want him back or something?”

“No way,” Parker said. “Just... Sometimes I miss our friendship, if we're being completely honest. You know? Before I left and...things got fucked.”

“So try to get it back.”

It's not that simple. Parker sighed. “I think that's what I'm going to try to do...”

+

Martin's head whipped around when he heard Paul's basement door open. He did a quick once over and saw that everyone else was already there. His stomach twisted when the two people descended and he slid his arm around Dallas, who was standing next to him.

Dallas frowned. “What are you doing here?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I invited her,” Paul said, setting his guitar down and walking over to Parker, wrapping an arm around her waist and swinging her around, kissing her cheek.

Parker blushed, just barely. “Hi, Poolie.”

“Hey, Parks. Find the place okay?” he joked before setting her down. He smiled at Orion. “What's up, Orion?”

She shrugged, a small smile on her lips. “Hi, Dal.”

Dallas frowned. “I thought I told you to never come to band practice.”

Orion laughed. “Get over yourself, honey,” she said, walking over to the deep freezer and sitting on top of it.

“I asked Poolie if she could tag along,” Parker said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “Is that a problem.”

“Yes, it is.”

“No, it isn't,” Paul said, rolling his eyes. “Martin, maintain your woman,” he joked.

Martin frowned. “Paul, do you have a minute? Can we talk?”

“We have to practice, Martin.”

“It'll just take a minute,” he said, nodding towards the stairs before walking up them.

Paul sighed and followed the singer. He shut the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. “What? What's wrong?”

“You know what's wrong,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice low.

Paul rose an eyebrow. “She's my friend. I can't invite her to practice?”

Martin sighed. “She's...Parker.”

“I know.”

“She's...different.”

“I'm aware.”

Martin sighed again. He didn't know what Paul's problem was but he wasn't going to get into it when he knew everyone downstairs could more than likely hear them. The last thing he needed was another fight with Dallas when things were already strained enough.

“Are you over her?” Paul asked, his voice quiet.

Martin bit the inside of his cheek. “Yes,” he said. It wasn't exactly a lie—he was over her in some way. But admitting to anyone, including himself, that he was still pining for her would be disastrous.

Paul nodded. “Good.”

“Why is that good?”

“Because I want to ask her out.”

Martin frowned. “Say what?”

“You heard me.”

He couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. “Are you fucking kidding me?”