He's My Brother's Best Friend and My Enemy, This Can't Be Good!

It had almost been two weeks and I still wasn’t talking to Parker. Max kept trying to press the issues so I wasn’t speaking much to him either. I wasn’t really talking to anyone lately. I had stopped having lunch with everyone after I got the note on Monday.

I figured the notes would stop coming after Monday when I didn’t respond to any of Parker’s attempts to talk to me about it. I was mistaken. They kept coming, expect instead of just once a day I was up to two or three. I hadn’t read any of them. It was now Friday and the big football banquet was tomorrow. Our parents are supposed to be flying down Saturday morning and meeting us there. No one knows where any of the boys are for sure going yet.

Banquet was always a big deal. It let the team know where everyone was going firsthand instead of having to find out in articles the next week when the boys were officially signed. The banquets were always kept private because if anyone said they were thinking about signing somewhere and then didn’t it would be a huge media deal.

I always loved the banquet. It was always entertaining watching the senior boys get emotional over high school, plus it was always fun to see how everyone else acted when decisions were made. This year was going to be real emotional for our family though. This time I actually have a relationship with the seniors that are leaving. Not to mention for the first time in a couple years the team is announcing a new captain. It’s all so surreal.

The lunch bell had rang but instead of walking to the cafeteria I walked to my next class which was photography. Ms. Doll let her students eat lunch in her class if they were working on something. I had been hiding out here for the last week. I was working on editing a picture for a class assignment. It was almost done but I still had some touching up to do. I opened photoshop and lost myself inside the world of photography. I continued working for some time before realizing someone was watching over my shoulder. I spun around in my chair to see who was there. I was surprised when I saw Miranda standing there.

“Hey, what’s up?” I asked. Miranda hadn’t really taken notice to me being absent from the lunch table. At least I hadn’t thought she did.

“Can we talk?” she asked a little too quickly.

I nodded. Saving and exiting out of adobe photoshop. No one else was in class so I gestured for her to sit down beside me. She did. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this conversation. I was hoping nothing bad. I nodded for her to continue.

“It’s about Parker.”

Uh-oh. The first thing that went through my mind was that she knows. I talked myself out of that conclusion fast since we weren’t even talking. I tried my best to keep my casual composure. It was really difficult.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He never came to New York with us for my birthday. My dad was really mad at him and then they had a fight over the phone the next day. They’re not talking now.”

Lovely. I was the reason Parker didn’t go to New York which means I’m the reason why he’s not talking to his dad. Good job Josylne.

“So now Parker isn’t talking to our dad and banquet is tomorrow and he hasn’t told them anything. So my mom was yelling at me to find out what he’s thinking.”

Stupid college talk. I didn’t want to hear what Parker’s plans were. I already knew them. I didn’t say anything so Miranda kept talking.

“Anyway, I went to talk to him the other day and he wouldn’t say anything but I continued to bother him. He completely flipped and told me it was none of my business. So I talked to my mom yesterday and she told me that he got into USC. I asked him about it this morning and he totally ignored me.”

I was little confused why Miranda was telling me all of this. What did she want me to do? Talk to her brother. ‘Cause she of all people should know I wasn’t doing that.

“Okay so Parker won’t tell you guys anything. Isn’t that the point of the banquet? I mean if he got in to USC like your mom says then there’s no doubt that he’ll go.” This conversation was irrelevant. I didn’t know what she wanted me to do about it. This was something she should have told Jayden about. Jayden could talk to Parker a lot easier than I could, at least at this given moment.

“That’s the thing though. No one knows what Parker is thinking. Everyone else on the team has at least told one person where they’re going but Parker hasn’t. I’ve talked to everyone and no one knows. Not even Coach or Jayden or Max.”

“So, he didn’t tell anyone. He probably figured everyone already knows where he’s going.”

“No one even knew he got accepted! Jayden didn’t even know until I told him what my mom said this morning.”

I was becoming bored with the conversation. I already knew all of this information. I knew only two, well three people knew about USC. It didn’t strike me as weird.

“I don’t know what your getting at with this,” I stated. To me it just seemed like Miranda was ranting her problems to me. It was weird. We hadn’t really had venting talks since the start of the year.

“We’re worried that Parker isn’t going to accept the offer.”

That got my attention. Parker wasn’t that stupid. He had to accept the offer. Just because he didn’t tell anyone didn’t mean that he wasn’t taking the offer. Did it?

“Come on Mir. Your brother wouldn’t turn down an offer from his dream school.”

“I’m not so sure anymore,” she sighed. “He’s been acting really weird lately.”

Great another thing that was my fault. If she knew what had been going on between her brother and me I would have figured this was a guilt trip.

“Don’t stress about it Mir. He’ll do the right thing.”

Our conversation ended as the bell to go to class rang. Miranda left and I reopened my photoshop program to keep working on my project. I couldn’t get back into the zone of the things as Miranda’s words kept playing in my head. I never had a doubt in my mind that Parker wouldn’t accept the offer, until now.

I decided to text Max. I knew Parker had been spending a lot of time with Max lately so if anything was up he had to know. He just didn’t tell Miranda when she confronted him. Max responded quickly telling me to meet him by my car at the end of the day.

The rest of the day seemed to drag on. I was observing everyone around me. Every was talking about the football banquet tomorrow, even people that had no connection to anyone on the team. They just wanted to know where everyone was going, I don’t blame them.

The last bell finally rang and I walked toward my car. Max was already there when I got there. I could tell he was concerned.

“What’s up babe?”

All I had texted Max was that I needed to talk to him. No specifics. The parking lot was busy but everyone was too busy trying to get out of school to try to eavesdrop on our conversation.

“Miranda came to me at lunch today. She said that her family is worried that Parker isn’t going to accept the offer.” Max nodded. I forgot that Miranda had already had this conversation with him. “I told her he wouldn’t do that. He’s not thinking about doing that, right?” Max stayed quite for a minute. “Max...what do you know?”

He sighed. “He...he hasn’t decided.”

“What do you mean he hasn’t decided?” I questioned. This was too much for me. Everything about Parker always had to be complicated. Even when it didn’t involve me.

Max looked at the ground before speaking again. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be disclosing this information to anyone. This is why I didn’t want him in the middle. “He’s not taking it.”

If I hadn’t have been leaning on my car for support I would have been on the floor. When Miranda brought it up I just figured it was her and her family being overdramatic. Hearing Max say it made it real.

It took all my strength not to yell since we were still in the crowded parking lot. “Has he lost it? Can’t you talk some sense in to him?”

“I’ve tried Jos. He’s had his mind set since he found out about it. He told me the night of the dance.”

God dammit Parker.

“Has he told Coach?” Max looked up, confirming he had. “And he’s okay with it?” Max nodded. I find that hard to believe. “I don’t believe that. There has to be someone would can talk sense into him.” Max stayed silent. It was then I knew.

“Max, I...I can’t.”

“Your the only one he’ll listen to Jos.”

I was stuck. I was still mad at Parker but I couldn’t let him throw everything away. Why did I have to care so much? I knew I was going to have to man up and do something.

“I need an hour Max. Just keep him out of the house. I’ll call you in an hour.”

“You really are the best,” Max smiled. He left, walking back to his own car. Max was with Parker and Ava. I got in my car and drove home.

When I got home I ran to my room and locked the door. I needed to figure out what I was going to do. How was I even going to get Parker to listen to me? He was probably already pissed at me for ignoring all these notes...that’s it!

I dumped the contents of my backpack on the floor. Purple papers scattering themselves all over the place. There was no way of knowing the order of them until they were opened. I started ripping them open and ordering them by date. I had roughly twenty purple pieces of paper. This was going to take awhile.

I started reading the notes. The first few were apologies begging me to speak to him. As the dates progressed the notes got more desperate. They went from apologies to notes about things he wanted to tell me but couldn’t. Some were even compliments. The last one got to me.

Josylne. I don’t know how we went nine years without ever having a real conversation. This last week and a half has been hell without you. I need to hear your voice. Even if it’s you screaming at me. I don’t care. I’m going crazy.

I didn’t know I was crying until I saw a watermark on the paper. I had been such a bitch the last couple of days. It was hard for me to realized that Parker had feelings. That is wasn’t just me who was hurt during this whole thing. I thought I had it bad. Everyone in Parker’s life was mad at him right now and it was all my fault.

I texted Max saying I was coming over. He told me to wait ten minutes because they were taking Ava home. I waited ten minutes and then left my house. The drive to Max’s was dreadful. I didn’t know what I was going to say. I didn’t know what I was trying to accomplish from this. I was still furious with him. I was only going to talk to him because he was throwing away his future. I pulled into Max’s driveway just as they were getting out of the car. I stepped out and was instantly met with glaring eyes. Parker was angry.

“What is she doing here?” he practically sneered.

I knew he was mad but I wasn’t expecting that much hostility. I took a deep breath before speaking. “Am I not allowed to visit my friend’s houses?” I snapped back.

Max was watching both of us cautiously. We were already off to a bad start.

“Not when I’m here.”

“You should have thought about that before you involved someone who is both of our friends,” I remarked.

“Whatever,” Parker murmured and walked into Max’s house.

I turned to Max who was breathing for the first time since I arrived. “This is so stupid.”

“Josylne. Ignore him. Come on, I need your help.”

That was such bullshit. Max knew I couldn’t ignore Parker, the whole reason I was here was to confront him. Regardless, I walked down to the basement where Parker was. I sat on the couch across from the two sets of bean bags. Max said something to Parker before leaving the two of us alone. I silently cursed Max in my head.

“Can we talk?”

“So now you want to talk,” Parker sneered for the second time since I arrived.

“You’re such an asshole Daniels.”

“You’re not so peachy yourself Josylne.” He was really starting to piss me off. Last time I checked I had a right to be pissed off.

“Can you two quit the shit and talk!” Max yelled down the stairs. I knew he was listening to everything we were saying. Max wasn’t dumb enough to be this involved and then get left out.

“Why does everyone keep saying that you aren’t taking the SC offer?” I was speaking more calmly at the moment. I needed to remember why I was here.

“Um ‘cause I’m not.”

For some reason I had this little bit of hope that everyone was overreacting. Now I knew they weren’t. “Are you crazy? What would make you choose any other school?”

“They didn’t offer me full ride and other schools did,” he knew I wasn’t satisfied with the answer so he continued. “They’re only paying half tuition which means it would still be another $30,000 never mind that that doesn’t include room and board or books. UMASS Amherst offered me a full ride and a first string seat and so did Syracuse.”

“That’s so stupid Parker. Money has never been an issue. The school has always been that much and its never bothered your parents. UMASS really? Ever since you were a teenager you’ve talked about getting out of this state.”

He shrugged. “They have a good program.”

“And USC doesn’t? What the hell is wrong with you? You’ve dreamed of this school for so many years. You’ve dreamed of the west coast and California for so many years.”

“You make is sound like I always go there. I only visited the school once!” Parker’s voice boomed. He was getting irritated.

“When you came back from that one trip you couldn’t stop talking about it for months!” I yelled. Parker flinched and I regained my calm voice. “USC has always been expensive, it’s always been in a different state, it’s always been across the country. I don’t get why this is such a big deal now. It never was before. What changed?”

The room fell quiet. I hit Parker’s nerve. I heard Max mutter uh-oh under his breath as he walked down the stairs to the room. He had been listening outside the whole time. I knew things were going to get bad when he walked in looking concerned.

“Are you going to answer me Parker?” I asked getting more irritated. Obviously he had to have a better reason than the one he was giving me.

"You," Parker whispered.

I was taken aback. I wasn't expecting that of an answer. To be honest I wasn't expecting an answer at all. Max was watching my every move. He knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Excuse me?" I finally got mustered out.

"You heard what I said." 

"Okay! Let's just take a break for a second!" Max interjected walking between the two of us. We were both standing up at this point.

"I cannot believe you are blaming this on me!" I yelled. Max stepped out of the way. He knew better.

"I'm not blaming you!" Parker said a little louder than he needed too.

"Bullshit Parker! Yes, you are. So I'm the reason you're not taking the offer. It's all my fault! That's what your gonna tell everyone right." 

"You're part of it," he murmured.

"See so it is my fault. That just great. Fuck you Parker. I can't believe you're using me as an excuse," I was livid. This is what I get for trying to help out. I get blamed.

I started to walk toward doorway but was blocked by Max. "Jos wait hear him out." 

Now I was mad at Max. He asked me to come here to talk sense to Parker knowing that Parker was blaming me for everything. 

""I don't need this shit Max!" I yelled. I stood there waiting for him to move but he didn't

"Josylne?" Parker asked walking toward where I now stood.

This day was getting worse and worse. Parker was looking down at me. His blue eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

"What do you want Parker?" I asked turning away from Max and toward him.

"Fuck Josylne! Look I'm not going half way across the country. I don't want to. My life is in Massachusetts. My friends are here. My family is here. You are here." 

"And there is it," Max said more to himself than anyone else.

I wasn't stupid. I knew what Parker was saying. He wasn't leaving cause I was here. I had no idea this is what this conversation was going to come down to. I don't think Parker expected to say it either. Max did.

"Guess what Parker, your friends they're all leaving, your life will adapt, your family will always be here. And I will not let you not go to your dream school because of any of that or because of me." 

"It's not my dream!" Parker yelled.

"Parker stop saying that!" Max yelled back.

"Parker can you think rationally for a second. You're acting like all the guys you hate who make decisions based on who they're with!" 

"I am thinking rationally. I don't want to be that far away from anyone."

I groaned. "Parker were not even together. You choosing not to USC isn't going to magically change that. In fact it's going to piss me off even more!" 

"Parker you have to go to that school. Everyone knows you belong there. You know you belong there," Max said.

"Why do you care so much?" 

"Because Parker, I'm a decent human being and I actually give a damn about what happens to you." 

“I’ll consider it.”