Never Looking Back

You know that feeling you get when you spin around really fast in one of those computer chairs? That’s how I felt the day I met Parker Acton. My head started spinning and my stomach dropped slightly. I wasn’t sure why but at that exact moment I knew this boy was going to change my life.

I was sitting in sixth period calc. The class was buzzing about homecoming which was quickly approaching. I had a feeling I would be spending it in my room alone again. I was engulfed in my assignment when he sat down next to me. I hadn’t even heard the door open. I looked up into his piercing brown eyes and instantly felt a connection.

“Hey, I’m Parker. It’s my first day here,” he stated. His voice was deep, but not that fake too deep voice that guys use to sound sexy. It doesn’t work.

“I’m Jaycee,” I replied shyly still looking into those deep brown eyes. He just smiled a stunning smile. Cute little dimples formed at the corners of his lips.

I don’t exactly remember how Parker and I became friends, but soon enough we were together every day. Sixth period calc would end and Parker and I would walk down the hall together. After a stop at his locker then at mine we would saunter onto the parking lot. I slid into the passenger seat of his blue FJ Cruiser. He popped a piece of Trident Layers into his mouth and off we were. This routine was never really verbally expressed. We just did it without thinking. Sometimes we just drove around talking. Others we would sit at the park. But most of the time we went to Aunt Cindy’s.

Aunt Cindy’s was a little coffee shop that only a few people frequented. One of those few people was me. I found Aunt Cindy’s a few years ago when I was looking for a place to get away. The coffee here was way better than anywhere else. And Aunt Cindy made killer apple pie.

So most day Parker and I sat at my usual table, next to the window where the sun could shine through, drinking mochas and studying. He needed some serious help with his calc grade. I needed help with my English paper. We were a good match.

The school year was rounding an end when the bruises started becoming noticeable. Parker changed. We still went to Aunt Cindy’s almost every day, but it wasn’t the same. He didn’t talk as much. He didn’t joke around with me anymore. He barely ate his pie. Parker always had a stupid excuse for whatever bruise was new this week. I knew his red cheek wasn’t from falling. You could easily see it was from a hand. What Parker didn’t know was that I was in the same situation as him.

One day Parker didn’t show up at school. I knew something bad happened. I was distracted all class. As soon as the bell rang I darted out of class. Once Parker had to stop by his house on the way to Aunt Cindy’s. It wasn’t far from the school. I practically ran the whole way there. The only car in the driveway was Parkers FJ Cruiser. My hand was shaking as I rang the doorbell. Parker opened the door. He was shirtless and all his bruises and cuts were on display. I wanted to make this better, but I couldn’t find the words. I lifted my shirt to reveal a large blue and purple bruise that took up my whole side.

That was the day Parker and I ran away. We didn’t know where we were going or how this was going to end. Neither of us looked back at what we were leaving behind. The blue sky spread in front of us and the black road taking us to a better place.
I sat in the passenger’s seat of Parker’s blue FJ Cruiser like I had so many times before. Parker blew bubbles with his Trident Layers like always. I had that same spinning feeling I had the day I met Parker as we drove off to a better life.