You Don't Know What You Do to Me

“I’m afraid that John has been a bad influence on you, Parker-Blaine. If it wasn’t for him you’d still be at the University of Arizona.” John’s dad said to me as we stood in the O’Callaghan’s back yard.

It was June and today was the day the boys’ first full length CD, Can't Stop Won't Stop, was coming out. We were having a party for them at the O’Callaghans.

“Well, I’m hoping Parker-Blaine will be over this nonsense and go back to school in the fall.” My father said to John’s dad. They were acting as if I wasn’t standing right there next to them.

“Well I still have time to decide. I’m going to go find the boys and tell them congratulations again.” I said and then went to find the guys. I had to get away from mine and John’s dad.

I found the boys over by the food table, which was no surprise. John was talking to some guy from the record company so I went up to the rest of the boys and stole the piece of cake that was on Pat’s plate.

“Hey! I was going to eat that.” Pat pouted.

“Well thanks for giving it to me Pat. That was so sweet.” I grinned at him.

“I didn’t give it to you.” Pat complained.

“I didn’t think beauty-queens-in-training were supposed to eat that kind of food.” Kennedy smirked at me.

“One piece of cake won’t hurt me. Anyway, I still look good.” I smirked back.

“Correction, you would look good if you weren’t dressed like a fucking sailor.” Garrett chimed in.

“Excuse me but I like this dress.” I pouted and then turned to Jared as I said, “Jared, they’re being mean to me. You should beat them up.”

Jared just laughed as he hugged me and said, “Don’t worry, Parker-Blaine, I’ll beat them up for you. Although, you do look a bit like a sailor.”

I pulled away from Jared and frowned at the boys as I said, “I don’t see why you guys don’t like this dress. John’s brothers told me earlier that they liked it.”

“Yeah, because Ross and Shane have massive crushes on you. They would still like you if you wore my grandmother’s clothes.” Garrett said while rolling his eyes.

“Whatever. You guys are buttheads.” I said.

“Who’s being a butthead to you PB?” I heard John chuckle from behind me.

“Everyone. The guys are telling me I look like a sailor and earlier my dad and your dad were seeing who had the most disappointing child. Your dad thinks you were a “bad influence” on me and that’s why I quit college. I swear our fathers are happiest when they’re talking about how disappointed they are in us.”

“Well ignore these four because they’re dumbasses. There’s not much we can do about our dads. We just have to live our lives and they’ll eventually come to terms with the fact that their children aren’t doing what they want them to do. On the brightside, today my father did say that he was proud that the band was releasing a CD even though he still wasn’t thrilled that I was doing this instead of college. I don’t know if that was a compliment or not but I’ll take it.”

“I’m glad that your dad is finally coming around. I guess he’s only half a butthead.”

“Hey, what about us? Are we still buttheads?” Pat asked.

“Yes.” I answered quickly.

“Not nice Parks. If you’re going to be like that we won’t let you be our merch girl when we go on Warped Tour.” Jared said.

I glared and said, “Take that back right now, Jared Monaco.”

“Nope.”

“I’m feeling very unloved out here. I’m going to go in and see if momma O needs any help with the food.”

I started walking towards John’s house when John called my name. I turned around and looked at him.

John just smirked at me and said, “You do look like a sailor.”

I gasped and said, “You’re not my best friend anymore John Cornelius.”
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I helped John’s mom in the kitchen for about an hour. When I went back outside I saw a familiar boy with bright ginger hair standing by the rest of the guys.

“Nick, I missed you!” I exclaimed while throwing my arms around him.

Nick hugged me back and said, “I missed you too, Parker-Blaine.”

“The boys were being mean to me earlier, including John, so I need a new best friend. Do you want to be my new bff?”

“Of course. How were the guys being mean to you?”

“They kept telling me I look like a sailor. Do you think I look like a sailor?”

“Hell no, I think you look hot. If all sailors looked like you I would seriously live on a boat.”

“Nick, I thought you flew to Arizona to congratulate us on releasing our CD and to attend the party, not to hit on my best friend.” John said.

Nick smirked and said, “I did come to Arizona to congratulate you guys… hitting on Parker-Blaine is just a bonus.”

“Well stop.” John glared.

Nick rolled his eyes and said, “You ruin all my fun Johnny Boy.”

“Hey Parker-Blaine can you come with us real quick? Our friends don’t believe us that we actually know a beauty queen.” John’s brothers said as they came up to where we were standing.

“Ross, Shane, my best friend is not some kind of trophy you can just show off.” John snapped at his brothers.

“John, we’re not trying to show her off. We just want to show our friends that we aren’t lying.”

I could see that John was getting ready to snap at his brothers again so I just said, “It’s no big deal J. Anyway I think your manager wants to talk to you guys.” I then walked over to help Ross and Shane prove to their friends that they knew a beauty queen.
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I was standing by the food table watching all of Ross and Shane’s friends standing there in awe of Parker-Blaine. I swear Parker-Blaine could have mesmerized Hitler. There was just something about her. She didn’t even know it though. She was so shy and hated meeting new people. She didn’t realize that she could have anyone she wanted wrapped around her finger.

“She’s not going to be around forever, you know.” I heard a voice from behind me say.

I turned around and saw Nick standing there staring at me.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You are so in love with Parker-Blaine. I don’t understand why you won’t make a move.”

“I am not in love with PB. She’s my best friend.”

“I don’t know why you deny it. If you’re not in love with her why won’t you date other girls?” Nick asked.

“I do date other girls.”

“Barely. Sure, you’ve gone on dates and hooked up with people but you haven’t had an actual girlfriend in almost a year.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “That doesn’t mean I’m in love with my best friend. It’s just hard to date someone when we’re on tour and busy all the time.”

“Whatever. All I’m saying is one day you’ll realize that you’re in love with Parker-Blaine and she may not be there when you do.” Nick said as he turned and walked away.