Skipping Stone.

Parker looked herself over. She didn’t know whether she should dress up or down. It was a simple show at a café in a very upscale area. She stared herself at the mirror taking her outfit of choice in. She stood upright in simple pair of skin tight black jeans cuffed slightly at the ankles of her leopard print flats. She watched as the loosely fit black top rose revealing her stomach as she shoved her arms through the gray and black coat.

“Well hello there, love.”

Parker smiled widely as she saw his reflection in the mirror. “Well aren’t you looking handsome?”

Josh grinned that cheeky grin of his as he walked closer to the girl. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he placed his chin on her shoulder.

“You’re too kind.”

Parker smiled widely as she looked at the reflection. She couldn’t fight the smile on her face as she looked at the picture perfect moment in front of her. She couldn’t help but to think about how adorable they looked together, how perfect it looked. But she immediately pushed aside that thought as she turned into Josh’s arms. He kept his arms wrapped tightly as they were met eyes to eye. Parker grinned up at him before tugging at the scruff building up on his face.

“Ow!” he winced rubbing his chin. “That rather hurt, you twat.”

Parker just grinned deviously before placing her lips against the sore spot. “Better, pussy?” she asked as Josh raised an eyebrow with a wide smile on his face.

“You’re rather mean to me.”

“I just can’t help it,” she said, caressing his cheeks as she pushed them in causing his face to look like a fish. “My little fishy fish is a puss and I like to make fun of him every second I can.”

When she pulled her hands from his face the pout continued on his face. She rolled her eyes before pushing at his chest to retrieve her ID and card from her bed.

“Are you ready?”

Parker nodded her head as Josh looked at the girl in disbelief. He looked down at his phone before looking back at her.

“My word, I never thought I would see the day.”

“What are you rambling on about now, Joshua?”

Josh grinned as he wrapped his arms around the girls shoulder as the two made their way to the front door of Parker’s flat.

“Just a female actually being ready at the time they were told to be.”

Parker let out a laugh rolling her eyes. “Well when you look like me, you don’t need to try so hard.”

He grinned widely at her sarcasm before placing a kiss on her temple. “I never heard truer words,” he said pulling the door open as they walked out into the coldness.

After a long conversation about anal sex and The Office, Josh and Parker were soon in front of the club. Josh grabbed a hold of Parker’s hand as he guided her out to the front of the club where Cary was waiting with a few of Josh’s mates. At the sign of the group of boys Parker instantly pulled her hand from Josh’s. She didn’t want people to make something out of nothing. Josh just only felt lonely without her hand in his. He gave her a slight pout before he felt his body being pulled into a bear hug.

“Ello, love,” Cary sung as he took a step closer to Parker. “How are you lovely?”

Parker smiled up at him as they exchanged a small hug and an exchange of a kiss on the cheek. “I’m doing well, how about yourself, handsome?”

“I’m doing peachy.”

Parker smiled up at the tall boy before she was pulled into another hug. All of Josh’s friends took a liking to Parker almost instantly. Josh watched with an envious smile as his friends talked to Parker almost too comfortably. The group of them made their way to the club and of course the lot went straight to the bar. Josh looked around the room before he spotted the people he was looking forward to seeing, his family. Parker watched as Josh grabbed the older woman up above in a tight hug and then turning to the older man. Parker watched with a grin, as the older couple pin picked the boy’s outfit as well as his mess of hair.

“This is my friend Parker, she’s one of the new designers,” he spoke as Parker’s eyes lit up.
She smiled at the older couple before putting out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said politely as she shook the older woman’s hand and then off to the older man.

Josh’s father was around the warehouse a couple of times but Parker never got to actually greet him. He or she was always busy . The older man smiled widely before snapping his fingers, Parker couldn’t help but to grin at how alike he and his son were.

“I’ve seen you around the warehouse a bit; you’re rather talented I must say. Josh here had shown us a few of your sketches and your past doings; you’re a great talent Parker.”

“Thank you, so much.”

The older man nodded his head before patting his son’s shoulder before they all engaged in conversation. Josh watched with a bright smile as his parents took an instant liking to the girl but he didn’t think otherwise. Parker was a charming girl, everyone knew. She had a smart mouth but underneath it all she was nothing but a well-mannered young woman.

“Elissa!” everyone cheered as the girl walked in with a wide smile.

She waved cutely to everyone as she kissed her parents and then hugged her brother. “Elissa, you’ve met Parker before.”

Parker smiled at the girl as Elissa nodded her head. “But sadly we haven’t had a proper meeting since my brother here is a complete idiot.”

Parker let out a laugh with a grin. “That he is,” she said as Elissa chuckled pointing a finger at the girl with the Franceschi grin on her face.

“I like this one.”

Parker stood and talked with them all, she wasn’t nervous nor did she feel out of place she never allowed herself to feel that way when she was around new people. She talked to them all as though she was always their friend. She talked to Josh’s parents about God knows what and Elissa about fashion, that was always the way to the girls heart. Josh couldn’t help but to smile widely as Parker fit perfectly into his small knit group. None of his previous girlfriends were able to do that, it took Hanna two years to even consider joking with his parents and here Parker was cracking jokes from left to right. As Josh was going to enter the conversation about football, his attention was dragged to someone else. Her green eyes staring over in their direction with all nervousness, Josh cursed under his breath. Parker instantly felt the sudden tension in Josh’s face; his knitted eyebrows said it all. She turned her attention and soon her lips turned into a smile and laughter escaped through it.

“Relax pussy,” she spoke before nudging his chest. “Hey Hanna,” she spoke waving over at the girl who looked completely overdressed.

“Hi Parker,” she said with a smile before looking up at Josh with wide eyes. “Hi Josh,” she said unsure if she hug the boy or just continue her awkward stare.

Josh smiled at the girl and said his hello before Hanna turned to the group saying her hellos. As Josh watched Hanna interact with his family the smile was gone from his face. He stared at the girl and he couldn’t deny that the love and affection that he once had for the girl was completely gone. He looked over at Parker who was up in conversation with parents with a wide smile. Parker and Hanna were standing side to side, Parker, of course, taking over the conversation as Hanna stood there smiling widely. Josh felt nothing but guilt in the pit of his stomach. He had yet to tell Hanna about Parker and his small romance. He really was starting to grow real feelings for the girl and at rapid rate, almost too fast. He ran his fingers through his messy hair as a loud sigh escaped from his lips.

“You fancy her.”

Josh jumped slightly before her met his sister’s eyes. “What are you going on about Lissa?”

“Parker,” she said nodding her head in the girl’s direction. “You fancy her,” she said with a grin as she watched her brother stare at the girl with admiration. “And from the look in your eyes, the two of you already shagged.”

“Ugh,” he said in disgust. “Please don’t talk like that.”

“I’m just being honest here, bro.”

“Don’t ever talk about shagging, it grosses me out.”

Elissa chuckled before nodding her head. “How long have you fancied the lass?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “Since the moment I set eyes on her.”

“She’s quite the looker.”

Josh nodded his head in agreement as his blue eyes looked up at her. Parker was laughing hard with his father; he could only image what the two were chatting up about. He grinned at Parker looked in his direction, she immediately grinned in his direction causing his whole body to burn.

“She’s completely amazing.”

Elissa nodded her head, patting her confused brother’s shoulder. Soon the show was starting and they all took their seats with beers in hand. Josh watched as Hanna took a seat right beside him while Parker on the other end. He couldn’t help but to feel awkward with both girls. Hanna sat there sipping on her fruity drink completely quiet. He knew she was awkward; he always could read her completely. She was an open book ready for Josh’s viewing pleasure. He looked over at Parker who was speaking with his parents, a beer in hand. A wide smile on her face as she talked with such emotion and excitement; she had no sense of awkward tension. Parker was always harder to read. If you weren’t able to become victim of her blunt vocabulary you wouldn’t know the girl at all. He liked that about her; hell, he absolutely loved it.

When Elissa reached the stage Parker stayed quiet, she sat back and listened with a bright smile. The girl was talented there was no denying it. She watched in complete awe as she watched the older Franceschi sibling sing. Josh turned to Parker and he couldn’t help but to grin. He placed a hand on her thigh. She turned to Josh as the two exchanged smiles. She placed a hand on his as soon their fingers knotted together. Hanna watched it all. She felt her stomach boiling as the tears started up in her eyes. She couldn’t control the jealousy and the sadness washing over her body. She wanted to jump up; she wanted to yell at the top of her lungs. But instead she sipped on her drink and let her eyes travel to Parker and Josh on occasion watching their every move until the lights went on and the stage was completely empty.

“So when were you going to tell me?”

Josh spun slightly to see Hanna staring up at him with tears in her eyes. He felt the guilt rush all over him. He just wanted to hug her; he always hated watching Hanna cry. He might have not been in love with her still but he still cared. He sighed running his fingers through his hair. He didn’t want to go through this now; Hanna was always one for dramatics.

“What are you talking about?”

Josh looked over at Parker hoping that she would come to his rescue but instead his lovely friend was chatting with his sister. He looked back at Hanna and only saw anger in her eyes, she knew what he was starting at and that just added fuel to the fire.

“Don’t act stupid Josh,” she said backing him against the bar. “I thought you promised me that you’d always be honest,” she said as Josh rolled his neck the tension taking over. “How long have you been shagging her, yeah?”

“I’m not bloody shagging her, Hanna.”

She rolled her eyes not believing a word. “You fancy her. I can see it Josh and don’t you dare lie to me again and say that you don’t.”

Josh ran his fingers through his hair as he closed his eyes. When he opened the backup Hanna was still there. He sighed before shrugging his shoulder.

“I like her, Hanna. I like her a lot.”

Hanna felt the tears in her eyes; she was hoping for one thing but got another. She nodded her head as the tears spilled from her eyes, making a bigger scene than he anticipated. All eyes were on them as the girl in front of him continued to cry louder and louder.

“Come on Hanna-“

“No!” she yelled throwing a hand in his face. “Just no,” she said crying louder. “I have nothing to worry about, yeah?”

“Hanna-“

She said nothing but turned and ran off. He looked up and saw everyone staring over at him. He sighed running his fingers through his hair as his eyes caught Parker’s. She shook her head as she excused herself. She made her way over to Josh before standing right beside him.

“So I assumed you told her.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t, she just guessed it.”

Parker nodded her head. “And you told her the truth?” she asked as he nodded his head. “You know, you didn’t have to. I didn’t ask you to do anything like that.”

Josh just shrugged his shoulder before grabbing her hand in his. “I wanted to.”