Just Believe

I was finally granted freedom from my room one Thursday evening. My parents were going out to dinner with a couple of close friends.

Every Thursday evening my brothers and I go to the ice cream shop just down the block from our house. It was an annual thing we have been doing for over five years now. This particular Thursday was no exception. However, my parents told my brothers that they didn’t trust me home alone.

They weren’t exactly thrilled about having to stay and watch me.

So they did the only sensible thing. They took me to the ice cream shop.

There was a catch, however. I wasn’t allowed to get any ice cream.

“This isn’t fair.” I muttered to my brothers as we sat in the booth. But, of course, they chose to ignore me. Parker made a point of saying how wonderful his ice cream was.

The little bell over the door rang and it was as if every eye in the room was drawn to the person who just walked in.

She was a mess, her blond hair was swept up into a messy ponytail, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying earlier.

“A vanilla cone, please.” She said to the server, her voice quivering as if she were going to start crying again at any moment.

My brothers were alert. Well, aside from Henry who seemed not to really care about some random girl crying.

Harvey, Dan, and Parker rushed out the booth before the girl could even settle down at the ice cream bar.

“I saw her first,” Parker said, shoving Dan and Harvey back.

“Parker, don’t!” I said, shaking my head. “Leave the pretty, crying girl alone.”

“I’m not listening to you anymore, Cas.” Parker snorted,

“This isn’t going to end well.” I continued and eyed the girl wearily. I felt bad for her, sure. But a girl that pretty was never single, which meant her boyfriend was somewhere near by.

But Parker wouldn’t listen. Instead he sat down beside her and asked her what was wrong.

“I have to go to East Ellway.” The girl sobbed loudly. “I have to leave all my friends and everything.”

“Well,” Parker said, turning up the charm. “There’s one good thing about East Ellway.”

“Yeah?” She whimpered, looking up at Parker. “What?”

“I’m there.” He smirked. The girl giggled and wiped away the tears from her face.

“I’m sorry, I’m a blubbering mess.” She said, with a nervous chuckle.

Parker shrugged. “It’s fine. You’re easily the prettiest crying girl I’ve ever seen.”

The girl giggled again and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at my brother. He could be so cheesy sometimes.

Henry was trying hard not to laugh in the seat next to mine while Harvey was glaring daggers at Parker. Dan just seemed defeated.

“I’m Parker,” Parker said, and gave her that boyish grin he has. The one that girls seemed to swoon at.

“Hailey.” She responded, and gave him a shy smile.

The little bell rang again and four guys walked into the room.

I froze in my seat, seeing that Aaron was one of them.

“There you are!” The guy leading Aaron and the other two said.

Hailey jumped in her seat, but once she realized who it was she gave the boy a smile. “Hello Mark.”

Mark sat down on the other side of Hailey and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “I’m glad you’re not crying anymore.”

Hailey gave him a weak nod. “Thanks to Parker.”

Mark raised a brow in question, but when his eyes locked eyes with Parker the whole room seemed to freeze right then and there.

But, instead of saying anything, Mark focused his attention back on Hailey. “So, Aaron thinks he might know a way that you can stay at West Ellway.”

Hailey gave him a kind smile and squeezed his hand. “It’s fine, Mark. I don’t think East Ellway is going to be so bad after all.”

She looked back at Parker and gave him a warm smile, which did not go unnoticed by Mark. Or anyone else for that matter.

Mark stood up abruptly. “You can’t be serious.”

“What’s wrong?” Hailey asked, giving her boyfriend an innocent look.

Mark clenched his fists and looked like he was ready to strike Parker any moment.

I noticed that my brothers grew tense around me. Ready to spring into action if Parker needed it. And he would. Parker is the looks in the family, not the muscle.

That was when Aaron caught my eye and noticed that he was staring at me. He gave a small shrug and a weak smile before Parker and Mark started to yell at one another about Hailey.

“Were you hitting on my girl?” Mark snarled.

“Well I can’t help it if Hailey here finally saw what a real man is.” Parker said with a shrug.

“Parker!” Hailey cried, her face turning slightly red with embarrassment, or shame, I still can not tell. “Mark, I’m allowed to talk to other guys.”

“Well not this guy.” Mark said, and took a step closer to Parker.

“Stop you guys!” I cried as my brothers jumped up from their seats. Nothing happened but a glaring contest. “This is ridiculous. You’re only going to make this worse. Let’s just leave.”

But they ignored me.

That’s when I knew, all hell would break lose. And no one would believe me.

This is the story of my downfall. The truth behind every lie. About how I knew nothing good would happen if Parker started talking to Hailey. How it would only bring heartbreak and bruises later on down the road.

How none of them listened to me.

All of this is the truth.

Sadly, even you probably don’t believe me.