September 22, 2005
First day of Autumn
Thursday afternoon
When Josh Nichols sulked no one seemed to notice. People notice you when you have
a magic fork trick or if you can rack up a high score record with your favorite
Gamesphere game, but no one seemed to care that he was in the Principal's office. He
sat on the long cherry wood bench with his transfer papers. It wasn't a victory. He didn't
need Drake to scream at him for that point to be known.
Maybe he was a family wrecker but how unfair to put all the blame squarely on him when
Walter and Audrey were two grown people. If their marriage was strong they'd make it,
it was as simple as that. Josh never did get the chance and was quite sick about how
his mom might have thought that he didn't love her that it was all a lie. This was not true.
Audrey was his mom. But Josie was too and he did want to get to know her better. What
was so wrong with that?
He couldn't help it if the Parker offspring only thought about themselves but then again
that was what they were best at.
It wasn't just about Drake and Megan.
Josh turned over his the cuff on his shirtsleeve and then moved to his right arm to do the
same. He almost broke out in hives when he saw Drake walk out of the Principal's
office.
So that's who was in there.
Please don't let our eyes meet.
Josh didn't care if Drake got detention for running in the halls or if he and Torey did a
little too much of the PDA. It was of no importance to him.
He was expecting the self-important Parker pose and it almost pissed him off in a
hypocritical way when Drake didn't stop and stare at him. He just got a signed slip from
the secretary and went to his class.
"Josh Nichols," the secretary stood up, "You may go in now."
It's not his fault that his Dad was sharing an apartment with KDJY bachelor anchor
Stuart.
It wasn't his fault.
So why did it feel like it was?
It was lunch when Drake saw the flyer posted on the oversized bulletin board that the
school allowed the students to use.
Belleview High School's Annual Halloween DanceOctober 28, 2005
6:30PM
School Gymnasium
Costume Contest
First Prize: $500.00 Rutherford's Gift Certificate
Second Prize: Free year pass for you and a friend from the Premiere movie theater.
Courtesy of Manager: Helen Ophelia Du'Bois
Third Prize: A coffee sampler from the Brew Note
Band: Atomic Soup (cancelled)
Replaced by: The Frankie Fuller Trio
Those prices were certainly lame. And who was the Frankie Fuller trio? Drake never
heard of them. Although he was glad that Atomic Soup didn't get the dance gig after all.
They were trying to bring grunge back to the mainstream. Music shouldn't be that
depressing. Well, it was the Halloween dance. But still.
Give the people some good music.
"Hey," Torey kissed Drake on the cheek, "You're wrapped up in your thoughts."
"Hi," He kissed her back, " Who is the Frankie Fuller trio?"
"Frankie Fuller is that guy that transferred over from Clairemont. We have art class
together."
"What! It took me years to even be allowed to play at school and this guy transfers over
and already gets to replace the original band?"
"We both know you're better."
Drake smiled. Torey did have the knack to make him feel better. Home was a terrible
place. His mother worked longer hours just to avoid her marriage issues.
Issues that were caused by Josh that never would have happened otherwise.
It was only supposed to be a few days and today was the twenty-second day of
September. The first day of Autumn!
"You're sweet."
It was true. He didn't care if any of his classmates thought he was corny or not. Too bad.
Drake Parker always marched to the beat of a different drummer.
Some women were just sweet. It didn't mean they weren't human. It just meant that they
had a deep soul and were loving to those around them. It still bothered Drake to think
about almost throwing this relationship away not once, but twice.
"Are you hungry?" she asked
"Not really."
Now that Drake had his own car they didn't even have to eat in the cafeteria. His guy
friends especially those of the band mate variety were probably feeling alienated but he
just didn't care. Maybe that was rather selfish. But he loved Torey and that was the
person that he wanted to be with.
They held hands as they got their junk food out of the vending machine. Torey didn't
have the massive sweet tooth that Drake had, but she wasn't in the mood to eat a
proper lunch today either.
"Drake," she turned the radio down, "I was going to wait until tonight but close your
eyes."
He had to splash himself with a mental image of cool water because he knew that's not
what she meant.
"Why?"
"Because it's a surprise."
"Torey, you didn't have to---"
"Ssh," she put her index finger on his lips, "I wanted to."
He heard her open the snap closure of her purse and then felt something soft being put
in his hands.
"Open your eyes, Drake."
It was a long black velvet box. Whatever was in this box was because she wanted to
make him feel better over all the chaos in the Parker (no Nichols lived there anymore,
well Josh didn't count) household. He could feel his eyes water before he even opened
the box.
It was a sterling silver ID bracelet.
Drake in an Old English font was engraved on the front and on the back was
Love, ToreyThis must have cost her a small fortune as most of those places charged by the letter.
"This is awesome," Drake kissed her on the lips, "Thank you, Torey."
It would definitely look good on him while playing the guitar.
"I figured you could use some cheering up." She took it out of the box and placed it on
Drake's left wrist.
He appreciated the gesture and her so much. Good luck with the Mindy pining Drake
accidentally let a thought of Josh creep in his mind.
"Do you know you are the only person that really thinks of me as a whole person?"
She put her hand on his knee.
Their relationship was progressing and it was slowly terrifying her on the inside. Torey
was convinced that once Drake realized certain things about her that he was going to
bolt to the nearest door.
He wanted forever with her, she could tell. And although she wrote similar things in her
diary many many times she didn't think that she could give him that future.
"I do love you, Drake."
They kissed a little bit more until the first bell rang to indicate that lunch was over.
She put their soda cans and junk food wrappers in a small trash bag. If it were up to him
Drake would have had a totally messy car. It was just part of his charm like untucked
shirts and guitar playing at any hour of the day.
"I love you, too."
He needed one more kiss if he was going to get through periods six through eight.
While Drake saw the future with Torey in his mind that he has been cultivating he had no
idea his girlfriend saw the same future but she didn't know if them being together
passed high school could ever be a reality and it's not because she didn't want to.
It was because she didn't want to hurt the only man in this world that she was ever going
to love.
"What are you thinking about, Torey?" Drake said as they walked back to the school. He
loved how the bracelet sparkled on his wrist.
"Just that you are a great guy, Drake. You deserve to be happy."
The latter half of her statement confused him. He already was.
"And so do you." He kissed her on the cheek, as they had to go in the opposite direction
to their respective classes.
"I'll meet you by your locker after school." She said when they got the stairwell.
"As always."
Something was wrong though. He could feel it. Torey was afraid and Drake had no idea
why. He knew one thing though he was going to take a nap in class once he got there.
When all he really wanted to do was find out what was troubling his girlfriend.