As always, waking up with a throbbing headache, ash dry mouth and an aching body was so fun. Heh. With a groan, I rolled off of my couch to land on the soft, thick rug.
But regardless of a slight sickness, it was time for my daily morning routine I'd worked out; and cherished even more now as the town and its people seemed close to the breaking point, with vampires running around and the body of a teenage girl being found. Vicki, that would be. Out of respect, I'd stayed away from her funeral. How long I could keep up avoiding everything else, was another question entirely. So, I worked out.
A run, followed by a series of exercises to promote the muscles. It was all a habit I'd built up and maintained ever since I became strong enough to hold the power to decide whether to end another being's life, and with ease having been able to take it away from them.
Like all previous times, the earlier crappy feeling faded quickly; a sign which I was sure my sister would take as bad, whereas I rather chose to look at how well-adjusted my body was to alcohol and hangovers with a more positive attitude.
Taking the same path as always, when heading I left the gray woods with a thick, brown carpet of leaves behind me to round a corner onto a road lined with one-storey houses, steering my path back towards the heart of the little civilization. Sure, running in the forest when the town was crawling with vampires might be pushing it a bit, but I hadn't left the house without stocking up on some of my precious vervain darts first.
It was a bleak day. And even around the Town Square the streets were empty. The sky was gray and the drizzle hung in the air as I sprinted the last bit. My heart pounding and leg buzzing from exhaustion, I slowed my pace until finally stopping to use a nearby red-bricked stone wall for support as my breathing began returning to its normal pace. Whilst stretching out my thighs, I forced my burning lungs to take in the cool air, fighting the numbness in my legs with the stretch.
Once my breathing was completely back to normal, I placed my foot against the wall to stretch out the back of my calves, one at a time.
"Well, well," a drawling voice spoke. "Look who it is!" Instantly, my whole body froze, my gaze fastened on the wall. No. No, no, no! No! I recognized that voice all too well. Someone must really be out to get me. "How's the run going?" Slowly, I stepped out of my stretch and turned towards the bothersome voice, preparing my absolute most cold glare possible.
"Tim," I stated shortly.
"Parker," he greeted with a sneer.
It was as if nothing had changed. The male before me looked exactly the same. Besides from a stubble – something he had never managed to grow way back when during our high school time together – otherwise, the tall athletic body – even though I had never even seen the man work out – and the light brown hair, although no longer in its usual buzz cut but rather grown out into a spiky style, were all the same. Viewing his outfit I came to the conclusion that he was wearing the very same dark-green cargo jacket from seven years ago as well, a navy blue shirt underneath that matched his moss green eyes perfectly. All that was missing was the gray beanie and a beer bottle in his hands, and it would be like I had stepped into a frickin time machine!
"Long time no see," Tim said as he casually moved closer.
"For a reason, dick," I spat into his stupid, and sadly pleasant, face.
His smile faded and turned into a grimace. "Still mad about that?"
"You mean the whole cheating thing?" I scoffed. "Mm, yeah, I'm still pretty pissed." I spun around in an attempt at making a dramatic exit, but my body fought me after the workout and the booze, thereby forcing me to settle for a power walking departure instead. Which Tim, of course, managed to catch up with quite easily.
"Okey, I get it. Sore subject," he gave me. "But you were no better!" I stopped abruptly, my head snapping to the side to stare him down as my fists clenched at my hips.
"Excuse me?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Tim scoffed. "That rich jock followed you around like a lost little puppy!"
"Leave him out of this!" I seethed with my finger pointed into his face.
"Fine," Tim bit off, his green eyes nearly cross-eyed as he stared at my warning finger. He pushed it aside before continuing. "We were equally cheating–" My turn to let out a scoff. "–BUT that's not the point." He took a step dangerously close, but I didn't move back an inch; knowing Tim, that would only get him going even more. The easiest and fastest way to get rid of him was to just listen to whatever douchey thing he had to say. Something I wouldn't do without a little bitchy comment here or there, however.
"Then what do you want, Timothy Andrews?" I smirked at his clenched jaws. He'd always hated his full name.
"Well, Parka…" Sadly, he also knew how much I hated my old nickname. "I wanna catch up. Is that a crime?" Tim moved his hand to tuck a strand of my sweaty hair that had escaped my low ponytail behind my ear. I didn't as much as flinch, only grabbed his wrist to twist his arm around with a sour feeling in my throat. "OW! Okay, I get it!" I released Tim with a shove to watch as he rubbed his arm with a glare thrown at me. He had it coming. "Okay, new leaf." He straightened his posture and shook his arm back in place a bit. "Come on! One little drink to make up for the fact that you didn't even tell me you were back in town."
"For a good reason, apparently!" A thought hit me. "How did you know?" Tim's smug grin grew a bit wider as his eyes wandered over my body. Ugh, I had forgotten how much I hated when he did that. "Someone told you," I stated. I squinted my eyes, thinking quickly. "It was Chase, wasn't it?" His silence and grin turning even more smug was enough of an answer. "Oh, he is dead!" I seethed.
"Hey! Don't kill the messenger. It wasn't his fault. You know how Chase gets after a couple of beers," Tim chuckled.
"You're not still doing that, are you?" I questioned with a sigh, already sensing his answer.
"Deal booze, you mean?" Tim looked too full of himself. "Yep." Of course. I brought my fist to my forehead to block out the image of his permanently tattooed and incomprehensibly annoying grin. "Although business is much slower these days," Tim confided. "Kids today are much more goody-doers, not like back in our day." His voice moved closer. Uh, he never gave up! "Especially the rest of the Gilbert-clan." I opened my eyes and lowered my fist to face him as he stopped a feet before me.
Of course, Tim's eyes were still wandering all over my sweaty appearance. Not a very interesting outfit, but I suppose he was looking at the curves the tight training clothes were showing off; all black, except for my neon purple running shoes and a light orange hair tie keeping my messy hair out of my face. Most of the time, at least.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded to know, crossing my arms over my chest, almost as flat as my sister's due to the tight sports bra.
"It means that your little sister hasn't come looking for a good time," Tim sighed. "Jeez, don't worry!"
"What about Jer?" I squinted my eyes at him.
"He's more of a stoner. I don't deal that!" Tim almost looked offended by the mere thought that I'd even assume that he would sink to that sort of dealing, putting a hand over his heart and shaking his head. But at least that much was true.
During all the years I'd known Tim, he only ever dealt alcohol, never even nearing the drug-field. Occasionally he had his weird morals. But still thought it okay to cheat and sleep around constantly. He hadn't had any trouble finding people either, given he was a popular guy, which wasn't so surprisingly considering how attractive free alcohol can be. Ttruth be told, that might also have been my main reason for going out with him in the first place. Still, I was over all that drama since long. However, Tim seemed to be more stuck in the past as he was still standing too close, eyeing me with an interested gleam in his clear, green eyes.
"Stop with the staring. It's not gonna happen," I huffed and turned to keep walking. Tim followed. It took some effort to move my stiff, tired legs, but my motivation to get away from my ex was enough to act as a fuel.
"I'm only asking for one tiny drink," he pushed innocently. I didn't respond. "It's on me then!" he gave in with a sigh, and I stopped. The bastard knew me too well. "Absolutely free! For old times sake," he added with a wink. Since Tim clearly wasn't going to give up until I agreed, the option seemed to be to drink him under the table – I was pretty confident my alcohol perseverance was better than his, even if he dealt it – and leave him like so. Also, that might just get my message of disinterest through his thick skull.
"Fine." I held back a sigh as his face brightened up by a satisfied grin.
"Great! At my place then?"
"Don't tell me you're still living in that hellhole." This time I allowed the sigh to be heard loud and clear, my forehead creased. His old house had been an absolute dump back in my day, I didn't want to imagine what it looked like now.
"Hey! Don't judge! It's big, empty and far away from any prying cops." In other words: perfect for wild parties with drunk teenagers.
"You're living the dream, Timothy," I stated sarcastically.
"Yep," he rejoiced with another confident wink. "See you tonight then!" he called over his shoulder as he walked away. Finally! "Parka!" he then of course had to add with a snigger. I immediately stiffened. That damn nickname!
By the time it was time for me to change, standing in front of my wardrobe, I'd already changed my mind about tonight. That Liz had called me with a tempting offer to join one of the Council's meetings didn't help either. But, what could have gotten her to change her mind?
"Screw it," I muttered and grabbed the first thing catching my eye; casual light ripped jeans and a black off-shoulder sweater. Messy tangles pulled into a tight bun at the nape of my neck, and I was good to go.
As I dug through my closet to find a jacket and my beloved boots, my phone called for my attention.
"What's up?" I answered my aunt, remaining sitting in the middle of the soft, furry rug as I kept throwing away clothes from the hep before me. Where was all this stuff even coming from? I always packed lightly. Meaning that it should be impossible for me to have this many pieces of clothing. What the heck?
"Oh, not much." Jenna's voice was too high-pitched as she responded. Something was wrong.
"I don't believe you." I stopped digging through my mess of clothes. "Spill."
"Fine." Jenna sighed. I could hear as she repositioned her phone, probably running a hand over her face like she always did when feeling uncomfortable. "Can you do dinner at the house tonight?" Huh, a formal invite? That was new. So far, any type of food situation had been more of a 'show up and you might get food, you might have to cook it yourself or be set up with a hot guy in the process' type of thing. Something was fishy.
"Why?" I asked slowly.
"No particular reason." Jenna's voice went higher.
"There's a always catch," I pressed with a frown. "Which is it now?"
"It's nothing!" Jenna kept on insisting. Yeah, right.
"Cut the crap and tell me." Nothing but silence met my ear. "Jenna?" She barely even seemed the breathe. "Jenna!"
"Uh! Okay!" she gave in, sighing loudly. "John's back."
My response was out before she'd even finished. "No. Absolutely not."
"C'mon!" Jenna whined, sounding desperate. "I need back-up!"
"Not happening." I shook my head, firmly. "The drama between you two is just the tip of the iceberg!"
"That's why I want you to be there!" Jenna retorted. Okay, point taken.
"I wish I could–"
"No you don't!" Jenna snorted, interrupting me midway. Jeez!
"However, I've got an ex of my own to deal with tonight." Even if I'd rather would have liked to have my aunt in the dark about this particular encounter, it seemed to be my only excusable way out of the most awful family dinner imaginable.
"Who?" The pleading desperation in her voice switched to curiosity in a matter of seconds. Now it was my turn to stay silent. "Parker, come on!" Jenna pushed. Not a word left my lips. ""I had to! Your turn to spill."
"Tim," I breathed out, followed by a pause.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well… Good luck with that."
"Thanks!" I spoke dryly, before adding a, "You too."
"Ugh! Don't remind me…" Jenna muttered, bitterly.
The conversation was a fine example on how my relationship with my aunt had always been more of a friendship than a relative one. We talked about things that I'd never even think about discussing with Elena or Jeremy; like how it was Jenna and not me who'd gotten the sole custody of my siblings after our parents died, even though I was – at least on paper – just as fit for the job. Our bond was appreciated, and also why we were able to end the call at that, no more questions asked.
As I finally found my leather jacket in the mess, I wondered whose night would be the toughest; mine or Jenna's? Sure, John was a bitch, but Tim also managed to qualify nicely in that category without falling far behind. Thinking about it, both of the men were known for being cheating and lying scums; I really hope Jenna and I didn't share a type…
The house was just as I remembered it, meaning that it was falling apart completely. The once grand stone facade was crumbling to show off the rotting planks beneath. The white marble exterior had turned utterly gray, and in some places you could even hint big, black spots, as if someone had tried to set the house on fire. It wouldn't surprise me. This place had a bad rep. Unless you were looking for a wild night filled with booze, of course. Then the enormous mansion was just the place for you!
Climbing the stairs up to the porch, I had to jump over a gap where a plank had rotted away completely and given up, before banging on the black door; it nearly fell out of its hinges. Jeez! I took that as permission to step inside.
"You showed!" Tim exclaimed as he came skipping down the broad staircase from the floor above, avoiding unstable steps with ease. "Honestly, I didn't think you would."
"I was promised free alcohol," I explained with a smirk, reminding him.
"Coming right up!" He twirled to steer his steps into one of the many living rooms; this one utterly purple.
The only thing in the room that wasn't broken was a big, sturdy, wooden cabinet that I knew was the sacred place where some of the alcohol was kept. The rest was either in a secret storage room in the basement, or hidden in some other place where the police wouldn't find it if they ever decided to pay a visit. Although, I highly doubt they would; they had bigger problems on their plate right now considering the vampires crawling around town.
"Here, my lady." I was handed a dusty glass with a transparent liquid. The smell was hard to mistake: vodka.
"Ha," I replied to Tim's comment and was rewarded with his satisfied grin. "You know me so well."
"If there's one thing I remember, then it's what people like to drink!" Tim looked too full of himself again as he motioned for me to sit down on the red, threadbare, satin couch.
Reluctantly, I followed the gesture and found Tim doing the same as he took a seat in the matching couch opposite from me. There were marks in the thick, dusty, old, green carpet which indicated that there had once stood a table there not too long ago. I decided to hold onto my drink, gripping the glass harder when Tim, being Tim, once again did nothing to hide his wandering gaze as he leaned back in a relaxing manner. Why had I even decided to come here? Right, I wanted to get rid of the asshole, and maybe also win the breakup. My plan of doing that? It was pretty non-existent, actually.
"Yeah, definitely the only thing," I muttered and took a sip from the clear liquor, relishing in the familiar burn.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Tim frowned and removed his extended arms from the back of his couch.
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe that you have the memory of a goldfish and refuse to recall how our relationship ended!" My patience just jumped out the broken window. Oh well! Since I was here already, I might as well get something out of it by sorting out some past conflicts; or create new ones. Either way worked, really.
"I remember that crystal clear, actually! Maybe you're the one who needs a reminder," Tim retorted and abruptly stood up. I knew it! He wasn't after catching up, he craved a fight just as much as I did! And one can wonder why our relationship didn't work out… I shot up from my seat as well.
"Oh yeah! Who cheated on who, now?" I seethed and took a step closer, shoving my finger into his chest.
"Don't drag that up! You were just as bad!" Tim replied with a squinted gaze.
"Excuse me! You had multiple girls, and I swear you can't even name any one of them!" Tim opened his mouth for a comeback, but nothing came out. "Exactly!" I showed off a triumphant smirk.
"Well! It wasn't just that! You were craving conflicts then, and you obviously still do!" Tim pointed out with a dramatic wave of his hand.
"Like you're any better!" I snorted.
It was safe to say that this argument went absolutely nowhere. The screaming continued for a bit, until I finally had enough and wasted my vodka by throwing it into Tim's face.
"REAL MATURE!" he called after me as I stormed out of the house. Indeed, I was very much aware of a cliché warning, but the action had still been pretty damn satisfying.
To be honest, as I stomped home, even a calm feeling began to spread through my body. It resembled one appearing after a really tough workout. Fighting relaxed me, it released some of the pressure that was constantly building up inside of me. At the same time the experience was also a nice little walk down memory lane, reliving my messed up relationship with Tim. Plus, now he wouldn't want to see me again! Not after that fight. Overall, a win-win situation! However, there was one fight of ours which would never be out-classed.
OCTOBER 2004
The blood raised through my body, about to boil over when I saw his stupid grin in the middle of the hallway. I slammed my locker shut and made Tanya jump beside me.
"Everything okay, Parks?" When I didn't respond to her concerned look, she turned her head in the direction of my narrowed gaze. "Oh." Her almond brown corkscrew curls bounced a little as she nodded in understanding.
Without a word, I pushed my beige shoulder bag into Tanya's arms before stomping over to the grinning Tim whose surrounding friends laughed at something he'd just said.
"You bastard!" I fumed, and his smile was instantly wiped off. Tim's friends took a few unsure steps back as the man in question sighed.
"What now, Parka?"
"Don't call me that!" I shoved my forefinger into his chest, fighting the urge to hit him with my fist instead. "You know very well what I'm talking about, you cheating scum!" Tim was taken aback and gaped at me for a moment, before making a quick recovering.
"So you wanna do this here? Now?" he asked and cocked a brow up.
"Oh, hell yeah," I seethed and took another step closer, standing mere inches from him. "How many times have you done it, huh? Gone behind my back and slept with anyone who threw as much as a glance your way!"
"Don't patronize me! Like you're any better," Tim spat back. "Every guy swoons over you in the blink of an eye! I wonder why. It's certainly not because of your charming personality!"
"That doesn't mean I sleep with them!" I barked, gritting my teeth.
"No, of course not! Being emotionally unavailable and all!" Tim sneered.
"Excuse me! How dare you say that?"
"Plus, you're always looking for conflicts! Like right now! And you always need an audience!" He threw his arms out, and for the first time since we started this I paid attention to our surroundings. Our fellow classmates and other kids at school had stopped to stare at the scene unfolding before them with wide eyes. Drama always attracted attention. I decided to ignore them.
"Like you're so much better!" I pointed out with a huff. Was I the only one arguing in the middle of a crowded hallway? Hmm, I didn't think so!
"Clearly I know how to work my way around," Tim scoffed.
"More like sleep around!" I hissed.
"Okay, I got it!" he yelled.
"YOU LIAR!" I fumed.
"SOULLESS DRAMA QUEEN!" was spat back.
"WHORE!"
"That's enough!" a new voice called, and Tim and I were roughly pushed apart whilst still glaring at the other. Mr Tanner's angry stare flew between us. Of course he – the only teacher in school who didn't bother hiding his hate directed against me – had to be the one to intervene. The look I met those sharp eyes with was mutual. "You two are making a scene." To that, I scoffed, receiving a warning glare. "Both of you, go to the principal's office. Now. Before I give you detention for the rest of the year!" He released the grips he'd had on either of our shoulders, pointing at the hallway behind me with an urging nod.
Reluctantly, I obeyed with a scowl. Tim followed suit.
"If I hear as much as a whisper, you two can forget passing my class!" Tanner bellowed after us. Who needed to pass history anyway?
Still, all that was heard were some nasty word being muttered as Tim and I stepped into the waiting room and sat down on the uncomfortable, red, plastic chairs to await the principal's welcoming, refusing to look at each other.
Principal Walters inflicted fear on the school, and being sent to her was not preferred by any poor soul. But my mind had no room for those thoughts right now, I only wanted to scream my lungs out dry at Tim. How could that lying, cheating whore dare call me emotionally unavailable? Had he not heard me yell only five minutes ago! If there was something I had, it was emotions. I would make sure he got that.
"You two can go in now," a women with cocoa skin and brown afro spoke up from the desk in the other end of the room. She nodded instructively towards the door behind her. Of course I was the first to rise up, Tim not moving an inch. Dick.
The chairs inside the office were much more comfortable than the plastic ones outside. These were even padded. Padded! Fancy as fuck. The principal swiveled her chair around; which was even fancier, might I add, ergonomically correct and all. Her green eyes pierced right through me as she furrowed her blonde brows. Damn. A part of me had forgotten how intimidating she could be. But considering how many times I had been forced to have a little 'chat' with her over the year, I was more than used to that gaze by now.
A thought, completely out of nowhere, hit me. The principal before me had a daughter around Elena's age, who my little sister always nagged about, saying that she was acting cold towards both Elena and Bonnie. If I remembered correctly, the little blonde usually hung out with Caroline. Wouldn't want to be in her shoes, having the principal as your mother. Poor Juliette.
Principal Walters sighed and placed her elbows on the mahogany desk in front of her, a table which had surely blown the crappy school's budget to bits.
"Here we are again," she remarked with another sigh. "I was really expecting more from you, Miss Gilbert." Ouch.
"Oh, Suzanne." I smirked and leaned back in the comfortable, brown, padded chair. "We both know that's a big, fat lie." She ignored my comment, instead turning her green eyes onto Tim. He was fiddling with his keys and staring out the big window behind her. The sun was shining into my eyes, which Suzanne clearly noticed, but made no effort to fix the blinds only a few feet away from her. Bitch.
A wrinkle formed between the principal's blonde brows. She had the two most difficult individuals in the entire school sitting in front of her, and even though we were currently fighting, Tim and I had been together long enough to silently be able to decide when to put our petty differences aside to mess with her. Given, this relationship had some positive aspects, but I still hadn't forgotten about the cheating and the lies yet. Mark my words.
"Whatever your argument was about, Miss Gilbert and Mr Andrews, you cannot cause a scene like that in school. It is completely unacceptable. Especially since there are younger students present. I am truly regretful that I have to do this, but you have forced my hand." Suzanne sighed, but I didn't believe her for a second, she couldn't care less about either of us. I bet she even hated our guts. "Sadly, you both need to be punished for this behavior."
Tim and I shared a look. Oh boy.
"I think that we will start with–"
The door suddenly swung open behind us, and a woman in her early 30s dressed in black slacks, a striped T-shirt and a navy blue blazer barged in. I had never been so relieved to see the pixie cut, henna red, curly hair that belonged to the only good teacher in this school in all my life! Emma Cartwright's fair skin had taken on a slightly pinkish tone, matching her hair quiet nicely, probably caused from running through the entire school to our rescue.
"Excuse my late arrival," she excused in a polite manner and closed the door behind her. Why did the Brits constantly apologize? "I happened to pass Mr Tanner in the hall, and he informed me that two of my mentor students had been sent to you," Emma addressed principal Walters politely. "I hope you haven't made any decision concerning them without my knowledge?" she inquired with a raise of her brows.
HA!
Suzanne's face became expressionless for a moment, except for the muscles in her jaw clenching, before she forced a small smile.
"Of course not, Miss Cartwright," she reassured my english teacher with a nod. "That would be against the faculty's rules, after all."
"Precisely," Emma said and returned the principal's strained smile with a much warmer one. If she hadn't already been my favorite teacher, then she was now! Managing to beat the frickin principal at her own game!
"Some sort of detention is necessary, I believe," Suzanne spoke and cut my victory short. Dammit. I inclined my head in Emma's direction, hoping for another rescuing comment. Instead, she only nodded.
"Of course."
Darn. Guess she couldn't always be superwoman. Occasionally, the villain also had to win. Yes, the principal was the bad guy in this scenario. Although Emma still managed to ease the punishment considerably.
Both Tim and I were sent on our way with nothing but a few weeks of detention. If Suzanne would've had it her way, then we would undoubtedly have been expelled.
"Miss Gilbert!" I stopped in the doorway of the little blue waiting room. Tim ignored the same voice when it called his name as well, and instead the douche ran down the hallway with his tail between his legs. I would get him later.
"Yeah?" I swiveled around on my heel to face Emma.
"Walk with me?" she suggested politely. I nodded and began strolling through the hallway beside her. She was considerably shorter than me, even though she was wearing a pair of black, high-heeled boots, very similar to mine. "I just wanted to make sure you're alright. Principal Walters has a knack of getting into one's head." I could feel Emma study the side of my face as she spoke, but I kept my gaze on the shining, white floor ahead. Her gesture was kind of sweet, but I didn't need her concern. My parents were providing me with enough of that already.
"No worries. I can handle it." I shrugged
"I'm positive you can," her smooth, British accent spoke beside me. It could have come off as sounding a bit ironic, but Emma actually seemed to mean what she'd said. She believed me and didn't push the matter any further, bidding me a farewell as she hurried to her next class. I couldn't help but hold onto my opinion of her: the best teacher in this hellhole of a school.