this is wayyyyyy late than expected! was caught up in a lot of overtime hours at work :c
✧*̥˚ chapter six: just another story to tell *̥˚✧
⤷ continuation from the last chapter.
After an hour or so, Parker had somewhat ended up away from the rest of the crowds in the darkness of the night where the main festival had been taking place. Actually, he ended up sitting on a bench across the river from the festival by himself. His eyes flickered in the distance between the crowds on the bleachers waiting for the burning of the boat, and the stalls lit up with fairy lights that had still been surrounded by people.
"Thought I might find you here."
Turning around, Parker met the gaze of his brother who walked toward him before sitting beside him, sighing as he did. He gazed into the distance, across the river. Parker passed him a smile, "How'd you know?" He asked which made Jesse shrug.
"I caught you walking here," He admitted with a small voice before glancing at him, "I know that if you could, you wouldn't even make an effort to go there in the first place, just so you can avoid socializing with everyone."
Parker laughed, "It's shocking that you know me so well."
Jesse just scoffed, "I mean, I'm your brother. I'm bound to know a lot of things about you. Like how I know when you're not feeling alright." He admitted solemnly when a sudden thought passed his mind. Parker bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that at that moment, Jesse potentially knew exactly what was on his mind.
When he didn't say anything, Jesse asked carefully, "What happened?"
"What?"
He paused for a moment and then continued, "Between you and mom? Why did you even go in the first place?" He sounded so distant, so cold. His voice was low and quiet and Parker glanced at him to see that he was looking down at his phone, which lit up with a picture of their family, that he quickly shut off and put down on the bench beside him. He was always the sentimental type, that lock-screen proved it, but it also made Parker feel an immense amount of guilt.
Parker gulped as he kept his focus on the boat across the river, seeing that it was being lit up, using it as an excuse to not look at Jesse again, "I thought you already knew." He said as he straightened up in his seat. He was telling the truth.
The second that Jesse got home that night, after Parker left, he thought that their mom would've told him the reason why. To think they didn't, made him wonder why. Did Jesse not ask them? Did he read the room, and accepted everything that happened without wanting to know about it? Did he just not care? Or did they just not answer him when he did ask questions?
"All I know is that one day I came home and you were already out the door with your suitcase. Now you don't talk or even want to look at Mom or Dad and they don't even ask about you or go to your games, and you only talk to me. That's it." It was then that Parker realized that Jesse really didn't know anything. Or if he did, he sure didn't sound like he'd know enough, or much of it at all.
He pursed his lips, wondering if he should tell him, and then, as his heartbeats started to increase, he just did, "We had an argument," He finally said with a small sigh.
"About what?"
Parker turned to him and said, "Dad."
Jesse furrowed his eyebrows and then asked, "What did Dad do?"
"Well — he isn't my dad, he's yours."
Jesse scoffed, "You get in one big argument with him, and you what? You can't even say he's your dad?" He shook his head and then leaned back into his seat, "That's stupid."
Parker bit his tongue, unsure whether or not he should stop being so vague and tell him the whole truth, just let it out so that it was over and done with, so that he wouldn't be the only person - other than Evelyn - that knows. He couldn't keep going with holding it in alone, especially now that he couldn't talk about it to Evelyn anymore.
He shook his head at him and muttered nervously, "No, you're not getting it. He's not my dad, he's just yours." Parker watched as Jesse's eyes widened and how he froze up, taking it in. He'd seem to be doing a better job at it than him though, because when Jesse's eyes finally met Parker's, he leaned forward in curiosity.
"Then who's your dad?"
Parker spoke nonchalantly as he leaned back into his seat, "That's the thing, I don't know," He seemed so sad about it but he tried his best to conceal it, "Mom won't tell me anything about him. I don't think it's because she doesn't know, I think there's another reason."
Jesse asked, "Is that why you argued?" and Parker could tell that the pieces were falling together for him, everything that he didn't know about that night was just unravelling in the imaginations of his mind.
When Parker finally took in that question though, it was inevitable that the scenes of that night would flood his memories and he'd get stuck in this loop of hurt. He could almost feel everything come back to him, the same things he'd felt back then but he pushed it away as he said, emotionlessly, "Dad called me a bastard. That's how I found out."
"He did what?" Jesse blurted out, and Parker looked at him as his little brother's jaw tensed in anger, "What a dick."
"Jesse, he's your dad." Parker reminded him, hitting his shoulder with the back of his hand. Regardless of how he was treated, Parker believed that giving back the same treatment was not necessary, it didn't align with his values.
"He sure doesn't act like one," Jesse muttered before he continued, "He always hated you when we were kids, and now we know why, but he always treated me like I was his client and not his son. I like the guy but only because he's part of the reason why I'm alive right now."
"He just wants what's best for you," Parker said, "That's why he pushes you so hard."
"No, he wants to impress his friends and boast about how his son is destined to play for the NFL," He said back with raised eyebrows, and then he paused before looking at Parker apologetically, "I'm sorry... about him, and about mom."
Parker only replied with a small, "It's okay," because he didn't know what else to say. He never wanted Jesse to ever be in this position, where he'd be torn between their mom, dad and him. It wasn't ideal, but then again, it wasn't ideal for Parker either. Sometimes he'd forget that he's still a kid too, maybe not a young one but he still needed his family more than he ever did before.
"Would you mind if I stayed over on the weekends? I miss you sometimes, and I don't think I can stand being in that house all the time."
Parker shook his head, "No, of course I don't mind, you can stay anytime... unless your room is still a pigsty because there ain't no way in hell I'm rooming with a slob, even if it is just for the weekends," he said and Jesse laughed in response, "Just make sure you tell mom where you're going so she doesn't worry."
He smiled, "I will," and then continued to say, "You know, I can tell she misses you a lot. Maybe she regrets it, you know? I mean, even if you're not dad's son, you are hers." Regardless of that fact, she still didn't do anything to strongly stand beside it. During everything that happened, she didn't even try to reach out or support Parker and he didn't even expect her to but he hoped that she would. And then when she did eventually do that, it was too late. The damage was already done.
"I miss her too," Parker sighed and then continued when he noticed Jesse studying him, "I just can't see her right now. I need a little more time."
He nodded and Parker was glad to see that he'd move on from the topic of her, because immediately he asked, "Any idea on who your dad might be? I mean, it has to be someone from Tree Hill, especially since mom had you when she was like fifteen. Maybe it's someone who graduated from here," He seemed a little more upbeat, and dare Parker say it - excited.
He shook his head at him, "I don't know how you've moved on from me being your half-brother so quickly, but I am still in shock here."
"Get over it," He said, raising his eyebrows at Parker with a small comforting smile, "The next step is to find out if your dad is still here. At least then, if you find him, you'll have a dad who'll actually love and accept you for who you are, the way that Ryan should have."
When he said their Dad's - his Dad's - name, Parker frowned. He pondered the use of his name, if he should just call him Ryan instead of Dad but that adjustment proved to be hard for him. He'd been so used to referring him as Dad that he didn't fathom ever calling him anything else - at least not comfortably.
"It wasn't his fault, I wasn't his responsibility to love or raise," Parker defended. He didn't like him, because their Dad never treated him right, because he looked at him like he was dirt. But Parker saw that, well, technically, he didn't have to love or raise him at all because Parker wasn't really his, "He just met mom at the wrong time, while she was still pregnant with me."
Jesse shook his head, "I don't know, man. But what I do know is, if any girl I'm in love with had a child that wasn't mine, I would raise him as if he were my own," He gave Parker a pointed look as if to ask him not to defend Dad to him, "Dad's just an asshole, he never had a good enough heart for the both of us." He was right. Their Dad never even hugged either of them since they were born, not once. If anything, he'd only ever gave Jesse a pat on the back for every game he'd win.
"We'll find my real dad. Maybe he'll like us," Parker proposed wishfully, "Or he'll be married, already have kids of his own, and wouldn't want anything to have to do with us or our family." It was a realistic factor that Parker figured they both should take in consideration. It had been years, seventeen years, since his mom had him. This man, whoever he was, could be married already and if he's happy with his life, maybe a bastard son could destroy that for him.
"Then at least we'll have each other," Jesse muttered lightheartedly, and then suddenly dropped the subject completely, switching to another, "So, while we were discussing your urm, your daddy issues — I was thinking that maybe I could stay the night so — I already asked mom on the way here if I could, and she said yes."
"You're sleeping on the couch."
"Wow, you find out I'm only half your brother and suddenly you've downgraded my privileges? That's cold, man."
a few days later
Parker stood outside of his mother's home, staring upon it like it were a distant memory. He saw how all the windows were shut and covered, how the new paint had already looked like it was chipping off on the outside walls and the way that the breeze flew around the garden like a tornado. It was like a metaphor to him. They were closed off, pulling at the seams of their home yet caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
The secrets his family held were not ones that were deep enough to scar them, or make anyone think of them differently, but it made him feel like something was wrong. Maybe it was because of the fact that they'd kept the truth of his origin away from him, maybe it was because of how easily his mother had just let him go, how easily she had defended Ryan.
Speaking of, his car had noticeably been missing from the driveway, only a light patch on the floor reflecting on where it would usually be parked. Next to it, had been his mother's car. When he lingered his gaze on the cars, he noticed a figure moving from the corner of his eyes and noticed that it had been his mother, walking toward him.
He couldn't run, it would look weird. But he also couldn't just be ignorant toward her, not now that he had time to reflect on his behavior from that night. So, Parker acknowledged her with a nod, avoiding her eyes.
Katie Ridley watched her son fight a battle inside those blue eyes, and knew exactly what battle he was facing. It was his forgiveness, that he was wondering if she had deserved. Frankly, she didn't think she did deserve it, not after how she remembered telling him to leave. She bit the inside of her cheeks and crossed her arms loosely upon the top of her stomach, "You're here."
"I'm waiting to take Jesse to school, you know, since you apparently can't without having to get permission from Dad," His tone was bitter and Katie gulped at the sound of it in surprise. But before she could say anything, Parker muttered, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," And then he did the one thing that broke her heart, he looked up at her reluctantly, pursed his lips and finally muttered, "Tell Jesse I'm waiting in the car, if you see him, please?"
Katie nodded, and then hoped she could finally say something, to talk to her son. But Parker clearly wasn't in the mood to talk as without a single glance back to her, he got into his car and started it, before taking out his phone and distracting himself with it. He waited for her to leave, to go back inside, and when he realized that she did, he put his phone down and sighed.
Suddenly the passenger door opened and Parker jumped, "You scared the shit out of me, man," He glared at Jesse who only laughed before putting his belt on, "You got your gear? You have a home game today, you know that right?"
"Like I could forget when I have you around." Jesse smiled sarcastically before he remembered something, a text that he got that morning, "By the way, I hope you don't mind, but we need to make a stop at the Rayans. I gotta pick something up." Parker didn't question it, it was normal for Mama Rayans to make her signature bakes for them which they'd picked up before.
Except, it wasn't her delicious bakes that had been waiting at the front door of their house when Parker arrived there. In fact, the thing that had been waiting for them had been a person. Marcus' twin sister. Particularly one of his closest friends. Jasmine.
A wide smile lit up on Parker's face and as soon as he stopped the car, he jumped out just in time for her to run over and hug him, "Hi! I can't believe you're here, when did you get back?" Parker asked, happy to see her as he hugged her back. She moved away before engulfing Jesse in a hug too.
"Like twenty minutes ago! Marcus already left, I didn't get to see him - and I didn't want him to come back just to take me back to school. I know Jesse's always making you late so I thought if there's one person I can call, it'd be my -"
"Baby Blue-Eyed Barker." Her and Jesse finished at the same time. Jesse had said it playfully, as if making fun of the nickname, whereas Jasmine had only said it since she knew it would embarrass Parker. It was something that they had come up with when they were kids, particularly from when Jasmine couldn't quite pronounce her P's.
Parker rolled his eyes, pushing Jasmine and Jesse before running back into the drivers seat of his car, closing the door and locking them when both Jesse and Jasmine had attempted to get back at him. He stuck his tongue out at them which made them laugh before he unlocked the doors, letting the both of them into his car.
It was when he had begun driving, letting Jasmine take control of the aux, when Jesse asked the question Parker had avoided asking in fear of being too nosy, "So, Jazz-hands, which summer camp did you bunk at that's got you coming back to school a month late?" His eyebrows were raised as he leaned forward from the back middle seat to look at her.
She smiled, though Parker could tell when he glanced at her that it wasn't entirely genuine, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"She was at her fancy rich grandparents condo in NY, she's just too humble to let us know how awesome it was." Parker muttered jokingly, which warranted in Jasmine punching him in the arm despite the smile that rose on her face as she laughed. He feigned hurt and said, "Ouch! What was that for?"
Jasmine just shook her head, "You and I both know that I hated it there, there's too much gossip, too many high end parties with snobby assholes who don't care if you're seventeen or eighty-six and hit on you," That didn't sound pleasant to either of them, and Jasmine could tell by the way the both of them scrunched up their noses in disgust at even the imagination of it.
After that settled down, when Parker finally got to school, Jasmine asked, "So? Any rumors I gotta prepare myself for? Did anyone spread anything about me being shipped off to boarding school?" Parker cleared his throat as Jesse laughed.
"Marcus has been telling everybody that you felt pressured over being the lesser liked twin and that's why you decided not to ever come back," Jesse stated in a lighthearted tone before he then let her know about Evelyn, "She didn't really mention you, she's been too busy with student council duties and whatnot."
Parker interceded, "But Lily missed you, she asked about you on the first day and kept asking, at least until we got some new transfers - that distracted her a bit."
Jasmine had suddenly become interested, and curious, "Transfers? Tree Hill doesn't get transfers, who are they? Spill the details."
Parker didn't get chance to say anything because Jesse, who loved to talk to Jasmine about things, especially the newest gossip, had begun to speak from the backseat while looking out the window, "It's just two sisters. Parker's pretty chummy with the older one, the younger one - well, she's annoying. Too preppy for me."
Jasmine rolled her eyes at him, "They're all too preppy for you." And then she smirked slightly, keeping her curious gaze onto Parker who had blushed subtly but not enough for her not to catch, "So you and the older girl... what's the story there?" She asked. Parker glanced at her without moving his head from the front view of the road and then bit the inside of his cheek as he felt himself becoming nervous.
"Uh," Jesse was about to interrupt again, with more information but because Parker knew that he would, he warned him with a glare from the reflection of the rearview mirror, "Never mind." It was then when Parker sharply parked up in the parking lot and turned the ignition off.
"I'll catch you guys when it's time to go home, Parker?" Jesse muttered as he made sure to grab his backpack and opened up the car door to get out. Parker leaned back in his seat but turned his head to look at Jesse as he passed him a small smile.
"It's your game tonight, think Mom's coming to pick you up."
Jesse sighed, "Right, see you at the game then?"
Parker nodded, "Wouldn't miss it for the world, buddy." And then, with that, Jesse had finally left and Parker had decided to stay in the car with Jasmine for the moment. She was still looking at him, a smirk on her face that didn't seem to want to disappear, "What?" Parker asked, feeling embarrassed.
"I don't know, I'm just surprised that you have a little school girl crush on a new girl, when not even two months ago, you were still caught up in you feeling for the literal devil." Jasmine muttered before she watched as he blushed and looked away, then choosing to leave the car since it had started to become hot. Jasmine followed him and when they were on the pavement leading the way to the school entrance, she fell into line with him as he walked.
He didn't hesitate to lock his car a couple times as he walked, and she only just rolled her eyes at him, especially seeing as he had a habit of doing that.
"Fine, we won't talk about it," Jasmine said with a shrug, though her tone indicated that she really wanted to know all about it, "But, I mean, you could at least tell me her name?"
Parker looked down to the floor and then glanced at Jasmine, "Jennifer," He admitted, and then when he thought about her, he couldn't help but continue, "She's so cool, you know? She's beautiful, she... I feel like I could have a conversation with her for days."
Jasmine decided not to interrupt him as they walked into school, fascinated by his adoration for someone other than Evelyn. He never really even looked at another girl in the way that he looked at Evelyn. Most of the time, he would keep his gaze lowered because he felt he only had eyes for her. So, to see him even be interested in someone else, it was fascinating for her.
"Hey, Jas, I'll catch you later okay? Think somethings going on with the team." He muttered as his eyes lingered on his basketball team, minus Marcus and Andre, who were standing around Jamie's locker. Jasmine only nodded before letting him go, patting his back in a friendly manner.
Something in the atmosphere had changed, everyone felt it. But almost every reaction was positive to the return of a certain Tree Hill student on Wednesday morning. The only one that wasn't, was Evelyn's. Standing at her locker, surrounded by her top of the class friends, Evelyn had the front row view of Parker walking into the school building alongside Jasmine.
Her eyes narrowed upon the curly haired girl as she bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance. Jasmine and her definitely do not get along, though it was mostly because both felt threatened when it came to Parker, it also had been because both of them were highly competitive... in everything.
Jasmine being away from school gave Evelyn the ultimate chance to regain her status around school as the top academic and for her to fly to the top of being valedictorian for graduation this year. Between Jasmine, Veronica and her, she was almost positive that she'd be the one standing up there - giving that speech. But Jasmine wasn't going to let that dream come true for her, clearly.
From across the room, when Jasmine caught Evelyn's gaze, she smirked at her and because Evelyn had hated her so much, she rolled her eyes and grunted, looking away to her friends who had noticed the small interaction but chose to speak about Parker instead.
"Are you and Parker getting back together?" One of them asked, to which Evelyn immediately let her expression falter and shake her head.
"Where did you hear that?" She dared to ask.
But everyone knew that if she knew who it was, that she'd destroy their life in order to establish her dominance over the school's hierarchy. It wouldn't surprise them, since she'd done it before. Though, they had to admit that she had begun to be softer during and after her relationship with Parker. So it was highly possible that she would just let them go with a warning.
Mila, one of her friends, answered, "I don't know how the rumors started, but - almost everyone saw you guys leaving together at Hazel's party."
"I was drunk, he took me home. That was it."
That was when a familiar voice interrupted their conversation.
"Of course you were drunk. Think that's getting out of hand now, don't you think, Evelyn? Maybe it's time you start looking into rehab before it becomes an addiction. Oh, wait, it already has." Evelyn turned to look at Jasmine, who's locker inconveniently had been a couple away from hers - but not so far that Jasmine couldn't overhear almost all of her conversations.
With a fake smile, Evelyn hit back, "Isn't that where you've been the last two months? Maybe you'd like to give me a review, I mean - couldn't have worked all that well if you're back looking like the same ugly rat that you looked like before summer." Jasmine, unsure of what to say, went to her second choice of response. Mocking. She mocked Evelyn's insult, which only made Evelyn roll her eyes before choosing to walk away - her friends following after her.
The day went as usual for Evelyn, except the addition of Jasmine, and also the fact that Parker and Jennifer had started to become... a thing. Eventually, tired of her friends' constant updates about them, she found herself walking to her locker alone during one of her breaks. To her surprise, somebody was already at her locker, unintentionally blocking her way - Finley.
With her back to Evelyn, Finley had been gazing at something or someone in the distance - Logan Evans, it turned out. Evelyn followed Finley's gaze to Logan, who was laughing with his friend Marley, a wannabe bad boy who was actually quite sweet, and someone Evelyn knew well.
When Evelyn got close enough to her locker, she startled Finley by asking, "What are you doing?" The brunette girl, previously focused on Logan Evans, now had her hand over her heart, trying to catch her breath. Evelyn continued curiously, "Do you have a crush or something?"
Finley shook her head immediately, "What? No, why would you say that?" Evelyn raised her eyebrows in amusement before letting out a quiet chuckle. It was clear to Evelyn that Finley had a crush on Logan Evans; no girl stared at a boy like that for no reason, especially not so blatantly.
"You're staring," Evelyn pointed out.
Finley quickly defended herself, "I'm not," but her rising tone gave her away.
Evelyn, not particularly caring, sighed and muttered, "Whatever." Finley visibly relaxed, but then she realized something. Evelyn was the person who knew Logan Evans best, or at least knew the most about him, given her position as student body president and her involvement in school gossip.
"Actually, Evelyn," Finley began, causing Evelyn to scrunch her eyebrows in annoyance, "You're student body president, you know things, do you know if Logan's been - you know - involved in some recent criminal... activities, recently?" She asked, making it clear what she suspected.
Evelyn laughed, "Logan Evans? A criminal? He's a clown," she lied.
Surprised, Finley blurted out, "What?"
Evelyn nodded, "I mean, you know, for kids' birthday parties? He plays with dogs, rides motorbikes, and dresses up as a clown for kids' birthday parties," she said, thinking for a moment before squinting her eyes suspiciously at Finley, "Why? Were you hoping he was a bad boy? That's a little concerning, don't you think Fin?" She teased.
"I wasn't - I - I -"
"What are you, a broken record?" Evelyn chuckled before she teased, "Don't be ashamed, we all like a little bit of bad in our boys - even if it's virtually non-existent." She felt satisfied seeing annoyance in Finley's expression and a glare as she crossed her arms.
"You're annoying, you know that?" Finley finally remarked.
Evelyn feigned hurt, pouting her lips before saying, "Coming from someone who won't move from my locker," With that, Finley furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as to where she was, "What did you think I came here for, nerd?" Evelyn rolled her eyes before prompting Finley to move away. Reluctantly, Finley moved away but she still remained only a few steps away, letting her gaze fall onto who she had noticed was Jennifer, making her way over to her.
Finley met her halfway, in time for Jennifer to ask, "Hey, was that -"
"I'm not even a nerd." Finley stated randomly.
Jennifer furrowed her eyebrows and then tilted her head in confusion, "I didn't say that."
Finley had suddenly found herself in her thoughts, "Yeah, I know, Evelyn did," But then suddenly, before Jennifer could say anything, Finley asked, "Jen, do you think I'm a nerd?"
Amusedly, Jennifer replied, "Not the stereotypical type, you're just intelligent. It's a blessing, not a curse." She knew Finley spent a lot of time at the tutor centre, or the library because it was usually the reason why Jennifer would find herself choosing to sit alone due to the boredom she gets when she's joining her.
There was a time that Jennifer found herself observing Finley's concentrated expression when she'd been reading a book for English Literature that had her wonder why her brain didn't work the same. She could never will herself to study like that.
Finley changed the subject when she got over Evelyn calling her a nerd and muttered, "So, Logan Evan's a definite no for Tree Hill's Graffiti Vandal."
"I thought he was a definite no anyway?" Jennifer asked confusedly.
"Yeah, but I still had my suspicions. Apparently he's just a kids birthday party entertainer. Explains the paint, I guess." Finley explained before she let the knowledge of Logan's job - or past time or whatever - settle in her mind. It only made her view him differently than she did a few minutes or so before. She couldn't help but find him again, finding herself opening her eyes a little more, seeing him in a new light.
"Oh, that's cool," Jennifer muttered obliviously before she remembered something, the reason why she was expecting to stay at Tree Hill High School until seven, "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the game?" She asked, which immediately pulled Finley out of her trance.
"Shit, you're right," She muttered before she pulled Jennifer along with her in the direction to the gym, "I need you to be my excuse, the last time I was late, I had no excuse and Maddie was mad as hell at me for it." Jennifer nodded, not minding that at all. She also didn't mind staying until seven later on that day.
Earlier, during class, she and Parker didn't manage a single conversation. They were constantly being pulled by the grips of their friends, and therefore away from even the thought of each other. But even then, during one of their classes, Parker had mouthed that he was going to the game and that he'd see her there. So she really couldn't wait.