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“Maybe you could, she wouldn’t want me to see her like that,” Parker responded, heading back out the door.
“Oh, I disagree. I think she would very much like you to see her like that,” Joey whispered once they were in the hallway.
“Just because you think everyone wants to sleep with you, doesn’t mean everyone thinks that about themselves,” Parker joked, keeping his voice low.
“Okay, first of all, everyonedoeswant to sleep with me. Second, I don’t think everyone else feels that way – I can just tell she likes you, and it’s obvious to anyone with a brain that you like her. Crustaceans would be able to tell you like her. Why not go for it?” Joey asked. Parker glared. It was not obvious, and he worked very hard to make it that way.
“Just because, Joey. You’ve known her for a night, a night when she was in a good mood, having a good time. You haven’t spent every day with her like I have, she’s not always like this,” Parker pointed out.
“Not a very good argument seeing as how you’re still head over ears for her. I get the feeling this chick could kick you in the balls repeatedly, and you would ask for more, please, if it meant you could be near her. What is up with that? What are you two so afraid of?” Joey pressed. Parker sighed, shoving a hand into his hair.
“She’s my friend, a good friend. Maybe abestfriend. I seriously don’t wanna ruin that between us. I don’t want to scare her off, and she’s skittish as a cat. She’s always blabbering about getting back to hitchhiking soon, and I don’t wanna speed up her decision by turning into some creepy guy that she thinks only hung out with her to get her into bed. I’d rather have her as a friend. And she’s got some baggage, too, you know. It’s not all just me. She’s got some family stuff she hardly talks about, but what little I've heard, it all sounds seriously messed up. I think that’s why she’s always hitchhiking, trying to stay away from home,” Parker tried to explain. Joey grinned.
“Ooohhh, sexyanddamaged. They make bad Lifetime movies out of girls like her,” he joked. Parker frowned, staring at Paige’s open door.
“Joey, I haven’t told her about my dad,” he abruptly said, his voice a whisper. She'd pretty much been out cold, but he didn’t need her picking up on anything they were saying.
“Why not?” Joey asked, confused.
“Because I also haven’t told her about last summer,” Parker sighed. Joey’s eyes got wide.
“Shit, man. You have to tell her, Park. She needs to know something like that. The longer you keep it a secret, the more awkward it could be,” Joey hissed.
“Hey!” Parker snapped, glaring at his friend. “She’s keeping secrets, too. She could be an axe murderer for all I know! Why am I the asshole?”
Joey glared right back.
“You’re the asshole cause you’re better than that, and you know it. Why did you keep it a secret? When have you ever keptanythinga secret!? You’re one of the most open people I know, and you decided to keepthata secret from a girl like her?”
“Shut up, you don’t know anything about what’s going on between us.”
Joey backed up a couple steps.
“Well like I said, I do know that you like her. And I do know that in that room is a funny, sexy girl who has a sad heart and needs someone like you in her life. And not just as a ‘friend’, Park,” he stated, walking back into Paige’s doorway.
“Where are you going!?” Parker exclaimed. Joey glared at him.
“Just cause you don’t have the balls to sleep with her doesn’t mean I don’t,” he said before slamming the door.
“Well, screw you too!” Parker snapped childishly before stomping into his own room and slamming his door as well.
*
PAIGE YAWNED AND SATup. The rain had started up again outside and was pounding on the terrace. She glanced around her room. She remembered falling asleep on the couch, and there were sleepy memories of Parker trying to wake her up, but everything after that was a fog.
Who had undressed her? She looked down at her bare legs. She was laying on top of her covers and she was in her underwear and white tank top. She was pretty sure Parker would never undress her, no matter how asleep she was; probably not even if her skirt was on fire.
“I hope you don’t mind,” came a sleepy voice from the other side of the bed. “I took the liberty of removing your skirt and shirt and hanging them in your closet. And I must say, damn girl.Dat ass.”
Paige burst out laughing, looking over at Joey. He'd apparently spent the night with her. He was on the far side of the bed, snuggled up under the covers. He blinked at her with sleepy eyes.
“More likedat-non-existent-ass. When did I fall asleep?” she asked, yawning. She pushed herself against her pillows and squirmed under the covers as well.
“Oh, around four, I think. Maybe later. We tried to wake you up but you were out. Park carried you up here,” he told her. She started laughing again.
“You’re joking. Parker carried me? Like a baby? All the way upstairs?” she laughed. Joey nodded, yawning as well.
“Mmm hmm. He cares a lot about you, you know,” he said, wiggling so he was closer to her. She rolled onto her side to face him.
