Becca

The party continued on around me as I stood there frozen, unable to move. My feet felt like lead and my gaze like ice. I stared at the door that he retreated out of, waiting for him to walk back in, smiling his charming grin and throwing me a laid-back wink like he always did.

But that didn't happen.

Ten minutes passed.

Then twenty.

Then nearly an hour.

Brett still hadn't returned. I still didn't move.

I wanted to go after him to make sure he's alright, but something kept me planted in place. I knew that whatever was happening with his mother on the phone was personal; that he would want to deal with it alone and I would respect that. He hasn't ever mentioned his family to me, but he will when he's ready. I'm not going to force him to talk about it, just like I hate when people want me to talk about mine.

I remained static while the party around me went on in full swing. Jenny walked by me several times, completely ignoring my presence. Jeff trailed behind her adoringly, like a lost puppy.

"You look beautiful tonight, Jen!" He called out as he rushed to keep up with her brisk pace. She was clearly uninterested.

She stopped suddenly, spinning on her heel and staring at him menacingly. "I own a mirror, Jeff," she sneered, spitting out his name like it was poison on her tongue. "Go find someone else to bother," the coldness in her eyes matched that of her tone. It was startling compared to the sheer adoration in his. I stood there frozen as the scene unfolded in front of me.

It was like a car crash. I wanted to look away but couldn't. My eyes remained fixated on the two of them, knowing that the outcome wouldn't be good for him. Poor Jeff.

His face fell at her comment as she made her feelings extremely evident. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, she strutted away, leaving him there utterly hopeless.

He stood frozen for a moment, staring at the doorway she exited through. He looked...pathetic.

The realization hit me suddenly that I probably looked the exact same way, instead staring at the door Brett exited through. I rolled my eyes, ashamed of myself and my utter lack of social skills.

Jeff was still planted in the same spot. He turned towards me and shrugged. "She'll come around eventually," he laughed dryly before walking away in the opposite direction that Jenny did.

I highly doubt that, I thought. I admired his optimism, though. I'll give him that.

I began to feel uncomfortable. Leaning against the wall, people were starting to take notice of me as they lingered in the hallway, watching me and whispering as they walked by. Not wanting to walk through the party on my own, I decided to explore a little.

I was standing in the entry way to Jenny's house. To my right was the wall I was leaning on, to my left was a grand staircase. I looked behind me and spotted a door leading outside and walked to it, not looking back.

The warm breeze greeted me, engulfing me entirely and clearing my mind. The silence was welcoming and I could feel my heart begin to relax. I gazed around to get my bearings and realized I was at the side of the house, I could hear the water lapping in the pool to my right. Not wanting to be visible to the people standing in the kitchen, I followed a stone path that lead me in the opposite direction.

Jenny's backyard was magnificent. The grass stretched as far as I could see, ending in a line of dense trees that faded into the darkness. Nestled into the depths of her yard was a gazebo, framed by little lights on the wooden framework and surrounded by dozens of rose bushes.

My feet moved me towards it before my mind decided to.

Walking up the two steps, I ran my hand along the smooth wood railing. The gazebo was in the shape of an octagon, with three wooden benches in the inside decorated with plump, white pillows.

The rustic feel of it seemed out of place to the rest of her house. Just like I did.

Sitting down on one of the benches, I observed the house in front of me and thought back to what Brett said about how what's inside of the house is what matters, not the outside. I couldn't comprehend how right he was.

Jenny's house was beautiful, just like the house I lived in as a child. Not to the same extent, but my old house was beautiful in its own way. But the inside wasn't. It was full of heartbreak and loneliness. Of vacant stares and unkept promises. There was no warmth. No sense of love. No sense of family.

I wondered what Jenny's family was like. If her extravagant house is full of laughter and love, or coldness like mine once was.

I hoped Brett's wasn't, but the pain in his voice told me otherwise. It haunted me as I sat there in silence.

Crunch.

I jolted back into reality, my head spinning to the left where the noise came from.

I sucked in a breath in horror when I saw someone standing outside the gazebo, watching me. His features were covered in darkness. I could only make out his silhouette and the wild curls on his head that stood out amid the blackness, shining silver under the pale glow of the gazebo lights and framing his head like a halo.

The air tensed as we stared at each other, not saying a single word. Stepping out of the darkness, he walked up the steps to the gazebo, his face now illuminated under the bright light.

"Sorry," his brief laughter filled the air. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you." His warm brown eyes watched me kindly and his thin lips formed a friendly smile. He appeared to be amused by my dismay.

He was tall and lanky, his long legs dressed in black skinny jeans. He wore a red plaid shirt, every button was done up right to his neck with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His face was made up of of sharp lines and angles, high cheekbones and a structured jaw. His platinum blonde curls seemed familiar, completely overpowering his fragile face.

He walked slowly towards me then stopped, leaning lazily against one of the wooden pillars. He acted as if he were afraid I would run away if he approached too quickly. I felt like a deer-in-headlights, waiting for doom to fall upon me. I couldn't find the ability to speak or walk away.

He held up his hands, palms faced towards me in a gesture of surrender.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he teased, one eyebrow raised in question. I was envious, I had always wanted to be able to do that. He was standing directly in front of me, his lean frame towering over me. I had to completely lift my chin up just to reach his eyes. He was tall. And definitely cute.

"Isn't that what all creepy strangers say?" I remarked, returning his friendly smile.

"Creepy?" He looked surprised, as if he wasn't expecting me to actually respond to him. Truthfully, I even surprised myself. "I'm offended that you think so low of me," he continued. Was he flirting with me?

He made no move to come any closer or sit beside me. He simply stood there, his ankles and arms crossed, watching me with a quizzical look on his face -- like he was trying to figure me out. His gaze was intense and his brow furrowed. He was thinking hard about something.

"You're friends with Jenny? You don't seem the type."

I blinked at his sudden comment. Was that supposed to be an insult?

"And what type would that be?" I asked, offended. Was it really that obvious that I didn't belong here? That I was a loner? My heart ached for Brett.

His eyes softened, his voice was gentle when he responded. "I didn't mean that as a bad thing. I know all of Jen's friends. Majority of them are...interesting, to say the least." He let out a soft chuckle and I couldn't help myself, I laughed too. He got that right.

"Jenny and I are far from friends," I replied to answer his initial question.

Nodding his head in understanding, he uncrossed his ankles and strode forward. He slowly sat next to me on the bench, leaving as much space between us as possible. Leaning back, he stretched his legs out in front of him and laid his hands on his thighs before cocking his head towards me.

Now, under the bright lights, I could see his face perfectly. He was handsome. The light cast harsh shadows over his skin, making his cheekbones appear even sharper. His eyes were a warm chocolate brown, their friendly nature matched the smile that decorated his face. His hair was striking, the blond curls sticking up wildly, falling onto his forehead and covering his eyes.

There was something familiar about him. I couldn't pinpoint it, but I felt it.

"I'm Parker. What's your name?" He asked. He was doing it again, watching me so intently like he was etching my face into his memory. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Becca," I responded hesitantly. "You don't go to Eastwood. I would recognize you."

He smiled in response, nodding his head and staring straight in front of him. "I graduated two years ago." He didn't elaborate but I wanted to know more about this mysterious stranger with the beautiful hair.

"So what, you crash high school parties for fun then?" I joked, earning a laugh from him.

"I don't think it's classified as crashing when the party is at my house," he returned his gaze to me and I felt my body go rigid. My eyes widened in realization. It hit me so fast that I wasn't sure how I even missed it in the first place.

The platinum blonde curls should have been enough for me to realize.

"You're Jenny's brother." The words rushed out of my mouth so fast I had no time to hide the disgust in my voice. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. I didn't have to hear his response to know that I was right.

He laughed humorously, awkwardly tugging on the collar of his shirt. His cheeks turned a light pink and his eyes looked sad when he looked at me.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," he chuckled dryly.

Oh no.

I hurt his feelings and insulted his sister at the same time. I bit my lip, suddenly feeling guilty. I didn't mean to insult Parker, but how the hell are these two related? From what I've seen so far, Parker is kind and seems to be pretty easy-going. Jenny is none of the two. Using her name and 'kind' in the same sentence seems wrong.

I reached out and touched his arm reassuringly. "I'm sorry, Parker. I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that Jenny is..." I searched for the right word to describe her while still being aware that I was speaking to her brother, "...different than you." I smiled lamely and hoped he understood what I was trying to communicate in so little words.

His head rolled back in laughter. His warm brown eyes were sparkling with amusement as he looked at me. "My sister is a pain in the ass, Becca." I laughed in relief at his comment. The poor guy had to live with her. I felt bad for him. "Believe me, I know that better than anyone." He shook his head side-to-side, laughing at his own words. "So, tell me, what has she done to you? I've heard just about everything at this point."

I chewed on my nail nervously. Everything about him strikes me as friendly and genuine. I found myself drawn to him and his laid-back aura, he was so easy to talk to.

"She made fun of me for not having a boyfriend," I mumbled, the embarrassment from that moment was still raw. It felt like it was just yesterday that my entire world shifted.

I gazed at Parker whose eyes were open in shock, a perfect curl dangling over his right eyebrow.

"You've never had a boyfriend? I find that hard to believe." He smiled kindly and I felt reassured at his words. I wondered how he was so warm and his sister so cold.

I shrugged in response, not wanting to go into detail.

"There's nothing wrong with that," his voice was soft when he spoke, as were his eyes. "Don't let my sister get under your skin. If it's any consolation, I already like you better than her." He laid his hand on my leg reassuringly and smiled teasingly, making me laugh at his comment.

Before I could respond, I caught movement to the right of the gazebo and saw a figure approaching us. They were walking quickly, anger driving their every move.

The figure emerged from the darkness and I grinned widely. It was Brett.

My sudden happiness vanished as I took in the look on his face as he walked up the steps to the gazebo. He was glaring at Parker, his eyes drawn into narrow slits and fists clenched at his side. His eyes shifted to Parker's hand on my leg and he took a menancing step forward.

"Brett!" I yelled, jumping up from the bench and placing myself between the two of them. Brett was looking right over me, glaring at Parker like he was ready to rip his throat out. The look in his eyes was terrifying. I laid my palms on his chest and he closed his eyes immediately, drawing in a sharp breath. When they opened, he was staring down at me and his eyes were softer.

I grabbed his fists in my hands and held them tightly, unfolding his fingers from their tight grasp and intertwining ours together.

"This is Parker. He's Jenny's brother." I said lamely, trying to ease some of the tension.

I looked over my shoulder at Parker, he was sitting in the same spot, looking like he didn't have a care in the world. His long legs were stretched out, arms crossed over his chest. His head was cocked to the left and he watched Brett with an amused expression on his face.

He wasn't scared at all by Brett's presence.

"This is my boyfriend, Brett." The words felt fake as they slipped off my tongue. Parker's expression didn't change at all, he only lifted his eyebrow slightly. I knew what he was thinking. I had just told him I never had a boyfriend, and now he was meeting my boyfriend. If he felt confused, his face didn't show it.

It seemed like nothing affected him.

"Nice to meet you, man." He stood up and stretched his long arms over his head. "It was nice meeting you too, Becca." He strode down the gazebo steps without a glance back.

I looked up at Brett who was still watching me, expecting to see anger in his eyes. But they were full of sadness. I felt the need to explain everything to him.

"We were just talking, Brett. Don't be upset. He's actually nice, nothing like Jen," I said with a shrug.

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

"I trust you, Becs. That's not why I'm upset." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "It's my father."

I felt like an idiot. Of course he was upset over the conversation he just had with his mom. Here I was thinking it was jealousy; that seeing me sitting with another guy made him angry. But we weren't actually dating, he probably didn't even care. The realization hit me like a truck. I resisted the urge to feel sad and focused on Brett instead. He needs me right now.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me gently over to the bench. I sat down beside him. Slinging his arm behind my head, he pulled me closer to him until my head was resting on his shoulder.

"My father cheated on my mom, Becca," the pain in his voice was so audible that I gripped his hand, not wanting to let him go. "He leaves us for days, sometimes weeks, to be with his mistress. It's been going on for a while...with several women," his voice broke on the last word. My heart ached. "My mom doesn't do anything. She sits at home and waits for him to come back. Every time he does, she just lets him and acts like we're a perfect family."

He took a deep breath, I could feel his heart beating rapidly.

"He came back tonight, for the first time in weeks." His voice was so low, the pain so raw.

I wrapped my arms around him and he pulled me in even closer so that I was sitting on his lap. He didn't say anything else. He didn't have to. I knew exactly what he was going through, having gone through the same thing with my father.

But this was even worse. My mother was strong, she let my father leave us for the other woman. But Brett's mom wasn't able to do that. I couldn't imagine how horrible it would be to have to go home everyday and see my father there, knowing he cheated on my mom and there was nothing I could do about it.

The only reason I could cope with my father's departure was because I never had to see him again. Never had to face the hatred I felt and the pain he caused me. But Brett has to face that every time his father comes home. I couldn't imagine how hard it was for him.

I didn't say anything. I just held him close to me. I knew apologies meant nothing when you felt like this. They were empty words that don't fix anything.

"I need a drink," he mumbled into my hair. He lifted me up carefully and placed me on the bench beside him so he could stand up.

"Brett, I don't think that's a good idea." His head was a mess right now, alcohol wouldn't help him.

He stared down at me, the pain and sadness etched into every line and curve of his beautiful face.

"I need to forget, Becca. Just for one night," he whispered. He leaned down and kissed my cheek before grabbing my hands and pulling me off the bench.

This wasn't a good idea. Every part of me was screaming to stop him from doing this. My gut was telling me something bad would come from this. Something very bad.

But as I looked into his eyes, the sparkle was gone. They were dull, overcome with a newfound sadness. My heart squeezed in my chest. All I wanted was to take away his pain.

Maybe forgetting would be a good thing.

I held his hand tightly in mine and walked out of the gazebo, making our way back into the house.

The air felt different this time. Like it was thick, buzzing with electricity. The wind picked up and I shivered, feeling the sudden coldness deep in my bones.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something very bad was going to happen tonight.

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What did you guys think of Parker? Has your opinion of him changed from the Episode version (for those who have read it) or stayed the same? Let me know! xo Alex.