Sloane slipped her hand out of Parker's gentle grip, fishing through her bag to find her keys.
The two had been together for the past week, slowly sharing their worlds with each other.
They hadn't spoke as much of the tough things, the things they regretted, but they knew that whenever the needed, they would be able to take that step.
"This is my house" Sloane unlocked the door, opening it for Parker to step in.
Before he could say a word, the boy was startled by the sound of a string barks echoing though the empty house.
With his heart racing a mile a minute, he remembered the conversation they had about her puppy, the same puppy that was causing the scampering and scratching noises as it ran across the wooden floor boards.
James barked upon seeing his owner, and the mysterious boy next to her.
Sloane bent down immediately, letting the dog jump into her arms.
Parker smiled at the sight of the girl and James, laughing softly as she gave the dog an affectionate pat.
"Good boy!" She cooed "Do you want to meet Parker?" She smiled, her tongue between her teeth "He's cute, isn't he?"
Parker leant down, brushing his fingers through James's soft fur "He is"
"I was talking about you" Sloane admitted confidently, catching Parker off guard.
He laughed softly as the girl clicked her fingers, walking into the house with the dog trailing behind her.
Sloane rolled her eyes at Parker's unmoving form, taking his hand and pulling him inside, shutting the door behind her.
"Would you like something to drink, babe?" The girl offered, leading him into her kitchen.
Parker chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair "Are you talking to me or the dog this time?"
"You, again. You're the only one I call babe"
He pulled her closer by the belt loops of her jeans, resting his forehead against hers as her hands lifted up to his neck, fiddling with the ends of his hair.
"That's pretty cute," He whispered, brushing his lips against hers for a second "But then again, you are pretty cute"
Sloane cringed "That was so cheesy"
"Are you lactose intolerant?"
The girl furrowed her eyebrows, confused at his sudden question "No?"
"Then we're all good" He grinned, taking her hands and bringing them up to his lips, placing a soft kiss against her knuckles.
His eyes brushed over her skin, noticing the black ink on the bone of her wrist.
"You got the moon" He whispered, his thumb grazing over the tattoo.
"Yeah. It's not as cool as your tattoos, though"
Parker flexed his arm, showing off his most visible tattoo "You like it?"
"I'd like it even more if I knew what it was" Sloane admitted, meeting his eyes after having stared at his bicep long enough.
"That's a story for another time, babe"
Sloane pouted, almost convincing him for a second. But it wasn't the right mood for that story.
Truth be told, Sloane had always wanted to know. That day, weeks ago, when they met face to face for the first time - that wasn't the first time she had noticed Parker. She had seen him around school, many times. His hair effortlessly pushed back, his eyes so focussed.
Sloane had a crush on him long before they ever started texting - not that she'd ever tell him.
He poked her cheek, grinning "Come on, we're at your house now. I want to know your stories"
She beamed back up at him "Well then, Parker, welcome to your official tour"
"Why thank you" He laced his fingers between hers as she begun showing him around her house.
Sloane pointed out photos, dents in walls, marks on floors - everything that made her house her home.
They were followed my the fluffball James until she showed Parker her backyard. They spent almost an hour outside, talking of whatever came to mind, petting the large dog.
As the minutes clocked by, the pair had wound up in Sloane's bedroom, gazing over her walls that held so many stories in photographs. Parker's eyes grazed over a particular one, of Sloane, her father, her brother and her mother.
He took note of the features that she had inherited from the two - Her eyes from her mother, her cheekbones from her father. Her brother was the opposing mix of their parents.
Sloane sat on her bed, watching the boy as his eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"That was my mum" She told him, her voice much weaker than she anticipated.
She cleared her throat as he turned to face the girl "How long has it been?" He asked, aware of her mother's death since their phone call a while ago.
"Twelve years" She spoke softly, a sad smile lighting her face. Her mother had died when she was six. It was almost impossible to overcome it at times.
She hadn't even realised she was crying until Parker wiped away her tears.
"I'm such a weak bitch about it sometimes. It's been twelve years. Twelve. That's pathetic"
"None of anything about you is pathetic, Sloane"
She met his eyes, tears stinging her own. Her name on his tongue had never felt so different then when it was on another's. She loved her name when he spoke it.
"For years I hated my name" She admitted, her eyes focussed solely on his "When my mother was sick, I visited her daily. Then one day, she told me that she loved me and then her heart stopped beating. She said 'I love you, Sloane', and died before I could say it back. My name was the last thing I ever heard her say, and I hated it." Her eyes had closed as he pressed his forehead against hers, their breath mingling. He had tears in his eyes and was glad she couldn't see them.
His breath was becoming shaky in her silence, his ears still lingering on her last words.
"But then," She laughed softly, brushing her lips against his "I met you. We started talking. You asked my name and you repeated it to me. I'd never heard my name sound more beautiful than when it was on your lips"
When she laughed again, her voice was tear filled. It pained Parker more than he could have possibly fathomed, hearing her cry. He wrapped his arms around the girl's small frame, pulling her close to him, taking in her scent as he brushed her hair with his fingers.
They stayed in that position for what felt like hours, though it wasn't too long.
It had been years since Sloane felt she was able to cry in the presence of another person. Not because they were hostile about it, but because Sloane didn't want to bring anyone down with her.
Parker wanted to be everywhere with her, even in dark times.
And she wanted to do the same for him.
"You're so beautiful" Parker whispered, his head against Sloane's pillow, her head against his chest.
She looked up at him and laughed, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. Sloane lifted her head off him, staring into his eyes at she brushed some of his hair away from his eyes "You're such a flirt"
He winked "You like it"
"That I do, babe"
Parker smiled, kissing her nose "I'm so glad I had the wrong number"
It was silent for only a moment as Sloane thought.
"Parker?"
"Yeah?"
Sloane took all the courage she had and spoke softly "Could you tell me one thing?"
Parker kissed her cheek, feeling that this question was going to be a serious one "Of course, baby"
She looking down to their now intertwined fingers "Why was it you needed that car?"
Parker shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat as he attempted to come up with a lie. When he met her eyes, he came up with nothing but the truth.
He sighed, closing his eyes "A long time ago, there was a girl who used to treat life however she wanted." Parker couldn't find strength to speak her name "She had a good family. A brother, a little sister on the way, two parents who loved her..."
He swallowed.
"And then times changed. As she got older, the stress of the real world came after her soul, and people she called her friends turned their backs on her. A boy she believed loved her had hurt her. And that was the final straw"
He paused, letting out yet another deep breath.
"She killed herself when she was 16"
Sloane gasped, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at his face, his eyes still closed, but he was on the verge of breaking down.
He opened his eyes, meeting the warm colour of hazel "Her name was Sam. She was my sister"
Sloane choked on her own breath, holding back her tears as well as she could.
He kept his eyes closed as he began to speak once again "That night, I was told that the same guy who was her final straw was trying to fuck around with another girl, so I found him, and made sure he wouldn't. I was in a bit of trouble by the end of it, and I needed a ride home. A friend of mine lived close by, and I knew I could grab his car and get away, but I needed to make sure he knew I wasn't stealing his car."
Many words came to Sloane's mind at his confession, but the words that shouted the loudest in her mind were the ones she spoke "You're incredible, Parker"
"I'm really not" He finally opened his eyes, the tears ever present in his eyes "If I would have -"
Sloane pressed her palm against Parker's lips, effectively stopping his words "Shut up and listen to every word I say" She told him, the sobs that she was holding back evident "You are caring, you are loving, and you are smart. You know right from wrong and don't care if your right puts you in the wrong. You have taken so much, and you never act like you do. You would take a beating for anyone else, and don't you dare tell me that isn't amazing. You are incredible, Parker Lawson"
Parker took no time in planting his lips on hers, taking absolute control of their kiss.
He poured all his passion, all the words that failed his tongue through the movement of their lips, through his hands on her skin and in her hair. She kissed him back with just as much passion, holding onto him tightly as if he were going to leave at any second.
He would not, and neither would she.
Parker would meet her father and her stepmother by her side, a smile on his lips as he held Sloane's hand. He would prepare himself to be under scrutinising gaze - though that wasn't the case - he was ready for it.
For Sloane.
He would do anything for her, the same way she would do anything for him.
The pair were falling for each other, hard and fast.
But they would not be broken, because they already were.
And they were just two broken people, who could make being broken less painful.
*
Not long before the final chapter!
I love you all dearly,
- sage xx