Lost then Found

As Parker stood outside my car, I reluctantly rolled down my window and turned down my music. “Uhh, hi.” I said nervously.

“Hi, um, sorry if this is forward and you can say no, but I was wondering if maybe you could give me a ride home, my bike won’t start.”

 I laughed. “Your bike won’t start?”

“Yeah, my motorcycle.”

 I felt so stupid, no one like him would ride a bike to school, no one rides bikes here. “Oh right.” I replied sheepishly.

 “It’s kind of a beater; no one will want to take that piece of shit.” He said as he pointed to a parking spot a few places away with a shiny black motorcycle between the yellow lines.

“Hop in.” I said with no enthusiasm.

He hopped in the car and adjusted his seat so he could fit in the front.

“Sorry, it’s kind of small.” I said with guilt.

“No worries, I’ve been in worse. So, your name is Harper right?”

“Uh, yeah. How did you know that?”

“Mr. Lewis. I sat in front of you in class.”

“Oh yes, And you are?” I asked with a smile, not wanting to seem eager.

“I think you know.” He replied cockily. “Or at least your friends do.” He laughed.

I turned down Main St. filled with the green full trees, not yet ready to experience the colors of fall.

“Turn left on Oak.” He stated. “Oh, and Parker, if you really didn’t already know.” He sweetly stated dismissing the cocky attitude.

I laughed. “So I guess you saw my friends and I talking about you. We don’t get new students very often here, this town sucks. There is nothing to do besides drink and party, or drive around.”

“I am never one to turn down a party or a drive. Especially here. Anything is better than the traffic in Malibu.” He said as I turned onto Oak Street. “It’s about another block up, the grey craftsman with the red door.”

“So you lived in Malibu?” I asked as I stopped at the stop sign emerging onto his block.

“For a few years, my Dad is a CEO for Williams Public Relations in Los Angeles. He moved us out there a few years ago to get away from the city life. Not a hell of a lot different if you ask me.”

“Why did you move here?” I said pulling up to his house.

“My Dad and Mom weren’t that great a parenting and I was getting into some trouble down there. So he sent me here to live with my grandparents. Well, thanks for the ride Harper.”

An uneasy feeling went through my body as I heard him say my name, it flowed off his perfect lips.

“Parker!” I yelled as he was about to slam the door.

“Yeah?”

“Me and my friends are going to the lake on Friday for a kick off to the new year, all the seniors should be there. You should come.”

“I just might have to.” He said as he shut the car door and smiled.

I watched him walk into the house, probably watching too long. He stopped on the top step and turned around and waved.

I slowly drove home, thinking about this mysterious person who was so forward, yet held so much back. He had seemed so unlike the city boy he had told me about, the one getting into trouble, forcing his parents to make him move here to live with his grandparents. What made him ask me for a ride? That kind of thing only happened in books and movies. He was so existent in life, so real. I had a feeling in my stomach that I hadn’t had before. I passed it off as hunger as I walked into my house which was on the outskirts of town, resting along the greenery of the forest.

As I walked into the kitchen Kendall was seated at the breakfast counter.

“Finally. I have cheer in twenty minutes. Dad said I could take your car.”

I reluctantly handed over the keys to my demanding sister. She forcefully grabbed them from my grip and walked out the door. I took a deep breath, whenever Kendall left, stress followed. Walking up to the pantry I grabbed some crackers and sat down and watched MTV. So trashy, yet somehow so addicting I thought, as I turned on a re-run marathon of Jersey Shore. Parker was still on my mind after a box of crackers and hours of trash TV. I was interrupted in my guilty pleasure when I heard a knock on the door.