i stare at myself in the mirror. i let my messy hair hide my face. why him? why parker grey?

"why me parker?" i ask looking at him through my mirror. i turn around in my chair to face him. "what?" his face full of confusion. "out of all the people in school, why do you want to be friends with me?"

i know i look like a mess at the moment. it's ten at night, my brother and i just got back from my dads and for some reason, parker paid me a visit. i don't know how he got in, my mom still has him banned.

"i thought i already told you on the ferris wheel how i felt about you." parker looks up at me. i take a deep breath then i exhale.

it's only been two days but parker and i have been okay. things feel like they're back to normal, whatever normal was. we've been getting to know each other better with this clean slate idea.

i think everything is going to be okay.

"this might be none of my business but in my opinion, your friends shouldn't judge you for liking someone. they should be supportive of who you like."

"it's not that easy parker." i frown.

"no he's right," a voice makes me jump. "we should be supportive of who you like. i should be." riley comes into the room. i rush to get up and stand in front of her. "riley what?"

"yes bri. it's obvious that you guys belong with each other. i've seen the way you look at each other. especially at the fair. i would be the worlds worst friend if i didn't support you." she makes an effort to smile.

i look back at parker. was this the moment i've been waiting for all weekend? the moment when i would get my best friends permission to date her ex.

god dammit, we were doing so well as friends.

"are you sure?" parker asks and i look at him and shake my head. "i'm moving on. it's okay seriously." riley says, i'm so confused.

"riley, parker and i are just friends now." i make that very clear. "right, well it's late and i forgot what i came here for in the first place so bye. see you tomorrow?" i nod. "definitely. let me walk you out." riley and i leave parker in my room.

i come back into my room and he sits there with a smile on his face. "we have permission to be together bri." he says too enthusiastically. "friends!" i point at him. "you want to be friends... with me." he teases. "i have to be friends with you."

he groans throwing himself on my bed. i'm scared for whatever comes next.

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parker and i spent the rest of the night watching movies and avoiding making out. we both fell asleep eventually and woke up in the middle of the night. he snuck out successfully and i ended up going back to sleep.

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"so are you guys together now?" my brothers voice makes me sit up. "what?" i squint. "i saw his weak attempt at sneaking out of the house at three in the morning."

"mom doesn't know that he was here so i wouldn't call it weak. why were you up at three in the morning?" i lay back down. "because natalie was also sneaking out."

gross.

i pull my covers back up and i press play on my macbook. "you didn't answer my question." noah sits right by my laptop. i pause my show right before the theme song. "we're not together. we're friends." noah sits there looking confused. "friends?" he asks like i'm lying. "yes we're friends!"

"what are you watching?" noah tries to look at my screen. "stranger things." i blurt out while slowly closing it. "you're so weird." he gets up and leaves. when my door closes, i open my laptop back up and i press play.

i'm actually watching mr. robot but he can't know that he put me on to the show. i'll never hear the end of it.

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