Page 17 of Catch
Parker folded her arms. When she did that, I knew an argument was coming. “I’m trying to fit in. This is my third high school. Third. I have no long-term friends because my dad keeps getting relocated. If I don’t stay friends with those cheerleaders, they canget me kicked off the team. Staying on their good side is the easiest way to get through senior year.”
I couldn’t help myself. I put my hands on her shoulders. I was careful to keep my hands loose so it looked like I was consoling her. “I get it. I’m just saying that it’s hard for me, too.”
She smiled. “I know this isn’t easy for you either. I just need time to adjust. Let’s skip the party and do something else. Somewhere quiet and dark.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me. Her smile was adorable and my heart raced.
“That sounds way better than any party.”
“Here you go.” Brianna set the cups on the counter. “Nice to meet you, Sutton.”
“Thanks, Brianna. Nice to meet you, too.”
“You’re so fucking charming.” Parker playfully elbowed me in the ribs. I almost spilled my coffee but it felt good to joke around.
“Oh, my God. You were talking to that gay girl.” Amanda looked repulsed.
Counting to five did nothing to curb my anger this time. “Her name is Brianna and she’s really nice.”
Amanda leaned back. “Relax, Sutton. I’ve known her for years and she’s weird.”
“Why? Because she’s gay?” I asked. Grayson and his entourage made gagging noises.
“She’s always been weird. Look at her hair. I bet she never showers. She always smells.” Kirsten waved her hand under her nose.
“Leave her alone. She’s fine,” Emilia said.
“She’s nice.” Parker’s voice was soft, but at least she said something. She held up her cup of coffee. “And she got my order right.”
Grayson laughed. “That doesn’t make her friend material. That means she’s great for the service industry. I still don’t want a lesbian making my coffee. She needs to bury that shit deep.”
I squeezed the back of the chair. “So, if she wasn’t gay, you’d be best friends with her, right?”
“Oh, God, no. She still stinks,” Grayson said.
“Well, I can smell your linebackers from here so I don’t think anyone here has room to talk.” My voice was clipped. I wasn’t backing down. Not from this. Not even for Parker. Sometimes things were bigger than worrying about fitting in for nine months.
“Burn!” Grayson pointed to his friends. “She’s not wrong. You should try soap during the showers instead of gaying it up with each other.”
“Shut up, man.” The one with the buzz cut pushed Grayson’s shoulder, pissed that the conversation turned to him.
“It doesn’t feel good, does it? People making fun of you,” I said. My stomach was in knots, but I wasn’t backing down.
Grayson held his hands up. “Okay, truce, QB, truce.”
“We should probably go,” Parker said. She picked up her empty smoothie cup.
I smiled at the group and batted my eyelashes. “Emilia, it was so nice to meet you. I’m glad Parker has you around.” I gave the rest of the table a bored look. “Nice to meet you all. Buh-bye.” I followed Parker. We walked in silence out to the parking lot. “I know I’m supposed to support you, but they’re horrible.”
She yanked open her car door and slammed it shut behind her. I slipped inside, thinking we were in for another argument, but I was surprised when she reached for my hand.
“I know and I’m super mad at them. Come on. I know the perfect place where we can be ourselves,” she said.
We left my car at the mall and Parker drove us to a small movie theater that was playingBreakfast at Tiffany’s. There was an older couple sitting in the front so Parker and I found a dark corner where we could hold hands and kiss. It was two hours of pure bliss. She kissed me in the dark and my moan was swallowed up by the movie’s loud volume.
When Parker drove me back to my car at the mall, we held hands the whole way. I almost forgot how irritating her friends were.
“I’m glad we got to hang out today,” I said.
“I know. This sucks. My parents are the worst. They have this idea of who I should be. I want to stand up to them, but I can’t. They’re my parents, you know?”
