ophivchus

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

       Parker only chuckled at her words with a shake of his head. He wasn’t thinking about the weeks end and he preferred not to, not now that he had her with him alone and they were… meshing. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in what felt like forever and the feeling was so freeing, he wasn’t quite ready to give that up. He knew when he did, he’d have to thank her for giving that to him. Him going back, Parker wanted to push the thought as far back as he could before the reality would come rushing back forward and hit him like a truck. This moment, this time with him home, it was supposed to be special and exciting– for his sister. But Parker knew he’d challenge himself to make it amazing for the brunette he now found himself walking beside.

       As they made way towards the box-filled garden, Parker’s blue hues lingered to the woman beside him before he commented, “I’m not too sure I’m excited for this, but I’m glad I got paired with you rather than anyone else.” The words were unexpected, ones he wasn’t sure had ever left his lips before. The blonde was generally closed off when it came to emotions that were anything but humorous but something about this girl– she brought the words out of him. It only been a couple of hours and yet it felt like a lifetime.

      “Think we’ll be able to handle this?”

I’m glad I got paired with you rather than anyone else. Those words caused Blair to smile and she swore she could feel a redness in her cheeks. She looked down, hoping to hide that reaction from the man that had caused it. Oh boy. Blair was fucked. She’d told herself to take it slow, tell her mind and her heart not to get fooled by every nice guy she came across ---- after all, one of them did end up cheating on her with her best friend. The rest of the situation was locked inside Blair’s mind, unable to be thought of or talked about. It was better that way. 

“I’m glad I got paired up with you, too,” she agreed, finally looking up at him and gathering some courage to say her next words, “fun fact, I actually had a crush on you in high school. Best friend’s older brother.” Blair hoped that little comment would give him a reason to say something that would make Blair realize she was thinking too hard about it. It’d give her a way out, a realization that she shouldn’t be thinking about anything --- or anyone --- else besides her best friend’s wedding. “Kind of a cliché, I know.”

Blair looked at the boxes in front of them as they got to the scene. Parker’s words caused a small chuckle to escape her, a teasing smile appearing on her lips afterward. “What? A badass SEAL can’t handle a couple of decoration boxes?” she teased, looking at him with mischief in her eyes.

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

       "The local bagel shop?” He questioned, blue hues trained on the brunette as the smirk continued to mask his features. Parker shook his head as he made a face, “Doesn’t even stand a chance against the deli. They have one good bagel and half the time, they burn it.” Parker wasn’t sure if that was true or not, he hadn’t been in there much, but he was willing to step foot into the place for the brunette standing next to him. Didn’t mean he couldn’t put up a fight about it. “I’m telling you right now, I will come out victorious and when I do, you’ll so owe me.”

       Parker wasn’t sure he’d felt this free in what felt like forever. With the career he’d chosen for himself and with his family so far from him all the time, he was perpetually in sadness or constant anxiety. The later due to the things he’d seen, the noises he’d heard, and the people he’d lost. But he wouldn’t voice such concerns, not around the woman he found himself enthralled with. She seemed light, happy– the light he needed to combat his own darkness.

       Her words knocking him out of his thoughts, Parker shook his head before pointing towards the entrance and turning his attention to her once again, “I’d assume up there. If not, we’ll see if we can find someone to show us the way. I think Abby said something about the decorations already being here.”

Blair let out a small chuckle as Parker made a face. She pressed her lips together, furrowing her eyebrows. “That bad, huh?” She shook her head, trying not to look like a fool crushing on her best friend’s big brother again. “If we had more than a week’s time, we could go for good bagels instead of... burnt up ones.” Her voice was light and playful, even if the words she’d spoken made her realize just how little time she had to catch up with Parker ---- it was all wishful thinking. “Are you always this cocky? Because I’m telling you now, you’re going to lose and it’s going to be awesome,” Blair teased. 

It was effortless. Easy. Part of her was sad that Abby had ditched her so quickly, while the other part of her was glad she was spending time with Parker. Blair shouldn’t be thinking like that; she should be keeping herself away from anyone that made her feel... something. Because last time, it didn’t end well. For anyone. And yet, there she was, feeling carefree and actually looking forward to spending the afternoon decorating a garden.

“Okay, I’m going to ask the front desk so we can get this party started,” she spoke before she walked up to the lady in front and asked her about everything she had to ask about. Taking longer than a couple of seconds --- it didn’t hurt to be polite to the people that could end up helping them, after all --- she then went back to Parker with a victorious look on her face. “Second door to the right. Pretty garden, filled with boxes. That’s what the lady said and I’m guessing those boxes are for us. You coming?”

[ophivchus]

JAVIER GUTIERREZ

       Do you want to make me a liar. Yes, he did. Javier so desperately wanted to prove her right, he wanted to see her with her head tilted back, blue eyes closed, as she’s gasping out how right he is. The brunette stalked closer until he was mere inches before her, his hands reaching out to grasp at her hips, only to move them backwards towards the counter, only until her back was pressed against the hard surface.

       Javier’s dark hues gazed down into bright blue ones as her words rung through his ears. “I think I’m perfectly capable of handling you.” His words came out in a breath, low, barely above a whisper. The man wasn’t interested in anyone else, no other girl, not even another one from the city. He’d only had eyes for the woman now right before him ever since she so snarkily came into his life.

A small gasp escaped her lips as she felt her back pushed against the counter, a smirk appearing on her lips as she pulled him even closer without even meaning to. For a moment, she forgot to put up the front she’d been sporting in front of him. The untouchable city girl, teasing and snarky. At that moment, it was all paused. She blamed boredom, being stuck in the middle of nowhere when there was so much going on back home. But she also blamed Javier for looking so good while sweating with his shirt off.

Leila didn’t take her eyes off of his. For a moment, she just let his words echo. And then, her smirk grew as one of her hands rose to her chest and undid two buttons from her uniform, her eyes always on his. “Then why don’t you stop talking,” Leila began, “and show me?” She let her words linger, dropping from her lips like honey.

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

       Parker chuckled as he came face to face with her, shaking his head a her words. “You know, I don’t believe you, but I’ll let you get away with it for today.” Bagels– they had nothing on sandwiches and truthfully, he didn’t understand. His words had said it all, “Who wants a sandwich type thing with a hole in the middle? Everything would leak out of it.” The look of disgust that went along with it was almost hilarious before it was wiped off with a shake of his head.

       “You’ll have to prove me wrong, I won’t believe bagels are better until I taste the truth.” He couldn’t contain the humour in his voice as he spoke. He wasn’t anticipating an argument that had lasted that long but anything that could emit a laugh from her kept him going. His buddies would say this was the most he’d spoke in a while, when on the battlefield quiet until necessary.  

      “Should we head in there?” He questioned, blue hues turning towards the entrance. He wasn’t ready for the decorations and the rules that went along with them. Parker knew, his sister would find a way to be unpleased, but he’d do his best.

Blair hadn’t stopped smiling from the moment she and Parker had gotten paired up. If she didn’t know Abby better than that, she would've thought she paired Blair up with her brother so they could keep each other company (assuming Parker didn’t bring a date --- which she hoped he hadn’t) --- but with how busy Abby was with the wedding, Blair knew her friend hadn’t done it on purpose. 

“It’s all about the dough, Parker, it’s all about the dough. Toasted bagel and cream cheese is the perfect light lunch. Maybe we should go to a local bagel shop tomorrow. See who’s the victor,” Blair joked, shaking her head and clearly getting ahead of herself. The conversation was silly but she enjoyed it. She enjoyed being in Parker’s company and she couldn’t help but wonder how much time she had left until reality set in and she regretted it.

“Yeah, we probably should,” she began, looking at the entrance before she started walking towards it. “We got a list of rules and your sister will be checking up on us soon enough. Do you know where we’re supposed to go?”

[ophivchus]

JAVIER GUTIERREZ

       As she spoke, Javier couldn’t take his brown hues off the dark haired woman. Of course, she was snarky as usual, tempting and teasing, and a straight pain in his ass. She was everything he found himself chasing and for some reason, he was going to chase her until he finally had her in his grasp. Javier knew it’d be a fight to the finish, one he’d probably one to give up on time after time, but he’d made it this far. Hell, he had her right now. It was just the two of them, standing in close proximity. He could even reach out and pull her into his arms. Instead, he didn’t, he stood there until she finished speaking. 

       It was only when she stopped did he take steps towards her until he stood what seemed less than a foot away. The smirk on his only grew as he shook his brown head of hair before words finally escaped his mouth, “Who says nothing is going to happen? You?” Javier questioned quietly, a quiet husk to his voice as he spoke. He had her where he wanted her, with her finally admitting that she was taking a peak. “There are plenty of things I could do without speaking… I could show you if you only gave me a shot.”

Leila kept her eyes on Javier. Her brain told her to not let him get to her, but her breathing got caught in her throat, especially as he walked towards her, slow step after slow step. She felt like prey, watching as the male got closer and closer ---- and Leila liked it. Who says nothing is going to happen? You? That husky voice of his felt like velvet in her ears. Leila wanted to give in, she wanted her hands on his abs and chest and his lips all over her skin. But she wouldn’t give in, not yet. “Yeah, me,” she matched his tone --- low and only for his ears. “Why? Do you want to make me a liar, is that it?” 

She could feel her fingers itch for the warmth of his skin. Leila knew what was beneath that shirt of his and she just wanted to give in. But not yet. Not until she milked this game for as long as she could. Leila wasn’t going to make things easy for him. She bit her bottom lip before she hooked her two index fingers on the belt loops of each side of his jeans and pulled him towards her. “I don’t think you’d be able to handle a city girl.”

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

      Shaking his head, Parker laughed before agreeing, “You are very much correct, I have never been to Nico’s Bagels– then again, I don’t get very many chances to go to New York.” The thought almost caused a frown to form on Parker’s face before the smile kept it’s place and the suggestion left his lips without a thought, “I’ll have to come visit you when you’re there so you can show me around, introduce me to your favourite places, and apparently the best bagels in the word.” Best bagels had dripped with sarcasm as they left his lips, the grin keeping his place, and his fingers shooting up to form quotations marks on the words. He wouldn’t ever tell her she was right, but he was willing to be proven wrong.

      Parker could imagine himself visiting her when he was on leave rather than visiting his parents for the three days he was home– his parents had seen enough of him, they’d had him his whole life. They had a week together, a week for Parker to leave an impression that lasts like she had what seemed like years ago.

     “We should get going or my sister will have our heads… I’d rather not see you like Anne Boelyn.”

Blair tried not to let his suggestion (which, for all she knew, came out without him actually meaning to see it through ---- for all she knew, he didn’t know when he’d be home next, for all she knew, nothing could assure her they’d actually keep in touch) be the only reason she kept smiling, but she failed. “That sounds good. I’d love to show you the best places. And not the tourist-filled ones,” and she kept speaking through this smile that Parker managed to put on her lips. She felt giddy and she wasn’t sure she liked it all that much. Not when she knew she only had a week before she wished it all away. “Might make a bagel guy out of you yet.” There was a playful tone to her voice, winking playfully before she laughed. 

She kept reminding herself that she was there for Abby. The same Abby who had left her to go do things with her new best friend. At first, she resented the bride, thinking she’d merely dumped her on her brother because they were the only two without a pair. Now, she only wanted to thank Abby.

“Yeah, that... That doesn’t sound ideal. Not unless you’re Henry the eighth.”

                                                               ----------------------

Blair stepped out of the car, closing the door behind her. “Okay, I’ll admit. Those sandwiches were better than I remembered them,” she told Parker, walking to meet him at the front of the car. “Would you hate me if I told you I’m still a bagel girl, through and through?”

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

      Parker couldn’t contain the grin that overtook his features as she began to speak– she was the kid he remembered, if not more beautiful than the day he’d left. Sure, she was not exactly the most vibrant crayon in the box, but she definitely wasn’t the white one. Now? Now she was the biggest package someone could buy and a part of Parker wondered why he hadn’t reached out sooner. Maybe it was because she hadn’t thought much about him, or it was because she was merely her best friends pain-in-the-ass older brother. All the male knew was he wanted her, he continued to want her, but he wasn’t going to act. He couldn’t, not this time around. If he did, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to let go, to turn his back on her and return to tour. Parker wasn’t entirely sure his sister would approve either, but she was getting married, so she didn’t really get an opinion, in his opinion anyway.

      At her words, he shook his head with a quiet chuckle, “I can’t promise a whole bottle of wine before we get there, but if we take a to-go cup, you can sneak a cup… I’d like you to actually enjoy your food. You know, these sandwiches are legendary and you can’t deny it. Not even for some stinkin’ bagel.” The deli, it had always been one of his favourites and of course, it was local commodity, but he found it to be one of his special places. He had a favourite sandwich, one he didn’t share with many people. Hell, the waitresses there knew him and even they knew he didn’t just go there with anyone. “We both know bagels don’t compare, no matter how much you want to believe they do.”

The moment he grinned, Blair couldn’t help but do the same. She felt like a high school girl again, crushing on her best friend’s older brother --- a walking, talking cliché. Blair could swear she was in some sort of movie, some Netflix romcom that would have middle-aged wives fanning themselves over someone as good looking as Parker. 

Only, this wasn’t a movie and Blair had merely allowed herself to forget life for a few moments. After the wedding, she’d go back to New York and he’d go back to his job ---- a job that no doubt entailed being on a whole different continent. So, no matter how much Blair allowed herself to dream, it would be just that --- a break from reality that blissfully made her forget they each had their lives to go back to after Abby’s wedding.

“Excuse you,” the brunette began, her eyebrows raising towards her hairline, letting out a chuckle, “you have obviously never had Nico’s bagels. Best ones in New York City, no matter what anyone tells you.” And Blair would die on that hill. She would get a bagel every week, even if it meant she’d be late to work on that particular day. Plus, the vendor was kind enough to give her a discount. “Your sandwiches might be good but they’re not Nico’s bagels good. No matter how much you want to believe they are,” Blair teased, looking at Parker. 

[ophivchus]

JAVIER GUTIERREZ

       Javier couldn’t help the way his dark hues wandered, following her with his eyes. He took her in, everything that he knew she was. Taking a deep a breath, a small smirk formed at the corner of his lips as he shook his head. Javier stopped what he was doing and slowly made his way towards the counter, his eyes never leaving her. He just wanted to know the truth, he wanted to hear the story fall from her lips, for her to admit that she ran when she saw him. That maybe, there was something, a smidge of attraction from her end. Javier continued to wonder if she liked the cat and mouse game, loved the reversal in roles. It only made this all the more fun for him, in turn the smirk turning into a smile.

      “Just say it, that you ran because you can’t handle your attraction to me. Not even that you can’t handle it, you don’t want to. So you ran.” It was simple, the way he said it. But Javier knew she was stubborn, wouldn’t admit to anything. He’d get it from her eventually, he hoped. He’d eventually crack the hard shell that she was. “I think you’re the one that needs a cold shower. Did you skip work to take one after you ran?”

Maybe it was the long day weighing on her mind or the fact that she has some needs that couldn’t be met by just anyone and desperate times required desperate measures, but Leila’s eyes were glued to Javier as he walked towards her. That stupid smirk on his face made her want to scream at him. Leila shifted, alternating her weight from one leg to the other. Her eyes never left Javier, not even when she kept telling herself to look away before she was too far gone. The girl stood her ground, crossing her arms over her chest and refusing to back down, fully knowing it wasn’t a smart decision. 

And then she figured ‘what the hell’ ---- she could say something and not do anything about it, as a way of messing with him just as he was messing with her. “Fine,” she began, knowing she’d both regret it and enjoy it, “I find you attractive when your mouth is shut. Watching you all sweaty in the sun took me by surprise,” and she let a smirk appear on her lips, watching him, “but you’re the one looking at me, up and down, in this waitress uniform and letting your mind run wild.” It was a safe assumption. “Too bad nothing is going to happen, even when this new knowledge of yours. Now, can you leave and let me work?”

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

      Parker didn’t bother to listen to his sister continue to defend a friend he didn’t exactly like, instead he found his blue hues resting upon the brunette at her side, watching as the woman somewhat shut down while the siblings bickered. Taking a deep breath, the blonde raised his hand to silence the younger woman before he spoke, “Alright, we get it. You want this perfect, Lucy is actually a good friend, yada yada yada, I don’t care.” He shook his head with a sigh as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He waited for the woman to leave, his eyes trailing her before turning his head to see Blair once again.

     “Tons of alcohol already in the jeep,” He admitted, already thoroughly preparing himself for the week to come and the time dedicated to the wedding they needed to be a part of. Without alcohol, or his friends from camp, he wasn’t sure he was going to make it through the time back home. Thankfully, he now had a beautiful brunette at his side working alongside him. He wasn’t going to complain about the circumstances.

    “What do you say we saddle up and get ready to go? I want to stop at the deli on the way there. I missed their sandwiches somethin’ fierce.”

Blair crossed her arms, waiting for the whole thing to come to an end; it reminded her of when she used to just sit down and pretend to not be there whenever they used to fight back in high school, especially about Parker having his friends over when Abby’s own friends were there ---- and Blair was caught in the middle before she sneakily changed rooms. Blair waved at both Austin and Abby as they walked away before another sigh escaped her. 

A chuckle. “Hopefully not too warm,” Blair teased, finding herself both nervous and glad she was going to spend some time alone with Parker. Of course, not because she wanted something to happen (she’d tell herself that over and over again) but because she truly wanted to know more about him and the man he had become. “I’d like to get at least half a bottle in before feeling sick.” That was disgusting, Blair, you’re the worst.

She looked up at him, not being able to contain the smile that appeared on her lips at his proposal. “Yeah, I’m up for some wine and dine and... work. I can barely remember how those sandwiches taste. I’m more of a bagel girl now.”

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

      “I’ll tell you more about it when we’re workin’,” Parker said on a wink as he studied Blair. He knew there would be questions, hell, he had questions himself. What happened after they both left? How did they end up where they did? How come she didn’t come home more. But right now wasn’t the time, right now was the time to listen to his sister droll on about what needed to be done which meant giving her his full undivided attention. Even if that meant retorting to her words with sarcasm and humour, which he did often when it came to Abby.

      Parker shook her head at Blair’s sarcasm, “She really isn’t. Don’t listen to whatever my sister tries to tell you. Abby is the only person that likes her and we put up with her for that reason.” The man didn’t have the kindest of words to say in regards to the woman in question. She was annoying, loud, she tended to put her two cents in when it wasn’t needed. Parker didn’t like her and he made it very much know. –Thankfully, Blair was different, she always had been. He’d always found himself gravitating towards her, even before they went separate ways and personal growth seemed to both slam them like a truck.

     “Don’t worry, Bridezilla, we’ll be fine.” He wasn’t entirely sure his words were true, especially knowing the feelings he refused to admit to himself. But there he was now, put in the perfect opportunity to spend a moment alone with Blair, the girl who seemed to disappear and come back a whole new person. “Blair and I got this covered and if we don’t– well, we both know you’ll get your hands in there and ruin your perfect manicure to make sure the streamers are hung right.”

"Sounds like a plan,” Blair replied, nodding her head and letting a small smile appear on her lips after his wink. She couldn’t help but press her lips together, keeping her smile from growing bigger and bigger as she looked away, trying to tell herself to get it together. She only had to get through this one week without messing something up and then go back to New York and keep working on getting the promotion she’d been eyeing ever since she was hired. No distractions. Not even if they were in the form of her longest high school crush. 

Blair let out an amused chuckle at Parker’s less than kind words about Abby’s so-called witch of a friend. It made her feel less... shitty. Knowing that neither Abby’s brother nor her future husband really liked Lucy all that much. Even if she still felt like she’d been replaced, even if only slightly. “Lucy is really helping me out in a lot of wedding things and it’s not like Blair was available all the way from another state, right?” Although Abby’s tone was light and she hadn’t meant her words to hurt, they had. Not that Blair would show it ---- she’d blame it on the stress and move on. “Right.” She nodded. 

“Whatever Parker, you guys better do it flawlessly or I swear I will cut your heads off.” And a playful glare was sent from Abby to her brother, though Blair had somewhat disconnected herself from the conversation, Abby’s words still weighing on her head. Abby took Austin’s hand and walked out of the kitchen, going on and on about how they had a schedule to stick to and didn't want him to miss the appointment with the photographer. After they were gone, Blair looked at Parker, letting out a sharp sigh before she spoke. “Any chance there’s some wine we can take with us?”

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

      Parker couldn’t contain the smirk that overtook his features at Blair’s words. He could tell she was nervous, by the way she quickly let go of his hand but struggled to find her wording. He was desperately pushing his light chuckle down as he studied the brunette. Just like she had in high-school, something about her always seemed to reel him in. Blair was one of the only friends Parker actually liked of his sisters as Abby seemed to have the word taste in aquaintances– besides her husband-to-be, of course.

     “Thanks,” He muttered before his eyes looked down at himself. Lifting blues hues to study the brunette once again, “I thank military regimin and terrible food.” There was a laugh to his voice as he spoke– Parker finding if he couldn’t joke about something, he wasn’t able to truly comprehend it. The military, although his career choice and passion, had caused him hardship upon hardship.

     Abby pulled him from his thoughts, only to have him clear his throat and turn his attention to her. Parker nodded along as the younger woman drolled on on what needed to be done and who was doing what. When he was informed that he would be working with Blair, Parker couldn’t contain the form of contentment he felt or the smirk that rose at the corner of his lips. Before he could make a come-back to his sister, Blair’s voice rang through the air, questioning who the hell Lucy was.

    “Lucy–” Parker cut in before Abby could speak, “Is Abby’s friend who none of us like. She’s loud and opinionated, and in my opinion she’s trying to make this wedding about herself. Unfortunately for us all, Abby seems to keep her around.” His words caused Austin to chuckle in the background, which only allowed Parker’s own laugh to bubble from his chest. “Don’t worry, you’ll end up hating her. We all do.”

Blair let out a nervous chuckle as she heard Parker thank her. She wanted to hit her head on the wall just enough times to make herself pass out. She dealt with all kinds of people, she spoke in front of a room filled with superiors that were judging her work every second, evaluating whether or not she deserved any promotion at all. And yet, standing in front of an old crush seemed to make her go back to the awkward girl that, although she still was, not many got to see.

“Military?” The brunette questioned, raising her eyebrows. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just didn’t expect to see Parker the troublemaker and dirtbike rider as a military guy.” With every word that left her mouth, she just wanted to dig herself a hole and hibernate in it. So that’s why he looked so good and fit, huh. 

All in all --- even including how awkward she had managed to become in such a short while back ---- Blair wouldn’t trade this week back with Abby, her family and her old town for anything. Even if there was an unexpected person in the midst of what she thought was going to be a week that she’d spend with her best friend. As she kept her eyes on Abby, waiting for an answer, Blair couldn't help but think that maybe she let her job become too important and had been replaced.

When Parker began answering Blair’s question, the brunette couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. “Hey! Stop being so mean, Parker! You guys just never gave her a shot. She’s fine with me!” Abby began, defending a friend that only she seemed to enjoy the company of. “She sounds great, then,” Blair added a bit of sarcasm to her voice, looking at Abby and then at Parker, as if exchanging some sort of look before she looked at Abby again. “And when do I get to meet her?” 

“Lucy and I will meet you and Parker at the venue when we’re done at the cake place. We need to see if it will fit their fridge, of course, and see how you guys handled the instructions.” There was a playful tone in Abby’s voice, yet Blair knew she was only half kidding ---- she knew Abby would go and inspect the place as if she was being paid to do it. “And didn’t get too distracted,” she teased.

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

       That would have been amazing. He knew that voice but couldn’t seem to pin-point the face. Parker’s blue hues remained trained on the brunette until his sister walked into the room and grabbed his attention. A bright smile overtook his face when he saw the bride-to-be, having not seen her in what felt like forever. Then again, he’d been home for a week and had seen her almost every other day. But the brunette? He felt like he’d seen her before, but unable to place where. Tuning into his sisters words, Parker began to nod slowly before speaking.

      “Yeah, well, you asked me to come so here I am.” He commented, a humorous tone to his voice as he responded to his sister, returning the hug she’d pulled him into. It was like she’d forgotten she’d asked him there. Apparently needing help with something. Unfortunately, had she mentioned she’d have a friend over, Parker would have dressed nicer rather than a pair of jeans and a hoodie.

      Blair. He knew the name, oh he knew the name well. The girl who followed his sister around in high-school, someone he found himself lingering on but not paying too much attention to until he did. Then it stopped and time went by and things changed and apparently, people grew into themselves. Turning to the brunette, he nodded slowly before extending his hand. “Please to see you again, Blair.” 

Blair couldn’t take her eyes off of Parker as he and Abby exchanged some words and she hated herself for it. She could feel her heart beginning to race. It was like, for a moment, she could remember what a high school crush felt like ---- of course, he was very different from who he was back then; at least, he seemed to be. He didn’t look like the guy that had a dirtbike anymore. Not that he didn’t look good, because he did ---- he looked really good. 

A smile appeared on her lips and Blair cleared her throat before she took his hand and shook it. Please, for the love of God, don’t be awkward. “Yeah,” the brunette began as she nodded her head. Then, her eyes widened slightly before she realized she had to continue. “It’s nice to see you too.” Nice going Blair. She let go of his hand. “You look... good.” Even worse.

“Right,” Abby began, looking at both of them with a smirk on her lips. Then, she dropped it, “Austin is going to talk to the photographer and Lucy and I are going to check on the cake, see if everything’s on schedule.” Blair couldn’t help but feel both nostalgic (about the way Abby was practically running everything, even if it was her wedding) and confused about who Lucy was. “You and Blair,” she said, looking at Parker and then at Blair, “can go to the venue and put up some decorations. They’re in a box upfront and there are instructions on a paper inside.”

“Sure. And who’s Lucy?” Blair asked, shaking her head and trying, somewhat, to keep her friend from forgetting to actually inhale some oxygen. 

[ophivchus]

PARKER FRANKLIN

a starter for @ophivchus​  !!  

     When his sister had asked him to come over as she needed his help, he didn’t hesitate to make his way over to the girls house. What he didn’t expect to find as he pulled into the driveway as another car he didn’t recognize. Walking into the house, it was like a whole other atmosphere and instantly, Parker searched out the younger woman or even her soon-to-be husband. “Abby!” The blonde yelled out, blues hues searching the living room only to make way into the kitchen to find them sitting there around the island, with his future brother-in-law leaning against the wall.

    “Well shit, had I known there was a party I would have brought more alcohol.”

It was weird being back. Blair had grown up, worked hard, moved away from her home town and built a career for herself somewhere far away from the people she had grown up with that had made her feel bad about herself. Of course, that meant moving away from her best friend and although it had been hard, they had kept in touch as much as they could have ---- even if it wasn’t always in person. 

The brunette finished setting herself up in the guest room of Abby’s place before she joined her and her soon-to-be-husband in the kitchen. Blair was preparing herself a cup of coffee (a beverage that had become part of her blood at this point) when she heard a somewhat familiar --- yet unfamiliar --- voice coming from the kitchen entrance, which caused Blair to turn on her heels with a freshly brewed cup of coffee in her hands. 

“That would have been amazing,” she replied before she let out a small chuckle. 

 “Parker!” And then, Abby went to her brother, giving him a small hug. It was then that Blair’s eyes widened ---- that was Parker Franklin? Fuck, he’s hot now. Quickly, she took a sip of her coffee, trying to avoid staring at him for too long. “You got yourself here fast,” Abby commented as she pulled away. She jumped up, almost as if she had forgotten something. “Oh, you remember Blair, right? From high school?”

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