The air was crisp. The thick black clouds that threatened
rain hung in the dark sky above. A gently breeze blew
through the yard playing with people's hair and leaving
a sweet smell in the air. The young eighteen year old
girl dressed in black walked solemnly to the podium, brushed
a tear out of her eye and began her speech to the congregation.
“Parker,” the words bunched in her throat
as she swallowed hard, “Parker, was my best friend
in the whole world. He was a really great guy, with many
hopes and dreams. Unfortunately to achieve his greatest
goal it coast him the highest price. I want to share his
story with you.”
8 Weeks Earlier
“Alinis, honey, phone!”
“I got it Mom!” she shouted, “Hello?”
“Hey Lin, how's it goin?”
“I'm really excited about the first day of school
tomorrow Parker. How bout you?”
“Me? Well ... um...I'm...kinda...kinda nervous.”
“Why? We're in a new town, a new school, we can
be whoever we want to be!”
“What are you talking about?”
“We can walk into school tomorrow and be the cool
kids in school, the nerds, the class clowns or just more
faces in the crowd. And nobody is going to tell anyone
any different. Why? Because no one knows us. Our social
standing at our old school doesn't matter anymore!All
we have to do is play it cool, and, bingo we're in! You
and I will be some of the most popular kids in school
this year!”
“Ya... sure...unha... whatever you say Alinis.”
“Come on Parker, don't you think it would be fun
to get invited to all the parties and have so many friends
you don't have time to hang with all of them?”
“Well it would be nice to get invited to parties.”
“There you go. Well I've got to go... I'll see
ya tomorrow. Bye”
“Bye.”
The Next Day
“Hey, how's it going?” asked the blonde
boy sitting in front of Alinis in her first class. “First
day here?”
“Yep,” she chirped.
“My name's Bryan.”
“I'm Alinis."
“Have you done anything thing cool, yet?”
“Like what?”
“Well there's a party tonight . . . do you want
to come? You do go to parties?
“Oh all the time,” she stuttered uneasily,
“at my old school, some people threw an all-weekend
party, and it lasted until Monday, so we all missed school,”
Alinis paused hoping the lie sounded real.
“That sounds pretty cool,`. I don't know if this
will be as fun, but it promises to be a blast! It's at
1429 Bateman Street, 7 o'clock. See ya there.”
The bell rang and Bryan left. Alinis could hardly wait
to tell Parker. This is what she had been waiting for.
Now all she had to do was convince Parker to go.
An hour later it was lunch time, and Parker and Alinis
were in the cafeteria eating. Alinis thought about how
to bring it up to Parker.
“What's up?” asked Parker with a puzzled
look, breaking Alinis's concentration, as he put down
his fork.
She was taken aback, “What do you mean?”
“Lin, how long have we been friends? I know that
look. Your planning something, now what is it?”
“Well,” she paused for a second, then proceeded
to tell Parker as though looking for his approval of every
word, “I met this guy in socials and he invited
me to a party, and I really want to go, and. . .”
Parker cut her off. “You've what, know this guy
for two minutes, and you want to go to some wild house
party with him? Are you nuts?” Parker had always
been the sound of reason. He's what kept Alinis grounded.
“No. His name is Bryan, and I'm not going with
him, I'm going with you!”
“Oh really? And when did was this decided? I don't
remember agreeing to this.”
Alinis filled him in on the rest.
“Who's your friend? Is he coming tonight as well?”
inquired Bryan as he stopped at their table.
“This is Parker, and I'm not sure we're going .
. .”
Parker cut her off seeing the disappointed look in her
face, “We'll be there. 7 o'clock sharp, count on
it.”
Bryan looking quite satisfied, nodded, and left with
his friends in tow.
“Thank-you,” whispered Alinis.
“What wouldn't I do for you?” questioned
Parker.
That Night
They arrived at the house 15 minutes early, and Alinis
took this time to convey her expectations of the do's
and don'ts. The 'if everyone's doing it, then do it but
within reason' speech. Parker and Alinis got out of the
car and walked up to the porch.
“This is it, our first party. This is going to
be awesome,” Alinis shouted as she turned the door
handle and walked in.
“Ya, a total blast. Whoo hoo!” mocked Parker
as he followed her in.
The party lasted several hours. At the end, the people
there thought Parker was a partying god. Alinis, bored
with the event, decided to walk home with her thoughts.
They didn't even notice me. It wasn't what I thought
it was. All they did was drink and smoke pot. I hope Parker
leaves soon.
Monday
Neither knew what to say, where to start. They sat in
silence at the cafeteria table. The world around them
didn't exist. Then with people's shouts the world came
crashing back.
“Well, if it ain't the man!”
“Parker, hope you come to another party!”
“You're the coolest, Parker!”
“Well, Friday night went well,” blushed Parker
with a foolish embarrassed grin.
“Do you even remember Friday?” asked Alinis
sharply. “You were so drunk, you did everything
they told you. 'Let's go for a smoke, Parker....Try some
weed, Parker....Give this a try....Come on, Parker, drink
it back.'... I'll say the night went well. So, tell me
Parker, when did you start drinking and smoking pot?”
she slammed her fists on the table.
“Hey Parker, I've got some really great stuff here.
The gang and I want you and Alinis to come try it with
us,” prompted Bryan who sauntered over. “Wasn't
Saturday great, too?” he added tactfully.
“I'll be right there!” shouted Parker in
a panic.
“Oh, will you? Well, I won't. It's not worth it,
Parker. If this is what it takes to fit in, then I don't
want to,” she said coldly and stood up to leave.
“And what about Saturday?”
“Don't be like that, Lin. Only last week you were
telling me how you wanted to be cool, and now what? You
too good for us?” protested Parker. “And maybe
I spent the whole weekend with Bryan and his friends,”
he added sheepishly.
Bryan interrupted,“What happened to you? You seemed
really cool, but after the party you totally changed!”
“I won't do pot. I won't drink, Bryan. That doesn't
make you cool, it makes you stupid. And if you're smart,
you'll quit while you're ahead, Bryan. Let's go, Parker.”
“Speak for yourself, Lin. I like it here, these
guys, they're cool, exactly what I want to be. Leave if
you want. I'm staying,” interjected Parker.
Alinis left, leaving Parker with his new found friends
and habits.
It had been well over six weeks since the cafeteria incident.
Neither had a real conversation since. Alinis only heard
stories about what Parker was up to, what trouble he'd
gotten into, and what he was planning. It was by chance
she bumped into Parker in the hall at school.
“What's up?” he offered.
“Parker, we need to talk; I'm worried about you.
I've got dozens of phone calls from your parents asking
if I knew where you are, what you're up to. I really think
you need to consider what you're doing. You've changed
so much in the last six weeks.
“Save it. I don't need a lecture from you. I don't
care anymore. You're just jealous because I have something
you don't! I've got better friends and things to do. I've
got to meet Bryan, so we can go party,” he barked.
“Wanna come?”
“No. Parker, please be careful.”
But Parker couldn't hear her, he was already half way
down the hall.
Later that night the phone rang, and Alinis answered.
What the voice on the other end said, sent chills down
her spine.
****
Alinis finished her speech and sat down. The principal
stood in front of the rows of students, “Parker
Adams overdosed on heroin last week..."
That's all Alinis heard as she turned to her thoughts.
Parker was dead, and he died for something as stupid as
trying to fit in.
