Parker

PARKER

“It’s not safe,” I insist as Brando tries to get me to follow him up the wooden stairs.

“Aw, don’t be a chicken!” he calls down to me. “I climbed them just fine!”

My face screws up in anger at having been called chicken. He knows I hate that because almost everyone in my class makes fun of me for being scared so easily.

“I’m not a chicken!” I shout at him as I grab the railing and start to stomp my way up the steps.

When I reach the top, I’m so mad that I’m ready to slug him, but the big smile on his face, and the hug he gives me, makes the anger go away.

“I knew you could do it, Parker!” he shouts happily.

I give him a shove, and he takes a step back, looking at me kind of upset. I’m not mad at him anymore, but it hurt my feels that he thought he had to bully me into doing it.

“What’s wrong?” he asks me, his hands slapping against his thighs. He always does that when he’s frustrated.

“You didn’t have to be mean to me!” I shout at him again, giving him another shove.

He smirks and crosses his arms over his chest. “That wasn’t mean, Parker. You act like such a baby sometimes.”

“Don’t you do it,” I warn him, raising a fist. “Or I’ll make you wish you were never born!”

“Oh, yeah? And how are you gonna do that, Parker? You’re too little to hurt me,” he says, his smirk getting bigger.

A grunt of anger erupts from inside my tiny body as I pull back a fist and punch Brando in his stomach. When he doubles over in pain, I take the opportunity to do what I know would bother him the most.

I quickly push myself up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his.

I look at him proudly when he stands back up, an “I told you so” look on my face, but instead of being grossed out like a boy should be, he smiles and reaches for me.

Brando gives me the tightest hug he’s ever given me before, then does the one thing that I thought would make him mad.

He puts his lips against mine.