I woke up to the sound of a door slamming.

I rolled over to look at my digital clock on my nightstand, blinking a couple of times to focus my bleary eyes.

6:02 AM. My alarm wasn't set to go off for another 13 minutes.

Who the hell had robbed me of my 13 minutes of sleep?

I pushed myself out of bed, heading out to see who was slamming doors so early in the morning.

I heard Parker's muffled voice behind his bedroom door. And even from my position in the hallway, I could clearly tell he was pissed off.

I knocked twice before opening his bedroom door.

Parker's back was to me as he leaned against his TV stand, his upper body tense.

"We all have to do it Lee," he said, his voice sharp. "You have one fucking job, and that's to wake up in the morning and go to class. I do it, you do it, we all fucking do it."

Parker was not happy.

"Yeah? Well now I have to make the 3 hour drive to Miami to have a parent-teacher conference with your principal because you can't seem to show up for class," Parker snapped. "But don't worry Lee, I'm happy to drop everything and drive down to Miami in the middle of school. It's not like I had a Physics exam today or anything."

Parker paused for a moment.

"Well wake up Lee, because the whole fucking world doesn't revolve around you."

And with that he ripped his phone away from his ear, letting out a long, frustrated sigh.

"Good morning," I said.

He turned to face me, raising his eyebrows. "Did you hear all of that?"

"Some of it."

Parker let out a sigh, tossing his phone onto his bed. "I really wish I had a flip phone right now, because it would've been really satisfying to slam my phone shut at the end of that."

I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head.

Parker eased down onto the edge of his bed, closing his eyes and massaging his temples.

I climbed onto his bed behind him, kissing his cheek before massaging his shoulders.

"It's only 6 AM and I feel like the day is half over," Parker muttered.

"Just relax," I encouraged.

Parker was silent for a few minutes as I massaged his shoulders, letting the tension slowly release from his body.

"I was pretty harsh there wasn't I?" Parker asked.

"You did lose your temper, yeah," I agreed. "But then again, I don't know exactly what happened."

"Lee decided not to show up for class three days this week," Parker said, shaking his head. "So now I have to attend this stupid parent-teacher conference at 2:00 today."

"Don't they know that you're a student too?"

"I'm Lee's legal guardian," Parker pointed out. "And that comes first."

We were both silent for a few moments.

"He just really pissed me off because he didn't care," Parker muttered. "He didn't care that I also have a life, and that I have important things that I'm supposed to be doing too. He wasn't remorseful at all. And that really fueled my anger."

"He's 16," I pointed out. "He's just a kid that probably decided Starbucks looked better than class."

"And I'm 18," Parker defended. "I'm not supposed to have custody of a 16 year old, let alone know how to deal with all of this shit."

That was a fair point.

"That's not fair," Parker amended.

"Really? Because I thought it was."

He chuckled. "When I was 16 I'm sure I skipped class a few times. But not three days in a row. I mean, come on, you can't be that stupid."

"Well teach him how to correctly skip class."

He laughed, turning around and pulling me into his lap.

"I have to get ready for school," I said, shaking my head.

"Just a minute."

"It's never just a minute."

"Okay, more than just a minute."

"No," I said, giving him a quick kiss before climbing out of his lap. "Unlike your delinquent brother, I actually have to attend class. I have a test first period."

Parker let out a groan, flopping back down on his bed.

"Stop whining and go take your Physics exam early," I said, shaking my head at him as I left his bedroom.

~*~

"Prom is so stressful," I said to Michelle, leaning back in the chair as the pedicurist worked on my feet.

I hated having my nails done, both feet and hands. It was so awkward to me.

"What time is your hair appointment tomorrow?" Michelle asked me.

"11," I said, looking over at her. "And then I have a makeup appointment at 2."

"My hair appointment is at 10," Michelle said.

"You're pushing it."

"My hair stylist was already booked by the time I called her," Michelle defended. "And it's not like I'm going to trust someone else to do my hair the day of Prom."

"True that."

I tried to remain still as the pedicurist massaged my feet, but it was nearly impossible.

"Just relax," Michelle ordered.

"I can't," I complained.

"Just take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and let it all out."

I did just that, but even then I couldn't help but feel the pedicurists hands on my feet.

And that was not okay.

After what seemed like hours of torture, my hands were French manicured and my feet were French pedicured and I felt a little bit better walking out of the salon.

"I think you're more stressed walking out of a salon than into it," Michelle commented.

"I just hate people touching my hands and feet," I said, shaking my head.

"So tomorrow are we meeting for pictures?"

I nodded. "We're meeting at the gardens at 4."

"And then dinner from there?"

I nodded again. "Parker and Emmett were talking about Bahama Breeze, is that okay with you?"

"I really don't care as long as there's edible food."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, so Bahama Breeze it is."

~*~

"You can't see my Prom dress beforehand," I said to Parker.

"But we're taking pictures together," he pointed out.

"So when I get to the gardens, I'll come and find you."

"You're so ridiculous."

"Leave."

He rolled his eyes, turning around to adjust his bowtie in the mirror. "At least tell me if my shirt matches your dress."

He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a peach colored shirt with a black vest over the top and a black bow tie.

"It does dear, that's why I picked it out." I leaned over and kissed him. "Now go."

"You'll be at the gardens in 30 minutes?"

"That's where I'll be," I promised.

He grumbled a couple of obscenities under his breath before swiping his keys off the counter and leaving the apartment.

I locked the door behind him and went back to my room, unzipping my dress bag to reveal my prom dress.

It was just as gorgeous as it had been a week ago in the store.

My hair was swept up into a bun, with a few loose pieces around my face.

My makeup had been professionally done by some lady my mom knows. That had been strange, someone else using their makeup on me. But apparently that's normal in my mother's world.

I stepped into my prom dress and a pair of nude pumps.

I really hope Parker likes it.

I smiled at my reflection before heading out the door, leaving in just enough time to pick up Michelle and make it to the gardens in time.

Michelle's prom dress was red, mermaid style. It was rhinestoned through the bust, and had a jewel on the thigh, where the dress flowed out to the ground in ruffles.

It was absolutely gorgeous.

"I can barely breathe in this thing," Michelle grunted, plopping down in my passenger seat. "Prom better be worth it."

"Prom is going to be amazing."

Michelle just rolled her eyes.

We pulled up to the gardens only 3 minutes late, and I had to circle the lot four times before I finally found a spot after someone backed out.

People love their prom pictures.

Michelle and I entered the gardens, and I immediately began searching for Parker.

"OMG!" Hannah called, hurrying over to us.

She was wearing a baby blue prom dress with a corset down the back, ball gown style.

"You look gorg," Michelle said, with a smile.

"We have to get a picture," she said, dragging us over to the rest of the girls.

Michelle and I posed and smiled with the girls for a good ten minutes.

I knew I was never going to hear the end of it from Parker. I was notoriously late for everything, I swear.

As I was laughing at Natasha's attempt at an Elvis Presley imitation, I made eye contact with Parker.

He was across the patio, taking a picture with a few of the soccer boys.

And as the camera flashed, his eyes never left mine.

I excused myself from the girls, and made my way over to him.

Parker just smiled as I approached him.

"Hey there," I said.

"How do you walk in those things?" Emmett asked me, looking at my heels. "They have to be at least 3 inches."

"5," I corrected. "And it's really not that difficult with practice."

"Yeah, I'll pass."

"You look gorgeous," Parker said, his eyes boring into mine.

"Thank you."

He continued to stare at me.

"So where are we doing this?" Emmett asked us. "Because I'm starving."

"When aren't you starving?" I asked him, rolling my eyes.

"Hey buddy boy," Emmett said, giving Parker a shove. "That's enough."

I chuckled as Parker's cheeks heated up.

"This way," I said, taking Parker's hand and leading him away from the masses of people.

"I'm not taking pictures of you two making out or anything," Emmett informed us.

"You mean like this?" Parker asked, taking me in his arms and planting a kiss on my lips.

I wrapped my arms around him, savoring the moment.

"Exactly like that," Emmett interrupted. "Do it again and you'll have to find a new photographer."

Parker laughed, pulling away from me and smiling at him. "Duly noted."

"Here," I said, pulling Parker back into the bed of flowers.

"What do I do?" Parker asked me.

"Pretend like you like me?"

Parker crinkled his nose. "Gross."

I shoved him, causing him to crack up.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I planted a kiss on his cheek, propping up my right leg.

"That's enough contact," Emmett mumbled, as he snapped a few pictures.

I tried really hard not to laugh.

And then Parker swept me up in his arms, catching me by surprise.

I let out a squeal, instinctively wrapping my arms around his neck.

Parker smiled down at me.

"That wasn't nice," I huffed.

He reached down and gave me a quick peck on the lips.

"Okay, you're forgiven," I amended.

"Okay, that's enough," Emmett said, standing up.

"What were you doing?" I asked, as Parker lowered me back to the ground.

"Capturing the different angles. I'm a pro photographer."

"Says who?"

"Instagram."

I rolled my eyes, taking his phone and passing it off to Parker. "Take a picture of me and this idiot."

"We already got plenty of pictures of you and the idiot," Emmett informed me.

"Ha," Parker muttered, taking Emmett's phone from me.

I wrapped my arms around Emmett, smiling for the camera.

"You got a text," Parker informed Emmett, handing him phone back to him.

"My date's here," Emmett said, rising up on his toes.

He flagged her down.

A redhead came over to us. She was wearing a floor-length emerald green dress, her hair falling in thick curls.

"This is Tiffany," he introduced to Parker and me. "Tiffany, this is Parker and my sister Emily."

She waved at us with a small, self-conscious smile.

"Well let me get some pictures of you two then," I said.

Even though I knew it was useless. Emmett probably wouldn't even remember her name tomorrow.

But I took some really cute pictures of them anyways, if I do say so myself.

"So are we ready to go then?" Parker asked me.

"Let me find Michelle," I said, rising up on my toes.

"Is the limo here?" Emmett asked.

Parker nodded.

"Then who cares about Michelle? She'll catch up."

"You're such a dick," I said, rolling my eyes at Emmett.

I located Michelle and flagged her down. She ditched Natasha and Hannah to come and join us.

"Ready to head on out?" I asked her.

"Does it involve food?"

I nodded, laughing.

"Then count me in."

~*~

"This is so lame," Parker whispered, as we walked into Prom.

The Mardi Gras theme really wasn't working for them.

"Vote for your Prom King and Queen," the guy at the front table reminded us.

Only seniors were eligible to run, and you had to be elected by the staff and Student Council.

Which basically meant you had to be popular.

"You're lucky I'm not a Senior," Emmett said to Parker. "Or I'd kick your ass."

"You wish," Parker retorted, as he voted himself for Prom King.

I reached over and voted Reagan for Prom Queen, remembering her from one of the parties I'd attended. She was one of Emmett's dates.

"Prom King is so hard," I said to Parker, reviewing my options. "There are so many qualified candidates."

Parker wrapped his arms around my waist, hoisting me off the ground and kissing me with an increasing passion.

"All of a sudden the choice seems much clearer," I said, once he pulled away.

"I figured," he said, with a smirk.

I voted for Parker before letting him lead me out to the dance floor.

The DJ was currently playing Talk Dirty to Me by Jason Derulo.

Parker just smiled at me, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Only in your dreams big boy," I said, kicking off my heels at one of the side tables.

His smiled widened.

I just rolled my eyes, looping my arm through his as we made our way to the dance floor.

Most of the couples were grinding all over each other, which I suppose is how they interpreted the song.

And Emmett and his buddy Tiffany were no exception.

Parker tried to stifle his laugh, but couldn't.

"So from what I can tell, you place your tiny little ass here," Parker informed me, pointing to his groin. "And then I'm supposed to stand there like a tree trunk while you move your hips in a gyrating motion to arouse me."

And then I was the one who couldn't stifle my laughter.

"Or I could do this." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him. "And I could press my lips to your ear like this. And tell you that although you grinding all over me does sound appealing, I think I'll save it for later, when we're alone."

"You're such a perv," I informed him.

He smiled at me.

I wrapped my arms around his torso, laying my head on his chest.

And it was like we were in our own perfect little bubble.

**************************************************************************************************************

So what did you guys think about Parker's guardian side? Do you think he overreacted, or did Lee deserve some tough love? What about Emily & Michelle getting ready for Prom? What's your pre-Prom ritual like? And then Parker & Emily's prom pictures, with Emmett as their photographer? And Prom itself of course?

The picture back at the beginning of the chapter was submitted by Moley26. What do you guys think?

So no, that's not a picture OF Parker on prom. That's just what he was wearing.

This chapter is dedicated to SilentReader93 because she left this comment a few chapters ago that I really liked and I keep reminding myself to dedicate a chapter to her and I keep forgetting. So thank you for your kind comment a few chapters back. I really appreciated it.

So I'm really working hard to have this finished by November 15th. As I said, no promises. But fingers crossed.

Teaser: Plot twist! It's the plot twist of the century, and I promise you don't see it coming. And you're going to hate me for it.