One week later.

"Yeah, mom," I said mindlessly, looking out the window. "I'm fine."

"I'll be home a day late for your birthday," she pointed out. "What do you want?"

My birthday was the one time a year my mom gave me the attention a mother should all year around. Now that she wasn't here, I was sorta pissed off. I was an adult it was ridiculous to want my moms attention.

I thought quickly. "Um, a new pair of shoes maybe. This new makeup palette—"

"Great! Parker, you make it so easy. Love you. See you soon."

I was taken back at how fast she was ending this conversation.

"Yeah. Okay. Bye."

I threw my phone on the couch and looked out the living room window again.

My chest was hurting.

Florencio hasn't talked to me for a week.

God, I knew it!

I felt my eyes burn with unshed tears.

This was exactly what I wanted. Him to leave me the hell alone. And now he was doing that...I felt empty.

I let him touch me and kiss me and now he was done with me.

I sighed, relived.

I rubbed my eyes to get rid of my tears. I would survive the feeling of him not being here.

-

Three weeks later.

"Gina, I've said it like twenty times. Me and him are done. We were never together. He doesn't care about me."

"Do you miss him?" She asked me again for the fifth time that evening.

I wanted to cry again. "No, I don't. He used me, G. I knew he was. I just let it happen." I missed Florencio. He probably knew that too.

"Shit, I feel kinda bad for going out with Peter later."

I laughed shakily. "Don't be. I was just being stupid."

"Don't feel stupid for feeling what you felt. It was real, Parker," she said seriously.

"I have to go," I said quickly, her words becoming too real. "I have to help my mom with something."

"Bullshit," Gina sang.

"You're a jerk."

"You can't bullshit a bullshit-er."

"Okay!" I said loudly. "I really have to go. Bye." I hung up.

I left my room and entered the living room. My mom was dressed up. Her makeup was done perfectly and her clothes looked expressive.

"Where are you going?" I asked. Ever since she got back we fell back into our co-existing routine. I don't know why I was asking her where she was going.

She looked at me weirdly. "I'm going on a date."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say. She had never done anything like this. I wouldn't even had know if she did anything like this before my dad because she never talked about herself.

She cleared her throat awkwardly. The air around us was tense.

She didn't say anything as she left the house hurriedly.

I sighed and sat down on the couch.

Gina was out with Peter. My mom was gone. Florencio was gone.

Feeling tired, I laid down on the couch and fell asleep.

Rapid knocking is what I woke up to.

My heart was beating fast and I felt scared. I was still half asleep.

The knocking on the front door didn't stop. I got up slowly and approached the door cautiously.

I looked through the peephole and gasped at the face I saw. My heart was beating fast for a different reason now. Excitement filled me. Then I was angry.

I opened the door and before he could say anything I slapped him.The impact left my hand stinging.

His hand shot up and held his face.

"T-that's what you get!" I was yelling now. "I knew you were going to leave but still. Screw you." I attempted to slam the door shut but he pushed it open violently. I stumbled back and caught myself on the wall.

He slammed the door shut. I frowned at Florencio's state. His face was littered with small bruises and a big one occupied his jaw and left cheekbone. They were fresh, purple and blue. His hood must have covered this all up from when I looked out the peephole.

"What the hell happened to you?" I breathed.

He smiled. "That's not a nice way to greet me, especially after all I've been through."

"You don't deserve my courtesy," I said, my eyes burning. "You used me and left." Just like I knew you were. "I was dumb enough to let you. So leave."

The look he gave me was unreadable.

He walked to me and grabbed my arms. I struggled against him. He spun me around and shoved me against the door. I was breathing heavily.

He pressed himself into me and I let him because I missed him.

He looked angry. I shifted under his fingers that were pressing hard against my arms.

"You asked me," he bit out, "if I've slept with Natalie."

I blinked.

I forgot I even asked him that.

He laughed but it held no humor. "Parker." His hand came up and gripped my jaw, forcing my eyes up to his. "You're here and that's it."

Then he kissed me hard. It wasn't a nice kiss, it was a kiss that punished me. It told me I was stupid for questioning him. I managed to pull away. I couldn't breathe.

"I don't trust you," I said breathlessly. I don't trust you to walk back here and not leave again.

He grinned. "Good for you."

He kissed me again, showing me how much I missed him. His rough hands felt me up, his hips pressed me against the door and I couldn't escape. I hesitantly ran my hands up his defined arms. I whimpered into his mouth when he bit my bottom lip hard. He pulled back slightly. My lips felt swollen.

"Where were you?" I asked quietly, letting him know I cared. Idiot.

"Out," he replied. "Doing dangerous things a girl like you shouldn't be involved in."

"Then leave." I wanted him gone. But I didn't. I didn't know what I wanted.

"Honey, I can't."