young & wild & free

"only about half the lacrosse team," parker replied, eyes blinking back up at jesse with a magnified show of casual amusement. the look dropped in favor of something more natural after only a couple seconds. "not including court, so you don't have to, like, have a showdown out on the field or anything." a showdown? playoff? one-v-one? the proper terminology alluded her entirely. not that she made a show of caring to get it right, gently nudging him with her nearest arm. "you jealous?" pissed off was probably more accurate, but parker was playing at being lighthearted, here.

The word jealous drew a scoff from him, nudging the conversation away from the part of the conversation that had the ability to piss him off— or the fact that he and Coco were quite experienced in sharing (that didn't seem relevant now or... ever, really) — and parking it comfortably in banter instead.

Still, though. There was a small, petty part of him that wanted the confirmation that he could slide into any scene Parker starred in and whisk her away like her own personal leading man (meanwhile, he was clearly in so deep he was adopting her own metaphors), so he leaned in, his lips hovering just over her ear as if his words were special and meant for her alone. But really all he did was tilt his head in the direction of the drinks and ask, "you wanna come grab a drink with me?" A pause as he trailed a slow, deliberate look down the length of her followed by a smirk, and then: "Mostly, I just wanna show you off."

The thing was… Monty couldn't remember if he'd actually kissed Parker or not. Hot and alone did, unfortunately, ring a bell, his own words having come back to him in a nauseating wave when he'd woken up on the floor of some asshole freshman's dorm. He didn't trust much else of what he could recall, though, the night fracturing apart into an ugly blur of anxieties and justifications that didn't seem to piece back together in any logical way. It was safer to just ignore it, he thought. To tuck it all away and never dare revisit it.

But here was Jesse, that edgy glint to his eyes making discomfort balloon in his chest. For a split second, Monty thought about just closing his eyes and going in for a kiss -- mouth open and tongue out, of course, for maximum comedic effect -- but that would probably only guarantee him getting slugged. It would've been timely, though, considering that last year around now it'd been Milo bruising his nose. A little headshake and he cleared his throat, turning to face Jesse while taking a casual half-step backwards. "Wassup?" Monty chirped instead, obtusely refusing to address the Parker of it all.

Instead, he leaned into his righteous indignation. Monty had lied to him— again. He'd also tried to kiss his girl. He had accrued loyalty Jesse didn't believe he deserved. There were plenty of justifiable reasons to feel the way he did, thank you very much.

So, he wanted to push. He ignored Monty's attempt at casual conversation, his lips curling at the corners as he noted the small step away. "I was thinking about trying it out on P, anyway. You two were friends last time I checked, so you tell me. You don't think she'd be into it?"

his hand ghosted over the center console, fingers tapping, curious but not quite touching yet. "you always this generous with your toys?" he murmured, eyes flicking to the wheel, then back to jesse, "or am i just the exception?" and then, with a little tilt of his head and a voice soft like bait, "go on, then. show me where this little detour is. but if it is boring," a pause, then a grin, "i am driving."

He'd been out here before; it was a prime spot for drag racing. Quiet and tucked away from the bustling parts of the city, it felt almost a world away. A slow, lazy grin spread across his face as he rolled his head toward Link— the only warning he gave before the car shot forward.

They flew down the street and the world outside whizzed by in a blur. Despite the anxiety, exhilaration heated his blood, taking its place as he hit sixty, then seventy, then eighty. Nearing one hundred, he hit the brakes, fishtailing into a, expertly done one-eighty with smoking and squealing tires. A loud laugh and a whoop ripped itself from his lungs as he turned back to Link, nodding to the steering wheel and back again. "Think you can do better?"

Or, perhaps more accurately, she lets it speak for itself. Ascribes it meaning and subtext and a life of its own, until she is sure it encompasses all the bits of her she likes the very least. And for all her previous bluster about feeling contentment in spite of people's dislike, it needles at her. This infernal desire to be liked. To be loved. Even though she knows none of that will be offered up to her by Jesse.

"Do you know who might?" She tries, tone gentler now. As though she might, if she treads carefully enough, find use in this conversation all the same.

"You should try asking Monty. He'll sell anyone anything anytime. Not that I think you'd get anything honest out of him even if you did." Another day, another seed planted. Try and kiss my girlfriend again, bitch.

it hit her for the first time, as jesse turned back to pull her in, that she really needed the time away, too. "you're welcome," parker murmured only after he'd broken the silence, pulling back just enough to look up at him. "you know i'm always here for you." a small nod followed the sentiment, then a quick peck to his shoulder as she untangled herself and started again towards the door. because, really, she did need to pack some things.

having crossed into her room, parker immediately began sliding things off of hangers and tossing them onto her bed. "besides," she called, "the g thing is getting me to, too." it came out quite casually, for something that'd had her shaking when she'd initially told him. her, basically having told them to fuck off with their guessing game. them, basically having replied 'no' and that she'd made herself a target. the waiting game, the jumping at every text or odd look. "and the monty thing." something far less terrifying, but perhaps still just as jarring when she'd relayed it to jesse the following morning. she still hadn't told ollie. to be fair, she hadn't seen him since. maybe she'd text him once they got to... wherever. ask to hang soon. "and all of the—fucking scary end-of-year theatre department things." at that point, she was just venting. cut the crap, parker, he gets it.

it'd all be dealt with later. everything could wait a few days. the sentiment breezed over her as she, too, slung her bag straps over one shoulder and approached jesse. "for once, we're not the most dramatic thing going on with us. maybe we do deserve a reward."

Jesse wasn't really sure why he couldn't seem to put down this grudge he'd been apparently holding against Monty, but the thing with Parker gave him an excuse not to. So, he didn't. "You talk to him about that yet?" Jesse asked, almost positive the answer was no. A small, mischievous grin curled the very corners of his mouth. "I can if you don't want to."

As she approached, he pushed off the wall, straightening and offering a more genuine smile as his hands settled on her shoulders. "That's called character growth, baby." And again, he found himself thankful for just how easily she could call him out of himself. What a difference actually making an effort could make. "Now, let's get the fuck out of here before I cash in that reward early."

then he slowed.

"so you decided it's no fun flexing alone?" he planted a hand on the roof, leaning in just enough for his voice to carry, casual but close. "if this is your idea of foreplay, you might have to try harder. so is the plan just cheap beer or are you gonna let me drive this thing?" he questions with a little grin as he gets in, a grin that should tell jesse he should not be trusting link behind the wheel.

And that seemed to answer that as Link slid into the passenger's seat. "She's only mine until we get back," he said, revving the engine with a loud roar, the tires squealing as he shot out onto the road. "But I've been known to share, so maybe if you say please real nice you'll put me in that giving spirit."

It was bravado, definitely, and he hoped it hid his unease, but as the road unfolded before him, a shred of that wild freedom slipped into his veins. He slid a look over to Link, an eyebrow arching. "You wanna take a little detour?"

after a beat, parker's gentle grip loosened until both arms fell back at her sides. she then moved for her bag, head tilting downward in the brief search for her keys. once her finger looped through its heart-shaped carabiner, she dug them out and held them at her side. "i'm ready when you are."

perhaps she shouldn't have been so encouraging, but parker had ran away enough times herself to know that, sometimes, it was just needed. at times, it should be indulged. really, it was probably the healthiest thing to do, all things considered. "wanna tell me why the sudden urge to flee on the way or when i've already become your accomplice?"

He was never more thankful for her.

Already, he could feel himself coming back down— the need remained, but he no longer felt on the verge of losing control. His hands didn't shake as he began shoving clothes into his half-packed backpack, laughing a little stiltedly at Parker's question. The sound of the zipper met the air first as he finished packing, tossing the strap over his shoulder and turning to face her. "This G shit's just getting in my head," he said. The truth, even if it only edged around the full scope of it. "I just wanna get away from this place and, like— I don't know— remind myself that there's more than this."

He figured that answer would suffice for now and headed for the door, only to stop suddenly and turn back to her. In one swift movement, Jesse pulled Parker into him, tucking her head under his chin, eyes closed as his arms settled tightly around her.

Affection had always been easy for Jesse, but it was vulnerability that terrified him. It was letting someone in enough that they became necessary to function, to reach a point of having something to lose, that he knew made him keep people at arm's length. But he drew her in now and let it settle into his bones. He'd taken her for granted so many times— too many times— and yet, she was still here. "Thank you," he whispered against her hair. For today. For everything. He didn't deserve her, but it was well past time to try.

for a few seconds they stayed like that, parker hardly noticing the way her shoulder met the doorframe in a slight lean as she tried to discern the situation she'd walked into. with no obvious tells, she took in a breath to ask—and was swiftly beat to the punch.

the ask, though no more revealing than the quiet, broke through the stillness and parker began walking towards him. "sure," she answered with ease and without hesitation—'of course, let's do it'—offering a couple nods. when nearly close enough to feel his breath on her face, she stopped and, without looking down, slid a hand into his. "but do you mean somewhere like out-of-the-dorm or somewhere like... we'll need to stop at the gas station first so i can fill up my tank?" her free hand rose to move some hair out of his face, despite there not really being any to move in the first place.

A rough, mirthless chuckle scraped its way out of his throat, Jesse's eyes falling to their hands before he blinked up to meet her gaze. He wanted to go. He wanted to go and keep on going, outrun his secrets, his demons, fucking G. None of that was possible, though, so he just shrugged. "We'll probably need that tank of gas." A ghost of a smile curved at the very corner of his mouth, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Wanna run away with me for a few days?"

She looks up at him, arms crossed tightly over her chest, straddling the line between confrontation and self-preservation. It was not an actual question, so much as it was a signifier of dislike. Lola knew what others thought of her. She knew she ticked certain boxes, fit neatly in the slots people wanted her to. Knew she was a cardboard cut-out, an archetype rather than an actual person. She had made her piece with it, she thought, but to hear it weaponised like this? It hit something buried deep at her centre. Came into contact with the insecurities she had learnt to think of like her personal brand, as opposed to what they actually were: fatal flaws.

He didn't want to admit to himself that she didn't exactly deserve all this ire. He hadn't even really been aware of the fact that he was holding onto so much of it. He wasn't about to rein it in now, especially not when he could see the stubborn set of her refusing to back down from her point, either. "Well, I don't. Sorry to disappoint."

"You were close to her, were you not? I figured it would not be someone peripheral in her life."

And the other, slightly less jaded, part of him wondered why he gave it so much power. Why he played his father's game and accepted his own defeat without even surveying the board. But now wasn't the time for introspection as he eyed Lola, trying to drag the truth— or what he'd insist was the truth— out of her.

"I was," he admitted with a nod of his chin. "And so were a lot of other students." Even more than he knew about, he didn't say. He didn't know why it still ate at him, that he and Greer hadn't been as close as he'd thought, but it did. "But sure, we can go with that. I'm sure you're not the kind to stereotype," Jesse said with a dry tone that clearly said he thought the opposite.