Rules Of The Game: Book 1

9; Fast And The Furious, Idiot Edition

𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟿𝚝𝚑, 𝚂𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚢
Parker's POV

Friday night comes back around way faster than I expected it too, or at least faster than it did last week.

The entirety of the past six days have breezed by. Between school, football, and taking any extra available hours to work on that history project with Miles, I've had no time to do anything but sleep. We usually hacked away at our project in school, so our conversations were much less entertaining than the Tuesday afternoon coffee run.

Maybe it is a blessing in disguise to be busy with the project because I don't want to get too close to him. I already feel we're teetering on the edge of some cliff that I don't want to be teetering on.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts as Griffin swings his car into the beach parking lot, my ass sliding across the leather seat and the Hellcat sliding on the loose sand. I wince at his reckless driving but don't dare to mention it. We've had that argument in the past, and it never goes anywhere.

Griffin glances over at me and grins when he notices my taunt jaw.

"What? Do you not trust my driving?" he mocks and turns down the J. Cole song he was bumping. I shake my head and let go of the oh, shit! handlebar as he parks his car.

"Sometimes I wonder if I have a death wish when I ride shotgun with you. You kept us alive though, which is all I ask. Keys." I hold my hand out.

There's no way I'm giving him the temptation to drive home later. I'll be the keeper of all my friends keys tonight, and not in a Harry Potter type of way.

Griffin sighs and kisses the key fob before passing it over. I scoff at his dramatic reaction and pocket the key before hopping out.

"Relax Grif, it's not like you're never getting your car back," I tell him as we walk down towards the beach.

Seagulls cry a chorus overhead, with the ocean playing a beat as waves slap on the sand. The sand is clean and white, stretching down for miles in each direction. As I admire the view, I realize that I'm genuinely impressed with the seniors' choice of beach. This location is beautiful.

"You don't know that. Just know that if you lose that, I will seriously hold your head under the water until you drown and use your Birks as collateral for a new key fob."

His reply brings me back from my daydream, and I laugh at his empty threat, although deep down, I know that he probably isn't joking.

I've been wondering how I can sneak him into an anger management class for years.

As we reach the sand, Griffin slaps my shoulder dismissively and jogs down to where some people have set up a rickety foldable table on the beach. Some girls are already taping down cup marks for their pong game.

Exhaling, I tuck my hands into my shorts as I walk down to where some other guys are dragging driftwood over to a smoldering fire. Kendric is down there, popping open a gas can. The heat tinges on my skin as I get closer when he pours gas on the fire.

Kendric whoops in glee as his trick works and turns around with a smile. He brightens seeing me walk over.

"Well, well, if it isn't Parker G. himself! What's up, man? I didn't think you would actually come," he greets me happily, pulling me into a generic guy greeting as we clasp hands and bump shoulders.