10.11 If Tomorrow Comes

Parker wasn't sure how he got out of Derik's house. But the next thing Parker knew, his clothes were wet and his face hurt. Parker opened his eyes to reveal the ocean.


He knew he as hurting. He could only imagine the things he hadn't seen. Once home, Parker surveyed himself in the mirror. Nothing he wouldn't recover from.

Parker would have thought it was just a dream, until his phone rang Thursday morning. "I dropped a bag off by your back door. Change into the clothes." Parker wasn't going to fight this time. A driver will be there in five. You better be ready," Derik hung up before Parker could get a word in.


The driver showed up as promised in a beater. Parker jumped in the car. "Today, you are a decoy. Prove yourself useful and you'll live to see tomorrow." A chill ran down Parker's spine. He knew Derik wasn't joking.

10.10 Reunion of some sorts

Parker hated to stay at home. It's five bedrooms, although lavishly decorated, seemed like catacombs. Parker spent his time roaming the streets. Especially at night when most people were asleep.


Parker walked the streets at night, rummaging through trash cans. He found out that sometimes you could find some pretty cool things in them although tonight's special was just trash.


A dark figure approached him, the figures head was down. "You have two choices," the figure said, "come willingly, or I'll use force." Parker debated the two choices reasoning he really didn't have a choice. The man must not have liked how long Parker was taking because a bag was thrown over his head and he was hauled into something moving.

The streets had taught Parker to resist; however, common sense told him to sit tight and shut up. The van moved quickly around turns. Parker felt like he'd never get out. Parker knew he couldn't sit idle. He planned his escape.



However, his plans took a turn as soon as he opened his eyes. His captors pulled the bag from his head. Upon quick observation, all ways out were guarded by no less than five men. Parker was in someones kitchen. Not just anyone's kitchen, Manuel's. Derik walked towards Parker. "Street Rat," he sneered with each step he took.



"Come here," he growled picking Parker up. "I need your help. I need someone with knowledge of the streets to make me some money." Derik looked Parker up and down, "You look like you know the streets."
"I'm not helping you," Parker barked. If he wasn't so dehydrated he would have spit in his face.
"You will help me," Derik sneared, "or I'll kill you myself." There was a short pause and Parker debated if his father was telling the truth or not. Derik knew, "Son or not." With a quick shove Derik made it obvious the conversation was over.

10.9 White Elephants

He'd heard rumors his mom lived somewhere up in the Hills of the Valley. His car raced towards the Hills. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he was going.


Luck was on his side as he turned the corner to find Lauren outside with, as rumor had it, her boyfriend. Even though Parker didn't expect hugs from the woman who abandoned him, he was still upset to her showering her affections on another guy. Upon seeing Parker, Lauren walked into the house. If there was going to be a show, she didn't want the neighbors to see.

Her first thoughts were he looked just like his father. She wanted to pretend he wouldn't end up like his father, but she knew better. She couldn't bare to look at him, knowing what he had become. "I want to know everything," Parker demanded.

Parker saw her hesitation and shoved the box in her hands. "I want to know why my best friend's father has all this." Lauren looked at the collection of articles and pictures in the box. "He tore me apart Parker," was all she could say.


"You ruined my childhood," Parker retorted. It was selfish to think of how this man hurt her without considering the consequences it had for her son. Parker didn't have kids and he understood this. "Everything I've ever wanted left me. Thanks to you."


After years of avoiding the elephant between them Lauren realized her mistake. However, it was too late to change any of it. Lauren closed her eyes and recounted the story of how she fell in love with the wrong guy.

10.8 Your Past is a Lie

Although Parker didn't learn his lesson, Brooke was soon freed of his torment. The grim reaper came calling, and she willingly left.


Nathan was hit hard by the news. He spent days mourning. Either by her grave stone or alone in her room. He'd known he was different from everyone else. He'd never known his father and now he's lost his mother.


Nathan found his own tombstone buried deep in the cemetery. He figured it was a sign, and he was ready to meet his father.

Meanwhile, Parker was at home throwing one last party with the people that meant the most to him.


"I have something for you," Manuel said, placing the gold box on the counter between them. Parker's eyes lit up. Manuel's father's gold box. "He watches that like a hawk. So get what you want out of it, so I can put it back." Simpleton, Parker thought. Parker wanted the whole box. Not just the contents.


Parker fumbled with the box in his hands, disappointed that it wasn't genuine gold. The box fell open releasing its contents on the floor. "Parker," Manuel gasped. The floor was littered with pictures and articles about Parker. Parker moved over to where they had fallen. "This is my mom," Parker said, holding a picture. Manuel picked up a Missing flyer with a picture of young Parker on it, "That's my dad's number."




The men looked between each other. "Parker," Manuel paused, scared of the words he was about to say. Parker shook his head, unready for the words, "I need to see my mom."

10.7 Stop at Nothing

Parker was forced to do community service. Although Brooke wouldn't fight for him, she requested that Parker serve his time up keeping the family art museum. It would benefit the family and be unenjoyable for Parker. Parker never knew the family had an art museum, mostly because he hated art.

Parker reported for his first day bright and early on Saturday. He had planned to spend this day with Manuel, planting the seeds that would get him that box. Instead he had to slave away in a instution full of people's opinions. He hated people's opinions. He hated art.

He reported to the front desk where Parker had to pick up his volunteer badge. Parker wasn't alone. Saturdays the museum offered painting classes for youngsters, and many people from his school volunteered to help. "Great," Parker thought, "art AND screaming banshee's."

Just as Parker thought the day couldn't get any worse, one of those screaming banshee's decided to paint the walls. But it wasn't just colored paint; it was brown paint. And it wasn't in any exhibt; it was the bathroom.

Grumbling the whole way, Parker made his way to the bathroom. He really didn't deserve this. After all, the girl got her purse back. Why should he have to endure this?

Parker returned home to a hot shower. Even though he was tired, and avoiding Grandmother who put him through this, Parker called Manuel for some little scheming.

10.5 A Fine Line

Parker was going to steal something. It was close to curfew but not close enough for the cops to start harassing him. Parker settled behind a tall flowery shrub, searching for a victim. Parker watched a group of girls leaving the theater. He recognized them from school and pinned them as being hairbrained. One girl split from the pack, her purse hanging in sight.

He followed her down an alley between the buildings. This was too easy. She was stupid. If he really wanted to be a predator, he could take advantage of this situation. But that wasn't him. A theif? Yes. A sexual predator? No that was disgusting. There was a fine line between the two. Parker closed in on the girl, and just as he went in for the snatch, she turned.

"What the fuck do you think your doing?" she cussed him, holding her purse closer to her body. Parker stopped, shocked. Busted twice in one night. This was a horrible sign. The girl had drawn a crowd. Parker could hear them approaching, asking questions. The girl continued screaming obsenties at him. Yeah this looks bad, Parker thought as he was restrained by two memenbers of the crowd.



It didn't take long before the police arrived. Now, he was out after curfew. "You know," the cop started, but Parker really didn't want to know what he should already know. He was too concerned with the shape of the female cops body. His teenage thoughts running rampant.

At least until he reached his grandmothers house and the cop bent down and slapped a tracking bracelet on his leg. Parker looked up confused, and although he had tried tracing their conversation back, there was always a road block somewhere around the cops upper torso region. "You're under house arrest," she said quickly turning and laughing at his misfortune.

His grandmother was waiting for him by the door. It was the same threats. Nothing Brooke could do would stop Parker. He was his own man, and he lived by his own rules. It didn't matter how many times he was brought home by Valley's finest. He'd never give in to her.

10.4 Theivin' theives

Manuel's house was a second home to Parker. Parker liked Manuel because he was easily manipulated. If Parker needed anything done, Manuel would do it. Manuel had quite the juvenile record. Most of it was Parker related.

Manuel lived with his father in his mother's house. Parker envyed Manuel to some extint. His mother was dead, she'd never leave her son like his mother did. And Manuel's house had so many cutting edge electronics and large jewelry items. Sometimes, Parker itched to take one.

Parker was pretty sure Manuel was his cousin. Even though Parker's grandmother never talked about her sister any more, her pictures still hung on the walls. She shared too many physical characterists to Manuel's mom to not be related.

Even with a family connection, Parker reasoned, the belongings were fair game. After all, family connection never worked for his grandmother. Parker stole from her frequently. Parker planned the grab well, something he learned from the streets. After Manuel left for the bedroom, Parker sprung in to action. Each step took him closer and closer to satisfying his "itch," a gold plated box on his father's night stand.

"Not so fast," Manuel's father voice boomed. Parker stopped dead center. He'd never been caught before. "You can't steal from a theif," he said, blocking Parker's path. With a quick lecture, Parker was kicked out of Manuel's house. He'd get that box if it was the last thing he'd do.

In true Parker fashion, he didn't go home.

10.3 Old habits die hard

Parker felt like he had a purpose again. All those years on the streets had made him homesick. Although he couldn't go back to his childhood, Nathan and he were like brothers again. Nathan wasn't as over bearing now. Now that he wasn't trying to be a father figure to Parker. Parker enjoyed the competion.



Parker still lived for the thrill. He occasionally go searching through his grandmother's things. He knew his family was weathly. It was old money too. Old money meant old jewlery. Old Jewlery meant expensive. Everyone knew expensive meant more money.


Time after time he'd comeup empty.



Brooke tried everything she could. Lectures, groundings, revoking privilages. Nothing worked. Brooke remembered the words of her sister when she couldn't get through to Lauren, "Nothing gets through this child." Sometimes Brooke thought "like mother like son," then she remembered his father.

10.2 Deeper Than Nurture

Days blended in to weeks, weeks into months. Parker was sure he could handel the streets. He was slick. He knew were to get food and where to find shelter. Most of all, he knew excatly were to hide.
Parker had a lot of free time on his hands. School was for lamo's unless you were tagging it. He'd developed quite the artistic skill over the years. Tonight, He found himself drawing away on the inside of a science classroom, when Valley's finest found him.
The streets taught him survival; the law taught him not to get caught.

Within moments he was returned home. Atleast where home should have been. Parker didn't expect to be welcomed into warm arms, but he definitely didn't think he'd be lectured either. Which was excatly what he got. From his aging grandmother none the less. Luckily, upon his return she won a three day vacation.

Nathan was the same, a bit more popular than when Parker left. His parties were lavish. Parker made friends quickly.



While Nathan found love quickly.


Even lavish parties weren't enough to entertain Parker. He wanted action. Action he'd fabricate a few tales to see happen.