I sat outside at the picnic table we usually sat at as a group. It was empty. No idea where Justin was, and no idea where Claire was at. Though, to be fair, I was glad that Claire wasn’t here. I sniffled. I had started to cry, but I wiped away the tears before they cluttered up and rolled onto my cheeks. I lightly snacked out of my lunch box, not really fully diving into the same meal I ate every day. I had lost my appetite. 

It was cloudy outside, warm, but no sunlight shining through the cluster fluffy, gray clouds. The grass was beginning to turn yellow and a small breeze swept in that began to cool my skin. I guess winter was on it’s way. 

“Hey,” a voice called from my right. I was lightly startled and jumped. I turned and saw Jake.

“Hi?” I said. We never talked outside of Claire hanging out with me. I found it out of the ordinary to see him approach me on his own free will.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” I huffed and set my box down on my knees. I stopped eating, I was honestly shy to eat in front of people. Jake took a seat next to me and looked at me with a slight smirk.

“You don’t look okay. I know when a girl is upset.”

“Right, you dated Claire, so you know.”

“Fuck yeah,” he giggled. I didn’t think that was a funny statement, but to him it was. “What’s up?”

“Nothing important, really. I’m okay,” I attempted to lie. Jake wasn’t my parents, who would punish me if I didn’t tell them the truth. It was why I was horrified when my mom came home and saw me with Parker. If it weren’t for dad being drunk, I would have been in so much trouble that night. 

“Come on Kim,” Jake said and inched closer to me. He looked me in the eyes and sat quietly.

“It’s a Parker issue. He got into a fight, and it scared me, and he won’t tell me why.”

“Not surprised,” Jake simply shrugged and faced forward. 

“Why is that?”

“The vibes the guy gives off, plus I don’t really see him friends with anyone. Typically, if someone doesn't have friend it means they don’t get along with people very well. I also have him in another gym class and he doesn’t play for the team.” 

“Oh,” I sighed. I never noticed Parker like that. He would chat with me and we’d hang out lightly at lunch, and during homecoming we had a good time. Jake was right, I never see him interact with anyone else… I didn’t know how he treated others when I wasn’t sharing a class with him. 

“You still talking to Claire after how homecoming went?” Jake asked, his tone changing. I could hear the hesitation as he crossed a line he thought was there.

“Yeah, mistakingly…”

“Yeah,” he sighed.

“You done with her for good?”

“I want to be…” Jake moaned and rubbed his eyes with just his right hand. “I miss her, but I don’t want to.”

“I bet, four years with each other. Always on and off…”

“Yeah,” he took a deep breath.

“She misses you though.”

“I know she does. Honestly, it would be better if she didn’t.” Jake turned and stared at me for a moment. I watched as he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it instantly. “Well, hope things get better for you. I gotta get going,” he stood up and waved. 

As he walked away, I stared at the entrance of the school. I saw Parker walk through the doors. Jake glanced back at him and then to me. I then watched Parker walk his usual route, not even taking one glance my way. It was like I was invisible to him.