MOVING up ||open|| MOVING in

[parker]

It had taken four trips in his beat-up old Buick, but Parker had finally managed to get everything of any true importance to his dormitory from the small home his family owned just outside the city. He'd known that no one would be willing to help him, but he'd asked anyway. He'd been met with laughter by some of his siblings and absolute silence by his parents. In all honesty, he preferred the laughter. At least then, he knew that his siblings had heard him.

Parker was definitely glad that the dormitories can equipped with elevators because he was sure that he wouldn't have made it all in one day without them. He'd not left anything behind because he doubted that it would be there again when he returned between semesters. His older brother, Jason, had a tendency to take things that didn't actually belong to him and Parker's possessions were not above stealing. Anything could go for money on the streets these days and Jason had a drug habit that he'd yet to kick.

He surveyed the pile of boxes in his room and was suddenly very happy that his roommate hadn't shown up yet. The second bed in the room was hidden under a jumble of things he didn't actually need but knew better than to leave behind. A coffeemaker sat precariously close to tumbling and a set of battered skies leaned against the bed next to it. It would take hours more to tackle the disaster that had occurred here, but he was glad to do it if it meant not having to go home for a long time. He wanted nothing more than to move out for good, but his parents had made sure that wouldn't happen for a while. As much as they hated him, they loved stealing the meager income that he brought in each week and claiming it as rent. He wondered if they ever asked his brother for rent, but seriously doubted it. Despite all Jason's shortcomings, he was the first boy born into the family and they would always adore him for it.

Parker threw himself down on his own bed, glad that he'd thought ahead and made it as soon as he'd brought up sheets. There was just no way that he'd have time to finish unpacking tonight, not when he had to get up early to open at the book store in the mall. As much as he hated working there because of all the people, it could have been a lot worse. At least he got to hide in piles of books for most of the day. He'd even seen a few copies of his own novel he'd had published a few years back, though he wasn't sure he'd ever actually sold any of them. It hadn't been all that great, but it'd done well as a column in his high school paper, so he'd had to give publishing a shot. He just hoped the new novel he was working on would get a better reception.

With a slight sigh, Parker pulled out his cell phone and punched out a quick text message to his best friend, Autumn. Though he hadn't planned it this way, he'd been really excited to find out that he'd been accepted to the same college she attended. He knew that she had more important priorities than hanging out with a freshman, but he also knew she'd make time for him when she got a chance.

A noise in the hall pulled Parker from his intense study of the ceiling and snapped him back to the reality of boxes threatening to collapse the bed on the other side of the small room. He knew he'd have to get back to work whether he liked it or not. Eventually, his roommate would likely show up and when that happened, he knew that he would certainly want a bed to sleep on at some point in the semester.
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[Autumn Reinolds]

clothing




____________________________________________________

Morrissey's voice started up, along with the guitar, thanks Johnny Marr. She felt as heat rushed to her cheeks and she quickly looked down as she grabbed her cell phone and pushing it open quickly read the text a small smile forming on her lips. Replying quickly she moved as she closed the phone back and picked back up her book as so she could get through this last paragraph. She hated stopping in the middle of a paragraph, it just bothered her so much... Just as she was about to finish she heard it ring again and she quickly read the message and finished the sentence she was on before she stuck the bookmark in novel and stood up, leaving the book on her bed before she moved to put on a pair of shoes before she headed out of her apartment. She'd didn't like the idea of a dorm, and there was no way you'd find Autumn Reinolds pledging to a house. Thus, she'd gotten an apartment. It wasn't 'good enough' according to her mother, but she as pretty happy with it. She'd wanted some small and simple. And it was. But she'd made it her own and she loved the place. Grabbing her cell phone which she'd left lying on her bed she quickly shoved it into her pocket before she headed out to go see Parker.

She remembered the first time she met him, and thinking back on it she couldn't help but smile a little bit. He'd been so quiet, it was so cute. Yet the book he'd suggested that day was so good, one of her favorites still. Shaking her head a little bit to clear it she moved as she continued on her way, it took her a little while to get there, being that she'd stopped to get the two of them coffee, from a little shop that wasn't Starbucks, god she hated that place. Their coffee had no character.

Two cups of coffee later she soon reached the dorms and headed to room 313. She paused at his door a she knocked lightly with her elbow, not able to knock with her hands of course being that they were filled, a cup in each hand. Looking up she titled her head back a little bit as to get some of those brown waves out of her eyes. Eyes which had a little bit of brown liner applied and some black mascara, that being the extent of her make-up...as always.

[parker]

Parker had actually found himself smiling as he wrestled with the skies and wondered again why he hadn't just let his brother steal them. It's not as if Parker was a big fan of skiing anyway. Back to the smile though, well it was hard for him not to when he knew that company was on it's way. Parker did not have many friends, but the ones that he did have were absolutely amazing, especially Autumn. She'd pulled him out of his shell a little since they day they'd met, but a little was a lot when you were as shy as Parker was.

He had just started digging through a box of clothes and shoes when he heard the sound of a muffled knock on his dormitory door. Parker tossed the shoe back toward the bed and moved toward the door, cringing as the sound of a coffee pot shattering met his ears. In retrospect, he knew that he should have moved that thing first, but it was too late now. He'd have to stop by the secondhand store a few blocks away and look for a new one tomorrow. He certainly couldn't afford any of the designer coffeemakers the stores at the mall sold, not on his miserable little salary, anyway.

Parker pulled the door open and his smile spread just a bit, showing off his perfect white teeth. Autumn looked wonderful, as usual, and the sight of coffee was just as welcoming as her smile. "You knew I was going to break that coffee pot, didn't you?" Parker asked, trying out that whole funny thing that he had been working on for a while. He knew that it wouldn't work with most people, but Autumn was definitely not like most people.

[Autumn Reinolds]

Hearing the sound of something break her eyebrows rose ever so slightly as she waited for Parker, and wondered what that had been. Seeing Parker as he answered the door, a smile spread across her features, and hearing what he said a small bubble of laughter escaped her lips.

"Yeah, I never told you... I'm psychic." she replied with a small smile, and raised her eyebrows a little bit as she looked to him. Autumn moved as she held out one of the cups to Parker, the one she didn't already drink from.
"I should buy you a coffee maker as a dorm-warming-present of sorts..." she said then her eyebrows knitting together a little bit as she spoke, followed by a small laugh. Basically she thought she should get him a nice coffee maker, she new he liked coffee... and well yeah.

"So how's the whole moving thing coming..." Autumn asked him then with a pause, "Want some help unpacking and stuff?" she finished before she took another sip of her coffee, all the while she spoke that British accent of hers was so very apparent.

Autumn was definitely one of those people who didn't mind helping a friend unpack. She never asked stuff because she thought she should, because she knew it would be the polite thing to do. No, she'd ask because she didn't mind helping out with stuff like that. She knew it was nice and polite, but really she did like to help when she could.

[parker]

Parker sighed, his eyes trailing back to the broken coffee pot with a slight frown. He hadn't thought to bring a broom when he moved in, so the clean-up would be an interesting one. Needless to say, he wouldn't be wandering around barefoot in his room for at least a day or two. It seemed he'd need more than a coffee pot from the store the next day.

Turning back toward Autumn, it took everything Parker had not to blush as he took the cup of coffee she offered him. He'd had a crush on her for what seemed like forever, but hadn't seen her in weeks. Looking at her now, though, the reasons behind his feelings became all the more apparent. She really was beautiful, funny, and so many other things that Parker could not even describe.

He set the cup down on a relatively empty table, surveying the formidable mess on the other side of the room with an appraising eye. Parker knew that it would certainly be easier to get all this finished tonight with Autumn's help, but he wasn't sure he wanted her going through all this things. It wasn't that he had anything inappropriate that she didn't want him to see, nor did he not trust her. The simple truth was that he was a little embarrassed by the state that some of his possessions were in. Most of them had been salvaged from his older brother or secondhand shops and were not exactly in the best condition ever. He knew there was likely no way around her help, however, and finally nodded in agreement.

"That'd be great, if you wouldn't mind," Parker said finally, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the broken coffee pot with a mix of irritation and sadness. That crummy old thing had gotten him through his first novel and he had always felt an odd sort of attachment to it. "I had to bring practically everything in my room that wasn't nailed down. Jason's always on the lookout for new things to pawn off for drug money," he added with a slightly sour expression on his face. As much as Parker loved his brother, he had absolutely no respect for the older boy.

"So, how was your summer?" Parker asked as he vacated the position he had taken up leaning against his dresser and moved toward the other side of the room. It would bother him until his dying day, he was sure, if he didn't snatch up at least a piece of the glass on the floor and hold on to it for safekeeping. He wasn't exactly obsessive, but it was something about the emotional attachment that he couldn't let go of. He knew that was a little weird, but it was just the way he was.

[Autumn Reinolds]

A small smile formed on her features again as he took the cup and looked to the broken coffee pot. He needed a broom, though she had no clue where he could get one at this exact moment. She moved the cup of coffee back up to her lips as she looked back over to Parker. Gosh, she was so happy to see him. It had been several weeks since she'd last seen him, sure there'd been short texts, quick phone calls, and conversations on AIM... but she hadn't actually seen him in a good while it seemed. Though she felt kinda silly for being this happy to see him.

As she heard him speak she snapped out of her thoughts and looked back over to him. Right, unpack.
"Yeah, I don't mind at all." she assured him with another smile and followed by a sip of her coffee.
"What do you want me to start with?" she asked him then. Upon hearing what he said about having to bring everything and his brother she gave a sort of sympathetic smile, though she felt kind of odd. The talk of drug money. With the amount of money she had put into her account monthly she always seemed to be in a constant flow of what she wanted. Whether it be pot or clothing...

"Oh it was great." she replied then with a smile. "Though the weather in London was a bit dreary when I was there...but that's not saying very much." She concluded with a small laugh. It really wasn't, the weather in England was so temperamental. It could be pouring one moment, completely dry, and then sprinkling the next.
"How was yours?" She asked him then. And it wasn't one of those kind of polite questions, where she was asking because she was supposed to... she was genuinely curious as to how it had been. She hoped it had been good one, hoped he'd enjoyed it. She moved, then as she brushed some hair behind her ear, though it didn't stay there for very long... it never did.

[parker]

Parker wanted to laugh at his actions, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he solemnly picked up a piece of the glass and tucked it in the top drawer of his dresser. Later, he would probably have it sanded down until it was smooth and made into a necklace or something, but nothing feminine of course. A necklace out of a piece of coffee pot had to be the most interesting conversation piece in the world, he thought with a slight smile.

Picking up his coffee once more, Parker made his way over to the other side of the room, careful not to step in the glass that was scattered across the floor. He was glad that Autumn was wearing shoes. He'd hate to have her feet cut up because he had not had the foresight to bring cleaning supplies. Picking through the random articles of clothing and books that had been tossed into one carton, Parker forced a smile that he didn't quite feel.

"My summer was all right, I guess," he said, wishing that he could sound happier about it. Though he did not admit it to most people, Autumn new the true extent of his family's complete lack of funds, though no one knew the reason why his family had fallen from grace and into the near-poverty position that they currently possessed. "I started working at the book store in the mall, though I didn't actually get to keep most of my money until this week. I don't think I can deal with going back to my parent's house anymore," Parker admitted sheepishly. He rarely opened up, rarely even spoke this much, but there was something about Autumn. Usually he had a tendency to stumble over his words when he talked with a pretty girl, but he had moved past that phase with her and he was thankful for that. He couldn't even imagine not being able to talk to Autumn.

Parker shrugged, trying to look perkier than he actually felt. "At least one good thing happened over the summer. Abigail had her second baby; a girl this time. She and Tom are really excited," he said, a genuine smile gracing his handsome features. Though he did not get along with the majority of his family, Abby was one of the few that he did like. She had always been there for him and was the sole reason why he had been saved from the lousy daycares he had been subjected to as a youth, the ones that had shaped him into the overly shy and troubled boy that he was today.

[Autumn Reinolds]

"Wish it was better then just okay." She commented, because she really did... "That's cool though... that you're working at a book store." she commented then. Autumn had this thing about the smell of book stores. Especially the really small old ones, seriously she thought she was pretty darn weird when it came down to it... she'd get a book from a used book store or something, and she always had to smell it as she read it. Stop and smell the pages, the mustier the better. Really though, only one friend had ever caught her doing this and the other girl called her a freak and the two broke out in fits of laughter. Seriously... who smelled their books?

She could tell he was trying to act perkier then he was actually feeling, and he really didn't have to do that if it was for her sake. He really didn't, but it was kinda sweet that he was... and without even realizing it she started to smile softly at the thought. As she heard the part about his sister having her second baby Autumn's smile grew a bit.
"Oh that's great!" She replied, and her enthusiasm really did sound real... and considering she was actually enthusiastic about explained that.

"What's her name?" Autumn asked him then, eyebrows raising ever so slightly in curiosity. She took in his genuine smile, and she found herself smile a little bit as she watched this, and quickly bit her bottom lip as she realized she was smiling. That was silly, yeah it was nice seeing him smile like that... but for it to make her smile? That was goofy. Though, Parker did have a very nice smile... it was one that was almost contagious. Though for it to make her smile the way she had was more then just that. Her stomach had lurched slightly. Which was goofy. Hah, she and Parker were friends. They were really good friends and that was it... there was nothing else to it. Maybe it was the coffee getting to her. That's what it is... too much coffee today and not enough food. She'd have to go grab something in a bit and that would settle that.

[parker]

Taking another sip of his coffee, Parker moved back toward the boxes and began pulling more socks and tee shirts from the cardboard containers. He regretted having only seen his sister and new niece once since the baby's birth, but did not want to admit that to Autumn. He felt it made him a bad person, being more involved in work and making money than the only family he cared about. He knew his face was turning a bit red, so he kept his back turned to her a bit when he answered. "They named her Vanessa," he told her.

Biting his lip, Parker tried to control the ridiculous emotions that he was feeling at the moment. Part of him actually wanted to cry about his family and their apparent dislike for him while the other part just wanted to smile about being away from them for almost and entire year. He would sort something out for between semesters. He had no intention of living with them ever again if it could be helped. "This is good coffee, by the way. You always know exactly the way that I like it," Parker said casually. In fact, his comment was not nearly as casual as it sounded. For a while, Parker had actually convinced himself that the fact Autumn could remember what he liked in his coffee was a sure sign that she had similar feelings for him as he did for her, and sometimes he still liked to believe that that was true.

"So," Parker said as he turned back, his emotions mostly in check, "you just moved in to an apartment, right? How did that work out? Are you all settled in?" Though he doubted that she had come over here so quickly just to discuss their new moves, Parker was pulling at strings now. He was still a look shaken up by the intense feeling he had gotten thinking about his family and desperately needed something to think about aside from them for a bit.

[Autumn Reinolds]

"Vanessa... that's such a pretty name." Autumn commented thoughtfully as she took another sip of her coffee. Jonathon Swift came up with the name after rearranging the letters of his close friends name. She'd always thought it was pretty.

Brushing back another one of those wavy, wisps she looked back to Parker as she heard what he said about the coffee, a smile forming on her lips.
"I have a good memory." She replied with a pause. Truth be told.. she did have a good memory... but remembering the way someone liked their coffee, that was something she normally didn't remember. She wondered then why she was able to remember Parker's, but she quickly brushed away the thought... that was silly.
"Though that coffee place has really good coffee in general.. so." she added and shrugged her shoulders lightly.

She moved over to one of the boxes then as she opened it. Partly wanting to distance herself from him a little bit. Why? Because for some reason being too close to him was making her think crazy thoughts and wonder weird things that a friend shouldn't about another. Upon opening it though and spotting books her smile reappeared. She looked up though as she heard his question.
"No...not exactly..." she replied then with another smile. "I still have a few boxes to unpack... but I'm lazy when it comes to my own stuff." she finished, with a small laugh... truth be told, 'a few boxes' to Autumn was basically everything except her clothing and bedding. "Where do you want these?" She asked meaning his books as she picked one up and looked to the cover. She soon put that one book down as she picked up the next one as she looked it over. She was planning on buying a bookshelf for her apartment and painting it some wacky color, she wanted to find a really big one though, like a floor to ceiling on.

Maybe Parker would be willing to help her out with that when the time came. Because she was pretty sure she'd have trouble putting that together and there was a possibility he'd be able to help with that...
Not to mention it would probably be pretty darn heavy and she doubted she'd be able to pick it up by herself...

[parker]

Parker laughed as he tossed a pair of socks in the top dresser drawer. His idea of fun was absolutely not putting away clothes. Back home, he had usually just left things all over the floor as it had a tendency to deter people from coming in. If they thought that his idea of clean was the same as a toxic waste dump, it saved him the trouble of having visitors.

Truthfully, Parker heard her comment about the coffee shop, but he tried his best to pretend he hadn't. In his heart, he really wanted the truth to be that she just remembered because she secretly had a huge crush on him, though he doubted that was truly the case. It was a nice lie, however, not that it kept him warm at night or anything. "So you've gotten about as much unpacking done as I have, huh?" he asked casually. He glanced over at Autumn and his books with a small smile. It had been books that had broguht them together in the first place and had become a major part of their friendship. "You can borrow any of those, if you want. I don't know where to put them just yet. I didn't realize these dorm rooms don't come equipped with bookshelves," Parker said, moving toward the window. It was a humid day and the room felt quite stuffy. He wasn't thrilled about letting more heat in, but until he managed to find his fan in the pile upon the bed, it was the best he could do.

"So," Parker started, trying his best to sound nonchalant, "did you meet anyone interesting over the summer? Any torrid summer flings that you should let me in on?" Once again, his complete lack of social skills were becoming a bit overwhelming. He just couldn't think of a more casual way to ask if she had found a boyfriend yet. Autumn was a really attractive girl and he knew it was only a matter of time before he was going to lose her.

[Autumn Reinolds]

A small laugh escaped her lips as she nodded her head. "Yeah." she replied. She really needed to stop putting it off... or else it would be like last year... where she was looking for a sweater come winter and she'd put it in some box. To make a long story short, her apartment had been a total disaster.. it looked like a tornado had gone through it, and it took her about three days to clean everything up. She really needed to go and unpack sometime soon. Sometime really soon...

"Thanks." she said then and paused. "Speaking of bookshelves.." Autumn started then. "I need to buy one for my apartment... seriously I have two and a half boxes worth of books and I was going to buy one...only... I'm not good with..." she paused eyebrows knitting together. "Whatever tool you use to put together a bookshelf." another pause. "Anyway! Would you be willing to help me put it together?" she asked him. Wow, that was a much longer explanation then needed, but Autumn tended to ramble off when she was asking people for help. She really hated asking people for help, she'd rather be dependent.. but whatever.

Hearing his question Autumn couldn't help but laugh, the book in her hand sagging a little bit and she had to set down her cup of coffee. Just his wording on it had really tickled her. Though as she stopped she wasn't sure how to answer him. Normally she would have just told the truth on the matter.
"A couple flings..." she replied, though saying a few was probably an understatement. "Though no one all that great or anything." she replied before she looked back to the book in hand, as she set it down on the floor in front of her and pulled out the next one as she continued looking them over.

"What about you?" Autumn questioned him then, her tone so cool... "Did you meet anyone worth your while this summer? Capture the heart of any girls?" she finished a small smirk forming on her lips as she looked back to Parker. Though even though she seemed so calm as she asked him, she felt her heartbeat speed up a little bit it seemed, and her stomach twist in a knot as she waited for his answer. And she found herself praying he said 'no'. Which was so silly... he was just her friend...

[parker]

Parker nearly choked and was quite glad that he had set down his coffee already. While he had expected an answer, what he had not anticipated was getting the question thrown right back at him. In truth, he was a little shocked that she would even bother asking. Autumn knew all about his inability to talk to girls, let alone do anything else. He was a shy kid and that would likely never change without a major personality readjustment.

"Not really," Parker said with a slight frown. Though he didn't really mean to be negative, he sometimes found it hard not to be when it came to girls. He had never really had a proper girlfriend, much less anything else, and he knew that he was far too inexperienced. This, however, was not something that he ever intended to share with Autumn. Not unless, that is, something a happened between them that would ever make the topic relevant. "You know how terrible I am with girls. I barely spoke to the ones at the register at the store, let alone ask any of them out," he added softly. It was definitely embarrassing, but Autumn would have weasled the truth out of him eventually. It's how their relationship worked.

"As for the bookcase," Parker started, his tone a bit louder than usual, "I would be more than happy to help you put it together. It shouldn't be too hard and they usually give you that little 'L' shaped thing you need right in the package." He was changing the subject, something he had become quite adept at and hoped that Autumn would go along with it. The idea of talking about his love-life in more depth than he had already mentioned was not something that appealed to him at the moment, or any time, really.

[Autumn Reinolds]

She knew that he that he was bad with that kind of thing. She knew the chances of him talking to a girl, and having a girlfriend was probably slim to none. Though for some reason she found that she had to ask, she wasn't sure why... but she just had to. It was almost as though she was worried that she might be replaced or something... Or something.

"I know it's just that...." she stopped talking though as she heard him change the subject and let it drop. He wanted it to be dropped... so it would be.

She listened to him as he spoke, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
"The 'L'... shape... thing...?" She asked him then, her eyebrows still knit together. Autumn had no clue what he was talking about, and it was quite obvious. She shook her head a little bit then as though in attempts to clear her mind of the confusion and little 'L' shaped things. All that mattered was that he said he'd help her.

"Thanks so much, Parker." She stated finally, she moved as she brought the coffee cup back up to her lips and took another sip, and then looked to the book in hand as she started reading the back of it, thinking about borrowing that one too.

"Tomorrow?" she questioned him then. "I mean...if you have time." She concluded. She found that for some reason she didn't want to wait weeks, even several days before she saw him again. Which was crazy. She was going crazy. She was looking her mind... she Autumn Reinold was yearning for her close friend, Parker Brighton. And something about that just wasn't right... or was it? Maybe she shouldn't see him tomorrow, maybe more time apart would be better.

Unknowingly her eyes had once more knit together, which was on the strange side, being that... well the back of the book shouldn't be confusing her, and it wasn't... she'd stopped reading it a while ago as she got caught up in her thoughts.

[parker]

Parker had not actually meant to be quite so miserable about the whole girl issue, but he could tell that his tone had clearly had an effect on Autumn. She cut herself off before finishing her response though, in a way, he was glad for it. As much as the idea of hurting her killed him, the thought of his social inadequacy was not all that appealing either. He turned away from her then, for just a moment to collect his thoughts, but under the guise of reaching for his coffee. He did not want to admit exactly how much Autumn's feelings toward him and his actions were affecting him. He had always had a thing for her, but it had gotten a bit more intense of late.

"Yeah, I could come by tomorrow, if you want. Did you need help picking it up from the store too or just for the assembly bit?" Parker asked, finally turning back to meet her gaze. His coffee was nearly empty now and he soon would not be able to hide behind the oversized lid and the security that it offered him. Soon, he would have to face the glaring fact that it was never going to happen and would have to wait until his next caffeine induced daydream to think that it was even a remote possibility.

In a way, Parker kind of hoped she needed help with all of it. He had gone far too long without seeing her and if all it was ever going to be was platonic, he knew that he may as well get as much into his time with her as possible. Once she found a permanent boyfriend-type, Parker knew that he would more or less wind up ancient history as far as Autumn went. He would be like that favorite old book that only got dusted off once a year for a refresher. That was not something that he was looking forward to but was certainly something he would prevent at all costs if it were at all possible.

"So, I was thinking maybe we should grab dinner sometime this week," Parker said, though he could hardly believe the words were actually coming out of his mouth. He was rarely so upfront or possibly even daring, but he certainly hoped it was more impressive than he thought it was. "If you don't have time, that's fine. I mean, dinner happens every day, right? We could always do it next week," he added, definitely losing any sense of cool indifference that he had hoped to portray. He really was hopeless.