Chapter 3
"How about this?" Parker grinned, holding up a tight, red dress. Skylar's cheek flushed and snatched the dress out of Parker's hand. Parker began laughing as he fell on the bed. He was the only one from school who knew about his problem at home.
"Why are we friends?" He muttered as he threw the dress back into his closet.
"You love me," Parker smiled. They were best friends since childhood. Skylar looked more like a girl back then, because Carla let him go to school dressed as a girl. It felt like yesterday when they first met.
Flashback
12 years ago
Two boys were playing tag until one of them stopped. The other stopped and followed his eyes to see what he was looking at.
"Who's that?" Parker asked, pointing at Skylar.
The other boy, Tyler, scoffed. "A girl in our class. She's very quiet and she keeps saying that she's a guy," Tyler replied. "But she obviously looks like a girl."
Sighing, Skylar took a bite of his sandwich. He heard the whole conversation that they were having. It's not the first time someone mistook him as a girl. He opened his mouth to defend himself but closed it back. Parker saw Skylar's mouth open and ran to him. He stood in front of him and Skylar looked up.
"Are you really a boy?" Parker blurted out.
Skylar was taken aback of his bluntness. He straightened his back."Yes," he answered.
Parker observed him once more."What's your name? Mine's Parker."
"Skylar."
"That sounds like a girl's name," Parker mumbled. Parker rubbed his chin and thought of another question to prove that Skylar's indeed a boy. Parker's face lit up and Skylar could imagine a lightbulb on his head like in the old cartoons that he likes to watch."Do you have a pee-pee?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course I do." Parker sat down next to him.
"Well, I asked my dad once if girls have a pee-pee and he said no," he explained. Skylar chuckled. He eyed Parker again and his eyes kept locked on his shirt. He pointed at his shirt and Parker looked down.
"Who's that?" Skylar asked, pointing at Naruto.
Parker looked shocked."Don't you know Naruto?" Skylar shook his head. "It's a show about a boy who wants to be the next Hokage of his village."
"What's a Hokage?"
"It's like the head ninja."
"Wait. He's a ninja?" Skylar asked.
Parker nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! It's really awesome. Maybe you can come to my house today so I can show you."
"I'll ask my mom."
A few hours later
"This is so cool!" Skylar exclaimed. "I want to become a ninja!"
"Me too! Me too!" Parker's dad chuckled as he put the next episode on.
"Skylar," Parker started. "Can I ask you a question?"
"You're asking one already but okay."
"Why do you dress like a girl?"
Skylar looked down at his lap and sighed. "My mom makes me. She wanted a girl, not a boy. And now I'm stuck with this." Skylar motioned at his hair and clothes. Parker's dad shot him a look of pity.
"Well, that doesn't mean anything to me," Parker said after a while. "You like Naruto, so you're my new best friend."
Skylar smiled at that.
Back to the present
He did become a shinobi. One of Roy's friends is one of the last shinobi's and he couldn't say no to his son's excitement. So Roy let him train under his friend when he had a vacation. Parker doesn't know about that though. He even learned how to use a katana.
"-lar. SKYLAR!" Skylar jumped at Parker's loud voice. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Skylar replied.
"It's so unfair that you're going to watch the new Dragon Ball movie without me," Parker sighed.
Skylar eyed some pieces of clothing. "I already told you that we're going this Saturday," Skylar scolded.
"Why did you say yes to that douchebag?" Parker asked, cocking his head to the left. "Do you like him or something?"
"Or something." Parker started throwing clothes to Skylar's head. Skylar caught all of them. He gave him a disapproving look. "If you keep acting like this, we're not going anywhere this weekend," Skylar scolded.
Parker abruptly stood up from the bed and gave him his best puppy dog eyes. "But I want to go," Parker wailed.
Skylar flicked his forehead. "Stop acting like a little kid. I'm not your mom." He looked at the clothes in his hand. It was denim jeans and a black hoodie. Skylar rubbed his chin. "I mean, it's good, but I think Ashton's going to think that I'm still in my emo phase," Skylar said.
Parker also rubbed his chin. "But you're going to watch a movie, so it's comfortable. You know what?" Parker got to the closet and searched for another pair of dark blue jeans. When he finally found one, he turned around and grinned. "That'll do."
Skylar changed into the clothes as Parker was watching a Vine compilation. He also slid a black pocket knife in the pocket of his jeans. Skylar looked into the mirror. He nodded in approval. Skylar whistled and Parker looked up from his phone.
"Hey, that's pretty good," he commented. "What are you going to do with your hair? When are we getting it cut? Like right above your shoulders."
Skylar shrugged. "I'll just leave it like this. I don't want to get my ass beat. Are you staying or not?"
"Do you have food or not?"
"No." Parker opened his mouth to say 'no', but Skylar cut him. "But I'll give you 20 euro's to buy something until I get back."
"Deal." They heard a car honking outside. "Oooh, your date is here. Do I have to escort you to his car?" Parker wiggled his eyebrows.
Skylar rolled his eyes. "Behave. I'll be back soon." Skylar grabbed his keys, phone, and wallet as Parker yelled a 'goodbye' to him. He went downstairs to the front door. He opened the door and saw a black BMW parked outside. He closed the door and got inside the car. In there, he saw Ashton. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a tight white t-shirt, black ripped jeans and some black vans.
"So... someone likes black," Skylar commented.
Ashton glanced at his outfit and scoffed. "Look who's talking. Still going through your emo phase?" He smirked.
Skylar rolled his eyes. "Just go."
25 minutes later
"Here's your popcorn, drinks, and skittles," the cashier said with a smile, her eyes lingering on Ashton. Ashton smiled politely and Skylar snatched the bag of skittles and started eating the blue ones. Ashton looked down at him and he smiled fondly at his cuteness. The cashier noticed and glared at Skylar.
"Let's go, Cherry," Ashton said. Skylar followed him to their seats. In the big room, he saw his target sitting there. Looking up to Ashton, he waited for him to sit somewhere.
"You can choose where to sit." He immediately walked up the stairs to sit one row back to his target.
Ashton sat next to him. "Can I ask a question?" Skylar looked up from the bag of skittles and cocked his head to the left. "When did you know that you were gay?"
Skylar frowned. "I'm not gay."
Ashton also frowned and had confusion written on his face. "What? Are you straight?" Skylar shook his head. "Bi?"
Skylar shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? I was never attracted to men or women."
"Am I an exception?"
"I don't know." The movie started. Ashton tried to wrap his arm around Skylar's shoulder. Skylar glanced at him and let Ashton wrap his arm around him. Ashton smiled victoriously and he turned his head to the movie screen. Skylar glanced at him and rolled his eyes with a smile when he saw Ashton's goofy grin.
2 hours later
Skylar saw the target going outside. He nudged Ashton. "I'm going to the bathroom." He stood up and walked to the girl's bathroom. He spotted no cameras. The last girl went back. It was only him and her there. Skylar stood next to the only locked stall With the knife in his hand. The stall opened and Skylar held the knife up to her throat. The girl tried to yell, but he covered his mouth. She started crying.
Skylar shushed her. "Hey now, there's nothing wrong. You're only getting killed today," Skylar assured. She let out ugly sobs. He forced her back in the stall and slit her throat. She grabbed her neck with both of her hands and started gurgling up blood.
"Why?" She forced out.
"I'm getting paid for this. That's why." He punched her and her lifeless body lay on the ground. Blood stained the tiles and her clothing. Skylar washed his hands and knife and went back. He saw Ashton there absorbed in the movie. He plopped down in his seat. After 10 minutes, the movie was finished.
Ashton threw the empty things away as they were arguing about the movie. "The movie was the best live-action movie that DC has ever made," Ashton stated.
"That is true, but it could never beat Marvel movies."
"Never. Let's buy tickets for the next-" They were interrupted by a cop.
"Sorry, but everyone has to leave."
Ashton raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"
"There was a murder in the ladies' bathroom."
"A m-murder?" Skylar stuttered, fear clearly seen in his eyes.
The cop nodded. "Yes, ma'am. It's better to leave the area as soon as possible."
Ashton looked down at Skylar who was hugging himself. "Come on. I'll drive you home," Ashton said. Skylar nodded.
After half an hour, they finally reached Skylar's house.
Skylar glanced at his watch. "Only 10?" He turned to Ashton. "Well, thanks for having me Ace. It was decent."
"Decent?" Ashton asked offended. "Only decent? Not Even a little fun?"
Skylar gave him a flat look. "It was fun before there was a murder in the bathroom AND a cop called me ma'am. So yes, it was decent."
"Understandable."
"I hope that there'll be more food next time though," Skylar muttered.
Ashton heard what he said and smiled. "Next time?" Skylar's face was instantly red as Ashton's smile grew bigger. "Good to know that you know that there's a next time. Goodnight Cherry." He kissed Skylar's cheek.
"Yeah yeah. Goodnight," he grumbled. He reached out to open the door, but Ashton locked the doors. Skylar stared at the door and then at him. "Can I go? I don't want my dog to eat everything."
"You have a dog?" Skylar nodded.
"Yes. His name is Parker. Can I go now?"
Ashton tapped his index finger on his lips. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Ashton asked, pointing at his lips.
Skylar checked his pocket for his wallet, keys, and phone. He shook his head. "No. Oh, wait." He leaned into him and their lips brushed against another. His finger pressed the unlock button. "Goodnight Ace."
Ashton watched him going into his house. "Fucking tease," he mumbled as he touched his lips.
Skylar locked the front door. He heard sounds coming from the living room. He peeked into the living room and saw Parker watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He tiptoed to Parker and stood behind him. "Parker!" Skylar yelled.
Parker jumped up. He turned around with a piece of pizza in his mouth. "Sup?" He grinned. "How was the date? Was Dragon Ball any good?"
Skylar plopped next to him and took a slice of pizza. "It was okay. We only watched Aqua Man, because there was a murder in one of the bathrooms."
"Well damn." They watched the show for a while. "Do you think I'll get a relationship like that?" Parker pointed at Jake and Amy.
Skylar nodded. "There must be someone who likes your weird personality." Parker held his hand to his heart.
"Why did you have to say it like that? That hurts, you know," he whined. Skylar rolled his eyes. "Let's go to the amusement park after the movie on Saturday."
"Give me one good reason to say yes."
"I'll buy you a bag of skittles."
Skylar narrowed his eyes. "Okay then."