Page 51 of Sellout
I don’t know what to make of what he’s saying, so I tuck it away to think about later. “Thank you. I know it’s probably hard to believe what I said, about you blocking the noise. Will seems to think I only said it because I want to get close to you or something. But I promise I’m not lying.”
“I know you’re not. Will knows it too, especially since he saw what happened today when I wasn’t there. He won’t be able to deny it. We have to hang out and I have to be able to hold your hand.”
I look up at him through my lashes. “Yeah, but what about right now? We don’t have to hang out outside of school.”
He glances away from me.
It’s then that I realize how hard this is for Parker. Because I think he mightlikeme. He has a soulmate waiting for him. He’s known it his whole life. So us being together like this only makes things harder.
“We’re friends,” Parker finally says, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Are you just supposed to sit home alone and knit all the time?”
“I read sometimes too,” I object.
He grins. “I’m just saying, we can be friends. It doesn’t have to be complicated.”
“Okay. I’d like to be friends.”
“Good.”
My body relaxes a little. I didn’t realize I was so tense, but I’m glad we cleared that up I turn my body so that I’m angled toward him. “Blaine told me that I probably have a soulmate too. He said most supernaturals do.”
Parker frowns. “Probably.”
“So how do you know when you meet your soulmate?” I ask.
He presses his lips firmly together.
“Come on,” I urge him. “I don’t know that much about it. I didn’t even know it was a thing until Blaine said so. And you’ve probably heard about it your whole life. Having a soulmate is kind of romantic, if you think about it.”
He clears his throat. “Yeah, uh, it’s different for every kind of supernatural. Wolf shifters can smell their mates. I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to smell. I’ve asked my dad before. He just always says that I’ll just know.” He rolls his eyes. “But there’s more than the smell. It’s a feeling. When you touch for the first time, I guess there is this zap that goes through your entire body. And your soulmate makes you happy. They’re handpicked by fate for you.”
My stomach tightens at his words. “That does sound nice.”
“I think so too.” His blue eyes meet mine. “My parents grew up in the same pack. They were best friends growing up and always hung out. They never dated, but I get the feeling they wanted to. But on my mom’s twentieth birthday, the bond appeared. Fate has a way of revealing it at the perfect moment.”
“It has to be aggravating to wait. You’ve known about this your whole life.”
He shrugs. “I like the way my life is now. I like being young and not having a pack to run. When I’m older, I’m going to have a lot of responsibilities. The mate bond is there to ensure the continuation of our species. Typically, a couple doesn’t wait long to get married. My parents were married within a week. I came pretty much nine months later.”
My eyes widen. “Wow. They were so young.”
“Maybe young from a human point of view, but it’s just the way things are for us.” He puts his hand on my arm. “I’m including you in that, by the way. You’re not human.”
I swallow hard. “I know.”
It’s strange to think about the fact that I’m not human. I’m still coming to terms with it and what it means.
“Will you stay for dinner?” Parker asks. “My dad is grilling burgers.”
“Are you sure your family won’t mind?”
“My family adores you.” He grins. “Especially Lucy. She hasn’t stopped talking about you since the other night. She’s asked my mom three times if she can invite you over for a sleepover.”
My heart swells. “That’s really sweet. I like Lucy.”
“You like her because you don’t live with her.” He’s smiling as he says it. I know he cares deeply for his siblings.
“I’ll trade you. You wouldn’t last a day in my house. It’s way too quiet.”