Chapter 11: The Parker Rule
1190 Words
The Parker house had rules.
Some were ordinary.
Shoes stayed by the door. Homework came before television. Nobody left the house without telling Mrs. Parker where they were going.
But there was one rule Ethan took more seriously than all the others.
It concerned Riley.
It started after school one afternoon.
Riley was walking toward the gate when a boy from the senior class called her name.
She turned.
“Hey, Riley.”
She stopped.
The boy smiled.
“I’ve seen you around.”
“Okay.”
“You want to come to the basketball court later?”
Riley hesitated.
Before she could answer, Ethan appeared beside her.
“She can’t.”
The boy frowned.
“I was asking her.”
“I heard you.”
Riley looked at Ethan.
“I can answer for myself.”
Ethan ignored her.
“She isn’t going.”
The boy looked between them, shrugged, and walked away.
Riley waited until he was gone.
“What was that?”
Ethan adjusted his backpack.
“Nothing.”
“You just told someone I couldn’t go somewhere.”
“You don’t know him.”
“So?”
“So I don’t trust him.”
Riley folded her arms.
“You don’t trust anybody.”
“I trust Owen.”
Owen, who had been walking a few steps behind them, stopped.
“Don’t bring me into this.”
Riley laughed.
“You’re both annoying.”
They reached home.
That evening, Ethan brought the subject up again while he and Owen were outside.
“You need to understand something.”
Owen looked at him.
“What?”
“Riley’s getting older.”
Owen raised an eyebrow.
“She turned eleven.”
“I know.”
“So?”
Ethan kicked at a loose stone.
“So boys are going to start noticing her.”
Owen shrugged.
“They already do.”
Ethan looked at him seriously.
“Then we need a rule.”
Owen sighed.
“What rule?”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“No boy gets close to Riley unless we know who he is.”
Owen stared at him.
“That’s not a rule.”
“It is now.”
“You can’t control who talks to her.”
“I can make sure nobody hurts her.”
Owen considered him for a moment.
“You’re worried.”
“Obviously.”
“About what?”
Ethan didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said, “She’s my twin.”
Owen understood.
He had watched Ethan protect Riley since they were children.
If she fell, Ethan was there.
If she cried, Ethan wanted to know why.
If someone upset her, Ethan took it personally.
Owen nodded.
“Fine.”
Ethan looked relieved.
“But,” Owen added, “if Riley likes someone, that’s her choice.”
Ethan frowned.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
They shook hands.
Neither of them noticed Riley standing near the back door.
She had heard everything.
She walked inside without saying a word.
Later, she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling.
She understood why Ethan was protective.
She knew he loved her.
But there was something irritating about being treated like someone who couldn’t make her own decisions.
She wasn’t a little girl anymore.
At least, she didn’t feel like one.
Downstairs, Ethan and Owen were still talking.
Riley reached beneath her mattress and pulled out her notebook.
She opened to a fresh page.
She wrote:
THE PARKER RULE.
Then underneath it:
Apparently, I need permission to grow up.
She stared at the words.
Then smiled despite herself.
If Ethan wanted rules, fine.
She could follow them.
For now.
But Riley had a feeling she wouldn’t always be willing to.
The following Saturday, Ethan decided the rule needed testing.
Not deliberately.
It just happened.
The three of them were at the neighborhood basketball court when Marcus showed up with two friends.
He spotted Riley immediately.
“Hey.”
Riley looked up from the bench.
“Hi.”
Marcus walked over.
“You came.”
“I said maybe.”
“I was hoping you would.”
Ethan stopped dribbling.
Owen noticed.
He caught the ball when Ethan passed it to him.
“Don’t.”
Ethan frowned.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
Marcus looked at Riley.
“Do you want to play?”
Riley stood.
“Sure.”
She walked onto the court.
Ethan watched her.
Owen nudged him.
“Relax.”
“I’m relaxed.”
“You’re gripping the ball like you want to break it.”
Ethan looked down.
He loosened his fingers.
“I just don’t like him.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know enough.”
Owen sighed.
“You made the rule yesterday.”
“And?”
“And you can’t enforce it every time someone says hello.”
Ethan looked toward Riley.
Marcus had passed her the ball.
She laughed when she missed the basket.
Ethan shook his head.
“This is exactly what I mean.”
Owen smiled.
“You’re going to make her hate you.”
“She won’t.”
“She might.”
Ethan didn’t answer.
A few minutes later, Marcus came over again.
“Riley, there’s a party next weekend. My cousin’s having it.”
Ethan immediately walked toward them.
“No.”
Riley turned.
“Ethan.”
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
“I was just asking.”
“I heard you.”
Riley stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Ethan stared at her.
“He’s asking you to a party.”
“And I can answer him.”
“You’re not going.”
Riley’s face changed.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
She stared at him.
“You’re not my father.”
Ethan went quiet.
Owen looked away.
Marcus muttered, “I’ll see you later,” and left.
Riley picked up her bag.
“I’m going home.”
“Riley—”
“No.”
She walked away.
Owen waited a moment before following her.
Ethan remained on the court.
He knew he’d gone too far.
He just didn’t know how to fix it.
That evening, he found Riley sitting on the back steps.
He sat beside her.
“I’m sorry.”
She didn’t look at him.
“For what?”
“For earlier.”
She was quiet.
“I know you want to protect me.”
“Yeah.”
“But you can’t make every decision for me.”
Ethan nodded.
“I know.”
Riley finally looked at him.
“And if you keep doing it, one day I won’t tell you anything.”
That frightened him more than her anger.
He swallowed.
“I don’t want that.”
“Then trust me.”
Ethan looked down at his hands.
“I’ll try.”
Riley smiled faintly.
“That’s all I’m asking.”
Owen watched them through the kitchen window.
He smiled to himself.
The Parker rule had lasted less than a week before its first real challenge.
And somehow, he knew it wouldn’t be the last.
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