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Chapter Four

Kell sat huddledup in the corner of his studio apartment, surrounded by moving boxes and lit by a single floor lamp. His heart pounded and his mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He was neighbors withthat guy?It had to be a joke, right? He'd just imaginedit?

But no.What had happened back in the hallway was reality. Parker Leipold was here, and he really had slammed into him. They really wereneighbors.

Out ofalltheapartment complexes in the county of Los Angeles, he had to pick the same one that fucking Parker Leipold lived at? What the hell? Did that mean he was going to see him like that, every day? Jesus, would he run into him while doing laundry? Kell cringed as he imagined the scenario—carrying his basket to the laundry room and spotting Parker inside, folding his underwear at the machines. What would he do? Probably spin 180 degrees and run away to hide in his room until he was gone. Howembarrassing.

"Ahh!"he groaned, rolling onto the carpet. "Why him? Whyhim?"

He grabbedhis cell phone and dialed Jessie, and then unloaded the story onto her in a long ramble. Jessie, who was working on a painting, listened patiently. When he finished, Kell could hear her clinking her brush against the glass jar ofturpentine.

"You know,"she said after a moment of silent contemplation, "he is pretty cute. Maybe this is asign?"

"Ijust foundout I'm neighbors with the one guy in class that hates my guts, and you're saying he'scute?"

"Ithinkyou might be overstating his hatred for you," Jessie said. "If anything, I think he likesyou."

"You're crazy."

"Imean,he said he liked talented people, right? Maybe that was his way of sending you ahint?"

"That's just weird."

"But you do thinkhe's hot, right? Like, objectively speaking. Any personality stuffaside."

Kell stammered."Uhh... I mean... he's notbad."

She sighed."Anyway, I don't think he hates you. I think he's just weird and has a weird way of dealing with people. Kinda likeyou."

Thanks,Jessie, hethought.

It didn't matterif Parker was attractive or not. That did nothing to change the fact that Parker had always been a jerk to him. People didn't treat those that they liked thatway.

Did they?

Kell workedon unpacking his moving boxes, starting with his other art supplies. He had a lot of supplies. In fact, most of his belongings were art supplies. Paints, brushes, volumes and volumes of sketchbooks... He reassembled the Ikea shelf he had and filed everything away as he mulled over his new situation. It was weird to think that Parker was here, somewhere in this building, doing something. What would he be doing, anyway? Painting,maybe.

He sighedas he thought of Parker's work. That was one thing he could not deny—his art was incredible, inspiring and moving. Maybe there was more to him lying below the surface? If he could make art like that... Maybe he was hiding another part ofhimself.

He triedto imagine a sensitive side of Parker, and for some dumb reason could only picture him lying naked on a bed of flowers, gazing up at him with his icy blue eyes."I'm sensitive, too, Kell... I don't mean to be an asshole toyou..."

"Ugh. Weird,"he muttered. "Get out of myhead."

He wentand took a cold shower to try and wash the image of Parker from his thoughts, but the guy persisted, refusing to leave. That night, he dreamed he went to the laundry room and found Parker there, loading his clothes into one of the machines. Hesitantly, he placed his hamper down onto the machine next to Parker's and began to toss his clothes inside. His heart was pounding as he wondered if Parker would acknowledge him. Then Parker tugged off his shirt and tossed it into the machine. Kell couldn't help but sneak a look to see what his shirtless form was like. His heart hammered even harder, and his cock swelled up firm. Parker turned to him andsmiled.

"You're amazing,you know that, Kell?" he said, and reached out to take Kell'shand.

"Wha? I'm not... Really..."

Parker pulled him in close.He felt the warmth of Parker's skin through his shirt, and he found himself running his fingers up Parker's muscles. He couldn't help but indulge hiscuriosity.

"Oh, yeah,"Parker murmured in an uncharacteristically exuberant tone. "That feelssogood."

Parker slidhis hand around the back of Kell's neck and drew him up towards him. Their lips met. Kell's cock throbbed, stiff as a rock. It ached for him, and then suddenly he felt Parker's hand tightening around his girth. Suddenly he was completely naked and they were no longer in the laundry room, but inside their classroom, and everyone was there like shadows, watching them. Kell didn't care. He barely even noticed. He was riding with the motions of Parker's hand, feeling his lips on his neck. Oh god, it felt so good. It felt so good, he was goingto...

He was going to...

"Ahh!"