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Chapter Two

"Ithought it might be...I mean, I was wondering if maybe you might want to go out with me sometime?" Andrew asked, his voiceunsteady.

Kell slowedhis approach as he overheard what was being said. So, Andrew wasn't going to gush to Parker about his project, he was asking himout.

"Idon't think so,"Parker said,flatly.

Andrew looked taken aback."Or maybe we could just get to know each otherfirst?"

"Sorry.I've told you, you're not mytype."

"What is your type?"Andrew asked. "I could become yourtype..."

"That's not possible,"Parker replied, looking completely unsympathetic to Andrew'sfeelings.

"Why not?"

Parker looked at him,his blue eyes as cold as glaciers. "You’ve got notalent."

Andrew's mouthopened and closed, like a fish gasping for breath. He looked shattered. "I-I..." He couldn't summon anything else to say, so he turned and quickly walked away, his head down. He rushed by Kell, who was stunned at the brutal rejection. Parker turned toleave.

"Hey,"Kell said, walking after him. "Hey!"

Parker stopped."You're not going to ask me out too, areyou?"

"Why didyou have to be such a dick?" Kell said, angrily. "That was really unnecessary, what you said to him. Did you have to be somean?"

"Iwas being honest,"Parker said. "Anyway, this isn't the first time he's tried that. He doesn't know how to take 'no' for ananswer."

"Well...still. What's your problem,anyway?"

"Idon't knowwhat you're talkingabout."

"Your critique.You gave positive feedback to everyone else in the class, except me. Why was mine the only one you toreapart?"

"Ididn't realizeyou cared so much about my opinion,Kell."

"Idon't.You've just always been a bit of… well, a bit of a prick to me, and I want to know why thatis."

Parker frowned."I don't see it that way atall."

Kell was shocked."You don't think you've been aprick?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You constantly single me out.You always have, ever since the first class we had together. And you've always been short with me whenever I've tried to talk toyou."

"Maybe I'm short with everyone,"Parkersuggested.

Kell stared at him.Parker was tall and trim, with an athletically slender build. He looked like he did gymnastics, or something like that. Kell wouldn't have been surprised if hewasa skilled gymnast or martial artist. The guy was probably good at everything he did. And he was always well dressed, with impeccable style. He was practically Mr. Perfect. Mr. PerfectlyInfuriating.

"Okay, I'll give you that,"Kell said. "But I'm tired of you gouging the hell out of every one of my projects. Why do you dothat?"

Parker eyed him,his expression unchanging. "I would've thought it'd beobvious."

Obvious?What the hell was he talkingabout?

"Um, no?"Kellsaid.