An artistic playboy? Never heard that one before.
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Parker Ly was a full package-intelligent, good-looking, sporty, and a bad boy. Oh yes, he was also an artist. He also had a secret; he fell in love with a girl in ripped jeans and a blue bomber jac...
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T W E N T Y - T H R E E : CONFIDING
THE MORNING AFTER the New Year party, Dustin, Parker, and Lewis were gathered around the table in a coffee shop each nursing a cup of dark coffee. They had all stayed up late into the wee hours in the morning, but somehow had the motivation to meet up at 11 a.m.
Lewis was the first to speak: “So have either of you talked to Mae?” When Parker and Dustin fixed him with the same look, he shrugged and glanced away, sipping his coffee. “What? Someone had to say it.”
Parker sighed, placing his coffee cup onto the table. “You’re right, Lewis. And yeah, I did have the chance to talk to Mae—”
“Thank God,” Lewis groaned.
“—and I think we’ve worked things out.” Parker’s eyes unconsciously narrowed in Dustin’s direction. They never had the chance to talk about Dustin kissing that other girl last night.
Dustin mindlessly stirred his coffee with a wooden stirring stick. A troubled look crossed his face. “I kissed another girl last night.” His confession was barely audible that Lewis genuinely asked him to repeat himself. Dustin repeated what he said, but only a little louder.
Silence. Then: “Why?” Lewis was gaping at him incredulously, like he'd been slapped in the face with disbelief.
“I can't kiss whoever I want?” Dustin challenged defensively. “Go on, Parker. I know you have something to say.”
Parker shook his head. “I just… you looked at me while you were doing it.”
“No, I was looking at both of you,” Dustin grumbled.
“Can someone please elaborate?” Lewis cut in. He arched one of his brows high as he awaited an answer.
“I was talking to Mae when they started counting down,” Parker told him, his gaze steady and an eerie calm on his best friend. “And Dustin saw us.”
“And then you kissed her!” Dustin exclaimed. He didn't seem to care that half a dozen heads turned in their direction, whether hungry for tea, or plain curious, it didn't matter. He laid his hands flat on the table, leaning forward towards Parker. “Don't accuse me of kissing another girl when you were kissing the one I wanted.”
Parker scoffed. “Can we not get into this conversation again—?”
“Again?” Lewis gasped.
“—Don’t be like this, Dustin. We promised at the Christmas party we weren't going to let girls get in the way of us.”
“And you also said that you were going to lay off her,” Dustin pressed in almost a growl. He needed more coffee.
