Perfection In Flames

"Daniel, we're going to be late!"

My mother's insistent calls sounded from below, her annoyingly high-pitched voice seeping through the floorboards of my bedroom. I rolled my eyes and finished fixing my tie, then went downstairs. My parents were waiting impatiently by the front door, dressed in their finest and most expensive clothes. Dinner parties such as the one we were going to that night were only for the socially elite, and my parents never missed an opportunity to show off our family's wealth and success.

My mother gave me the once-over, checking to make sure my appearance wouldn't embarrass her in front of her friends. She seemed to find nothing to criticize and instead led the way out to the car, where the driver was waiting. As we drove, my father began describing the host's family.

"Edward Romero is a highly respected director; your mother has starred in a few of his films," he bragged, as though I wasn't already painfully familiar with my mother's acting career. "They have a daughter, you know. She's around your age."

I didn't reply, only stared out the window. My mother sighed exasperatedly at my behavior. "You're nearly seventeen, Daniel, and you've yet to find a girlfriend. Surely there are pretty girls at your school. When will you start taking an interest in them?"

I smirked inwardly with the knowledge that, no matter how hard my parents begged, I would never take an interest in girls. Besides, as my mother had said, there most likely were pretty girls at school, but the guys were the only ones who caught my eye.

As I gazed out the window, a huge mansion came into view. While its size and splendor might make most people gasp, I barely paid attention to it. It was exactly like my own house, as well as those owned by my parents' rich friends. Nothing out of the ordinary, just like the people inside, try as they might to stand above the rest.

Our driver pulled up in front of the house and we got out. Other cars already lined the long driveway, and people dressed in designer suits and gowns were walking through the front door. My parents and I followed them into the house, me trailing a bit behind. My mother glanced around the room and immediately led me over to a middle-aged man standing with a woman who I presumed to be his wife. My mother introduced us, telling me that the man was Edward Romero, the host of the party, and as I shook his hand, I caught sight of a teenage boy standing a few feet away. The boy was talking to some girl, and more importantly, he was incredibly cute.

I blinked and turned my attention back to Mr. Romero, realizing he had started talking to me. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Daniel. I've heard a lot of good things about you," he told me. I raised an eyebrow, knowing that whatever "good things" my mother had said about me were probably lies. Mr. Romero smiled warmly at me, then turned and called the boy and his conversation mate over. "I'd like you to meet the twins, Alicia and Parker."

My eyes widened. Twins? I hadn't even known the two were siblings. Whereas Alicia's long, black hair was curly and immaculately kept, Parker's was straight and messy, as though he had just rolled out of bed. Parker's eyes were clear gray, while Alicia's were brown. Even their faces looked different. Parker's face was soft, like a painting with the colors and lines all blended together. Alicia's face was sharper, more like a sculptor's rough carving. The only similarity between the two was their height, which was no more than an inch or so shorter than me.

Mr. Romero excused himself to go talk to the other guests. Once he was gone, Alicia turned to me, smiling suggestively. I bit my lip, nervously watching her move closer.

"You look so handsome in that shirt," she murmured, reaching a hand out as though to touch my collar. Her eyes stared into mine, filled with something that looked uncomfortably like lust and desire. "It brings out the highlights in your hair."

I stepped backwards, staring at her with eyebrows raised. I'd worn this shirt because it brought the natural red highlights out of my otherwise plain brown hair, but I would have worn something else if I'd known the type of attention it would attract. It wasn't so much what she had said – that part had been flattering – but how it was said. I had never liked people so blatantly flirting with me, especially not girls.

Parker cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. I didn't blame him. "I'm, uh, going to get a drink," he mumbled.

"I'll go with you," I said quickly. I didn't want to be left alone with Alicia. I could feel her eyes burning a hole at the back of my neck as I followed Parker to the refreshment table.

"Sorry about that," Parker apologized, handing me a cup of punch. "My sister can't talk to a guy without flirting, and unfortunately most guys seem to eat it up."

I shrugged, although I knew it had bugged me more than I was letting on. "That's okay, it was no big deal." I took a sip of my punch, searching for something to say to keep the conversation going. "Do you go to school around here? I don't think I have ever seen you before." My private school was small, and the students all knew each other. It would've been hard to not notice him, and besides, I knew I would have remembered someone as adorable as him.

"My sister and I are home schooled," he answered, his cheeks turning red.

"There's nothing wrong with that," I told him, noticing his blush. As a matter of fact, I even knew a couple guys whose parents had decided to home school them. Of course, that was after they were expelled for stealing a car, but that was beside the point.

"We were supposed to go to a private school, but I didn't pass the entrance exam. My parents decided that going to a public school would be sinking too low for a family of our caliber, so they hired a tutor instead," Parker explained, his entire face now bright red from embarrassment. I noticed that his voice had gone slightly sour when he mentioned his family. "It's not that I'm stupid or anything," he added defensively. "I failed the test on purpose so I wouldn't have to go."

I stared at him in surprise. I wasn't all too sure I'd passed the test myself – my guess was that money changed hands – but failing on purpose? If his parents were anything like mine, they must have thrown a fit when they found out he hadn't been accepted.

Parker looked up, his stunning gray eyes meeting my dull brown ones. "I just realized that I told you one of my biggest secrets, and I don't even know your name." I laughed inwardly. If intentionally flunking a test was one of his biggest secrets, then he clearly needed to get out more. My list of secrets was a mile long.

"Danny," I replied. Only my parents and their stuck-up friends called me Daniel. "But don't change the subject. Why are you so against going to private school?"

"It's just that…" He hesitated, then grabbed my wrist. "Here, I'll show you." He began to lead me from the room. I followed, trying to ignore the tingling feeling where his hand touched my skin.

Parker took me through a labyrinth of rooms and corridors. I would've been lost in a heartbeat, but he seemed to know where he was going. Well, of course he did. It was his house. We went up a spiral staircase and down another hallway, stopping in front of a closed door.

"This is my room," Parker explained, pushing open the door and going inside. I followed him in, wanting to ask what his room had to do with not going to private school. Suddenly I froze, my eyes widening in shock.

"The school had no art program," Parker said quietly.

The entire back wall of his room was covered in drawings and sketches. Clearly art wasn't just Parker's hobby; it was his obsession. There were pictures of just about everything: people, places, animals, random objects. Most were simply done in pencil, but a few had splotches of color. Some were even full-on paintings. There must have been hundreds of them, and the most amazing thing was how good they were. They looked more like a professional's work than some teenage boy's.

"Wow… These are incredible," I breathed, completely in awe. I rarely ever handed out compliments, so the fact that I was practically speechless in amazement definitely showed how talented he was. Parker mumbled his thanks, blushing again. I couldn't help but notice that he was extremely adorable when he was embarrassed.

"My parents think art is a waste of time," he said suddenly, his voice shockingly bitter. He stared me straight in the eye, face full of defiance, as though daring me to agree. "They told me it's just a phase and I'll get over it. My sister thinks so, too. But if it's just a phase, why did I intentionally flunk a test so I could stay at home and have more time for it?"

"No, I agree. If you love your art then you shouldn't let anything stop you from pursuing your passion," I told him, staring at him with admiration. It was rare to find someone who was truly and completely dedicated to something like the way Parker was devoted to his drawings, and I liked that about him.

There were a few sharp knocks on the door before my father pushed it open and stepped inside. I could see his eyes inspecting Parker's room before landing on his artwork. His face darkened in disapproval.

"Let's go, Daniel," he commanded sharply. "Your mother and I are leaving."

I sighed, wanting to stay and talk more with Parker but knowing I had to leave. "Bye, Parker. See you around," I told him, following my father out of the room.

After my parents had said their goodbyes, promising to get together again soon, we made our way out to the car, where our driver was waiting. I got in the back of the car and let my mind drift as we drove home. My thoughts, of course, were filled with images of Parker. He wasn't like the other guys I fell for. Usually I went for the outgoing, experienced types who were just looking for a good time. Parker seemed too shy and innocent for that. On the other hand, I couldn't forget the look in his eyes as he talked about his art. There had been a fire present in them, a burning intensity that seemed at odds with his quiet, soft-spoken nature. I suspected there was more to him beneath his calm composure, and I found that not only intriguing but also extremely attractive.

I smiled and shook my head, realizing that I had barely met the guy and was already obsessing over him. I didn't even know if the kid was gay, let alone whether or not I stood a chance with him. I started analyzing everything I knew about him, trying to see if there was any evidence to suggest he liked guys.

I was so deep in thought that I nearly jumped at the sound of my mother's voice. "I saw you talking to that Romero girl," she informed me smugly. "What did you think of her?"

Briefly I considered telling her the truth, that I honestly didn't care if I ever saw Alicia again, before deciding that it probably wouldn't be very tactful to admit that I was much more interested in her twin brother than Alicia herself. "I think I like her," I said finally, doing my best to sound convincing. "It's too soon to tell, but I'd like to get to know her better…" It was a complete lie, but at least this way it would be easier to see Parker under the pretense of visiting Alicia.

My mother looked thrilled at the prospect of me finally taking an interest in a girl. She smirked at me, as though by admitting I liked Alicia I was conceding defeat to some silent battle between us. "I knew you would come to your senses eventually. After all, seventeen years old and not a single girlfriend?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Well, you'll be glad to know we've been invited back to the Romero's for dinner this Friday, so you can get to know her better then."

Today was Sunday, meaning the dinner party was only five days away. That wasn't too long. In the meantime, I could talk to my friends and get their opinions on what I knew of Parker. Plus I figured I could go shopping for some new clothes that would make me look absolutely stunning. I grinned wickedly. Poor Parker wouldn't stand a chance if I had anything to do with it.