[open] The Prince and the Princess

[Phoenix Zima]

You Spin Me Right Round blasted out over the English arena, the bass cranked up and pulsing through the earth to where if you stood still you could feel it in your feet. There weren't many people around the stable at the moment, but Phoenix was almost always at the stable for every second of daylight and then some. Horses and the stable were her life, literally. She didn't normally play the music aloud so the entire stable could hear it, she normally just played it on her ipod, but on occasion she would just to keep her horses immune to loud noises. Music was one of her own personal training devices, it helped her find and stay in a rhythm which kept her and her horse in unison. She liked to train them to move to a beat even when there wasn't one, it just made them look nicer and evened out their strides.

The horse she was currently riding was definitely a magnificent animal. He was about 17 hands, and had an amazingly long and smooth extended trot. His natural head set was high and arced to perfection, and his long black mane and tail were carefully groomed and free of tangle. His coat was pure black, and clearly well taken care of from the way every inch of him shimmered in the sun as if he had been painted in glitter. His tack was polished and cleaned to perfection, the white saddle pad completely spotless, and the black saddle and bridle unmarked. Phoenix herself was dressed in a rather tight fitting and low cut maroon polo that defined her thin body and perfect curves quite well. Her tan breeches clung to her butt and legs, showing off her perfect form, and her black boots had obviously been taken very good care of as they too were without mark.

While most riders generally looked serious and like they were concentrating very hard, a challenging smirk played across Phoenix's face, as if she was daring anyone to try and challenge her and the big stallion known as Prince Caspian. Both horse and girl seemed to float over the earth as Caspian picked up a perfect trot on cue. It appeared almost that the horse had the route memorized as Phoenix was sitting perfectly still on his back, her hands and legs hardly appearing to move at all. Both of them were perfectly in tune with each other, and it was showing. Casper's big feathered hooves seemed to dance with the music as he moved, as if he could feel the beat of the base in the earth and was following it precisely. He was definitely the very essence of a dream horse, and any little girl who saw him would fall head over heels in love with him.

Phoenix knew a few glances were bring thrown their way. Most of them probably started out as interest in the big bold black horse in the arena... but after only a moment or two, the male eyes turned to her... and more specifically her body. She never really bragged... not verbally anyway, but she was definitely a well endowed woman, there was no denying that. She knew it attracted male attention, and that was why she accentuated each and every one of her curves with her tight fitting clothing. She was hot and she knew it, so she was going to use her appearance to her advantage. Right beneath horses on her priority list was men... and not of the boyfriend type. Oh hell no... Phoenix was definitely not the girlfriend type. She was the sort of girl to hook up with random men at the bar, sleep with them, then be gone.

One night stands were her forte, and even 48 hour flings were a very rare thing with her. She wasn't going to settled down with one man... and why would she? She could get any guy she wanted, and she liked variety... so it wouldn't make a lick of sense for her to commit to on man. Of course, she was rather picky about who she slept with. She didn't like guys who were dirty and scruffy... she much preferred her men to be clean and close shaven. Flab was a no go... if the guy didn't have a well defined six pack at least she wouldn't even consider them on her "to do" list. They had to be at least 5'8"... sex with men that were shorter than her was just not a pleasant experience... and considering she was 5'11" that automatically excluded quite a few men. She didn't have a preference on hair color, but she was very turned off by men with long hair or "emo" styles.

Of course, the guys also had to be tolerant of someone who wasn't going to be very nice to them. She was a bitch, and she treated most people like trash. I would like to say, for her sake, that she wasn't trying to be mean... but I would be lying. Phoenix was just a mean girl, she took joy out of bringing people down. Ever since she was little she was just a brat, and she always seemed to bring herself up by bringing other people down. She didn't really have a reason why she did it... she just did. She was a bitch, and she had fun being one, so she saw no reason to change. She was just about impossible to bring her down though. She ignored what people said about her, since most of what they said was true, and she liked that it was true. If what they said wasn't true, she would just laugh because she knew they were only saying that because they wanted to piss her off, and she wasn't going to take the bait.

Just as the song ended, Casper and Phoenix finished their route, and Casper stopped right where he was supposed to, and stood perfectly still, his broad chest forward, head up, and chin tucked almost to his neck while Phoenix made her salute to the invisible judge. After she had done so, she reached down and tapped his right shoulder lightly with her hand, and he tucked his left leg under him and lowered his head in a sweeping bow, then righted himself again. Briefly, Phoenix's smirk turned into a smile as she patted his neck firmly, pleased with his performance. Good boy Casper she said, stroking his neck as she turned him back out towards the arena gate. He was an extremely well built stallion and incredibly graceful. He and Phoenix were the perfect pair, and they were destined to make it some pretty high places in their world.

[Parker Townsend]

Music blared through the speakers of the english arena. It wasn't bad music it had rythm and a beat easy to ride to. More hyper than relaxing, Definitely upbeat. Hip hop, Flo Rida, Featuring Katy Perry. From where he stood it was only a murmer of sounds but he could distinguish the details. Parker was a musician himself it wasn't a foreign object. He understood the lyrics the beat the tone, but none of that was of importance. It was why the music was being played in the first place. The cause the purpose it served. And to understand that i suppose we have to start from the beggining. Not the very begging just the beggining of the day. Nothing out of the ordinary... nothing special just the usual normal day for Parker.

A brand new Lamborghini Reventon pulled into the lot of Pinewood stables, pure black. Beautiful car that even the least intelligent of people would know it was a rare vehicle. The owner was just as pristine. Clean cut black polo shirt polished over an, obviously expensive, pair of jeans. He hadn't been here long... just moved to town but it was clearly written in the way that he looked that he knew he was better than this.He strode into the barn looking at everyone from over his aviator sunglasses. Name brand of course. He was muscularly toned to perfection and even his hair looked good. He'd only been here a few weeks but that was just long enough for everyone to know who he was. Parker William Townsend, probably the wealthiest man in town.

He moved down here after a disagreement with his father went sour. Not that he would never talk to him or see them he just had a different idea for where he wanted to go in life. His dad wanted a degree in business and Parker wanted to go to the Olympics in Eventing. The main reason for coming here was because it was a good quiet place where he could train without being too distracted. And the fact that there was a show coming up in a few weeks helped...Parker was always up for a good competition. And this opportunity came at just the right time. So he took his prized mare Foxglove and his other Mare Kalypso and settled down in a house in a small town... rather a big house in a small town.

The music started getting louder and louder as he got closer and closer to the English Arena. A smirk danced across his perfect features as he leaned against the railings watching the close knit pair glide across the arena. They were good one would almost go as far as to say perfect... but Parker knew perfection and this was not it. His brow knit together as he studied them to the tiniest detail but his scowl was hidden behind his sunglasses. And then came the salute... and bow. His smirk not once faultering remained as he slowly brought his hands together, clapping expressing their stupendous performance. Nosy? I think not. "Well done Phe Phe." It was a worthy performance and deserved an applause and a "well done" at least in his mind.

[Phoenix Zima]

Phoenix had honestly only been here a month or two herself, but it had probably only taken her about 20 minutes to establish her presence here the first day. She was the sort of girl who was an attention getter. Bring her to some fancy get-together with a bunch of rich people, and you'd be sure to turn heads when she walked in the door. Yeah... she was sexy and she knew it, so she wasn't going to hide it. Conservative wasn't a word that she could even comprehend the meaning of, everything she did and everything she wore was always tailored to make her stand out in a crowd.

Of course, the majority of what she wore really wasn't top of the line expensive clothing, since she had to pay for it all herself, but she was good with a sewing machine, and she could make any regular old dress coat look like it was made by a designer, custom tailored to fit her. That was the one thing about her that wasn't the same as most riders of her caliber. She wasn't wealthy. Well, her dad was, and he had bought her both of her fantastic horses, but she hadn't seen him since she was five, so she didn't really get to lay claim to her dad's wealth.

Just as she turned around, the sound of clapping caught her attention, and she turned to face the one observer who wasn't too intimidated by her to actually stick around and watch. That smirk returned to her face... the closest thing to a smile you'd ever catch her with in public. Shut up jackass. She snarled at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. How's that for gratitude? Don't make me kick your ass. It was fairly obvious at this point that the two of them knew one another... either that or she was more of a bitch than you might think.

What are you doing here? she asked after exiting the arena and approaching him. She'd been out of town the past week with Ice at a show in Canada, and had no idea that Parker was coming here at all. Needless to say, the last person she expected to see in Pinewood West Virginia was a summertime friend from California... especially one like Parker. He didn't really fit in here... okay he didn't fit in here at all aside from the horse orientation. Of course, she didn't object to him being here... out of all the millions of people out there, Parker was the only person she actually considered her friend... even though she was almost as much of a bitch towards him as she was towards everyone else. That was just what made her Phoenix... she was a bitch. Nuff said.

[Parker Townsend]

A simple shake of his head expressed the fact that he was rolling his eyes behind his dark shades. "You say that as if you could." Yes it was true they did know each other... and you might think what a coincidence that they ended up in the same town. Eh! Wrong! Did you honestly think luck could bring him to this small nearly uninhabited little town? As well as her? I don't think so. No he knew she had been hiding out here for the past few months. Mostly because he knew the riding circuit for the upcoming shows and he knew where she'd been... basically he just knew everything about the riders he competed with... Plus they were pretty close when he stayed in California for the summers.

He glanced over the horse's confirmation skeptically ignoring her. Most guys wouldn't have been able to do that. But Parker had known Phoenix since they were little and he didn't see her in a sexual way. Not that he didn't notice how good she looked... he just didn't see her like that. She was like an annoying little sister. So he had the magical ability to ignore her and actually look in her eyes when he talked to her rather then a foot below her eyes. And as far as he knew that was vice versa. Her horse was a magnificent animal not better than Foxy but still pretty good. "Has he gained weight since i last saw him?" It hadn't been that long but he knew a small comment like that would annoy her.

If he hadn't grown up with her though he would have treated her just like all the others he met that didn't run in his same circle of money. But because she was the adopted daughter of a family friend... and she was basically the only one who at their age would put up with him and the same with him to her. They were like brother and sister... sort of... and they treated each other like shi.t. But somehow they saw it as getting along they were an odd duo but it worked for them. He was rich and c*ocky and she was... well she was a bitch. That just about summed up their ability to get along.

"Training..." He let the word slide out casually like it wasn't all that important... which was a lie because it was his life. But what he was doing here wasn't all that important at the moment. Besides he was only here temporarily or at least that was the plan. And although you wouldn't know it by the way that he acted he was actually quite fond of the little town. And it had only been a few weeks. This could turn into a longer stay than he thought. He turned to face her and crossed his arms over his chest looking her over. "You look like you've gained a few yourself." He somehow managed to keep a straight face through the sentence. I don't know what it was but for some reason he loved antagonizing her.

[Phoenix Zima]

Oh he did not... Ice and Casper were Phoenix's life. She'd take crap about herself all day, but say one thing to "insult" her horses, and damn did that ever piss her off. She tried not to let it make her mad, since she knew he was only saying it to make her mad... but it was kind of like telling a mother that her baby is ugly... it was just something decent people wouldn't do... though neither Parker nor Phoenix really fell under the classification of decent people... but still, it irritated her. No, she said defensively, knowing he was enjoying every minute of pissing her off, you're just used to your half starved ponies.

Oh sure, he didn't ride ponies, and they weren't underfed... but there were some pretty obvious differences between his thoroughbred and her friesian. For one thing, Casper was taller and... thicker I suppose, but not in an over weight sort of way. Really he was bigger than most friesians. Ice was more the average at 16 hands, but Casper topped the charts at 17 hands. Of course, Phoenix looked good up on the tall horse because she was taller than most, and she couldn't very well ride a small horse, she'd just look too big for the animal and it wouldn't suit her well at all.

Just after he answered her question, he went on to commenting about her weight. Her smirk turned into a scowl... the one that tended to scare a lot of guys away from her... the one that meant she really was going to kick your ass. I've done no such thing and you know it Parker William Townsend. she said matter-of-factly, putting her hands on her hips, You've just gotten used to those anorexic prostitutes you drag in off the streets. As she finished her sentence, she lifted her fist and punched him in the arm, rather hard... another talent she had obtained with help from Parker. A girl like her had to be able to defend herself from desperate grabbing hands in a crowd.

You are such an ass I don't know why I put up with you. She growled, though that was a lie. She put up with him because he put up with her... one of the few. She'd been in and out of a lot of schools because she was always causing too much trouble, and most people avoided her whenever possible... but not Parker. he thought like she did, and she was fairly sure he was the only one who ever would. Yeah there were bitches out there, but most of them had a reason to be... Phoenix didn't. She was just mean because she liked being mean... and we all know that the mean girls are the popular ones right? I suppose that would make Phoenix the queen of the world.

[Parker Townsend]

He was well aware of her sensitivity to her horses. Only because he was the same way about his. You just didn't mess with a Townsend horse unless you wanted to get your ass kicked. Especially Foxy. She was Parker's pride and joy and if anyone even so much as touched her without his "okay" then they were in some deep shi.t. But teasing Phoenix about her horses was all just fun and games, if she had done it to him he would have been made but he would know she wasn't serious just like she knew he wasn't serious. To him being an ass was just a very screwed up game. One that he played very well. He played the role of Jackass exceedingly well. So this was his way of initiating the game. He said her horse was fat she said his were half starved... it was their way of having fun... Strange pair... very strange.

They both knew that Foxy and Kalypso were far from starved anyways and that Casper and Ice were far from fat. They couldn't be... they were some of the most athletic competitive animals out there and they couldn't be in anything less then the best of condition or there would be no chance of them competing. Foxy was the perfect performance horse... well in Parker's eyes. He raised her and trained her himself... she was perfectly attuned to him even the slightest move by him was counter-acted by her. They weren't a team they were one being. Nothing was going to come between them... not even Phoenix's snide comments. He was just as protective over Foxglove as Phoenix was over her horses... if not more.

First off my horses are not skinny... unless you're comparing them to your obese ones. And they aren't ponies either... their just not Goliaths. His words were still calm and matter-of-factly as he walked toward the barn beside her... Talking like he knew everything and walking like he owned everything. Parker was very mature for his age. In fact he never really had time to enjoy being a kid... since he was little all his life was about money and earning a living. And riding of course that was just about the only thing that he enjoyed doing that earned him respect. Thats all he wanted out of the world when he was 13 and once he earned it... mostly because he was the grandson of Mr. Townsend it was more inherited than earned.

And Second i know no such thing... a larger smirk appeared over his face at her use of his full name. He loved the sound of it... how it just rolled off the tongue. It sounded like a name that needed to have the title "prince" at the beginning. If only he were that lucky, but then again he might as well be a prince... he was rich enough and known by enough people... Plus he had the attitude of one. His smirked remained at her prostitute comment only because he knew no prostitute would ever stand a chance with him... they didn't reach his standards. Sure he slept around but that was just something he just wouldn't stoop to. You don't put up with me... i tolerate you. Shakes his head slightly emitting a low chuckles. Sheesh you're awfully bitchy today... when was the last time you got laid?

[Phoenix Zima]

Technically... Phoenix wasn't any more bitchy today than she was any other day of the week... she was just expressing it to him more than she usually did... and yes, it probably did have something to do with the fact that she hadn't gotten laid in a while. It seemed like most guys around here were either afraid of her or taken. Not to say she couldn't get a guy who was taken... oh hell no, she'd been the cause of countless relationships, engagements, and even a marriage or two being broken up, a fact which she was damn proud of. Most women hated her... and with good reason. Anyway, she hadn't gotten laid in a while because she'd been so focused on tuning up Ice for the show that she hadn't had time for anything else. The gelding was starting to get older, and while he was still an absolutely amazing performer, he needed a little more tuning up these days before a show so he could be just perfect.

His comment about her weight didn't bother her at all. She knew all too well that she didn't have a single extra pound of weight on her body anywhere. She wasn't underweight though... people who starved themselves, in her opinion, all fell into the "anorexic prostitutes" category. Skeletons weren't going to get any guys as long as a girl like her was around. I mean really... skin and bones versus... well... just Phoenix... it just wasn't a competition, she would come out on top every time and she knew it. That wasn't to say she wasn't conscious about her weight. She definitely was. From the long hours she spent working out to the careful rationing of calories, she was extremely weight conscious... but she had a very highly elevated self image which sort of bolstered her confidence in herself and made it so that the idea of starving herself never even crossed her mind.

Keeping pace with Parker was easy for Phoenix, partly because she was only an inch shorter than he was, and partly because she'd been keeping pace with him every summer of her life since she was about ten years old. They were an odd pair of friends, seemingly always at one anothers throats, but that was just how they worked, and even though she looked like she'd been offended by everything he'd said, she kind of liked it when he picked on her. It wasn't because she had a thing for him... oh no, he was hott yes, but for some reason, she just never saw him like that. He was the only friend she had... and after she slept with a guy, she was done with him... she didn't want to be done with Parker. After her mom died and her dad abandoned her by putting her in the system and bouncing around between homes until finally being adopted by a family who hated her and only did it for image... it was nice to know that there was someone out there who might actually care about her.

Sure, it didn't really look like they cared about each other at all, and they didn't really see it that way, but deep down they both really did care... that was why they were friends even after all the insults they tossed around. Though Parker didn't know it, and Phoenix wouldn't admit it, he'd done a lot more for her than it looked outwardly. Forever ago. She said, just a touch over dramatically, there aren't any good ones here. I mean some of them are marginal... half decent at best... but seriously... they're all so used, it just wouldn't be worth it. The last thing I want is sex with the village idiot, and the next best thing is the village man whore who's been passed around like a rag doll and probably has at least 3 STDs.

In a way, Parker and Phoenix's friendship was sort of like the friendship between a gay guy and a girl. She had no qualms about talking to him about her sex life, and he put up with her going on about what she was going to wear to such and such a horseman's association ball or any of the other ten million things every good looking girl likes to discuss. It was strange... but it was true.

[Parker Townsend]

Sex talk wasn't something that bothered him. He was completely comfortable with her ranting on the lack of pleasable men in the town. It wasn't as if he was some guy who was a into fidelity and what not. Oh no, Parker knew ALL about sex... and had experienced it first hand several times... He wouldn't be so upfront about his sex life with anyone that wasn't close to him. But Phoenix was like a best friend... in girl form. He was comfortable around her... probably more so than anyone else. Their bond was an odd one to say the least but it worked in its own deformed way. In his mind she was like one of the guys... until she started blabbering on about her outfit for the evening or whatever. Then he just listened patiently... well sort of...

He was very good at making it look like he was listening. When in fact he wasn't at all. He was good at picking out the main words in a conversation without having to pay any attention. And then when the person asks what he or she just said he was able to prove that he was listening... when in fact he was not. I told you he was smart. So back in the day while she would rummage through her closet looking for the perfect gown to compliment her curves he would lounge around thinking about his previous fling... or some knew way to maneuver Foxy around an upcoming course to take a few seconds off their time. He was, unlike most men, very good at multitasking. Especially when it came to multitasking in his head...

Thats... disgusting....But probably true... You gotta love those country hicks. Says with complete disgust written on his face and in his voice. Obviously he knew that they didn't compare to him. He knew he was good looking... aw heck he knew he was damn hot... It was obvious... i mean since he was like 13 girls of all ages have been staring at him. It was gross at first but after a while he had become accustomed to people staring. Which is probably another reason he got along with Phoenix so well. Because they were both good looking and very assured in that area... Of course he wouldn't be seen with her if she couldn't come close to matching him in the looks department. But he was hot in a different way than her... Duh.

He had muscle and just that masculine look about him that every girl dreamed of. And don't think he didn't use that muscle. I mean he was the one who taught Phoenix how to take care of herself... mostly for the times he wasn't around to do the job himself. Though he would never admit it even on his death bed. He really did care about her. In a way he saw her as his little sister and if you messed with her, he would make you pay in the most painful way possible. He was just as protective over her as he was his horse. And even though it sounds like a dis it really isn't and is probably a huge compliment, if you knew how protective he was over his horse. Of course he was pretty sure she didn't know that and he intended on keeping it that way... The last thing he wanted to do was give her black mail material.

To some boys having a prissy little girl follow you around may have been a plain old pain in the ass...and for Parker it was no different. He didn't fail in expressing that toward her either. But he knew that even though she was as annoying, as a squeaky barking dog that yipped all night long, he wouldn't prevent her from following him. She could keep up with him rather well so he didn't see a reason why she shouldn't be permitted to. Besides it was nice having someone to pick on, on a constant basis. And she was just about the only one that didn't drive him insane with their stupidity. He was smarter than most adults he knew and hanging out with a moronic 11 year old would nearly kill him if he had to spend more than 10 minutes with them. So having her around wasn't a total conspiracy against him. He wouldn't admit it but there were actually times when he didn't totally hate her. Hopefully i have better luck than you, but i usually do

[Phoenix Zima]

Before Parker, Phoenix never really had anyone who would protect her. She never could quite say if her parents would or not... I mean they'd made her name a joke... it sort of made her feel like she was a joke to them... then when her dad gave her up, she was pretty much fairly certain that she hadn't ever really meant anything to them. She knew for a fact that her adopted family hated her. They were wealthy... not as wealthy as Parker's family... but quite well off. Even so, they refused to pay for anything except the bare essentials. They send all of their kids to private schools with prestige, while Phoenix went to the public school. They gave their kids cars for Christmas while she was lucky to get an ugly sweater. They gave their kids everything they could ever want in life, and Phoenix was left out, having to practically provide for herself all the time.

That was why she moved out after she graduated. Why Pinewood? Well... it was as far East from California as she could get and still afford the cost of living. Having two horses and having to provide for herself was definitely not easy, especially for a girl with her taste, but she managed. Though it might not seem it, she regularly went without if she needed to in order to afford boarding for the horses and housing for herself. Her apartment was... well marginal... but it wasn't like she was there very often. She mostly just slept there, spending pretty much the rest of her time at the stable riding and working with the horses or cleaning tack or doing whatever else she had to do with them. A lot of nights she never even went home, but ended up in some random guy's bed. That was how she liked it.

Phoenix was pretty much completely comfortable being around Parker, and there was basically never an awkward or uncomfortable moment between them. She'd dragged him up to her room countless times to help her pick out an outfit, and with him... there was no reason for her to hide behind a closed door while she was changing. It was a weird relationship the two of them had, but she never really thought about it... that was just the way it always had been and probably always would be. Yeah well some of us can't afford to import Russian hookers or... whatever you call guys you pay for sex... to satisfy our needs. she said with that devious smirk of hers. She knew he didn't pay people for sex... he didn't need to, the girls just flocked to him like buzzards on a carcass. This really was a typical day and conversation between the two of them. Random, usually about something personal that most people wouldn't want to talk about, and at the same time nagging one another.

They reached the barn, and Phoenix clipped Casper into the cross-ties, proceeding with stripping his tack. The cross-ties probably weren't really needed, considering the horse was still practically spotless, but Phoenix was almost obsessive about keeping him clean, and tended to brush both horses several times a day, even when she didn't ride them. Ice was still in route from Canada, and would be arriving tomorrow, so today was all about pampering Casper to the fullest extent. You know... she said, tilting her head to the side as she looked at Parker and pausing in her brushing, I never really thought about it, but you're kind of like my non-homosexual gay friend... Spontaneous thoughts, yes... she was kind of into those... and she knew they annoyed him since they were usually less than intelligent comments, in a good way though.

Phoenix wasn't unintelligent by any means, but every girl had some streak of blond in them, and Phoenix used hers to annoy Parker. He was pretty much a genius, and compared to him she was maybe average, so he was pretty much always right. Phoenix just liked to throw a little bit of her lack of brilliance out there every now and then, mostly just to watch his reaction. She didn't know why, she just enjoyed it.

[Parker Townsend]

Lets see... Life for Parker... it was a lot harder than most could see from the outside. But he was a grown man and there was no way in hell that even if you knew him well that he would tell you what was bothering him. If something ever bothered him he would either go ride it off until his body was completely drenched in sweat... even if it was winter and below 0 out. Or he'd just be really quiet all day. But it only took a little while of time in his own thoughts before he was back to normal. He didn't dwell on things for long. Even the big things that could make people cry... In fact Parker couldn't ever remember crying in his life. I mean sure every baby cried when it was hungry or whatever, thats how babies expressed themselves. But other than that he couldn't ever remember crying. Not over getting a boo boo or his feelings hurt... not that that was even possible because Parker didn't have feelings... he was a heartless SOB with a passion that only came out when he was riding his horse.

All this explained why he never had any friends when he was younger. Not like he had time for friends anyways but still it explained it. He was too smart for his own good, he had no feelings, and he was a stuck up jackass... who wanted to be friends with that? Oh right Phoenix but she shouldn't really count since their friendship was no ordinary friendship... it was more like a hateship... or maybe that was a little drastic... he only hated her 99 percent of the time... the other 1 percent he tolerated her babbling. It was alright by him though because the more she talked the less he had too... but it also made it harder for him to keep track of the conversation.... not that he ever stumbled in his ability to fool her.

He shook his head as she brought up prostitutes again. Who needs prostitutes when the girls just flock around you Heck he was sexy he knew he didn't need to try to get a girl... and if he was going to pay for sex it better be damn good sex without any risks of disease. And even then he wouldn't pay for sex... he was too good for that. There was certain things that he bought at a high price... and his time was price enough for sex... and girl would be privileged to spend 10 minutes or more with him... but only if they were lucky.... and most girls weren't lucky enough... unless he found himself with a need... and he usually didn't have time for that... He was constantly at the stable if not riding his own horses he was conditioning someone else's horses. Sex oddly enough took a back seat to riding horses or at least riding his own horses. Parker was definitely far from being a normal guy.

Then again what normal guy could have a girl of Phoenix's Caliber stripe her clothes completely in front of him and not even become the slightest bit turned on. No he wasn't gay. He just glared at her from over the top of his sunglasses as he leaned against the wall opposite of her. Why the hell do i put up with you? he said in a dull voice. He just... he didn't know... he wasn't like a brother but he wasn't a guy who would check her out either... i suppose non-homosexual gay guy was the best way to describe it... though he didn't appreciate it very much. Parker didn't get turned on by her though... he knew and would admit that she was good looking and had an amazing body but he wasn't attracted to her in that way.

It simply just pissed him off that she would refer to him as that... not only because it was one of her stupid brainless comments but also because it was insulting. I mean really how could she possibly think that he would appreciate being called gay... i mean he was confident enough in himself to not care if she said that to everyone because no one would believe her. But still she wouldn't appreciate being called a lesbian so she just needed to shut it. But he also knew that she did it just because she knew he hated when she let the streak of blonde control what came out of her mouth...

Being as smart as he was it drove him insane when people didn't think before they spoke... another thing he had acquired while growing up with the only speak when spoken to rule. If you didn't have anything intelligent to say... don't say anything at all... it was like a waste of good breathe talking about nothing and it wasn't productive... Parker was huge on productivity... it wasn't going forward it obviously was going no where and it was just wasting his time. But instead of giving her the satisfaction of his aggravation he held it in trying not to address his hatred toward the whole conversation. And doing rather well considering his practice and experience at not expressing his feelings.

[Phoenix Zima]

Even though Parker wasn't showing it, she knew she'd pissed him off. Now most people would apologize or something of that sort, but not Phoenix. Making people mad was something that made her happy... it made her feel superior and accomplished. Truth is, she had probably pissed off every person she ever knew, and most of them probably still hated her for whatever it was that she did. Parker was the only one who didn't just completely despise her, and for the number of times that she'd annoyed him and made him mad at her, that was definitely a miracle. Most people, if they had a relationship like these two, would have given up on one another long before this point. Nine years they'd known each other. Nine years of making each other mad, nine years of insults, nine years of exactly the opposite of what friendships should be... but still, nine years of being friends.

This was just Phoenix's way of shooting back at him. He made comments about her weight and her horses... she called him a non-gay gay guy... okay so maybe they didn't coincide, but still, it bothered him and that was her goal. He knew what made her tick, and she knew what made him tick. She hadn't thought for one second that her calling him gay would be appreciated by him in any way shape or form. The entire purpose of saying it was to irritate him, and she had accomplished that goal. Phoenix just wasn't a nice girl. Even the people that were "nice" to her, she'd say and do things just to make them mad at her. The way she saw it, once the whole world hated her, she'd have accomplished something that no other person ever had. There were still people who idolized people like Hitler and Chavez... but who would idolize someone who was just a regular bitch?

She shrugged slightly when he asked why he put up with her Because I'm the only one who will tolerate your stuck up jackass mentality outside of the bedroom. she responded as she went back to brushing Casper, still smirking with her triumph. He hit a nerve when he made a comment about Casper being overweight... she hit a nerve when she called him a gay guy. Theirs was a give and take relationship. They dished out a lot of crap to one another, but took just as much as they gave. As far as she could remember, they had never really had a falling out. Even as often as they argued and got mad at each other, neither one of them ever walked away. It was partly because neither of them were willing to surrender, and partly because they probably weren't really mad at each other and underneath the irritation they were enjoying their little game.

Besides... she continued as she unclipped Casper and headed down to his stall, it's not like you're actually gay... you just get girls more than most girls do... while doing them at the same time. You're a heartless bastard, but at least you've got substantial gray matter on your shoulders to make up for it. Phoenix never completely complimented someone. Any time there was a compliment, there was always an equal or greater diss attached. Basically, she was the exact opposite of polite, and society undoubtedly hated her for it... just what she was hoping for.

[Parker Townsend]

Unlike Phoenix, Parker didn't want society to hate him. Which was good for him, because society basically loved him. He was adored by those who were friends to his money... and even though there were those people he treated like trash they usually never held it against him because he was just one of those guys who had a smile that would make you swoon and a very persuasive tone of voice. Those who hated him were usually shortly convinced that he was just misunderstood... He had a talent for manipulating others thoughts. He was good and if he really wanted to he could make a bundle in sales. But we all know thats not what he wants. But as for society he had the money and even if you were the hugest jerk in the entire world... if you had enough money the world loved you. And Parker Townsend had more than enough money.

That was one thing that differed between him and Phoenix, money. He never realy acknowledged her lack of because she didn't come off as commen folk and she wasn't. She may not have the cash flow like he did but that never stopped her from wearing top of the line classy looking clothes... or riding the best horses in the nation. So even though with the rest of the world that would matter to him it didn't matter with her... yet another acception he made for her just because she put up with him. But he made a lot of acceptions for her that he wouldn't make for even his own parents. That didn't say much though... he didn't make any acceptions for his parents in fact he gave his parents the hardest time out of anyone... THe only two people who got acceptions by him were his Grandfather and Phoenix... but don't go and spread that around.

His parents, Brad and Angelina, were a different story entirely though... and if you brought them up he'd usually just blow it off. He never talked about his parents it was one of those things that bothered him and then he forgot about. He didn't hate them and if the conversation of their success came up he'd nod and say "yeah they are extremely well off alright." He didn't care to much about their so called success because he didn't see it. They mouched of his grandfather all their married life and asl his father's life. It just didn't seem like that big of a success considering that they didn't expect him to do anything of the sort. But maybe thats because they knew that Parker was going to be inheriting everything because Sr. Townsend actually liked him... and didn't find him annoying like he did with Brad and his wife.

Parker had always found he had favor from his Grandfather... maybe thats because he was taught at a young age what respect was. Or maybe it was the fact that Brad was such a jerk that he thought he needed to make up by raising Parker better. Either way he always found favor and he appreciated it because without him Parker might as well have raised himself. He was constantly home alone with the maids, he never complained though because he knew he'd always lose the argument anyways and then he'd get some big speach about how they provided for him and he was so ungrateful and that maybe they should take his horses away and then he'd see just how much they gave him. All his life he'd always wanted to tel them off by telling them they didn't do anything and all their money came out of grandfathers bank account but that wouldn't turn out good so he always just kept his mouth shut.

But not that he was older his mouth wasn't always shut but it was very... perciss in choosing what it said before he said it. He never blabbered on about nothing. Or that would just be a waste of time and he hated wasting time. Which is why in most cases Phoenix did all the talking... unless he felt like pissing her off in one of their little games that they played often. And even then he let her go off on some long in detail dis while he stuck to the quick cuts in several areas. They both had their different ways of fighting this game and both in their own way were very affective. And in the world they both got the job down just the way they wanted it to. I suppose the two were just to good at what the did for their own good... or would it be bad?

He raised his eyebrow and gave a slight nod at her answer. It was true, thats exacty why he put up with her. Well one of the reasons he gave her his grace. But it just depended on what mood he was in whether or not he would permit grace for her. He just let her jab at him slide off and ignored it, just following her as she went to put Casper away. He slide his finger over a stal door inspecting the dust that he rubbed between his fingers with a less than pleased face. Living on Townsend Farm he was used to everything being spotless... they may have had horses and dirt but you wouldn't know it by walking around in their barn. The stalls, horses, and tack were all spotless even the corners were wiped clean on a constant basis and this just wasn't going to be ok. He'd end up hiring someone to clean the area his horses and tack would be because he was "too good" for a dirty barn.

As this was going on through his head she kept going on with her dis and he kept "listening" letting her ramble on yet again. Once she was finished he turned his full attention back to her removing his sunglasses for the first time. "Thanks i think so too." He knew all that she just said was true. He was a heartless bastard and he did understand girls... even when they spoke spanish. Sometimes it was a bonus that his parents always left him at home with the maids. And he took all of what she said as a compliment because he knew it was true and he liked the way he was... heartless and all. His mischievious smirk said it all perfectly letting his pearly white teeth show and since he took his shades off his gorgeous blue eyes peered at her like a little devil hiding in sheeps clothing.

[Phoenix Zima]

Most girls would absolutely swoon at the sight of Parker's bright white teeth being flashed in a smile with that devious sparkle to his deep blue eyes... but Phoenix definitely wasn't like most girls as we have already seen. Generally when a girl found a hot guy and slept with him, they wanted to make him like them so that he'd come back for more... Phoenix would find a hot guy, sleep with him, be a total bitch to him, leave him wishing desperately for round two, but knowing deep down that it wasn't ever going to happen and he'd just made himself into yet another loser for her trophy case which was more than extravagant by this point.

That trophy case... though she would be the last to admit it... was all thanks to Parker. She was 13, Parker was 14, and he had connections with everyone, and he just happened to introduce Phoenix to the first of many, and that night was when she abandoned the last shard of the innocence she never had. Phoenix never needed the sex talk... she knew what adults did behind closed doors, it was no big deal to her. So that night with Parker's high society "friend" at only 13 years old, Phoenix oh so willingly gave up her virginity for what Parker had assured her was the best thing that would ever happen to her... and, as usual, he was 100% right.

After that, there was no turning back. She was like an addict, and her addiction was sex. Different guy every night, only giving a few of the best a second shot at dazzling her... and always treating every one of them like they were worthless trash. For whatever reason, they all seemed to overlook her attitude just to get her into bed. Of course, the fact that she could be a bitch yet somehow seductive, tantalizing, and charming all at the same time probably had a great deal to do with the male lapse of the brain... not to mention that she was just naturally seductive, and everything she did had some sort of purpose as a means to get to the end... the end of course being getting whatever guy she wanted into bed with her.

Phoenix was one of those girls who most other girls hated because she was good at everything she did. Of course, that was probably because she knew what she wasn't good at it and so wouldn't do it, making her look like she was simply perfect. No, she hadn't had the best grades in school... school was mind numbingly dull, and she didn't want to be wasting her time in school when she could be riding, but considering she was going to a very low level public school where all the kids who were either stupid or too high to think straight, and the teachers were just as bad, she had graduated top of her class with a 4.0... although her 4.0 probably would have been maybe a 3.0 compared to Parker's 4.0. But that didn't matter... appearance was everything, whether or not what appeared to be was the same as what was didn't matter.

Speaking of which... she said as she stepped out of the stall and latched the door, you wouldn't happen to have made any connections at the club by now have you? My lame ass "friend" at the DMV still hasn't sent my renewed ID, and the bouncers around here are total jackasses. and in case you were wondering, no, I haven't tried seducing them... they're disgusting old men with absolutely no sex appeal, I couldn't possibly stoop to the level of being seen appearing to be interested in sleeping with them. That was Phoenix for you. If her mind wasn't on horses, it was either on sex or alcohol. What could she say? She was a party girl, it was as simple as that.

[Parker Townsend]

Ah the sex talk... that was never a talk that Parker had. His parents were all to busy with their c.ocktail parties to have "the talk" with him. Not that he needed it. Besides after his conception it wasn't as if his parents ever had sex. They were just weird people that were way to obsessed with money. It kind weirded Parker out for a while... and they decided to have another kid and that creeped him out even more. But no, he never had the talk... he found out about sex in a less than comfortable way. I'm pretty sure he was about 7 when he walked into the tack room to get his saddle to for riding... talk about your bad day to go riding. He never didn't knock after that... But he kept his mouth shut after they begged him not to mention anything to his grandfather. Trust me he wasn't going to tell anyone about it.

Then he was about 12 when he lost his virginity to some girl he never saw again after that because well he'd used her up... what else was he supposed to keep her around for? Company? I think not. He may have been young but he knew way before that experience that he didn't need any stupid girl hanging off his arm just getting in the way. So he got what he wanted out of them and then lefter them high and dry. And then two years later after he was well experience he introduced Phoenix to her first victim.. yeah he took full credit for that and he was very proud of the monster he had created. She was just like the less intelligent not as rich female version of himself. Ok so she was only a little bit like him but that little bit was the most important parts of her.

Parker's young teenage life consisted of a lot of things but each of those things had their priorities and spots where they belonged. First came his horses they were the love of his life and the only thing he would actually admit that he loved... everything else rarely even got the "like" word. In fact the word he used most often to refer to anything but his horses was "tolerated." And that included his friend Phoenix here. Second, was sex he was like phoenix in the fact that he was addicted but Parker was no girl who craved the physical intimacy. He wanted it to satisfy his need and that was all. One quick zip, slip, bing bang, boom you're done. He did the deed then left leaving most girls stunned and craving more. But he usually left without so much as a goodbye. He thought it was better to not make them think he actually cared for them.

Of course i do. You should really find a more reliable source... and I'm not so sure i believe that you didn't try and seduce them and it just didn't work so you're just making up excuses to make yourself look better. He said with a roll of his eyes. She still had a lot to learn in his opinion. Third, alcohol. He was a big club hoping drinking type of guy and sure he still wasn't of legal age but what person who drank now days was of age? He had been drinking since he was 12 also. He had a lot of time on his hands to experiment with all this stuff when he was home by himself... and all the maids new better than to say anything or he could get them fired with a snap of his fingers.

And number four on the list was physical fitness. He was huge on staying in shape considering he had to be in good shape to go out and do all the riding he did. It was more so because he knew he was hella good looking and he wasn't going to waste such a good body by letting it get gross. He had an awesome six pack muscular strong arms and toned legs. All that didn't come by sitting on the sofa doing nothing. Oh no he worked really hard to keep the body that he had. And with the dark hair blue eyes and glimmering smile it was no wonder he had girls flocking him... that was definitely something he had gotten used to... he was wanted by like every girl on the planet. Watch out Prince William, Parker Townsend is taking over.

[Phoenix Zima]

Didn't work? That was a phrase Phoenix was completely unfamiliar with. It never "didn't work" for her. She was a more likely candidate to be the one Bill Clinton had an affair with than the woman they had on the news back in the day. She could have any man she wanted... from the president of the United States to some bum on the street. She wanted him, she'd have him. Probably the only guy who would be incapable of resisting her was Parker himself... but he didn't count, since she would never in a million years even briefly consider doing him for the slightest moment which was only a flashing blur in the time space continuum... it was almost too creepy to think about. In some ways he was like her brother, in some ways he was like her "non-homosexual gay guy friend," and in some ways she just downright hated him... he was probably one of the last people... aside from obese and otherwise disgusting people... that she would ever sleep with.

Flab was a huge turn off for her. If the guy didn't at least have a six pack, he didn't suit her taste. That was one thing she'd gotten from Parker... expensive taste. She wouldn't take anything less than the best. Oh sure, she was no where near being one of the elite in the wealthy world, but you would never know that by looking at her. She could make an ugly sweater vest look sexy, and she didn't even have to try. Even so, she woudl completely blow off any guy who didn't live up to her standard... and her standard ranked appearance at the top of the list.

Shallow? Oh yes. Some people say beauty is only skin deep... and it was true. Phoenix was definitely a beautiful girl, but inwardly... not so hot. But since she was only skin deep... that was all she looked for in a guy. She wasn't shy about who she'd slept with either. Oh no... if some angry girlfriend, fiance, or wife came storming up to her demanding to know of their boyfriend, fiance, or husband had slept with her... hell, she'd tell them straight up, even if the guy was standing behind the woman shaking his head in a desperate pleading and groveling way. She didn't care about them... they were just toys to be played with to her, and she always grew out of them after one use. Why would she want to protect them and undermine her own credibility?

Oh please Parker. she said with a hint of disdain, you of all people should know I'm better than that... after all, I did learn from you, and one thing you taught me was to stay away from disgusting pigs with greasy slicked back hair and black suits who have nothing better to do than stand outside the doors of low quality clubs because they're too stupid to do anything else. It was true... she hated gross people... and for some reason, bouncers in small towns were always gross. The ones in California were generally much more attractive, and she'd admit... she'd slept with a number of them as well as bar tenders to get in... but only if they were attractive. She would never grovel, and she would never ever in ten million years pretend to be sweet, cute, innocent, or anything else for that matter. She didn't have to. Phoenix was a bitch... what more did she need?