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Ellie seemed to know precisely how to push Parker's buttons. He didn't like receiving a lot of attention, but he was getting just that from her loud proclamation. It felt like everyone in their vicinity was staring right at Parker, wondering what kind of psychopath he could be. The boy ruffled immediately. THIS was why he hated telling people he went to Hillworth. It was like telling someone that you had been to jail. Everyone just had to know what you were in there for.

His eyes darkened, and Parker shot a glare at Ellie. "Stop," he said, anger flashing at the corners of the words. Parker was a serious type of person. He hated surprises. He hated pranks. He hated when jokes were made at his expense. This did not make for a good reaction to Ellie's prodding. "If you are so desperate for attention, then aim it at yourself and leave me alone." For a typically composed guy, Parker was spitting vitriol. He didn't like the tone of this conversation, or how she kept trying to make him the butt of every joke. She was the type who liked to walk all over people, he assumed, and Parker hated that -- mostly because he was usually the one being stepped on.

A few beats passed and he added, "You go to Meadowview." Parker did not explain what he meant by that. He felt it was obvious. She went to Meadowview, and therefore could never understand what it was like to be a Hillworth student, how people reacted to you, how you were treated. She didn't understand, and in his mind, that meant Ellie had no right to know why he was there. Parker stared straight ahead and pretended to be looking at the motorcycle.

This wasn't fun for Parker anymore. Ellie didn't want to discuss. She wanted to tease. When she broke out into laughter, Parker didn't react much, acknowledging her outburst only by a slight cant of his head. He should have just left when she thought he was a murderer.

As Ellie began to walk away, Parker made one move to refute her poor logic, his last effort to get some semblance of a word in. He raised his voice and spoke to her retreating back, "Do you have such a low opinion of women that you believe calling me a woman is the worst possible insult? That's sad." The girl was already walking away to the next display, but Parker thought he said it loud enough for her to hear. He even thought he picked up on something she said back, but he didn't care at this point.

Ellie was some need-for-speed country girl who would sooner run away from a discussion than actually have to properly defend herself, he reasoned. She split before Parker could refute her logic, that was all. A part of Parker was relieved. Ellie didn't seem like the type to have a civil debate. She would probably dissolve the whole situation into throwing fists at the first sign of insult. Parker did not have many qualms about hitting girls, actually. If they hit first, then they could be hit back. Parker believed in equality. Equality meant no silly gendered rules. If girls can hit boys, then boys can hit girls. The logic follows. To him, the true answer to why he would avoid striking Ellie was that no one should hit anyone ever. That was the reason Parker did not act with violence. When you had logic, why would you ever need violence? That, and he was slow to anger. Even now, he was embarrassed, not angry.

Eyes all over the room were staring at him, and the passive-aggressive boy in Parker's head encouraged him to get the hell out of there before Ellie tried to increase the confrontation to a new level. Slipping toward the door, Parker made his way out of the factory district, muttering to himself about another ruined night. And worst of all? He had to go back to Hillworth -- the place that started all that nonsense in the first place.