Chapter 2

Dr. Chandra Surresh became Gabriel's new and only hope. He had wanted to be someone special all these years, and the desire had never been stronger. He could feel something stir inside of him, wanting to change, and to get rid of anything that screamed ordinary about him.

"Hey, are you ok?" After one frustrating day of testing, he came back to the shop and find Peter waiting for him there.

"Yeah, fine." Gabriel answered a little more curtly than his usual tone.

"Where did you go?" Peter followed him into the shop, genuinely curious. "It was unlike you to close your shop for the afternoon."

"Well, there's really nobody coming to the shop anyway." Gabriel shrugged.

"Is there something that's bothering you lately?" Peter asked, standing close to his lover. "You can tell me about it."

Gabriel opened his mouth and shut it again. "No, it's nothing really. I'm just trying to… find out something about myself."

Peter arched his eyebrow, "Finding yourself, huh? But I like who you are right now." He pressed his face against Gabriel's chest and reached out with both arms to hug him across the waist. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Gabriel reluctantly let go of Peter.

Looking down at his watch, Peter gasped, "Look at the time! I have to go to my job now." He gave Gabriel a quick kiss and waved goodbye. Gabriel noticed Peter was wearing that expensive watch he fixed for him instead of his usual cheap digital one. It occurred to him Peter had never exactly told him who gifted him with such an expensive piece of fine watch. There seemed to be a lot of things he didn't know about Peter.

XXX

The testing sessions with Dr. Surresh continued, but Dr. Surresh was not able to find Gabriel's supposed "power", his "gift". In frustration, Gabriel finally lashed out his anger and stormed out of the place. He didn't want to go back to the watch shop and resumed his boring life. Instead, he walked to Peter's college.

He didn't really think he would be able to run into Peter. He just wanted to have a walk around where Peter studied. After wandering for a while, he stopped and leaned against a wall, just looking at the students around him.

A group of chatty students nearby were loud enough for him to pick up their conversations without meaning to.

"… high class call girl charging 5000 an hour, and being showered with expensive gifts like jewlery, luxury watches…" One of them was saying, "I wouldn't mind doing it. Sleep with someone for one night and you get a month's expenses covered. That will get you through college easy enough!"

"Shannon, I don't think you have what it takes to be a 'high class prostitute'. The later part maybe, but high class?" A blonde commented and the whole group laughed.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. Life is so unfair!" Shannon fixed her hair, "But, Jen baby, you don't have much luck in that department either!"

"You know, I think Peter have what it takes though." Amidst the laughter, someone suddenly commented. "What do you guys think?"

"Peter Petrelli, the nursing major?" Shannon said, "Hell yes, that guy can definitely be one. He has the look, without doubt. More importantly, he has this air around him, you know. Like he is used to the high society. He could definitely fit into the high class prostitution ring!"

They all laughed.

"Who is to say he hasn't already?" The guy who originally brought up Peter's name said, "Did you see what he is wearing on his wrist? A Vacheron Constantin? On the wrist of a poor college student who has to take 2 part time jobs just to pay the bills?"

"Oh Jake, maybe that watch is just a replica." Jen waved it off.

"No, no, no. I KNOW watches." Jake shook his head, "That is the real thing, no cheap replica there. Besides, do you see what the guy wear sometimes? Sure, it's casual clothes, but if you look at the brands; they don't exactly fit a college student's budget, and definitely not for one that has to work 2 jobs and night shifts!"

"Drop it, ok?" Shannon said in a tone less cheerful than before, "Jake, you are just mad at Peter because he won't go out with you ever since he started seeing someone else seriously!"

The group fell into an awkward silence for a few seconds before someone brought up a different topic.

Gabriel walked away from where he was standing, but those words planted thoughts in his mind that he didn't even think about before. Peter, prostituting himself for money? That seemed ridiculous, but that guy Jake raised some valid points… The expensive watch, brand name clothes… and… Gabriel's footsteps came to an abrupt halt – Handsome older male client?

It was Peter, standing facing away from him, not too far away. He was talking to an older man who clearly didn't belong to the college student group. The man was in his late thirties, slightly taller than Peter, strikingly handsome and wearing a fine tailored suit. This guy belonged to New York's high society, and was definitely loaded.

Gabriel couldn't hear what Peter was saying to the guy, but they were both laughing. The guy ruffled Peter's hair and Peter relaxed against him. The chemistry between them clearly indicated that they knew each other well, and even a blind man could sense the affection between the two. When the older guy pulled Peter closer and placed a kiss on Peter's cheek, Gabriel turned to walk away. His hands were shaking so badly that he stuck them into his pockets. His finger trailed over a piece of paper inside. Pulling it out, he realized it was a name; one that he had snatched from one of Dr. Surresh's folders when he stormed out of the place this morning.

He went home and called this person – Brian Davis.

End Part 2.

TBC.