Irresistible Love

Chapter Twelve// Found & Lost

Elle Quintal~

"Elle," my mother beckoned from the kitchen. "Come here, please."

I followed the sound of her voice into the kitchen and spotted her reading a sheet of paper. I did not need to get a glimpse of her face to know that she was feeling a sense of dismal; the aura of the room and the manner in which she gripped onto the paper said it all.

"Are you okay?" I asked, feeling a bit tense. My mother's hazel eyes fluttered to meet mine and that was when I saw the red streaks and the brim of tears. "Mom..." I tenderly inched toward her by taking a seat near the kitchen table where she sat.

"Elle, it's your father," she squeaked. And that was all I needed to hear to shut my mouth and give my mother my full attention.

Ethan Suave~

As I shoveled forkfuls of scrambled eggs into my mouth, I couldn't help but glare at Devon as he chugged his orange juice. Mom sat at the head of the table, Dad sat at the other end, and Julia was on her knees (because she couldn't reach the table) in the chair next to mine.

"So boys, how's school?" Dad asked. Ah, the generic, inevitable kitchen table discussion topic. School.

"Fine," Devon answered, taking a bite of his bacon. Every move he made at the breakfast table pushed me over the edge for reasons I wouldn't even be able to explain. 

Actually, scratch that because I can explain the source of my irk. It's because he decided that choosing Elle as his girl was a good idea. It's because he chose the same girl as me that resulted in a stupid bet. It's because he limited me to have a guilt-free conscience regarding Elle. It's because I am so god damn attracted to Elle. Fuck you, Devon.

"Devon failed his biology test," I pointed out, never removing my eyes from Devon's movements. I may have sounded like a little boy by "tattle-tailing" on my younger brother, but I couldn't resist the urge to get him in any kind of trouble.

He stopped eating and looked up at me with his fork dangling between his fingertips. "What the fuck, dude?"

"Devon! Watch your language, please. Julia is at the table," Mom commanded. She redirected her attention to Julia. "Let's not mention that bad word, okay sweetie?"

"Fuck?" Julia asked innocently.

"God damn it, Devon, see what you do? Julia's too young to fucking know that word!" I interjected.

"Ethan!" Mom exclaimed.

Devon dropped his fork on the table. "What is it with you, Ethan? Grow up."

"Why don't you grow up, and drop this thing with Elle! I called her first, anyway! You just decided to choose her too and now we have this stupid bet that I-- We both can't escape from."

Devon seemed taken aback. He snickered, "Elle? So this is why you're fighting with me right now? Because of Elle? Damn, she must have you whipped or something. Just think about it: 'Ethan Suave, the Ethan Suave, has fallen for one of his victims.'"

"This is not about Elle," I argued. "It's about the bet."

"Boys!" Mom interjected once again. "Can you both please stop it? In fact, just leave this table, please. We do not need this negative energy so early in the morning."

I ignored my mother's request. "Let me tell you something, Devon," I began, standing up from my seat, "Drop it with Elle, alright? Go pick a new girl for all I care. Just leave Elle alone."

Devon's smirk couldn't have been any more noticeable. "Leave Elle for what? So that you can have her all to yourself and I will lose this bet? I don't think so. Your jealousy does not lesson my determination to get her to have sex with me before you do."

This time, Dad bellowed. "Devon! I thought your mother and I raised you both better than this! There will be no mention of this sick game you two partake in. Leave these poor, innocent girls alone. I mean, just listen to yourselves right now...talking about girls as if they are some sort of property."

        I never wanted to think that I referred to girls as property, but hearing Dad admit the ugly truth about my wicked ways was unnerving. From the beginning, I believed that I had good intentions. My motive was to somehow get back at Gina for the hurt she caused me by passing it onto other people. Yet, now that I reflected upon it, I was equally as bitter as Gina, if not worse.

For the past two years, I caused mayhem in high school by shaming girls and thinking that I was making a man out of myself. As a result, Devon followed in my footsteps because I was his role model--and a fucking poor one at that.

"Have some respect, for heaven's sake," Dad concluded.

There was a moment of silence, a silence so quiet that the birds outside were louder than I had noticed previous.

"Well, I'm out," Devon announced, pushing himself up from his seat. "If you need me, I'll be at my friend's house." Clearly, none of Dad's speech was able to penetrate Devon's persistent will. 

He was just about to exit from the front door, but before he escaped from my view, I saw him slip me a sly smirk. The sneer plastered on his face expressed his determination at winning this bet, no matter what the consequences were. But I was more tenacious at making sure Elle would dodge that inevitable hurt that I sadly instigated upon her.