Intoxicating Infatuation

Chapter Two:

"Look at, Dio; he's gotten everything correct. Maybe you should learn something from him; I see now that I've been too lenient!" Emilia couldn't help but think that the comparison of the two boys was a little unfair. It was only his second day there, and Dio was already getting praised as the better one? Seeing the crestfallen look paint across his features, the girl wanted nothing more than to stand up for him; and say that she had gotten some of them wrong as well, so why didn't he mention her? But she didn't; after all, it would only land her in trouble as well.

The clanking of silverware scraping against their plates filled the mostly silent room as they ate, seated at the long mahogany dining table. Sitting beside Jonathan, Emilia tried her best to avoid the inevitable of clashing elbows with the boy as they ate. Although he wanted to be a gentleman through and through, his table manners were more than lacking; at this point, they were almost nonexistent. Anytime they ate together, Emilia swore that he acted as if his food was going to magically disappear before his eyes with the way that he inhaled his food. However, by now, she was used to his behavior and thought nothing of it as she continued to eat her meal politely.

Dio was not, though. Looking up from his food, he couldn't help the look of complete disdain and disgust from crossing his face. He was raised in the slums and still had better manners than him.

Reaching over from where he was wolfing down his food, Jonathan tried to grab his glass of wine. However, he had been in too big of a hurry and knocked it over; the red liquid spilled from its container, staining the beautiful white cloth that rested beneath the food.

For Mr. Joestar, who had been watching his son eat, this was the last straw. Fed up with Jonathan's deplorable table manners, the nobleman decided it was about time that he put it to an end.

"Jojo! Your manners are deplorable. And you call yourself a gentleman!" Mr. Joestar reprimanded him harshly. Jonathan looked up at his father, startled. The boy has never been scolded for his eating habits before.

"Look at Dio and Emilia. Their manners are impeccable! Maybe I have been too lenient on you over the years. Clear his plate at once!" Mr. Joestar commanded with a snap.

Jonathan, once again, was being compared to Dio. Not only that, but he lost the rest of his meal for the night! It was more than upsetting for the poor boy. Lifting his head slightly from its bowed position, he glanced up with tears welling in his eyes. With one last look cast across the dining table and its occupants, he scrambled out of the room, tears flowing freshly down his face.

"Hmph, imbecile." Emilia could faintly hear Dio scoff under his breath. Casting a firm glare across her face, she sneered at him before rushing out of the room behind Jonathan.

Unaware that Emilia had been following him, Jonathan slammed his door shut behind him. Plummeting face-first onto his fluffy bed, he let his mattress embrace him. Grasping tightly onto the cotton covers, he brought them up to his face as he sobbed. These weren't only tears of sorrow from being compared and scolded all day; they were tears of frustration. No matter what he did, everything was wrong.

A gentle knock on the door broke Jonathan from his self-deprecating thoughts. Already knowing who was at the door, he let out a muffled shout through the sheets he had burrowed himself in, telling her to come in.

Creaking the door open, Emilia slipped through with Danny, who had loyally followed when he sensed something was wrong. Silently, she sunk onto the bed beside him, rubbing his back comfortingly. "That wasn't fair," Emilia muttered softly.

To Jonathan, at that moment, Emilia was the only one who understood him and cared. Clinging onto her, the boy let her warm embrace comfort him as he cried. Danny, who wanted to join in on the scene, curled up beside Jonathan as well.