In Between Two Hearts - CL and AL

Mood Swings

Elise POV

"What? U-um A-arthur what-t d-do you mean?" I stutter.

This completely caught me off guard.

"Sleep beside me, in my bed, tonight" He clarifies.

Oh god. Of course. I have such a dirty mind. I think Charles is somehow getting to me because Arthur does not like me like that.

"Aren't we 'too old' for this?" I laugh because that's what he had told me before.

"No. We're not. I don't know why I said that. "

I actually like it more this way. Friends sleeping in the same bed isn't weird. It's normal. But I get that it could be uncomfortable for his girlfriend.

"What does Amelie think of this?" I ask him.

"Don't worry about her. We broke up." He admits.

"What? Oh, that's what you were sad about? It was that obvious? Everyone sees it? How did you want me to figure it out? You weren't telling me anything." I say.

He doesn't reply. Instead, he starts walking towards the door.

"Hey don't think about leaving buddy." I threaten him. "You have to give me more details. So do it. Now." I demand.

He shrugs his shoulders and goes to sit back down on his bed.

Arthur POV

"What were you doing with Charles on the beach?" I interrogate her.

She seems confused and surprised that I know about this.

"Nothing, why?" Elise replies, almost stuttering.

"What I saw wasn't nothing Elise! Tell me." I raise my voice because my anger is finally getting to me.

"You get to ask me whatever you want and I don't?" She questions.

She does have a point. However, I have a good reason for not telling her about my feelings. She has no reason to hide anything from me.

"You know what? Don't answer me. I saw what I saw. What did you guys do? Kiss? Make out? Confess your love for each other?"

I struggle to get the last words out of my mouth because it physically pains me to even think about this.

"No! No, we didn't. He has a girlfriend Arthur! Nothing happened. Nothing! He's my friend the same way you're my friend too."

Keyword: friend. That's all she'll ever want. It hurts. I don't want to be near her because every time I am, I experience pain knowing nothing will ever happen. I also can't be away from her because then, I miss her. I've never felt this way about anyone and I hate it.

"Is it only because he has a girlfriend? He has always had your heart, Elise. I've been waiting for the day you leave me for him. I guess it's close isn't it?" I pause thinking about what I'm gonna say. "I'm tired of being second. Charles is older. Charles is better looking. Charles is a better driver. He has more money. He has everything I'd want in life...except one thing: you. Whenever I felt jealous of him, I'd think about how he doesn't have what we have; the best friendship one could ever imagine. Now he'll have everything right?"

I feel some tears coming and I don't want her to see how weak I am. Before she has the chance to say anything, I storm off.

Charles POV

I watch as Arthur heads to the front door and slams it pretty hard. Geez what is up with him? I was gonna ask if he wanted to go to the club tonight but I guess he isn't in the mood. There's this amazing club in Monaco where only specific people get invited. I don't want to show off or anything but if I ever want to go to the club, all I have to do is ask my friend Paolo to put me on the list.

I decide to head to Arthur's room and find Elise sitting on the bed contemplating life.

"Hey." I sit beside her.

"Hi," Elise replies looking sad.

"What's up?" I ask.

"I don't know. I can't figure Arthur out recently. He's either in a really good mood or a really bad one. No in-between." She shrugs.

Arthur is the mood swing king. I don't know why Elise doesn't know this.

"Who cares? Come to the club with me. That's gonna keep your mind off things."

"I don't think I'm in the mood Charles."

"Please do it for me. I'll be the designated driver."

She continues to think about it.

"Elise come on! Arthur will get over it and he'll have forgotten all about it tomorrow. For now, you get dressed and we'll eat the supper my mom made, and then we leave. Sounds good?"

"Ok." Elise doesn't seem convinced about her answer.

I exit the room and find my mom cooking in the kitchen.

"Oh, Charles can you help me cut the cucumbers?" She says.

"Sure." I grab the knife and start cutting up what she asked me to.

After a few minutes, Elise walks in wearing a sweater and jeans.

"Seriously?" I say, judging her outfit.

"What? I'm not feeling very 'cluby' tonight." Elise looks down at her outfit and giggles.

"No. Go change," I demand mercilessly.

My mom just laughs along as Elise returns to my brother's room.

"Don't be so harsh on her Charles. You know she's always had a crush on you. And I always thought you guys would be endgame" My mom tells me.

"Relax Mom. She'll be okay." I ignore her last comment.

Finally, Elise comes in with the most slutty dress I've ever seen. It hugs her curves and has all the right cutouts for her body type. She's laughing, clearly finding my reaction amusing.

"Elise be serious," I say.

"You said dress more slutty." She replies.

"I never said that."

"You implied it. And for your information, I found this dress in your room. It's probably Alexandra's? Doesn't it ring a bell?" She says with a smirky attitude.

The memory of Alexandra wearing this dress comes back to me. However, it didn't look that way on her as it does on Elise. Or maybe I just didn't feel the same thing looking at Alexandra in that dress.

"Alexandra is free to wear whatever she likes. You aren't." I declare.

"Stop being protective Charles. I'm not your little sister." She defends herself.

"No, you aren't. That's not what I meant."

I don't know what else to say for her not to think of me as a protective older brother. I just feel this need to protect her for some reason and I can't explain it.

She doesn't say anything so I continue.

"Just, go change, please. Wear something that you'd wear normally. Don't forget, we are in Monaco, not Montreal, so stop with the sweaters."