Cardigan

Chapter Twelve

Elle POV

"Ring me when you're done," Charles says, leaning over and kissing me before I get out of the car he dropped me off up the street.

I was nervous. I didn't know how Arthur would react.

"You're here," I frown, looking up at the brunette standing in front of my door.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, taking my key out.

"I came for emotional support," I smile.

"Things could get messy," she shakes, her head pulling out headphones and a magazine from her bag.

"I came prepared. I'll wait in your room for you to be done, and then if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'll be right there,"

"Thanks, Ki." I open the door, stepping inside, and she rushes off to my bedroom.

"Art?"

"You're earlier than I expected," he says, walking out of his sim room.

"I needed to talk to you about something,"

"Is it about the tour?" I shake my head.

"No," I take a deep breath. "It's about my mystery guy," he smiles, walking over to the kitchen.

"Finally, you're going to tell me about him,"

"I don't want you to be angry, but I know that you're going to have some kind of reaction about this,"

"Why would I be angry? It's not like you're dating my brother," he jokes, then looks up at me. "You're not right?"

"I am," I gulp his eyebrows cross as he stares at me.

"You almost got me there," he laughs off.

"Arthur, I'm not joking," I say "me and Charles are together,"

"You and Charles?" I nod. "You and Charles are together?"

"Yes," he laughs.

"No,"

"Arthur," I walk towards him as he shakes his head.

"No," he repeats. "You can't date him,"

"Arthur,"

"No, Elle, you can't be with him, not my brother,"

"I care about him, Arthur,"

"More than me?"

"I care about you too," he looks up, shaking his head. "I know the rules we made, but we were just kids then,"

"You don't get it, do you?" He asks."Charles gets everything he wants everything that I want," he says. "I wanted a bike for Christmas, Charles got one, I wanted to learn to play Piano, so did Charles, I wanted a seat in F1 Charles got one not me, I wanted a pista Charles got one first he got everything first he was the better brother he was better in everything I only ever wanted to be as goof as him. But the one thing I had and he didn't was you, and that was one thing he could never take from me,"

"He hasn't taken me from you, Art,"

"But he has Eleanor," I gasp he never calls me that he knows how much I hated that name, "he has you now your his your together your the one thing that I could call my own the one person I didn't have to prove myself to,"

"You still don't. I don't need you to prove yourself. You mean so much more to me,"

"Then break this off," I shake my head.

"I can't,"

"You can't?" I shake my head again "I love Charles he was my fucking idol growing up but I can't share you I've had to share everything my whole life I've had to live in his shadows my whole life until I'm with you," a tear falls from my eye "you can't have both,"

"You can't make me choice between you and him,"

"I'm your best friend,"

"And he's my boyfriend," he scoffs.

"I'm making you choose me or him,' I couldn't choose. I just stood there in silence.

"I guess you made your choice," he says, looking down. "Maybe it's best if you move in with him,"

"Art," he shakes his head.

"You don't get to call me that, I want you out," he walked past me without taking a second look I knew he wouldn't take it well but I never thought he'd take it this bad.

I walk into my bedroom. Kika looks up at me, dropping her magazine and removing her headphones.

"Elle?" I sit down next to her my back resting against the headboard I could feel her eyes on me and I couldn't hold it together anymore I broke down "oh Elle," she wrapped her arms around me pulling me into a hug her hand combing through my hair as I cried in her arms for what felt like hours neither of us speaking.

~~~~~~~~

"He wants me out," I get out my throat dry.

"What?"

"He said that he wants me out it's best if I go live with Charles he wanted me to choose between them,"

"He kicked you out?"

"I guess,"

"I didn't think he'd take it like this," she tightens her grip. "Shall I ring Charles?" I shake my head.

"Can you help me pack a few bags? I don't need anything apart from my clothes," she nods.

"Of course," she looked at me with sad eyes as we got up. I passed her a suitcase and she helped me pack my things.

"Let's hope he comes to realisation in a couple of weeks,"

"He looked at me as if he didn't know me anymore Ki I've never argued with him like this before," she rests her hand on mine.

"I'm here," I nod.

"Thank you," we grabbed my bags and walked to the front door, my eyes locking with Arthur's. I was hoping he'd speak, but he didn't he just gave me the dirtiest look then turned away.