heartbreak girl // l.h.

01 // reading & admiring

"I married him because I thought he was a gentleman," she said finally. "I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe"

As she read this aloud she couldn't help but shudder. "Isn't that a bit harsh?" she questions the blue eyed boy sitting across the table from her in the quiet university library. He looks up from the book they were both currently infatuated with.

"What's harsh?"

"That last statement. What Myrtle tells Nick about her husband" she tells him. They were currently reading one of her favorite books The Great Gatsby, and though she'd read it several times before, she had just now caught the real meaning behind that sentence. "The implications of that statement are incredibly hypocritical"

He gave her a puzzled look, "And why do you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she questions him. When he only responds with the same puzzled expression, she decides to elaborate. "She's implying that she is above her husband. Whether she means socially or in regards to sophistication, she is still a hypocrite. Presuming that she is better than him indeed makes him a better human being in general than she ever could be."

His puzzled expression is gradually replaced with a soft smirk. "You never cease to amaze me, Elise."

"Shut up, Lucas. Anyone could have figured that out," she sighs, rolling her green eyes.

He laughs, "Well I sure didn't, but I guess that's why I don't have grades like yours." He has a point, although his GPA is barely less than hers. Only because he is terrible at math.

"You're just as smart as me and you know it, Hemmings," she hisses at him playfully. He rolls his eyes, something they seem to do a lot of towards each other, despite the fact that they are best friends. But she supposes that is part of what has made their relationship last so long.

"Either way, that was a very good interpretation," he says with a grin. "I might use that in the paper we have to turn in next week."

"Go for it" she says as if his statement hadn't fazed her. Though internally she was slapping him across the face. He knows she hates it when people copy her school work, but she knows Luke is joking; he would never do something like that to her. She glances up from the book in front of her momentarily to see his grin has turned into a disappointed frown.

"I was expecting a better reaction," he grumbles. Though she'd never give him the satisfaction of a reaction out of her. She just continues reading the book she's grown to love as he does the same.

She stares blankly at the pages in front of her and lets out a huff, "Doesn't it just really bother you?" He rolls his eyes at her.

"Are you still on the topic of Myrtle and her husband?" he questions with amusement in his voice.

"Of course"

"I know what you mean though. I can't stand people like Myrtle," he spits. To say she's shocked by his reaction would be an understatement.

She tilts her head a bit, "What do you mean "people like Myrtle"?"

He sighs, "People who think they're better than others. Especially if they're just deceitful; taking advantage of someone else because they're too innocent to know otherwise. Just like Myrtle with George. She's taking advantage of his innocence. For all he knows she's still the same woman he married years before, but she's actually a completely different person. She's been cheating on him for who knows how long," he rants and her mouth hangs open. Throughout his little speech she could see the flame in his eyes. This subject hurt him.

She reaches her hand across the table and puts it on his to calm him down, "Luke, is there something you want to talk about?"

He shakes his head awkwardly, "What? No. Why would you ask that?"

"Because this seemed like a very personal exper-"

"No, El. It's not personal, just a friend..." he trails off. She nods her head slightly and removes her hand from atop his.

"I understand if you don't want to talk about it. Since it's not you, but your friend, it isn't any of my business" she gives him a small smile and continues reading the book in front of her. That's something Luke admired about Elise. She was very curious, but she was never nosy. She knew when to draw the line of questioning.

Luke realized something that day in the library. His best friend was amazing. He admired a lot about her.

a/n: so the layout for this story is going to start with a quote from The Great Gatsby (which is a freaking amazing book btw) that relates to the chapter in some way. sorry if you haven't read Gatsby ): but don't worry, there won't be spoilers! I hope you like this story so far ((-: