✓ Chaos Theory | Diego Hargreeves [1]

【CHAPTER THIRTY】

—chapter thirty.

 ❛ breaking news: ellis verbeck is not a love expert. ❜  

ELODIE WAS NORMALLY QUITE GOOD about controlling her weariness levels. As a person who survived off maybe four hours a night (if she was lucky) of sleep, she had grown accustomed to easy smiles and low-budget conversations she didn't have to invest mental strength into. Things like the weather, how amazingly Ellis was doing in school, what kind of sale there was on frozen pizza last night -- easy, boring talk.

But apparently that morning had it out for her. Instead of a peaceful drive to school, she was given an emotional slap in the face by one fair-faced, barely smiling, way-too-smart-for-his-own-good little brother, the one and only Ellis Verbeck.

"I still think you should give him a fair chance."

Elodie rolled her eyes. They had been going back and forth for about ten minutes at that point, ever since she had put the car into drive -- and her patience was running thin. "Keep this behaviour up and I'm gonna have to believe the idiot himself is putting you up to this."

"You can't deflect everything I say with a bad joke."

"Wasn't joking, and I absolutely can. Been doing that all my life, I'm not stopping now 'cause you demand me to."

Ellis tore his gaze from the passing cars around them to stare at her. "You should take this a little more seriously. I'm only trying to help you here."

"And I appreciate that you think you need to help me, but really," she paused to steer her way around a sharp right turn, one she only barely scraped through. Elodie rubbed at her temple with a free hand, mumbling heavy curses at the morning traffic. "Really, I'm content, kid. Happy as all can be."

He scoffed softly. "I know for a fact that that cannot be true. Love is one of the most important things for human beings to have."

"Yeah, and why do you think I keep you around? 'Cause I'm telling you now, it's not for the unsolicited advice you keep throwing at me at way too early in the morning."

The boy did not slow at her teasing jeers. But, then again, he rarely did. Ellis was not often a confident being, but when he believed he was right on something, a different side came out. And at that moment...Elodie did not completely adore that version.

"Romantic love. That fulfillment of equal partnership, having a forever confidante, friend and lover--"

"--stop," Elodie gagged, "before you make me sick."