Hey all!
Below is a love potion idea that I'm pretty sure would not work (so don't try it, whatever you do), but it makes sense in theory :P, so it's more made-up facts, but this time about love potions :)
Oh, by the way, this is the official second-last chapter of this particular sequel, but there is a third already planned. I'm rather certain it will be shorter, though. Maybe only 18 chapters… dunno.
Enjoy!
Two days later, Jeanette had locked herself in her room and was standing over her new chemistry set she'd ordered specially for the occasion. After giving her plan a quick run-through, Jeanette got out the paper with the love potion's instructions. She was careful not to read the wrong page, otherwise she'd end up with some sort of gender-changing potion (which she wasn't entirely sure looked reliable – the process and ingredients didn't make sense!).
She crouched down on the floor and set the page next to the set, then turned to rummage underneath her bed for the ingredients she'd collected over the week. She was lucky enough to get exactly what was on the list from the money she made as a part-time worker at the library. Now it was a matter of the process.
After lunch at the Seville's, Jeanette had marked four spots with red chalk: one on the far side of the Seville household, one on the far side of her house, and the other two centered behind and in front of both houses: creating a kind of oval around them. This, of course, was the range of which the potion may reach, so that when a name was stated, it would be a name within the boundaries, and not a random person from another country.
The other things were simple enough and weren't anything abnormal: it was all about the chemistry, physics and biology working together.
Chocolate was, for example, one of the ingredients; which made sense to Jeanette. Chocolate has a certain substance within it that causes pleasure; so for a love potion, that seemed right. There was a low-affective drug which causes addiction; and a stimulant that made the recipient angry; along with other things like pepper or sugar that, combined, would seriously toy with someone's functioning, and eventually the love potion would be in effect.
Jeanette smiled at how well her plan was working and she took a beaker to fill it with water in the bathroom.
Eleanor saw Jeanette walk briskly into the bathroom and frowned at the suspicious behavior. The tallest sister then hurried back into her room, and Eleanor tentatively approached the room.
She saw the door was a little bit open and she listened curiously.
'Oh…' Jeanette was mumbling, 'boiled water…'
Eleanor shook her head as she tried to think what was going on. She opened the door slightly before finally stepping in and announcing herself.
'What are you doing?' She demanded.
Jeanette looked up quickly, startled. 'O-oh, Eleanor – uhm – nothing, really –' she stumbled over her words, but Eleanor was scoping her sister's room.
'Nothing?' Eleanor leant down and picked up the torn page. Jeanette almost attempted to snatch it from her, but knew that that would only lead to a bigger argument. Either way, Eleanor was going to find out.
'It's only an experiment.' Jeanette said softly.
Eleanor recoiled at the paper in her hands. 'Jeanette, a love potion?' She gathered. Then her eyes went wide. 'Oh, gosh, you're not planning on giving it to Simon, are you?' She groaned and gazed at Jeanette desperately. 'We talked about that! He's not in love with you, and it's so wrong to force it!'
'You don't understand, Ellie,' Jeanette replied calmly. 'Simon has been giving Alvin love potions so that Alvin will love him back, and I intend to undo what Simon's done.' She finished.
Eleanor looked at Jeanette in exasperation. 'Will you listen to yourself?!' She exclaimed. 'I can not believe you of all people are meddling in other people's business!' Eleanor chided. 'Alvin is not on a love potion, Jeanette, why would you think that? Let them deal with it themselves, even if they are!'
Jeanette shook her head. 'You just don't understand.' She insisted.
Eleanor groaned again and she dropped the paper beside Jeanette. 'I just hope you'll do the right thing, Jeanette.' She said. 'Please, don't just do this because you're jealous.'
And she left, promising to herself that she would tell Alvin or Simon when she saw them next.
""""
Cruise unlocked the front door to his house regretfully. He'd just been back from the Seville's, where he simply hung out with the eldest two – he was starting to get used to Alvin, as well, now – and he was dreading having to come home to his "family", who was still treating him strangely indifferent. More so than usual.
He walked over to the stairs and briefly greeted his mother-figure, Hailey.
'Trying to watch T.V, Cruise – go to your room.' She replied.
Cruise rolled his eyes and continued up.
He saw his ten-year-old half-sister, Thalia, in the spare "hobby" room, playing with one of her dolls. She looked up at him and giggled before she continued. Cruise frowned at the behavior, and continued.
'So, it's true.'
Cruise entered his room to find Chris sitting on his bed, a scrapbook open on his lap and a juice box in his hand.
'What are you doing with that?' Cruise demanded.
Chris shrugged. 'Dunno.' He said. 'I was bored, your room's empty, and this kind of just appeared in my hands.' He smiled. 'A very interesting picture book, I must say.' He looked down at it again. 'Your life must be so depressing…'
Cruise glared at Chris and approached him. 'Hand that back.' He warned.
Chris held up a finger. 'I'm almost finished.' He insisted. 'This is like a diary, right? Just with pictures.' He pointed to one. '"First sleepover in my life" –' he quoted. 'Now that's just pathetic.' He gave a sad look to Cruise who just glared.
'Chris, that's not yours.' He told him. 'You have to give it back.'
'I will, I will,' Chris insisted. 'When I'm finished.' He squinted. 'Oh, wow: "Found out Simon's gay".' Chris chuckled. 'Who's that?' When Cruise didn't reply, Chris continued. 'You have a girlfriend?' He mused. 'Wow, that's something.' He laughed. 'The nerd with the glasses, I guess.'
'She's not a nerd, and no,' Cruise stated. 'It's none of your business, now give the book back.'
'I bet it's a guy, but you didn't want to put in "boyfriend".' Chris said lightly. 'Because we all know you're gay.'
Cruise frowned. 'I'm not gay.' He stated.
Chris smirked, scanning the pictures. 'That's not what Mom thinks.' He remarked in a slight sing-song voice.
Cruise narrowed his eyes. 'You told her I was gay?' He gathered. 'Chris…' he shook his head, 'you know how she feels about homosexuals – how could you -?'
'Oh, please,' Chris chided, standing and letting the scrapbook fall to the floor. 'Are you really surprised that I'd do something like this? We aren't exactly "best buddies".' He raised a brow. 'As far as I know, this makes us even.'
'Even?' Cruise demanded. 'How is this even? What are you even getting even for?'
'You ruining my life!' Chris shot back. He smiled and shook his head. 'Don't you get that we were doing fine until you showed up? In fact, you show up and Dad dies.'
A jolt struck Cruise's heart at that sentence. Chris had accused him of the reason Arthur died before, but it was as horrid as ever any time he said it. 'He died in a car crash.' Cruise stated in a controlled voice. 'And he wasn't your real Dad.'
Chris shook his head. 'Take this up with Mom, Cruise.' He instructed. 'Oh –' he added, 'But I wouldn't try to talk to her if I was you.' He laughed bitterly. 'Imagine: she not only has to deal with a reckless homeless kid, but a gay one!' He laughed once more before he left the room.
Cruise watched him leave. He realized his fists were clenched and he released them, sighing. He couldn't do anything about it but wait. But he knew something was coming. There was no way Hailey was just going to leave the matter alone. All Cruise could do was wait and hope that some miracle would prevent it from happening.
He stooped down and picked up the fallen book, placing it back on his bed and opening it to the last page. He pulled out his latest photo from his pocket: he and Brittany. He smiled at it and touched her face.
Gosh, she's pretty… he thought slowly. He wondered if it was normal to feel this elated just by seeing someone's picture; but he knew that seeing her would always be the calm in the storm. Somehow, she just made it… better.
He fit the picture into a slot and smoothed it out gently. Beneath it he wrote: 'Brittany Miller – that type of girl who's out of your league but still gives you a real shot.' He smiled and closed the book, placing it underneath his pillow for safe keeping before he lay on his bed and studied his camera.
I should just start collecting photos of all of them… he thought sadly, before Hailey sends me to an orphanage or something…
""""
'Okay,' Alvin began, pacing slightly in front of Simon, who he'd made sit on his bed. 'I just needed to bring this up: Dave.'
Simon's eyes shifted confusedly. 'What about him?' He asked.
Alvin stopped pacing and looked at Simon. 'Well, you said that "after we mate" we should seriously think about telling Dave what's going on.' He explained. 'Well, I was just thinking that we should kinda start to… ya know… think about it.'
Simon nodded. 'Okay, fair enough…' he agreed. He stood as well, paced and put on a thoughtful look. 'How are we going to approach this...? I mean, we can't just tell him straight up… we'd never do something like that…'
Alvin narrowed his eyes and smiled. 'Are you mocking me?'
Simon smirked. 'Well, think about it: he would expect you to just spit out something important that you don't want him to get mad about.' He reasoned.
'Think about it: he gets mad at me anyway!' Alvin retorted. 'I can't just lay it out like it's nothing…'
Simon tilted his head in reasoning. 'Touché…' he shrugged. 'Well, our safest bet is to act like we know exactly what we're doing, and act as though it's something completely serious, and we're not just doing it because of spring…' he noticed Alvin's reluctant look and smiled at him fondly. 'We can't just "go with it", if that's what you're hoping I'd say.'
'I know, I know…' Alvin said, 'but it would be easier.' He smiled innocently, but he knew there was no stopping Simon once he decided on a plan. 'So… we're just going to bring it up?' Alvin mused.
'Smoothly, yes,' Simon agreed. 'I don't see how else we could soften something like this.'
Alvin shrugged. 'I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.' He remarked. 'Because Dave might be in a super happy mood or a really angry mood; so predictions are hard to make.'
Simon smiled and pulled Alvin close. 'As long as we get to be together afterwards, I don't mind what Dave says.' He trapped Alvin's lips in a soft kiss. The eldest sighed in content, with every affection he kissed back and held his brother.
'S-Simon?' Theodore's timid voice called.
The twins parted with a guilty blush and they moved away from each other. 'Sorry, Theo,' They apologized, smiling sheepishly.
'O-oh,' Theodore said, 'I… just… uh – this came in the mail, for you, Simon.' He handed over an A4 envelope. Simon gave it a small frown in confusion. 'I'll leave you guys alone –'
'No, no,' Simon looked up. 'That's okay, Theo.' He insisted with a kind smile. He sat down in the middle of his blue-clad bed and started to wedge open the envelope.
'What is it?' Alvin asked excitedly. 'Did we win something?' He and Theodore positioned themselves so that they could see the paper.
Simon shook his head and chuckled. 'No, it's just an invitation to a science camp.' He explained.
'Are you going to go?' Theodore asked.
Simon sighed as he scanned the paper. 'I don't know… it's five weeks…'
'Okay – no.' Alvin answered for him. 'That is way too long for any normal person to be at a science camp.' He folded his arms. 'Besides, it'll cut into school.'
'By one week, Alvin.' Simon pointed out.
'Still.'
'You just can't stand the thought of me gone, can you?' Simon mused, smirking. Alvin blushed and pouted.
'Well, do you want to go?' Theodore asked curiously.
Simon turned to him thoughtfully. 'I don't know.' He stood. 'I'll talk to Dave about it, first.' He smiled, pecked Alvin on the lips and left for downstairs.
""""
Cruise stood in utter shock, facing his mother-figure as she pointed to the front door.
'W-what?' He stammered, terrified if he'd heard correctly.
'Get. Out.' Hailey repeated, lowering her arm. 'I don't want to see you in this house again. Get your things and get out of my house.' She folded her arms and waited, keeping her cool.
Cruise's mouth was open in protest, but he couldn't muster any words to question or object to the demand. Never had Hailey been so serious about disowning him.
It had been a perfectly fine dinner, until Chris brought up the lie that Cruise was gay, and that he'd found out one of Cruise's friends was gay, too, and they probably met in secret all the time – Hailey had lost it. She'd been yelling at him for fifteen minutes before she stopped and told him to leave.
Now Cruise made his way upstairs, his legs like led and his breathing forcedly controlled.
With shaking hands he packed his scrapbook into his cardboard box full of keepsakes from Arthur Williams, made sure everything was there and that he had nothing that belonged to Hailey or her children. He dropped the box heavily on his bed – or his old bed – and had to pause for a moment, collecting the facts and coming to grips with his situation. He couldn't believe that he didn't have a home anymore. Sure, they were always horrid to him, but Hailey had at least given him the basic things a child needed.
Cruise wasn't at all sure he could fend for himself out there alone.
He couldn't help but lower himself on his bed, his face in his hands as he shook and tried to stifle his tears away.
He told himself to stay strong, and that breaking down like this wouldn't do if he was left alone out there. He needed to get away from here.
Cruise pulled himself together and carefully picked up his box. He shook his head as he began carrying it awkwardly, and he went back. He pulled out a plastic bag from beside his bin and he took it over to his possessions, carefully placing each item into the opaque bag. He exhaled a shaky breath when he was done and he stood, finally willing himself to just do it.
As he descended the stairs, he noticed Thalia looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but he was determined not to even give eye contact to any of this family.
He turned back when he reached the front door, but he was scanning the place he'd called home for one last time before he shook his head and pushed the door open, slamming it closed behind him.
'Good riddance!' He heard Chris yell with a delighted tone in his voice that made Cruise glare at the pavement in front of him. When he reached the street he had to take in a calming breath.
In anger, he was tempted to ruin something of his old house: the fence, maybe, or he could knock over the letterbox – but he knew that doing that would resolve nothing. He just needed to push on.
The night seemed colder than others, Cruise kept a tight grip on his plastic bag and he scanned the street.
Where can I go..? He thought suddenly. There was no way he would allow himself to so easily be hopeless without Hailey or her family, so he didn't want to sleep in a park or on the curb like some homeless person.
Even though that's what he was, now.
Homeless… it was like the word suddenly had a deeper meaning. He looked down, ashamed of his tears and wiping them away with the back of his sleeve.
When he looked up again, he seemed to be almost literally greeted by the warm, golden glow coming from across the street. It felt as though it was calling to him, and Cruise suddenly remembered his friends.
He smiled in relief. If he could have one night, just to gather what he was going to do, he would be fine. And so he began his short journey across the street.
"""
Simon was just about to follow Dave upstairs when the doorbell rang. He looked up at where Dave disappeared. 'I'll get it,' he called, making his way over to the door and proceeding to open it. What stood before him confused him. 'Cruise?' He checked, as though he was delusional. He looked his friend up and down in puzzlement.
'Simon, Dave's nagging us to get to bed –' Alvin stopped short on seeing Cruise standing at the doorway. He curiously made his way over to stand beside Simon. 'What's going on?' He asked, scanning Cruise.
Cruise blew out a breath and looked down. 'I – I had nowhere else to go…' he began, 'Hailey kicked me out.' He looked back up at the twins guiltily. 'Could I stay here the night?'
Poor Cruise… I was arguing with myself whether or not to put this in, but hey, it works.
Sorry for the wait, but since this is the second-last chapter, I had to make sure it was good. I think that's why I'm always so slow to update at the end of a story – I want everything to be right.
Thanks for supportiveness and I hope to update soon!