Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

"A manipulator?” Ethan lets out a chuckle. “Is that truly what you think my girlfriend is?"

Karl throws his hands up in exasperation. “Really, brother?” he snarls. “Are you that dense?” There's a moment of silence, and I feel caught in the middle. I can’t figure out who's truly at the root of this; me, or Gianna? Part of me wonders if none of this would have happened if I hadn't come tonight, and that hurts more than anything.

Then, Ethan's face darkens, and he shoots a warning glance at Karl. “Perhaps this dinner is over before it has even begun,” he mutters.

Karl's resolve remains unshaken. He turns to Gianna with a stern expression. “I want to have a close relationship with my brother, but not at the cost of enabling this,” he gestures towards Gianna, "deceit and manipulation.”

“I've deceived no one,” Gianna hisses. “My emails were tampered with, Karl. You were the one who wouldn't see reason.”

"Oh, is that what happened?” Karl asks with an angry laugh. “Because if I recall correctly, you were admitting to everything and professing your love to me not long ago. But I suppose you never bothered mentioning that to my sick brother, did you?”

Karl and Gianna glare at each other for what feels like an eternity, each of them seething more and more by the moment. Realizing that Ethan is going to do nothing to step in, I stand, taking Karl's arm.

“Come on, Karl,” I whisper, giving his arm a tug. “Let's just leave.”

Karl pulls his gaze away from Gianna, and his brown eyes are full of fury. But they soften ever so slightly when he looks at me, and he nods. “You're right,” he says as he pulls his wallet out of his pocket. “I think it's best if we do leave.”

That's when Ethan finally stands. “Karl, there's no need for all of this drama,” he says. “Please, stay.” But Karl simply shakes his head and withdraws a wad of cash from his wallet, throwing it down on the table.

“That's for the food and the wine,” he says, shoving his wallet back into his pocket with force. He then meets his brother's gaze, and it's then that I can feel his arm trembling with fury as he looks at him. “I'll be more than happy to speak with you again once you've learned to see reason, brother,” he says quietly. “But until that happens, then I guess this is goodbye.”

Ethan stares at Karl for a while, his jaw clenched tightly, his hands gripping the edge of the table. Meanwhile, Gianna continues to sit beside him. Her face is twisted into a pout, but I can see right through it. Her eyes meet mine, and there's a hint of mischief there.

She knows exactly what she’s doing; perhaps this was her plan all night. And, well, she’s done exactly what she set out to do.

“I suppose it is,” Ethan finally says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Goodbye, Karl. May the best man win this election.”

Karl nods, straightening the bottom of his blazer. “Indeed. Goodnight, Ethan. Gianna.”

Without another word, Karl turns to me and takes my hand. He pulls me away from the table, weaving through the other tables and patrons. With each passing moment, I feel as though the two of us have just crossed a new line that cannot be uncrossed.

And as we burst out of the restaurant and into the chilly night air, I cant help but wonder if Karl wouldn't have just had that falling out with his brother if I hadn't been here.