You or your whole life

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You or all of life (Original title: Perfect Chemistry , 2008) is a novel by the US author Simone Elkeles .

The main characters

The main characters in the novel are Brittany Ellis and Alejandro Fuentes.

Brittany is senior at Fairfield High School and lives with wealthy white parents and a mentally challenged older sister in a huge house in a wealthy neighborhood. She is very careful about a perfect appearance. Her parents expect Brittany to always do the best she can. Her mother in particular tries to control Brittany's every step. This annoys Brittany more and more. Brittany is very caring to her sister and tries to always be there for her. For this reason, Brittany wants to attend college near her sister's whereabouts even after graduating from high school.

Alejandro, called Alex, comes from a Mexican family and shares a room with his two younger brothers in a small house. Alejandro's father was murdered in front of Alex when he was six years old. Since then, the mother has been looking after the three children alone. With her approval and at the urging of Hector, the head of the street gang Latino Blood, Alex entered that gang. Alex hopes this will protect his family and prevent his two younger brothers from becoming gang members. Alex has a reputation for being a tough street fighter, gangster and drug dealer . He has given up hope for a future, knowing that gang members regularly die early and violent deaths. Alex is also in her senior year at Fairfield High School.

The plot

Alex and Brittany's paths cross for the first time at the beginning of the new school year in a conflict-ridden manner, when Brittany tries to park her chic new convertible in a supposedly free parking space in front of the school. Alex is actually already there with his motorcycle. Given Alex's reputation as a gangster, Brittany quickly leaves.

Later they both meet again in the chemistry class. There, two students each have to work on a project together during the school year. Brittany wants to do this with her boyfriend Colin. However, Mrs. Peterson, the chemistry teacher, forms the teams alphabetically by last name. So it happens that Brittany unexpectedly finds herself with Alex in a team of two and gets the construction of a chemical hand warmer. Working on the joint project makes it necessary to meet outside of school.

Alex is later teased by his gang mates that Brittany is not in his league and that he has no chance to date her, let alone get her to bed. Intrigued by Brittany's looks and to keep his position in the gang, Alex bets Lucky about his RX-7 that he will be able to sleep with Brittany by Thanksgiving . If Alex loses, Lucky gets his motorcycle, which Alex is very fond of.

As a result, Alex is so badly injured in a knife fight that he cannot go to school for a week. When he shows up in chemistry class, Mrs. Peterson starts teamwork in the school library. Alex and Brittany can only find a place in the far corner on the floor. They both stare at each other and find that time stands still. Alex asks Brittany what he should do to get her out with him. Brittany explains that she will not date him. When Alex looks at her intensely again, Brittany wonders briefly what it would be like to kiss him. Alex doesn't miss this ...

Brittany begins to think more and more about Alex. When she does not show up for an agreed work meeting, Alex drives to her home. Brittany's mother learns about Alex and that Brittany and Alex have to work together in chemistry class. She blames Brittany for not trying hard enough to get another partner.

At a beach party with friends, Colin tries to get Brittany to sleep with him again and again. When she refuses, he accuses her of preferring to sleep with Alex. Brittany, who has drunk a lot of alcohol, goes out alone to walk home along the booth. Colin doesn't care about her anymore. Brittany misses the right turn and runs into members of the Latino Blood, including Alex. Brittany is now so bad that she vomits several times and then falls asleep in Alex's arms. Alex takes care of her and makes sure that she comes home safe the next day.

A day later, Alex “kidnapped” Brittany to show her how to properly operate the gears in her car. To make her understand his behavior, he tells her how his dad was murdered in front of his eyes. Brittany is horrified. When Alex wants to know something about Brittany's life, she tells him about her disabled sister, something she usually tries to hide. Alex suddenly feels a mutual understanding.

Brittany's visit to Alex's home ends with an intense kiss between the two of them, where they are caught by Alex's mother.

Brittany now knows that she is no longer attracted to Colin and breaks up with him. Brittany and Alex are now dating, first hidden, then open.

When Alex is arrested for possessing a gun, he has to ask Hector to put bail on him so he can leave prison. He knows he owes Hector something and Hector won't hesitate to ask for a favor. This also happens immediately. Although Alex has promised Brittany not to deal drugs, he promises Hector to rent a car on Halloween and "trade goods for cash." Alex believes that this is the only way to protect his loved ones and demands Brittany to put up with it, since this is his future.

After a temporary breakup, Brittany and Paco, Alex's best friend, try to stop Alex from the drug deal. Brittany finds Alex at his workplace on Halloween and seduces him, while Paco takes advantage of Alex's absence and steals Alex's gun and a jacket from his room. Then he goes to the meeting point where the drug deal is supposed to take place. Hector, who is expecting Alex and does not recognize Paco, shoots him.

Alex has since made it clear to Brittany that their get-together doesn't change the fact that he has to go through with the drug deal for Hector. Brittany drives off when Alex's gang mate shows up. Alex makes his way home to get ready for the drug deal. His thoughts revolve around Brittany. He realizes how much she means to him and that he is in love with her. He makes the decision not to go through with the drug deal.

At home he meets his mother, from whom he learns that his father was murdered by Hector while trying to get out. He makes his mom promise to disappear with his two brothers to Mexico immediately if he doesn't come home that night.

He then informs the police of the impending drug deal and then goes to the agreed meeting point. There he first finds Paco, who is dying, before Hector shoots him several times despite the presence of the police, seriously injuring him. Hector is shot dead by the police.

Alex survives and is operated on. Brittany learns of the shooting and rushes to the hospital. When Alex wakes up, he explains to Brittany that he doesn't feel anything for her. Everything was just a bet. She should go away. Alex is so dismissive that Brittany obeys his request. Alex disappears from her life, but not from her thoughts and feelings ...

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