You or the rest of the world

You or the rest of the world (Original title: Rules of Attraction , 2010) is a novel by the US author Simone Elkeles .

The main characters

The main characters in the novel are Kiara Westford and Carlos Fuentes.

Kiara is in the final grade of Flatiron High School in Boulder . She's a little shy and stutters when excited. It is often used as a target for mockery by classmates. Regardless, she is extremely smart, cannot be fooled and loves challenges. She rarely complains and is always ready to take on tasks. She pays little attention to her appearance. She enjoys being in nature and loves tinkering with cars, especially her own, a vintage car.

Carlos had joined a gang , the Guerreros del bario, in Mexico after losing his poorly paid job . Now he is sent by his family against his will to his brother Alex in Colorado to attend school and graduate from high school. However, Carlos only wants to live by his own rules and does not want to recognize any authorities. He certainly doesn't want to graduate from school. Still, he cannot avoid studying at Flatiron High School in the same year as Kiara.

The plot

At Alex's suggestion, Kiara becomes Carlos' supervisor at the school. Carlos doesn't like it at all. He tries to pull them away by acting harsh, dismissive, and insulting.

Carlos meets Nick, a little drug dealer , at a party organized by Madison . Madison tries to seduce Carlos on her parents' marriage bed. However, she is so used to drugs that the matter does not end because she keeps vomiting.

Shortly thereafter, during a drug raid, the police found a significant amount of drugs in Carlos' school locker, which Nick had put on him on the instructions of Wes Devlin, a notorious drug wholesaler. At this point, however, Carlos does not yet know who set him up.

In the meantime it has become important for Carlos to be able to stay at school. By order of the judge, he is therefore placed under the temporary guardianship of Professor Westford, psychologist and Kiara's father, and has to live with the Westfords. At the same time, he will have to take part in a special afternoon program for rehabilitation of young people at risk. Carlos grudgingly submits to the strict rules that apply in this program.

Carlos lets Kiara know that she is not his type. Carlos doesn't want a steady relationship either. Still, Kiara and Carlos get closer when Kiara takes Carlos to her mountain refuge.

So that Madison will leave him alone in the future, Carlos moves Kiara to a "deal". Kiara may pretend that she and Carlos are together. Carlos Kiara promises to take her to the school's homecoming ball . Secretly, however, Kiara hopes that it will not just be a fake friendship. She has since fallen in love with Carlos.

After a family TV evening, they both lose each other. Kiara wants to sleep with Carlos. Before that happens, shots are fired. Carlos frantically tries to protect Kiara before realizing that the shots came from the television set. Carlos now remembers that he doesn't want a long-term relationship. He quickly withdraws ...

After Carlos finds out that Devlin is responsible for the drugs in his locker, he contacts him to find out what's behind them. Weslin forces him to a face-to-face meeting at which he tells him that he will work for him as a street dealer in the future. Carlos freaks out when Devlin threatens his family, but doesn't stand a chance in the ensuing brawl against Devlin's bodyguards.

Badly battered, he first meets Kiara at the Westfords' return home, who is appalled by his condition. Carlos remains silent about the circumstances that led to it. With the help of a doctor friend of Kiara's father, Carlos gets back on his feet enough for the homecoming ball to be able to visit it with Kiara. When he sees Kiara ready for the ball, it takes his breath away ...

The night of the ball finally makes it clear to Carlos that he also loves Kiara. He tells her this when saying goodbye.

Carlos now hopes for a future together with Kiara, but does not know how he can free himself from Devlin. In his need he confides in Kiara's father, who, it turns out, has good contacts with the DEA . Weslin is only too well known there. An operation begins that ends with the death of Weslin and a gunshot wound to Carlos.

literature

Simone Elkeles, You or the rest of the world, cbt, ISBN 978-3-570-30771-7