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''Rules of Attraction'' is a 2010 young adult novel written by Simone Elkeles as the second installment of the ''Perfect Chemistry'' series. It spent three weeks on the New York Times Children's Best Seller List in 2010. == Synopsis == The novel, ''Rules of Attraction'' is about Carlos Fuentes falling in love with Kiara Westford and the obstacles they face when trying to be together. He moves from Mexico to Boulder, Colorado to live with his brother Alex. After he moved to Colorado he enrolls in Flatiron High School where he meets his peer guide Kiara Westford. Someone sets him up to be busted for possession of narcotics. He goes to a REACH program for troubled kids and lives with Alex’s old college professor, Professor Westford, whose daughter is Kiara. He gets a set of rules from Professor Westford. “First off, no drugs or alcohol. As you already know, marijuana isn’t hard to find in this city, but you have to stay clean per court order. Second, no profanity. I have a six-year-old who is very impressionable, and I don’t need him hearing cuss words. Third, curfew on weekdays is midnight, on weekends it’s two. Fourth, you’re expected to clean up after yourself and help around the house when asked, just like our own children. Fifth, there’s no TV unless you’re done with homework. Sixth, if you bring a girl up to your room you must keep the door open . . . for obvious reasons.” 〔Elkeles, p. 80〕 Carlos tries to prank Kiara by acting like he’s about to kiss her. They start to have feelings for each other. The two of them end up almost having sex, but Carlos stops it because he doesn’t want to hurt her: “I have to get it out before I’m in too deep,” he says.〔Elkeles, p. 209〕 Carlos figures out who set him up with the narcotics bust: Wes Devlin. Carlos tries to fight Devlin’s gang because they threatened his mother and brother Luis back in Mexico but gets injured badly. “I struggle against them, but each punch to my stomach is taking its toll and hurts like hell. When a fist connects with my jaw once, then twice, then three times, I taste blood. I’ve become their damn punching bag,” he explains 〔Elkeles, p. 232〕 The character Carlos decides he wants out of Devlin’s gang because he doesn’t want his gang connections to involve the Westford’s and end up getting hurt because of him. After his decision he enlists the help of Professor Westford and his brother Alex. Professor Westford has one condition: “He will have to enter the military or go to college”.〔Elkeles, p. 309〕 He ends up getting shot in the thigh while protecting Professor Westford. He decides to enlist in the military and make himself a better man for Kiara (“I’m goin’ to enlist. I want to make sure Kiara’s got a boyfriend who has more to offer than a hot bod and a face that could make angels weep”).〔Elkeles, p. 316〕 The novel ends with Carlos and Kiara married for twenty years and have three daughters. Professor Westford ends up asking Carlos to take in a troubled teenager. In which he gives him a set of rules. “Uno, no drugs or alcohol. Dos, no profanity. I have three daughters and a wife, so keep it clean. Tres, curfew on weekdays is ten thirty; on weekends it’s midnight. Cuatro, you’re expected to clean up after yourself and help around the house when asked, just like our own children. Cinco, there’s no TV unless you’re done with homework. Seis . . .” He couldn’t remember what his father-in-law’s sixth rule was, but it didn’t matter. Carlos had his own rule he wanted to make sure was stated loud and clear.“Dating Cecilia is out of the question, so don’t even think about it. Any questions?” 〔Elkeles, p. 324〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rules of Attraction (Elkeles novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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