The Bet

He had the munchies. Bad.

The strong aroma of cafeteria pizza wafted into his nostrils as he weaved his way through the lazy onlookers who took too long to contemplate what they wanted to eat.

"Hey! Watch it!" A voice cracked as he pushed by a smaller girl. He stopped to examine his latest victim, as he called them. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they came across him, but he did, and he smiled.

"I'm sorry, baby, did I hit you?"

The girl's cheeks lit up at the pet name and she slowly smiled.

"No, no, you're fine."

After Billie paid for his food, he headed over to the usual table where he sat with his best friends, Mike and John.

"Nice move in there, Bill." Mike laughed as he took a bit into the greasy pizza. Red sauce erupted from behind the cheese from the impact and fell freely onto his shirt. Billie winced.

"Yeah, man, you seem to be able to work any of them," John muttered, making himself feel better by unwrapping his chocolate muffin.

"Well, honestly, guys, point out any girl and I bet I can get them to fall for me." Billie Joe smirked, feeling a sense of pride burst within him. His best friends laughed at his arrogance.

"Any girl?" John asked, arching an eyebrow as a mischievous smile spread across his face.

"Any girl." Billie Joe shrugged, flicking his wrist to the peers that surrounded them in the cafeteria. John smirked and glanced at Mike before looking around the surrounding tables for the perfect candidate.

As John's eyes landed on the perfect person, he slapped Mike's arm and pointed to three tables diagonal to theirs. Mike chuckled and nodded his head in silent agreement, smirking back at John.

"What about Shayla Summers?" John asked.

Billie turned in his seat to look the way his friends had mere seconds ago. His eyes landed on the vaguely familiar person. Summers? Shady? Sandra? Shayla?

Shayla. His chemistry partner.

Billie felt his mouth open, followed by maniacal laughter. Various eye fell onto the stoner but he failed to notice.

"She's so nerdy!" Billie scrunched his nose as he turned back to his friends.

"So? That's the point of the challenge, man. She'd never give you the time of day." Mike picked up his water bottle and downed the backwash.

"She would." Billie smiled. "They all do."

John rolled his eyes at his cocky friend. "What makes you so self-assured?"

Billie smiled. "I know how they see me."

"I don't know, man, she seemed to dis you yesterday." Mike chuckled.

"She was caught off-guard. Trust me, give it a few days. You'll see." Billie's lack of sobriety made him unaware in what he was about to endure.

*

Shayla locked up her current painting in her assigned locker as the bell rung; signaling the break before sixth period.

As Shayla headed toward the classroom door, Mr. Culver, her art teacher, smiled her way.

"Have a good night, Shayla." He was always nice to her, for he knew of the bruises she seemed to collect every day.

"You as well, Mr. Culver." She smiled as she disappeared from the room.

When she entered Ms. Jackson's classroom, she found Billie setting up their lab station. This surprised her, for she figured him for someone who just floated through life.

"Hey partner," Billie greeted her with a gentle smile. He reeked of marijuana.

"Hey," She spoke hesitantly, observing his actions. His hands were shaky and he struggled setting up the Bunsen burner. "You're helping."

"Well," he chuckled. "I figured if I surprised you with this, I'd have to do less for the rest of class." Her speculation had been correct.

She kept to herself after that, working alone as he tapped his fingers against his body. She felt his eyes on her and she looked up, a nervous feeling erupting in her stomach, as her eyes connected with his, only he was not looking at her. He was staring at her forearms.

"What happened to your arms?" He asked, his red eyes meeting her clear ones.

"I--" She choked.

"Let me guess, corner of a desk?" He smiled wholeheartedly, realizing he made her feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah," She whispered, looking back down at the test tubes in shame.

There was permanent silence after that. Shayla was relieved when the bell rung which had taken her by surprise. She worked quickly to clean up, shooing Billie away when he offered to help.

Once she was finished, she grabbed her bag off her desk and headed into the hallway. The thing she despised most about Pinole Valley were the crowded hallways.

"Excuse me," She muttered to the clump of freshmen boys.

"Excuse me." She spoke again, only louder.

"You heard the lady." A voice came from beside her. One of the boys turned and glared at Billie.

"What?" He asked lamely.

"Get out of her way," He hissed as he shoved the kid backward. The freshmen only stumbled and Shayla stared at her partner in shock.

"Don't fucking shove me!" The kid yelled, starting toward Billie.

"What are you going to do about it?" He smiled, feeling his adrenaline pumping.

"I don't want you hurting yourself."

Billie chuckled. "Fuck you, fight me."

Shayla squeezed between the other boys and felt her hands shaking as she quickened her pace to the designated spot where she met Dave, looking back at the boy who had stuck up for her.