It Started with a Bet...

"Come on, Hales, isn't he hot?" Trina whispered to me from her sleeping bag. "I know we hate his guts but he's hot."

I giggle. "Who, Trevor? Yeah, he's definitely hot." there's a long silence.

"Haley?"

"Mmm?"

“Would you be mad if I said I liked him?" I sit propped up on one elbow and try to see her in the dark.

"Are you for reals?"

"I-I think so. Are you mad?" I laugh and lie back down.

"No way! I think you're stupid, but how could I be mad at you?"

"I know, I feel dumb, too. But whenever I see him smile or something...I don't even know. It's like butterflies in my stomach and I start blushing before I know it."

"So what are you gonna do about it?"

"I dunno. I don't want to like him. I guess I'll just wait it out. It's almost the end of the year anyway. Maybe I'll forget him over the summer. It's not it's like he's ever done anything to make me like him anyway."

"Be careful. If he finds out, he'll probably do a couple nice things a week to keep you in his hands. Remember Eloise?" The girl had spent the entirety of first semester infatuated with the guy. When he found out he strung her along: pulling her out of a beautiful relationship and into an obsession that caused her grades and even her health to suffer. Second semester she disappeared, some say to rehab to deal with an eating disorder. It wasn't thatTrevor was unusually cruel; she was just a weak idiot. And by the time Trevor realized what a mess she'd become and dumped her once and for all, she thought she wasn't pretty enough for him and went bulimic.

"Yeah," Trina whispered quietly. "Someone needs to bring him down a peg or two."

I woke up with a smile on my face. Trust Trina to give me an even better reason to play with the guy. The pleasant feeling of seeing Trina again lasted through most of breakfast and the ride to school. As I settled into my first period English class, I thought seriously about how I was going to get Trevor back for his 4 years of girl manipulation.

I didn't want to make him fall for me. It required too much effort and I didn't want to have to deal with the consequences. What about friends? What if he considered me someone he trusted? No, then there was always the possibility of him feeling guilty and not going through with the bet. Maybe if I just infuriated him by not complying with any of his idiotic commands and then having him realized I'd played him for a sap the entire time. This seemed the best solution. I could always make it seem like I was wrapped around his finger and then stab him in the back. Bottom line, though, I had no desire to hurt him. He wasn't someone I felt passionately about in any way. I just wanted someone to play with.

I was so lost in thought about my plans that I didn't notice the hush that fell over the room when Trevor walked in. He was five minutes early. He wandered the room, talking to this girl and that. I covered my eyes with my bangs so he didn't know that I was watching. He kept looking over. Gauging for jealousy, I suppose. Finally, determining that I wasn't the slightest bit interested in the blonde dying to make out with him, he came and sat beside me.

"Haley, I haven't talked to you in forever!" I sighed inwardly as I pulled my social mask on and turned into who I was "supposed" to be.

"I know, right? It's been like, what, 3 years since you spoke to me?" my voice was bubbly and friendly, as though I don't mind that he hasn't spoken to me. That much is true, at any rate. Trevor turns slightly red and I wink at him. "It’s okay. I know your mouth's been extremely busy these past few years." His face betrays his shock. The only thing he knows about me is that my bff died 3 years ago. He was expecting someone scary, not normal. He relaxes.

"Yeah, it's been having some fun," he says with a cheeky grin. I wish he'd get to the point or leave. I hate small talk.

"Have you ever sprained your tongue?" I ask jokingly. He laughs too.

"I should have at least 5 times, but you know how skilled I am," he says. Really? This is how you ask a girl out? God, you're a jackass.

"Well, I wouldn't say I know firsthand, but I've heard things." I say, waving my hand with a flirty smile. Wait, when did this faux conversation turn into faux flirting? I used to be so good at this: so smooth with the guys, never embarrassed when someone called me out on something potentially embarrassing. If you deny it jokingly, people just forget about it. It was probably just my lack of sluttiness that prevented me from being part of the crew. I'd dated acouple members before Trina's death, though.

Trevor leaned back in his seat. "I never knew you were this chill," he said incredulously. Translation: I didn't know asking you out was going to be so easy.

"Learn something new every day," I said with a laugh. "Why, what do people say about me?" I shouldn't have asked, I know that right away. I really don't want to know. Trevor shrugs.

"Not much actually. I mean, everyone knows who you are and you know more or less everyone, but you don't stand out a lot."

The nice thing about not having to deal with emotions is that you can work on analyzing what people say and do and respond accordingly. I've already surprised him with my bubbly attitude, so let's give him some mystery. Guys like a little mystery.

"Those with the most power are often those who stay behind the scenes," I say, giving him a jokingly thoughtful look to lessen the effect of my words. He laughs and nods.

"Indeed," he replies in the same faux philosophical voice.

I feel bubbles of pleasure forming in the pit of my stomach. I forgot how much fun joking around with guys could be. There's no pressure for commitment and it's a fun conversation filled with grins and laughter. The best part is when you aren't crushing on the guy and can just enjoy the flow. Like now.

"Hey, what are you doing for lunch?" Trevor asks in the middle of class. The message is sent via crumpled price of paper tossed onto my desk. I laugh at the fact that he's only a foot away. He could've just handed it to me.

"Eating, I hope." He smiles and shakes his head as he scribbles something on the paper.

"The crew's headed to Subway. Wanna come along?" Wow. That was fast. Does this count as a date? Might as well encourage him to ask me out later.

"It's a date. Well...technically it's a time, but whatever ;)"

He laughs and tosses the paper in the trash from where he's sitting, which might as well be a mile away.

"Trevor, pick that up and read it aloud to the class," says Mr. Hutz. Trevor's face turns a deep shade of red as the class laughs. I smile and head over to the trash can. "I'll do it, sir."

The girls, who are jealous that I was passing notes to him in the first place, overreact like crazy as I pick the paper up from the top of the trash.

"Scrawny writing that must be Trevor's," I begin, standing in front of the whiteboard. Trevor looks at me and hides a grin behind his hand. "Haley, I don't get it. How is a car supposed to symbolize anything?" Trevor raises an eyebrow and sends an impressed thumbs-up my way. Mr. Hutz was currently lecturing on the use of cars in The Great Gatsby.

"Me: essentially cars were considered freedom and power because they allowed you to travel better than ever before. It was on the last slide, you know.

"Trevor: yeah, I kinda spaced out dot dot dot" the class laughed at my use of ellipses.

"Me: asterisk sigh asterisk, go back to sleep, Trevor." I looked up at him, slowly shredding the note to bits in my hand as the class laughed. "Next time recycle, dude, you're killing the planet." With that, I dumped the little pieces in the recycling bin and went back to my seat. Mr. Hutz, torn between pride for Trevor's apparent studiousness and distrust in my interpretation, continued with the lesson. Trevor slapped me five under the table.

"Your sub is on me," he said as he went to his next class.

Internally, I cursed myself. Now he thought I was cool and would probably chicken out of the bet. Damn it. I'd gotten too carried away remembering how it used to be. When happiness was the main emotion in my life. When love wasn't an empty word.
***
Christa passes me in the hallway on the way to lunch. "Why are you headed to the student parking lot?" she asks.

"Trevor asked me to come with the crew to lunch." I said. She raised an eyebrow and grinned as she turned toasted the cafeteria. My friends wouldn't miss me. We barely hung out as it was. I was not a people person. I used to be, but not anymore. Except today in English when I got carried away. I rubbed my head in confusion as I rounded the corner, walking smack dab into Trevor's muscular chest.

"Lost in thought again?" he asked. Again? He noticed the look of surprise on my face.

"I've seen you around sometimes. You tend to space out." Ah, that's why he didn't hit on me yesterday when the bet began; he was studying the mark and then using that as fake evidence of interest. I'd had guys use that on me before. If used wrong it could end up creepy.

"That's me," I say, "forever the spacey one." he laughs as we approach the three others by the cars. "At least I know what cars symbolize in Gatsby, so you can't laugh."

"That was brilliant, you know that?" Trevor says with a laugh.

"What’s brilliant? Who's she?" asks a blonde cheerleader. Janice.

"You won't believe what Haley did in English today," Trevor says. "Totally saved my ass." We pile into the car. Trevor's friend Matt is driving with another guy I never bothered learning the name of riding shot gun. Two girls and Blake squeeze into the back. I pause.

"Oh, don't worry," Janice with a big grin. Of course. Trust her to like me now that I've helped her turn a negative into a positive. "I'll just sit on Trevor's lap. You don't mind, do you, Trev?" You can see he's pleased with the result, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. Clarice sits in the middle and I squeeze in on the end. Two minutes into the ride, I hear a noise. Looking over, I realize that Janice is giving Trevor a hickey. In the car. I've never been one for PDAs, and the idea of being adorably social this lunch period's already fried my brain. Ugh.

"Matt," I say sweetly, leaning close to his seat. "Would you mind pulling over?" he glances back at me in the mirror.

"What’s up? Not feeling well? It's just up this road here." I see the store further up and on the right.

"I'll meet you guys there. I'm not much of a PDA person." Matt starts to laugh as he pulls over. Trevor's face is red and Janice looks angry.

"Don't be upset," I say with a smile. "Now you've got extra room. Maybe you can have a quickie in the parking lot."

"On second thought, I'm coming too," says Clarice, getting out of the car.

I peer into the car. "Yup, definitely room for a quickie. Have fun, guys." Shutting the door, we watch as the guys drive off. Trevor sits stiffly in the backseat a few minutes, but eventually submits to Janice.

"I've been dying to tell them to knock it off for ages," Clarice says with a sigh. "It’s so freaking awkward to sit next to them."

I nod, wondering why Clarice seemed pretty familiar. Then I realized that I was being myself.

"Yeah, annoying right?" I said, but my timing was off.

"It’s okay," Clarice says. "I know you're not much of a talker anymore." Ah, I remember her now. It was back when the death was young and I wanted comfort. She was one of those arms and voices I buried myself into at the funeral. She tried to hang out with me afterwards, but I told her to bug off. Rudely. Why was she being so nice to me?

"Clarice, why are you being so nice to me? I was a complete bitch to you that day." she shrugs.

"It hurt, but I've always been quick to forgive." I'm glad she didn't say it was due to my 'unfortunate circumstances.' Councilors loved that excuse.

We enter Subway just as the others sit down with their food.

"Tuna with lettuce, tomato, and cheese," Matt says, handing a package to Clarice.

"I wasn't sure what you'd want," says Trevor sheepishly. "Are you a vegetarian kind of girl?" I look at him incredulously as he leads me towards the counter.

"Try a grilled chicken with everything on it kind of girl," I say. "Someone needs to stop hanging out with so many cheerleaders." he laughs then looks at me.

"What's with the face?" he asks. I point to his neck.

"I'm trying so hard to be polite and not laugh at your hickey," I say, trying my best to keep a straight face. He leans forward till his lips are inches from my jaw line.

"Are you saying you could do better?" he asks.

"Let's not be awkward now, big boy." I say, pushing him off. Another good thing about no emotions. Idiots can't shake me. "You have enough Barbie dolls, you don't need this one." his eyes widen as he remembers the bet.

"What if I were to ask you out?" He asks, leaning back to look at me. Really? You're going to play that game now?? It must be a fan girl test. He may as well be asking “How obsessed are you with these abs?” Not at all, buddy.

"Hmmm, you make out with Janice in the car and then ask me out..." I say thoughtfully. "Are you asking for a date or a one night stand?" I give him a smile that says I'm mostly teasing. I’m getting tired off all this acting. “Order for me, will you? I’m going to use the bathroom.”

I stand quietly in the one-person bathroom with the lights off for a few minutes. They’ll wonder what’s taking me so long, but I don’t care. Acting like I used to is exhausting. I put headphones into my ears and let a few riffs of electric guitar to spazz through my brain. All right, time to face them again. I step outside to find Trevor right outside the door. Awkward much?

“The lights were off,” he says, handing me my sandwich.

“Indeed,” I say, by way of explanation. I’m not in the mood to be social yet. I prepare myself slowly as we approach the table.

“Trevor, you never told us how Haley saved your ass,” says Clarice. She’s only taken one bite of her sandwich so far. Trevor slides in next to Janice, who’s eating a salad she brought from a deli or something.

“You’re not hungry?” I ask, unwrapping my hunk of a sandwich.

“I like to be fit,” Janice says. I nod and take a monster bite of my sandwich.

“Well, if you’d like to be full just ask and I’ll give you a bite.” Janice glares at me while the boy next to me holds his fist out for punching.

“I’m Spike by the way,” he says.

“That’s on your birth certificate?” I say, making it clear I don’t believe him.

“You’ll never find out,” he says with a wink, his snake bite glittering in the sun. I just laugh. Someone else with a past, I see.

Trevor launches into his tale of my note reading, leaving everyone chuckling and giving high-fives. Thankfully this means I don’t need to talk much, I just receive the appreciation with a smile. We start walking back to the car and I hesitate.

“What’s wrong?” asks Trevor, sliding in first. I glance from him to Janice, who’s preparing to slide in next.

“Should I just walk?” Trevor sighs and pats the seat next to him.

“Come here.” I slide in and Trevor pulls me onto his lap.

“Are you going to give me a hickey?” I look at him like he’s insane.

“Not even if hell were to freeze over.”

“Then I think we’ll be okay.” Clarice slides in next, leaving a very pissed off Janice by the window. What’s it to her? It’s not like either of us are dating him.

I lean forward so I’m not touching him and pull the seat belt on over both of us. Trevor looks at me weirdly.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

“I think I’d feel even more uncomfortable with my head through the windshield,” I say calmly. Saying things like that doesn’t bother me anymore. Trevor turns red and Clarice smacks his arm.

“Way to be sensitive, dude,” says Matt with a groan.

“It’s fine,” I say with a sigh. “Everyone walks on eggshells around me these days. It’s not that big of a deal.” Clarice looks at me in surprise and Trevor leans forward to hug me, his chin now resting on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to—” he pauses. Yeah. How do you plan to finish that sentence? “I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I say with a smile. Do people not get that I’m okay now? “Now move off, you’re girlfriend’ll get jealous.” I can feel Janice shooting daggers into my back, but I know what Trevor’s response will be. He’s got The Bet, after all.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he says, moving back. I feel Janice shrink back in her seat and a twinge of guilt tugs at the hole where my heart should be. I shrug. It’s time she realized that Trevor sees her about as seriously as one would see a brownie. You eat one and enjoy it, but any other brownie is just as delicious. Speaking of which…

“Matt, do you think we could stop at that bakery? I’m feeling like a brownie.”

“You just ate,” says Janice in surprise.

“This is my food stomach,” I say, gesturing to a certain part of my stomach. “And this is my dessert stomach. They exist separately. Just because one is full doesn’t mean the other is.”

Trevor insists on buying me the brownie, saying it’s an apology thing.

“So every time I save your butt of you screw up you’ll get me food?” I protest with a laugh. It took so long to perfect that fake laugh. He thinks for a moment.

“Yup.”

“Maybe I should help you out more often…” I say with a smile, giving up and letting him pay.

When I get back to school, Ashley insists on hearing all about it. I wave her away, saying I’ll tell her later. Acting fun is so tiring.