A Safe Bet

Harlow leaned against the desk behind her, tapping her foot impatiently. Principal Rockwell had basically begged her to come talk to him about an academic activity after school but so far it had been twenty minutes and she was still waiting for him to open his office doors. His secretary explained that he was in a meeting with a ‘problem child’ and asked her to wait just a little bit longer.

Their little bit longer was almost up.

Just as Harlow shifted her weight back onto the balls of her feet she heard the door behind her open and a voice booming, “Harlow Peterson, do not tell me you are walking away from my office right now without hearing my offer,” Mr. Rockwell laughed.

Harlow chuckled nervously before facing her principal. His white hair was fading and he had wrinkles around the corners of his mouth from smiling so much. “Never,” she laughed, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. She followed him into his office and felt a wave of confusion run over her as she saw the back of a boy sitting in one of the chairs in front of Rockwell’s desk.

“Take a seat please,” the principal said, gesturing to the chair next to the boy. Harlow sat down, stealing at the glance at the boy who sat next to her. He had long brown blond hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a baseball cap backwards on his head and he had a smirk on his lips. “Harlow Peterson, this is John O’Callaghan. John here is interested in getting a tutor for this semester because he has decided to take an AP class this year—and since you have passed all of the five exams you have taken, Harlow, I thought that you would be the perfect candidate to help.”

Harlow bit her lip nervously, “Uh—uhm, yeah sure I guess. It’ll look good on college applications.”

“And you get to spend every day after school with me,” John chuckled, speaking in a raspy voice. “Most girls at school would kill for this job.”

Harlow rolled her eyes; so, this was the kind of boy John O’Callaghan was? She wasn’t sure she wanted to take this offer. She could instantly see through him. His parents must have been forcing him to take the class, why else would a boy—who probably hung out with her sister and their ‘popular’ crowd, be taking a class like AP Psychology?

“Yeah, I’ll help him,” Harlow said softly, hoping this all wouldn’t end up in her face in the end.

John

John watched as Harlow exited the double doors of the school and inwardly cursed Principal Rockwell for keeping him later than her. He jogged quickly exiting the doors she just had and caught up to her easily. She had her keys in her hand and sunglasses over her baby blue eyes. She looked at him with a quirked eye brow.

“Do you need something?” She asked softly, looking at him confused.

John smiled at her shyness and innocence—this may have been easier than he originally thought. “Yeah, I—I uh wanted to thank you for doing this. It’s really cool of you.”

Harlow shrugged before continuing to walk in the parking lot, John slowing his stride to walk with her. “I need some more for my college applications, so why not?” Harlow said simply.

“So it’s not because you’re just so devastatingly attracted to me?” he smirked, playing the game that worked on all girls.

He watched as Harlow rolled her eyes and her lips didn’t even pull into a tiny smile; she just looked honestly annoyed, “I’m not most girls, O’Callaghan. Your stupid flirting isn’t going to get you anywhere. I’m your tutor. I’ll see you after school and during study hall if you need it. Nothing more, nothing less,” she stated simply pulling out a pair of aviators and sliding them over her eyes.

John looked at her with confusion in his eyes; this didn’t happen to him—no, girls didn’t not throw themselves at him. This game was going to be easy, right? “I—I uh,” he stumbled. He shook his head softly, regaining his confidence. “So, tomorrow? I’ll see you tomorrow after school?”

Harlow opened the door to her green Jeep and took a seat inside, “Sounds good,” she said simply before shutting the door behind her. He watched in amusement as she started the engine before rolling down her window and looking at him curiously, “Do you need a ride or something?”

John chuckled, “No, why?”

“You’re just standing there staring at me.” Harlow said softly, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink making him smile in early signs of victory.

“Nah, I have a car. I was just looking at a pretty girl, sorry,” John smirked, watching as her cheeks continuously turned color. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Harlow,” he said, before winking and walking away.

John’s mind was stained with the blush that was on the girl’s cheeks and he ran the plan he had formed in his mind as soon as he shook on the bet.

Step one: make her like him.

Step two: make her walls break down and make her trust him.

Step three: make her believe that he was different.

Step four: make her unable to say no to going to prom with him.

Step five: make her want to give him everything.

It was easy really, hell, John did this everyday of his life with multiple girls. They were all the same. All they needed was the right look, right touch, and right words.

Harlow Peterson was just another girl to John O’Callaghan.

He never expected her to become so much more.