The Barefoot Violinist

Prank

"Wait, what?" Tyler looked over at Bennett with a frown. After watching them play a few rounds and listening to the rule and strategies, Bennett had finally decided to weigh in.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked nervously, looking between Mason and Tyler.

"No, but are you sure you want to bet everything you have?" He looked at Bennett in confusion.

"Hey, missus." Mason whispered to him in alarm. "I think we should hold off, maybe bet a little less?" Mason looked at the stack of chips that Bennett had pushed onto the table. They were all his chips and while he normally lost everything he had, it generally took a few more rounds.

"I'm sure." he nodded at Tyler, who proceeded to deal after the others had placed their bets. He watched as the others busted out, while they won the hand. For the next few rounds, he managed to stay ahead of the pack, raking in big winnings and betting small when the odds were stacked against them.

"You've done this before, haven't you?" One of the boys asked in dismay as Bennett and Mason's stack of chips grew larger.

"No, this is my first time. But it's easy enough when you consider everything and Mason's advice really helped." he smiled. If he'd followed any of Mason's advice, they'd have been broke within three games, but he didn't think it was good to point that out. He was having more fun than he'd think he would. Cory's friends seemed like normal people now that he wasn't living in fear. He could see that they've built a close bond between them by the way they joked and interacted with each other.

"You've been counting cards, haven't you?" Tyler accused. "I can't believe it! We're losing all our money to a scammer kid!"

"Hang on there! We won fair and square, and you heard the missus, it was my advice that made us win!" Mason immediately jumped up, ready to argue, watching Tyler snort in disbelief.

"Right guys, time to get your asses out of here. I still need to take Bennett home." Cory started getting up from the table to bring the game and the ensuing argument to an end.

"Pay up first!" Mason held out his hand, gleefully laughing at the others as they unwillingly took some bills out of their wallets. "You sure are one lucky charm." he turned to Bennett with a huge grin splitting the cash between them.

"No, it's okay." he shoved the money back to Mason. "You keep it. You gave me most of the advice anyway." 

"I knew you were going to be my favourite!" Mason leaned over and ruffled his hair, so that it was standing in all directions.

"Okay, get out guys!" Cory started herding them toward the door. "Sorry about them." he said pulling Bennett closer as they waved the others off.

"That was interesting." he mused.

"You shouldn't take anything they say seriously." he frowned slightly in the porch light. "They can be a bit stupid sometimes... Well, actually no... In Mason's case that would be all the time." he chuckled.

"Top bitch, huh?" he laughingly teased Cory, moving inside the house to get his violin.

--

At school Victor caught up with him, just as he was on his way to his first class, looking mildly distressed.

"Something's going to go down today, mate." he warned Bennett in hushed tones, looking behind him, as if to make sure he wasn't overheard. "Ellie's been dropping hints all of yesterday, talking about revenge and this morning she had that crazy look in her eyes. I'm telling you mate, something is going down."

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much. It's not like anybody else will get involved. They'll get it out of their systems soon enough." he tried to pacify Victor. "Either that, or they're going to kill us all in a nuclear war."