Bet On

Chapter One - Into You

Kao needs to get laid, plain and simple.

It should be that simple. Right? It should be easy.

College is crawling with desperate, horny young adults, and Kao is a handsome guy. He is Tall, a little brawny, and a good catch, isn't he? He can sing, rap, play the guitar, and has a fantastic sense of humor. He's been told he's nice and charming―by more people than just his mom, thank you very much.

Still, up until now in his second year of college, no one has ever seemed to have any semblance of interest in him unless they're drunk at a party or he has last-minute homework answers to offer in return for their brief, glorious attention and validation. Maybe he isn't as handsome as he thinks, or maybe his awkward demeanor and poor social skills are more than just a little off-putting.

In high school, Kao kept to himself. He did his work, got good grades, and had a total of two people he considered friends. He was like that for a long time, fairly reclusive, afraid to step out of his bubble of comfort to meet new people and try new things. Because of this, Kao feels like he's missed out on a lot of things that most people his age have experienced.

He never had a girlfriend or boyfriend in high school; he was too shy to ask anyone out, too afraid of rejection. No one approached him. He never went out to parties to smoke and drink. Luckily, he's long since crossed that off the list since it isn't a hard feat to accomplish in college when he has older, more extroverted friends who drag him to such gatherings and cheer him on as he gets wasted.

Most notably (and most detrimentally, in Kao's humble opinion), he's never even had a significant other. He's hardly had a proper, sober kiss. And he certainly has never slept with anyone.

Sure, deep down he knows there's plenty more to life than that, and he shouldn't feel rushed to lose his virginity or find someone to dedicate his time and his heart to, but that doesn't stop him from wanting that close connection so much.

Nearly twenty, Kao already feels like he's going through his midlife crisis, struggling with the crushing reality of adulthood, finishing up his core classes and constantly doubting himself regarding his major and career path, still adjusting to college a whole year in and struggling with meeting new people. The list goes on, and to top it all off, he is pathetically lonely and craves someone's undivided attention and affection like a drug.

Plus, Kao is a guy, and as such, he is a horny bastard. His right hand can only do so much.

"You can't expect to meet someone if you don't leave your bed, dude," his friend Ohm tells him, exasperated.

Ohm is a wonderful, supportive friend who endures the brunt of Kao's incessant ranting about his lack of a love life. So really, Kao can't blame him for being fed up, even if it stings. He supposes Ohm knows what he's talking about anyway; he's gotten around a fair amount in the years he's attended the same school and is currently in a happy relationship. But Kao and Ohm are very different—where Ohm is charismatic and personable, Kao is nervous and withdrawn.

"And you can't expect me to meet people as easily as you do," Kao voices his concerns with a grumble. "It's not easy for me like it is for you." He pouts and sips the Americano he'd been nursing during the length of their stay at the on-campus cafe. He had come with Ohm and Prem to grab a snack with the intent of the trio working on homework, but to no one's surprise, the visit had devolved into their notebooks sitting out untouched while they converse.

"I know." Ohm places a sympathetic hand over Kao's. "You just gotta start small! Introduce yourself to someone cute and see where it goes."

"Or follow in my footsteps and get wasted at a trashy party," Prem pipes up from beside Ohm. He's referring, of course, to the night he put enough alcohol in his system to miraculously charm his now-boyfriend, Boun. Kao takes a moment to lament the twenty dollars he consequently lost that night in a bet with Ohm.