The Bet (Book 1 in The Deception Series)

Chapter 29: questions for Garrett

Taylor

~~~~~~~

"Fuckkkkk!" Chris groans as he dies in Call of Duty again.

Brennen chuckles as he sips his beer.

"I won, pay up, loser." Brennen says.

I watch Chris grab his wallet and pull out 10 bucks before handing it to Brennen.

I smile as I watch Chris pout.

"Oh, that reminds me. Taylor, give this to Garrett or I'll forget." Brennen says as he hands me 50 bucks.

I frown.

"Another bet?" I ask.

"Yup." He smiles.

"What was the bet?" I laugh.

"We made a bet over you, he said he'd be in a relationship with you by the end of break. And, well he did it." He explains as he looks back at the tv.

I stared at him and felt someone stick their hand right through my chest and yank my heart right out. Everything around me went silent, I looked down at the money in hand and felt sick to my stomach.

"More, better drinks!!!!" I hear Garrett's voice as he and Jake walk back in.

I don't even look at him as I grab my purse and phone. I walk right past him as he calls my name, I walk out of that house because I didn't want to come back to it again.

I walk out into the pouring rain just as the front door opens again and Garrett stops me from leaving.

"What's wrong?" He asks, loudly over the pouring rain.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I snap.

"What?" He asks.

"Was it a bet? It was all a stupid bet?" I yell.

His face goes blank.

"Answer the goddamn question, Garrett!" I scream.

"It was a bet." He admits.

I scoff as my tears mix in with the rain on my face.

"How could you? I thought you loved me! You told me right here, that you'll love me forever! But it was all fucking lie?!" I yell as my heart breaks into a million pieces.

"I do! I do love you, Taylor!" He yells over the rain.

I sob hysterically as I look at the man that I thought cared about me.

"No, you don't! Because you can't love anyone but yourself, Garrett! I should've known, you're Garrett Gray, this is what you do, right?" I object.

He shakes his head.

"I love you, Taylor." He says.

"Stop lying to me! Please. I'm so tired of it!" I cry even harder.

"It was a stupid bet, it didn't mean shit. It was before I got to know you and I fell so fucking hard, Taylor." He explains.

"If it was a stupid bet, why the fuck is Brennen giving you the money now?" I snapped at him.

"He's just trying to start shit! He's jealous of us!" He defends himself.

"Well he won't have to be jealous because there is no us anymore." I tell him before I begin to walk away.

Garrett grabs my arm, stopping me.

"Taylor, wait. Please, don't leave like this." He says as he drops in water.

"No! You don't get to do that! You don't get to act like I'm the one to ruin this! This is all your fault!" I yell before I take the money out of my pocket, "Here, take your money. You won yet another bet, Garrett. So go, hookup with all the girls on the campus because you're finally free from this fake relationship. Great job." I say as I slam the money into his hand.

He shakes his head as his eyes begin to tear up.

"No. It wasn't fake. I love you." He chokes out.

"Just leave me alone. I was fine before you came into my life and I'll be perfectly fine without you in it. So please, do me this one favor and just leave me the fuck alone, Garrett.I don't want to see you ever again." I beg as I put my hands up in prayer to him. My tears were mixed in with the cold rain, mixed in with all the love I had for him.

He stares at me like someone just shot him but I didn't even care anymore. I was tired of all of it.

I finally turn around and walk to my car. Not even bothering to look back at him as he stands on the driveway, soaking wet.

I drive home sobbing uncontrollably. I felt so lost, I felt like everything I loved was just ripped from my hands.

How can someone cause so much happiness and pain to you? How can someone look you in the eyes and tell you how much they love you but not even mean it?

Those are questions only Garrett Gray can answer.