Playing Princess

Part One: Betting with a Bad Boy

Part One: Betting with a Bad Boy

"Knock knock," a raspy voice came at my window. Seconds later, the screen was popped out and Damon hopped in.

"You know my mom will let you in the front door, right?" I sighed and stood up from my desk. The chemistry homework would have to wait; I should've done it at lunch like Quinn.

"Where's the fun in that?" he winked and flopped onto my bed.

I rolled my eyes at him. My mom was totally okay with Damon and I hanging out; she would even let us have sleepovers when she wasn't home. Ever since the age of fifteen, though, he'd decided that he was too cool for front doors.

Luckily for him, I liked to feel the breeze from my window as I do my homework. There was a screen that was supposed to keep pests out, but over the years Damon became pretty adept at getting past it.

"Don't you ever have homework?" I sat back down in my rolling desk chair.

"I pay a sophomore to do it all," he sat up and shrugged.

"Pay?" I snorted. "With what money? From what job, exactly?"

Damon smirked at me and opened his mouth to speak. Fortunately I foresaw his next words in time to stop them.

"You know what?" I felt a blush rising to my cheeks. "I actually do not want to know."

"Are you sure?" he stood up and walked closer to me. "I think I can spare a few details."

I pushed him away, embarrassed yet laughing. Damon knew close to everything about me and unfortunately, that included a few particular details about my sexual life that I did not enjoy sharing.

"Don't be embarrassed, Lizzy," he teased. "I'm sure lots of people our age have never done the dirty."

I groaned and resisted his attempts to sit on my lap. "Name one."

"Um, well," Damon faltered. "That girl who wears cat shirts? And our math teacher?"

"Our math teacher is definitely not our age." I interrupted him.

"Close enough," he brushed my comment off. "I'm sure that weird Power Ranger kid hasn't either."

"Power Ranger Kyle?" I giggled and joined him on the bed. My red pajamas stood out in stark contrast against my white bedspread and Damon's black pants.

"Is that his name?" he exclaimed. "I've been calling him Kurt."

We laughed but quickly he got solemn. "Seriously, Eliza."

"Wow, you used my actual name. What's the occasion?" I joked.

He made a mocking face and stuck his tongue out. "Find a boyfriend or something. People are starting to question... y'know? And I can't be friends with a lesbian. Ruins my image."

That made me a little angry. Obviously, I could find a boyfriend if I really wanted to. I thought that I was sort of pretty, but not really the type of 'hot' most guys look for. Though, them not finding me attractive was definitely not going to stop me from being attractive.

Also, guys who are hot are usually dumb jerks, and guys who are smart usually go for other super-smart people. I was stuck in the middle of everyone.

"Sorry," I said sarcastically. "Let me just reshape my life to protect your 'image.'"

Damon scoffed. His attitude came across as careless to most people, but I knew him well enough to know that he had to try pretty dam.n hard to appear that way.