Rules of the Game

Chance

  "Maybe she'll come around," I said as I watched Winnie continue laughing hysterically. She was now doubled over, her hands on her knees, her long black braids covering her face. I could see her shoulders shaking with each laugh.

  "For your sake, I hope she does," Baron said, nearly choking on his own laughter. "There is no coming back from this, this is next level embarrassing."

  "Shut up, Crawford." I playfully hit him across the chest with my arm. When I had first told him about my plan, forged from his words, to win Isabel back, he had stared at me with this dumbfounded look on his face.
 
  He then proceeded to laugh, almost the same way Winnie was doing. The plan made sense to me. I just needed to find a girl willing to date me, a practice girlfriend. She could show me the type of love girls like and I could practice being a better boyfriend before going back to Isabel.
 
  It made perfect sense. I'm not sure why everyone thought it was so fucking funny.

  "Are you done yet?" I crossed my arms and stared down at Winnie. She heaved before straightening her back and pressing the back of her hand to her mouth. I could see tears glistening on the corners of her eyes and her whole body continued to shake.

  "I'm sorry, it's just...I don't think I've ever heard of this before." A small hiccup escaped her mouth and she smoothed down her braids. "I'm sorry, I will stop laughing now."

  "Thank you." I cleared my throat and Baron perked up.

  "So, will you date me?"
 
  Winnie seemed to be mulling over my words, her jaw working as she thought over the proposal. "What's in it for me?"
 
  I shrugged. "Whatever you want."

  "Oh, don't be so sure you can give me whatever I want now. I might want something wickedly expensive."

  I laughed. She didn't know who I was, the kind of money I had access to. "Try me."

  Winnie tapped her chin, her dark eyes deep in thought. "I want...a Vivian Westwood piece—"

  "It's yours."

  "You don't even know which one." Her hand was back in her hip. "It could cost more than your tuition."

  I shrugged. "You'd be doing me a solid and I'm prepared to pay for it."

  She laughed. This laugh wasn't the hysterical cackle she had been doing a few minutes ago. This laugh was soft and light. I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.

  "Okay, deal." She held out her hand, fully expecting me to shake it. "I'll think of something you can do to pay me back for this charitable act of kindness I'm doing for you."
 
  I grinned and shook her hand. Her skin was smooth and fingers slim, but not the way Isabel's were. Her handshake was firm, although she might have been squeezing extra hard.

  "So, let's meet in the quad tomorrow after class and we can go over everything, yeah?"

  Winnie bit her thumbnail and nodded. "I have something I have to do after class, but I shouldn't be too long."

  "What, do you have a secret boyfriend you have to see?" I joked and her head shot up, eyes twinkling.

  "Did you see something when you were stalking my social media?" She shook her head lightly. "Now I see why your girlfriend broke up with you, DeLuca. You're not very observant, apparently."

  Baron let out a loud laugh before shaking my shoulders lightly. I shoved him off with a groan. Winnie Harper had some fire to her, absolutely not the kind of energy I had picked up from her social media profiles.

  "Ouch," I mumbled, trying to contain my smirk. Winnie's brow furrowed in faux sympathy.

  "Oh, I'm sorry; is it too soon to joke about that?" Baron laughed again and I shot him a look. I'd hit him if he kept this up.