The Bet

Chapter 6 - Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right

HEY GUYS! THIS STORY IS UP FOR UNDISCOVERED>ROMANCE ON THE WATTY AWARDS! PLEASE MAKE SURE TO V-O-T-E!! <3 THANKS! 

Chapter 6

                Arriving at school, Amy felt nervous. Her hands still shook like from the day before and her knees continued to threaten to buckle underneath her weight. But – unlike yesterday – she hadn’t given a thought to Silvia; she’d shrugged her off with the simple explanation that she didn’t deserve to be Amy’s friend anyways when she’d always been such a bitch to her in the first place.

                Today though, she was anxious to apologize to Chris.

                What she’d done yesterday was in no way like herself and in no way acceptable. Even though Chris probably didn’t care about her stupid little problems, it had been nice of him to even try to pretend that he wanted to help. And of course there was always the matter that she’d hurt him by saying her thoughts out loud even if they were true.

                Maybe he wasn’t as superficial as she’d expected.

                As she shoved her books into her locker, Amy thought about that. Maybe it was just Liv that had been like that – stupid, mean, rude, and always belittling. Maybe the thought of Liv as part of the popular group had stuck the idea in her head that they were all exactly like her. Add that to all the stereotypical movies that she’d seen and Amy knew exactly why she’d said that he didn’t care about anyone.

                The bell for first period rang all of a sudden, breaking her out of her thoughts and knocking her past the threshold of her first period class. Amy tried to focus on the lesson although it still didn’t register as thoroughly as she’d hoped when she tried to remember what she’d learned.

                Second period wasn’t much better. She tried to focus on the board but images of her and Chris sharing the same scene that she and her ex-best friend had penetrated her mind and nested there. It was ridiculous, she reassured herself. After all, she and Chris weren’t that close and so it didn’t matter how he reacted; as long as she apologized.

                When the bell finally rang, she darted to the cafeteria with a tiny yet confident smile plastered on her lips. She ran her hand through her blonde hair with a quick sigh to comfort her raging nerves.

                Chris was there – as were the rest of his crew. She gasped, holding in her breath as she tried to catch Chris’s eyes without actually having to go up to that table. She didn’t want it to be any more awkward than it would already be for either of them.

                After a few moments of standing off in the corner and merging with the line of people heading in to the cafeteria, Chris looked up from his mouthfuls of food and saw her staring. His jaw suddenly tightened as he shrugged in a questioning way.

                Amy, relieved to have finally caught his eyes, signed him over and he swung his strong body over the bench around the table to come join her.

                He didn’t look too happy, she noticed. His eyes weren’t smiling smugly back at her, and a smile didn’t even glint on his perfect lips. This seemed to make Amy sadder than before. She honestly hated hurting people.

                “Hey,” she said softly, running her hand through her hair modestly as he sized her up. In comparison to her 5 feet and 5 inches, Chris was a giant - at least 6 feet to Amy who shrunk in his presence with or without the reality of their heights. 

                “Hey,” he repeated slowly. He didn’t seem angry though or maybe Amy just didn’t see the anger that was clearly plastered on his face. She analyzed him, giving him a once over before responding as humbly as she could muster.

                “Look, I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

                It must have looked odd, an unknown standing so close to the star quarterback and actually talking to him like she had a chance. But, like yesterday, the people around them didn’t matter. Chris didn’t even seem to notice though as he was probably so used to their stares and gazes of sheer awe.

                He let a sheepish grin crawl onto his lips, “For...?” he trailed. He already knew – she was sure - but she played his game anyways.

                “For saying those things that I shouldn’t have said when you were just trying to help,” she said with a wavering voice. It seemed that his obnoxiously cocky grin was returning though, so she didn’t need to worry anymore.

                Chris’s eyes flickered with amusement as he leaned in, “No harm done. And anyways, everything can be fixed with a kiss,” he stated, as if it were the obvious solution. He pursed his lips and closed his eyes, growing closer even as a little chuckle slipped from his lips as he tried to keep them in position.

                Amy stepped back, knowing for sure that he was joking now and laughed, shaking her head. “Ha ha; very funny,” she said with a smile that she couldn’t hide very well either.

                Chris smiled in response and hooked his thumb over his shoulder happily. “Do you want to come sit with us?” he asked casually, looking back at the table and watching as Amy’s eyes flickered to that group as well.

                It was nice of him to offer but she didn’t need to be made fun of and interviewed during her lunch. Plus, she felt like she wouldn’t fit in amongst them. They were completely different. They were cool and went to parties and she was a dork and spent most of her time at her part time job or at the library.

                “Thanks but no thanks,” she said smoothly, hoping that Chris didn’t pick up why she didn’t want to go to sit with him. Even though they seemed to be okay with each other, she wasn’t okay with his friends.

                “Alright,” he said, puzzled, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said but Amy was already walking out of the cafeteria and back to her locker.

                “For sure,” she said, trying to flee, “Tomorrow.”