The Bet

How We Made The Bet

"Jensen Hardy! Where were you all summer, girl? I missed you!" Annabella Stevens screamed across the common area at me and launched her body into my arms. Slightly stunned, I gave her a weak hug back.

"I was busy lifeguarding at the community center, Annie! A girl's gotta make money to afford her shopping addiction," I lied through my teeth. In reality, I'd been dodging Annabella all summer. The girl was nuts. Just because I was Student Body President and she was Vice President didn't mean that we needed to be best friends. Annie was a party girl, and I had no intention of hanging around the pool with her topless and sipping on tequila at 10 AM.  

I said hi to all of the familiar faces I passed in the hallways as I took the familiar route to good old room D113. I pushed open the door and looked around only to find a freshman girl with headphones in her ears sitting on the front row, oblivious to the world, and I giggled to myself. I walked over and took a seat next to her. She took out one earbud and looked up at me in confusion.

"Hi, I'm Jensen. Are you new here?" She nodded nervously and I gave her a small smile. "I'm Ella. I'm a freshman. What grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior! Geez, I feel so old saying that," I laughed. "I know all of the in's and out's of this school, Ella. So if you ever get lost or just need someone to talk to, I'm your girl!" Just then, I saw him. My heart skipped a beat and a huge grin spread across my face as Bennett Hamilton found his way over to our usual seats. I gave Ella a small wave before joining Bennett in the back of the classroom.

"Hey stranger," his voice was seductive and his blue eyes sparkled in the morning sunlight. "Welcome back to hell, Hamilton," I said as I slid in next to him.

My mind wandered to the countless days we had spent in the back of this classroom, laughing at the other kids and mocking Mrs. Park. I thought about our older friends, who came and went, but one person in particular: Lenox Maloney.

Lenox was a senior when Bennett and I were freshmen. He was the only one who bothered to talk to us at all. Lenox was the whole reason Bennett and I became friends. For the first three months of high school, Bennett and I did nothing but bicker. He would antagonize me about my lack of experience with guys, or how I didn't approve of people smoking and drinking and I would make fun of him for being the freshman class's male prostitute. Saying we hated each other would be an understatement. But due to the unfortunate spelling of our last names we couldn't get away from each other. I started every single day arguing with Bennett.  Both of us being insanely stubborn, there was no giving up and there were never any boundaries. At least not until the poor kid who sat I the row behind us had finally had enough.  

*Freshman Year*

"You're an egotistical maniac Bennett! I couldn't care less about how many girls you've slept with or how much weed you smoke. That stuff is going to rot your brain and I don't doubt that you'll get some poor girl pregnant. And God knows anyone who sleeps with you shouldn't be procreating in the first place because of their lack of brain cells!" It was yet another day of arguing with Bennett. He was a horrible human being. The rumors I'd heard about him back in middle school were absolutely nothing compared to all of the disgusting facts he liked to spew at me every damn morning. How I ever liked him was beyond me. Sure, he was good looking but his personality made him so ugly.

"I don't see why you have to be a bitch all the time, Jensen. Ya know, maybe guys would like you if you took that stick out of your ass," he was fighting back dirty. I'd just gotten dumped by my boyfriend of 6 months for a prettier and sluttier sophomore. I  took a sip from my water bottle trying to hide the fact that he was getting to me.

"Would you two shut up already? I'm so sick of this," Lenox wasn't having it today. "You too like each other, just admit it."

I took a sip at an unfortunate time and busted out into mini choke-coughs. It took everything I had not to spit water all over the desk. "I'm sorry.... did you just say like?" I managed without getting anyone wet.

"Yeah seriously, nobody could ever like her," Bennett rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed at Lenox's comment.

"I'll bet you each $100 that you'll be dating by the end of senior year," Lenox folded his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Ha," I snorted, "That'll be easy."

"Agreed," said Bennett. "You just lost yourself $200 my friend."

Lenox just smiled and said, "Just wait and see, dude."

From that day forward, Lenox became our mediator. We started acting civil towards each other, still arguing accompanied sarcasm and dry humor, but Lenox was always there to keep us both from hurting each other. Soon the arguing lessened and eventually turned to teasing and playful banter. By the time summer rolled around, we were inseparable.