The Bet

A Puppy In The Woods

  "Jens, wait up!" Bennett's deep voice rang out through the crowded hallways. I turned around to see him jogging towards me. His blonde hair was flappy against his forehead and his backpack was bouncing up and down behind him.

  "Oh hey Ben, I didn't know you were back there," I said as I moved over towards the wall and out of traffic.  I turned my attention to my loose shoestring and I could feel Bennett's eyes on me as I bent down to tie it. I stood back up and brushed my hair out of my face when I noticed him smiling down at me.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me like that? Are you just being creepy or do I have something in my hair?" I giggled and ran my fingers through my long hair.

 "No you don't have anything in your hair you goof," his smile grew even bigger and I thought I saw a hint of pink rise in his cheeks. "You just look good today is all." He  turned his eyes to the floor and ran a hand through his hair nervously. This was a side of Bennett I had never seen before, and I liked it.

"As opposed to what?" I teased, despite my surprise. Before he could see how giddy I was I threw my hair over my shoulder and dug my shoulder into his arm as I sauntered off down the hallway. Once I was far enough away, I ducked my head and pulled my books to my chest to hide the smile playing on my lips.

***

The rest of that day my mind was only on Bennett. I couldn't figure out what he had meant by that comment. He sounded so sincere and sweet about it, but Bennett Hamilton was not sweet and sincere; he was THE Bennett Hamilton, Valley High School bad boy and there was a very select few people he gave the time of day.

I was sitting on my bed doing homework and listening to The 1975 when my phone started buzzing like crazy on my nightstand. I crawled to the top of my king sized bed to see what pressing matter required that many text messages. I rolled my eyes when I saw 10 new notifications from Annie about our student body's lack of school spirit and how we really needed to do something about it. I replied with some generic bull crap to shut her up and then went back to writing my English essay. Not even ten minutes later my phone started blowing up yet again.

"Annie I swear to God," I muttered under my breath as I reached for my phone. To my surprise it wasn't Annie. I missed his first call due to the fact that I stared at my phone screen in shock for too long. The 3 text messages that came after it snapped me back to reality.

*Jens I did something stupid.

*Drop what you're doing. I seriously need you right now!

*Call me. NOOOOWWWW!

My heart was racing as I clicked on his contact and my brain was scanning every possible scenario of what on earth he had gotten himself into.

"Jens?"

"Bennett Austin Hamilton what the hell did you do?"

"Jens I need you to come pick me up..."

"Um okay? Where are you?"

"I'm in the woods."

"You're joking."

"Nope! I'm at the ones by school and I don't have a car so I need you to come get me." he was so nonchalant about the whole conversation and I was just confused.

"Anything else I should know? Ya know, like what the heck you're doing in the woods at 9:00 on a Friday night?"

"Oh yeah I'm high. Okay thanks see you soon!!" My mouth was literally hanging open. Who the hell did this kid think he was? I worked on my paper for another ten minutes or so to leave him hanging before I finally gave in and went to start my car.

Valley High was only five minutes from my house and the woods that Bennett was currently residing in backed up right to our parking lot. I can only imagine what sort of gross and impure things go on in those woods this late on a Friday night and what in God's name had Bennett been doing there. "Duh you idiot," I thought, he had been doing drugs. I had never even seen a drug in my whole life, much less been done one. "Jesus Jens you're eighteen years old and more sheltered than most people's big toe," I mentally scolded myself for being so dang prudish.

I pulled into the school parking lot and didn't see any other cars, thankfully, and then I sent Bennett a text to let him know that I was here. Within seconds he came loping out of the woods covered in dirt with only one shoe on and the biggest grin on his face. I quickly unlocked the door as he rounded the front of my car so he could hop in easily.

"Hello Ms. Hardy! Fancy seeing you here," Bennett cooed as he slid into the seat and leaned in to me for a kiss.

"In your dreams Alexander Hamilton," I said dryly as I palmed his face and pushed him back to his side of the car.

"How many times have I asked you not to refer to me as one of the founding fathers?"

"A lot, but I'm picking you up from the woods when I should be studying AND you're high so I feel like the rules don't apply in this situation,"

"Jenson Nicole Hardy why the hell were you studying on a perfectly good Friday night? Really you should be thanking me for getting you out of the house," he reached for my hand that was sitting on the center console but I pulled it away. "Why can't I hold your hand, Jens," he stared at me from across the car with beautiful glassy blue eyes (even though they were a little bloodshot they were still gorgeous) and I could practically feel my heart melting.

"Okay fine, you can hold my hand if your little heart desires," I held out my hand and when he didn't take it right away I waved it around a bit.

"I know you're excited to hold my hand Jens but have some patience," he teased. Annoyed, I tried to pull my hand out from under his but he was too strong. "No, no, I like this."

We sat comfortably without talking for a little while and just listened to the soft hum of Judah and The Lion playing from my aux cord. My hand was on fire from the way Bennett was rubbing his thumb over mine and all I wanted was more of that feeling. I was about to speak up when all of a sudden he jumped up out of his seat and started pointing out of the window

"FOOOOOOD! QUICK JENS TURN INTO ZAXBYS!" He grabbed the wheel and jerked me into the turn lane.

"BENNETT YOU CAN'T JUST DO THAT!" I screamed at him once we were in the parking lot. "WE COULD HAVE DIED! YOU COULD HAVE WRECKED INTO SOME ONE ELSE AND WE COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE AND THEN WE WOULD BOTH BE IN JAIL AND I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT GUILT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! YOU ARE SO INCONSIDERTE YOU FREAKING - " His lips crashed into mine and I was so caught off guard. I was frozen. Bennett took one look at me and smiled before he climbed out of the car. It took my a second to process that my eyes were wide open and my hands were still suspended in the air like that had been when I was yelling. I knew I probably looked like a crazy person so I collected myself and followed him into the Zaxbys.