Don't Bet On It

Chapter 1 - All About Evie

This is my first book so I hope you enjoy it.

I've created a playlist to go along with it, each chapter I'll give a song that I think goes well with it. If you want to, take a listen and let me know what you think.

The first song is "Beginners" - Slow Club

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"Come on Evie! You've got to go, it's gonna be like the best party ever!" I looked across the lunch table into the big brown eyes of one of my best friends Rae; she was the party animal of our group, if anybody in school was throwing a house party she'd be the first to know about it.

She opened her eyes wider than I thought possible, begging me, pleading with me. I couldn't hold out much longer and my resolve began to slip; the flicker of a smile at the edges of her mouth revealed she knew that she had me.

"You only went to like one party last year and we're seniors now, we're only gonna be together for another year before we all go off to different colleges. Come on Evie, live a little, please!"  

I couldn't look away from her puppy dog eyes, resistance was futile; nobody could say no to Rae when she really wanted something. I sighed, accepting defeat in our mini staring contest. "Fine, I'll go. But I can't guaratee I'll have fun."

She got up clapping her hands, smiling and came and put her arms around my neck hugging me from behind. "We'll see about that." She laughed as the bell rang for the end of lunch and we all headed to fifth period. "Don't bet on it!" I called to her back as she turned down another corridor.

I've never really been interested in parties, you know getting drunk, getting hit on by drunk guys, dancing; I never saw the appeal. I just completely embarrass myself; I can't dance for shit and alcohol and me don't mix well. The last time I got drunk it involved animal impressions, hysterical laughter and falling down the stairs, none of which I can actually remember.  

What I can remember is a blinding headache, a sore ankle and people never looking at me the same way again. I had to endure people making animal noises at me for a month before my friends told me what had actually happened. I vowed never to get drunk at a school party ever again.

My friends and I all had different classes for the next hour, so I thought I'd at least get a break from all the party talk. The bliss lasted for all of about ten seconds, when I got stuck behind two sophomore girls gushing about the party the following night.

"Kyle Johnson is so hot! Anybody who's anybody is gonna be at the party. The football team, the soccer team, which means . . . Noah McCaskill!" They shouted the name in unison and squealed at such a high pitch only dogs could hear them.

Another reason to avoid parties, it was buzzing with all the cool, popular people who made my life a living hell. I spent every school day trying to avoid them, why the hell would I want to seek them out at weekends.

Especially Noah McCaskill, I don't know what the big attraction is; well I do he's probably the hottest guy in school and the star of the soccer team but he just used girls and then broke their hearts.

He dated them until they had fallen in love with him, then he got bored and dumped each one; his record relationship must be a month at the most. Even though everybody knew he was a serial heartbreaker, all the girls still followed him around like some sort of God. The most sensible of girls went gaga when he was around. I'd been one of the lucky ones, slipping below his radar without being noticed, but Rae hadn't been so fortunate.

Nearly a year ago, we'd gone to a house party in the Haight, as it was close to Rae's birthday I decided to go; it didn't end well as I mentioned earlier. Anyway we were dancing - not very well - Rae, me and our other best friends Casey and Robin, when all of a sudden we were all pushed out of the way.