Bet Me

Chapter 1

Savannah's Pov:

I move my hands along side a cream colored mailbox, taking a deep breath of fresh oxygen before I curl my finger around the hook to open it. After all, a specific letter in a standing box could determine my fate. I pull the opening down, two letters lay before me. 

"What is it honey?"  You would think my dad would at least look up from the stove after I swing the door open, fast enough for it to fall of the hinges.

Two white envelops fall gracefully on the table as I sit myself not-so gracefully on a chair,  I feel my face get hot and the back of my throat tighten as I manage to muster the words. "Bills."

"Oh sweetie."

"Save it, I'm going to Darren's."  I state not so confidently. Truth is, I'm not sure if he is back home yet.

I walk off the front porch, the outside world seemed a lot different when you were so mad at it. To my surprise, I see Darren in my front yard laying in the hammock we used to play on together as kids. I walk up closer as I see his green-rimmed shades covering his eyes. 

"Lemonade, pronto." 

I kick the bottom of the hammock swiftly with my old raggedy tennis shoes. 

"That's no way to treat your master!" He jokes as he gets out of the hammock, stands up and gives me a bear hug. 

I smile feeling the warm embrace of his hug, his cologne makes me feel some sense of home. I grasp on to him a little longer as I take in his smell. 

"I missed you Darren."

He lets go of me, stares into my eyes and gives me a light peck on the lips as he takes off his shades. "Me too, darling."

"How was New York?"

"It was great! I went to this amazing art museum and---" His voice fades off as I start to think about how this might be the last couple of weeks we see each other. What if he really does decide to go to New York. It wouldn't be that bad if I could get into Shorepoint University in California but either way, it would be almost impossible to see him. Darren was the only guy that I've ever been with. Being neighbor kids and seeing each other everyday  of our lives growing up, it was almost certain that we would have ended up together. Darren was my safety blanket and it was weird picturing a whole new life without him. 

"It was hilarious, Savannah."  He continued to talk but my mind was drifting off into my thoughts. "Don't you think so?" 

I stare into his eyes, mine looking rather sad as I extend my hand out to grab his. "Can we go somewhere?" 

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Darren's bedroom looked the same as it usually did with the white sturdy walls filled with inspirational art from his favorite artists. I notice he still has the teddy bear I gave him for our first real valentines together, just siting on the bed. I take a seat at his desk on his big computer chair, facing him as he sits on his bed.

"Don't be such a stranger come give me a hug." He extends his arms out waiting for me to go over there to give him a hug, and possibly a make-out session.

"Darren." I start to talk, a little bit uncertain with how I'm going to go about the things I want to say.

"Okay, okay I'll come to you." He starts to walk towards me and I scoot back on the rolly chair a little, clearly not wanting any contact with him. 

"What's the issue?" He walks back to the bed looking confused and slightly hurt as I reject his hug.

"Are we ever going to talk about us?" I blurt out finally, staring back at him. I stare at Darrens physique I had known forever. He was tall, lanky, and had jet black hair. His skin was on the more pale side and it was weird that he decided to get contacts this year when all of his life the kids at school teased him by calling him four eyes. 

Darren falls backwards as his bed catches him, he lets out a little bit of a sigh and his words get louder, showing his emotions. "Well I did find a college in New York. They have a great creative writing program. I want you to go with me." His arms lay over his face now. Ever since we graduated high-school, I pestered him about our future a bunch.

"Darren, I don't want to go to New York. That was your dream, not mine." 

He sits back up. With the look on his face, you would think someone just murdered an innocent puppy. "I thought your dream was me."

"I want to go to California." 

"Would you give that up already? How long have you been waiting for that letter? Not to be rude Savannah, but don't you think you would have heard something by now? I'm moving in a week. Times ticking."

The tightness in the back of my throat from earlier comes back and I run my hand along my jeans as I close my eyes. "I just have hope." I whisper as I clenched my hand on the fabric of my jeans, anything to contain myself so I wouldn't cry right there in front of him. 

Darren's arms are some how back around me. "I didn't mean it like that Savannah. We grew up together. We were just two dorky neighbor kids who fell in love.  We've done everything together, I thought that's what you would want."

"I don't want to stay in Kentucky forever, Darren." 

"But"

"Or New-York." My words were abrupt and to the point but Darren didn't seem too convinced. 

"Look Savannah, we can break up if you want, but I'm sure once you find out where you're going we can work this out. That's what I want." I thought long and hard and clinched onto his arms, not wanting to let go of this little piece of home.

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I make my way back home and sit on the front steps of the porch staring at Darren's house across from mine. A shiver shot down my spine as the memories crept up on me. Our first kiss we ever had happened in the big oak tree behind his house.  I contemplate all the possible outcomes of what could happen to our relationship with the big changes that were about to happen in our lives. Dating a guy that I was grew up with  my whole life gave me this idea that all relationships are simple, but lately it didn't seem so.  

"Savannah come inside." My older sister Lacey opened the screen door, motioning for me to come in. Oh great, what kind of lecture did she want to give me this time. I was always jealous of my 23 year old sister. Not only was she super pretty, but she had her life figured out. She was smart and it seemed she always got whatever she wanted, even if it meant staying close to home to frequently visit dad and I.

I walked inside of the house and saw my dad sitting on the couch and Lacey went to sit next to him. I felt like I was about to get a lecture about not getting into my dream college and how I was going to have to reevaluate my life decisions.

"So we have to tell you something, Sav." Lacey stated shortly and looked over at my dad. I remembered a familiar set-up years ago when grandma and dad told Lacey and I about our mother. This had brought back those bad memories.

"Can you just get to the point please?" I shuffled my feet back and forth waiting for whatever news would be thrown at me.

"You got in!" Was all I heard before I started screaming and jumping. This seemed like the beginning of a dream. 

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AN: Congratulations! You just made it through your first chapter of "Bet Me"! Question of the chapter: What is your dream job? :) Happy reading!