Bet Me

Chapter 8

James POV

"Can't you just pick someone else for me?" This time I was at Katie's apartment. Although she's loaded, that never stopped her from rooming with 3 different frat girls. Lucky for me, they all seemed to be out today. Perfect timing to persuade Katie to call this whole bet thing off. 

"Aww what's the matter? Mr hot-shot can't possibly take rejection?" Her pouty lips made her look extra cute as she sat her perfect body on the Island of her kitchen munching on an apple. Crunch

"I can take rejection." I wasn't so sure of that statement as the words glided out of my mouth.

"Maybe but you can't chase after anyone, that's not your style."

I shrug, moving my head a little as I smirk. She was right.

"I'm right." Katie reads my mind.

"I just don't see the point."

"Well, that's a part of the whole experience. I pointed, I picked, you agreed. No takesies backsies."

I raised an eyebrow and shot her a glance at that remark. I quickly disregard it as I remember nothing surprised me when it came to Katie.

"Well my date is going to be here any minute so unless you want to explain to him who you are, I suggest you get your cute little butt out of my apartment." She picks her hand up and makes a sweeping motion as to shoo me away.

My eyes trace up to the ceiling and I decided she was right. The last time we had to explain our situation to one of Katie's boyfriends, well let's just say the ending didn't work out well in that guys favor. I stop leaning from the kitchen wall adjacent to the island about to leave before asking the obvious "You have a date?"

"Well yeah, I decided I would try it out too, yanno, test the waters." Her cute wink made me want to call this entire bet off, and I would had I not needed the money.

"Alright weirdo, peace." 

My face is welcomed with the gush of humidity as I make my way out of Katies AC apartment into the hot summer day. I walk down the street as the sun beam downs heavily on me, sweat trailing down my temples. August always seemed to be the the hottest month of the year and my least favorite. I start to think about Katie and the situation I found myself in. All I would have to do is get Savannah for a month to show Katie that I can in fact keep a girlfriend, collect my money, dump Savannah and then move on to my old ways. It seemed easy. Well, easy if I wasn't a drunken slob days prior. 

I keep waking until I find myself at the college campus somewhat close to the building. Katie's going on a date and I have nothing to do.

What am I going to do today 

The question is still suck in my mind just moments before I see a poster advertising the ladies volleyball team tournament at the beach today. Project get Savannah to fall in love with me could wait, I needed James time. 

The beach was packed with college kids. Some tanning, others drinking booze, and of course, the girls volleyball game.

The sand seeps through my toes as I walk around the beach observing to see if I knew anyone here. I usually hated going to college functions but since this was a public Californian beach, it didn't bother me as much. 

Just as I was about to go sit in front of the ladies volleyball match, I couldn't believe my eyes projecting off a tanned brown haired girl, Savannah. Much like our last encounter, she seemed fairly occupied but this time it was with another girl. I wondered if it was her friend. 

"Hey Savannah." I wave my hand as I sit next to her on the sand where she laid tanning on her green and pink striped beach towel. 

"Do you know that guy?" The girl with Savannah had black hair with blue highlights. She wore a sea-foam green bikini and had leopard shades covering her eyes in which she used her hand to slide over the top of her hair as she stared at me. 

"Well, yeah she does. I'm her future boyfriend." Although my chuckle seemed confident, the looks I got from those two girls made me feel shut down completely. I never felt this way before, but now I'm quickly learning how most guys feel. I try to think of something else to say. "No, well, yeah, kind of." I eventually hang my head down observing the sand so my red-hot face doesn't get shown.

"That's the guy I was talking to you about." 

"Ohhh mr one night stand." The black haired girl gets up from her towel, walks over and slugs me hard on my bicep. I pick my head back up and nod in agreement as she sits back down next to her best friend.

"Yeah I deserved that, it's fine."

"Tool." The black haired girl picks up a fashion magazine clearly showing no interest in me anymore.

"James a word please?" Savannah gets up, I almost feel relieved at this point that she's paying some type of attention to me. 

"Of course." I do a subtle skip as we both get up and walk down the beach away from her  friend.

"What the hell are you doing here?'' I get smacked on the bicep again and although it didn't physically hurt, I can tell Savannah wish it did.

"Nice to see you too Savannah." I squint my eyes as the sun is hitting them directly. 

"What do you want from me? Money? An apology?" Well, the money kind of, I thought to myself.

We stop walking and I look into her hurt eyes. I know she tries to act tough, but the other night clearly bothered her enough for her to tell her friend about me.

"I wanted to take you out on a date."

"A date? Why? So you can sweep me off my feet and get laid that way? Because guess what? It didn't work before and it sure as hell won't happen now." Her brunette beach curls blew perfectly away from her face when they got caught by the wind. If I was any normal guy, I would want to really take her out on a date instead of using her to my advantage.

"A date because I really showed my ass the other night and I wanted to make it up to you."

Her arms folded across her chest as she stare blankly and deeply into my eyes. Her stiff "no" felt decently cold as she proceeded to walk away. 

I grab her by the forearm "I know you care."

Startled she smacks me and I let go quickly. I just needed to grab her attention and it was obvious that I did. Going back over to her friend would mean I would have to try this all over again and that's something I was not willing to do.

"Because if you didn't care, why would you tell your little friend about me? Why would you want to talk to me alone? And why would you look like you wanted nothing more but to kiss me right now?" Savannah was clearly into romance so the next thing I thought of to do made sense. I pulled her into me as I lay my hand gently on her cheek, the feeling of her soft skin lay on the base of my palm. Her soft lips made their way up to mine as we kissed passionately in the middle of the beach. The kiss was soft an innocent as I could tell she was very inexperienced. That could be changed. I pull back as I notice her angry face turns into a confused smile.

Not bad, James. 

I notice she closes her eyes and licks her lips trying to savor the moment. "Fine, one date. But that's it. After that, leave me alone." She tries stomping away in my vision but as she walks further, I notice her angry walk turns into a slower more happier walk. She was confused, but she was wiling to give this a chance.

I walk away happily knowing that I have this in the bag.