the bet → brad simpson | ✓

28

My fingers wrapped around a mug as it grew towards ten in the evening. The place was growing empty as only a few couples and groups of friends lingered by, leaving me with nothing to do behind the counter.

After my argument with Brad, I ended up calling Blake, ranting about what had happened and why I was so annoyed and confused before I forced myself to get changed and go to work since I really needed the money. However the next three days were my last few days they needed me.

"I'm gonna clean up in the kitchen, shout me if anyone else comes and needs serving," Blake's mom says and I nod, taking a sip of my drink. Another group of teens left as I cleaned the counter and sat down on the bar stool with a piece of paper in my hand.

"Hello, sweetness," a voice pulls my attention away and I turn to face Jace with a smirk on his face.

I stand up as he sits down, "I-uh-what would you like?"

"I'll have a smoothie," he replies, his eyes glittering. "Strawberry." Before he can make a rude comment I nod and swiftly move to the kitchen to make a smoothie for him, my hands shaking. Jace was the person I least thought would come—in fact I hadn't even thought about ever seeing him again.

When I've finished, I carefully walk to the counter and hand him the drink from the other side, trying to keep as much distance between us as I could.

"Thank you," he says, drinking some and I don't reply, and instead put my pen against the paper and doodle. "I guess I should apologise for being a jerk to you?"

"You've not come here just to apologise, have you?" I roll my eyes. "Because, you're still pathetic."

"And I'm sorry, alright?" He says and we fall into an uncomfortable silence. No way was I going to forgive him after what he'd done to Brad, even if Bradley and I aren't on good terms. "Where's your boy-toy anyway?"

I sigh, standing up properly, "he's called Brad, not boy-toy—and he's. . . out."

"Really? I thought I saw him with a pretty blonde earlier, walking out of the cinema," Jace shrugs and I just hum in response, not allowing him to get a reaction out of me. "That's not my business anyway. I'll be off now."

He slips a ten dollar note over the side and winks.

"That's a tip."

➳

I twist the key and lock the door to the small cafe, handing it to Blake's mom a second later. She takes it with a smile.

"Are you sure you want to walk home by yourself?" She asks, putting the key in key bag. "I can give you a lift really, especially since it's so dark."

"No, it's fine," I reply. "It's the complete opposite way to your house, and you're probably just as tired as I am."

"Alright, sweetie," she nods and walks over to her car, causing me to start walking before she can offer a ride home again. In all honesty, I wanted to fully process and take in what happened earlier on today—with Jace and Brad.

Was Jace lying about seeing Brad and a girl walking together, or was he doing it out of spite? It wouldn't surprise me if Brad did, since he was talking to a girl at my house and he said he'd take her on a date.

My heart hurts as it pounds against my chest—undoubtedly I was jealous, I could admit that. I was jealous Brad had his eyes on another girl and didn't feel the same way about me, and I was jealous that he's going to be giving her cuddles and kisses and I won't, ever.

I was disappointed in myself for falling in love with Brad: it was a stupid idea, that I had no control over. Maybe if I hadn't have, I wouldn't have fallen out with him and ruined months of a friendship.