The Bet (Just The Way You Are)

The Bet *Deal

Chapter 1 *Deal*

~Drake

I lost the bet.

I, Drake Swift, lost for the first time in my entire life. I can't believe it.

Now I have to do anything Andre wants me to.

You'd think that since we're best friends, it'd be easy, but you're wrong. Instead of making each other's lives easier, we amuse ourselves by making it harder on one another. People would think it's pathetic, but we enjoy it. Ironic isn't it?

But we're best friends through good times and bad times. Well. . . mostly in bad times.

I know Andre. It's his first time winning so he'll take his time in thinking of what he wants me to do. All the worse scenarios are running through my mind. Eating gross food, punching someone, breaking furniture, getting myself grounded, humiliating myself in public - no. . . he's not that rude.

"I know what I want you to do," Andre says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

We're on the steps of the Science Building. Our professor is absent so we stroll through the hallways. There are only few students here because most of the students are in their classrooms. We're just lucky because our professor isn't here.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts. "What?" I ask, looking at him. I don't know why we're best friends. We don't have anything in common.

"I want you to date someone," he begins.

His next words are cut off by my laughter. I can't believe it. He wants me to date someone? I thought he might even want me to punch someone in the face! Maybe I am wrong about my best friend.

Dating didn't even come to my mind. With my dark hair that falls just above my alluring blue eyes, I won't have a problem finding a girl.

He smirks, reading my mind. "I'm not done."

I roll my eyes. It can't be worse. "Continue then," I say after I stop laughing.

He clears his throat. "I want you to date someone," he repeats, "And then ask her to be your girlfriend."

I stare at him incredulously, the shock evident in my eyes. I should have expected that. Of course he wouldn't make it that easy on me.

"I won't do it!" I say grudgingly.

He, of all people, should know that. I never had a steady girlfriend in the seventeen years of my existence. And now, because I lost a bet, he wants me to change it? No way! I'm content with what I'm doing.

"You have to do it!" He says through gritted teeth. "When I lost, I did everything you wanted me to do!"

I think about the last time he lost. I told him to break up with his girlfriend. He did break up with her. To be honest, I know he didn't love her. But, because I ordered him to, he did it. And now, because I lost, I have to do what he wants me to.

A sigh escape from my lips. This will be the last time I'm going to do a deal.

"Okay," I mumble, defeat clearly in my voice.

His scowl turns into a smile. "It's not that hard," he says and then he explains what he wants me to do.

I'll court someone (of his choosing) for a month and then I'll ask her to be my girlfriend; she should say yes. At that point, I'll tell her it's just a game, that I lost on a bet and that's why I've been acting like I love her.

This time, our bet is a secret. We can't tell anyone about it.

Andre is worse than I thought. I can't believe he wants me to hurt a girl. Even though I'm bad, I never dreamed of hurting a girl.

Well, that's karma, a part of me says.

But I have no choice.

When you lost, you don't have a free will. A deal's a deal.

Andre starts to raise his forefinger. So this is it then, he's just going to pin point someone? I groan.

Andre looks around for a minute, considering whom to choose. "Her," he says after a moment, pointing to a girl walking out of the Math building.

I squint in the sunlight to see her clearly. All I can make out is that she has honey blonde hair that falls past her mid back. I can't see her face because she's looking at the ground while she's walking. I give Andre a questioning look.

He nods to the direction of the girl. She's walking towards us, and because she's looking down, she bumps into a guy. I laugh at her clumsiness.

The guy steadies her, and then she looks up. "Sorry," she says.

When the guy walks away, the girl turns to us. For a fraction of a second, her pale blue eyes stare right through me. She looks away quickly, but not before I see her face flushes in embarrassment.

Confused, I turn to Andre. "I don't know her," I tell him. I look around again for the girl but she's nowhere to be seen. "Is she even a student here?"

Andre looks at me oddly. "Of course she is!" He shakes his head, muttering unintelligible words at me.

"Is she a new student?" I ask. Maybe she is a transferee. I don't recognize her.

He snorts. "She's in one of your classes, stupid."

"I'm not stupid," I say, scowling at him.

"This is your fourth year in this school, and you don't know her?" He says mockingly.

He playfully punches me on the shoulder. Even though it doesn't hurt, I glare at him. Really, I don't know the girl.

Of course you don't know her, a voice in my head says, You hardly notice anyone not worth your attention.

Awesome, now I'm talking to myself. I think I'm crazy.

"Who is she then?" I snap.

"Her name is Sophia Taylor," he answers. "I think it's a good thing I picked her. You can get to know each other," he says teasingly, wiggling his eyebrows.

I want to punch him, but I control myself. I have to act cool. Besides, it's only a month. I bet it's only going to end up being a week because she'll fall for me that quickly. Courting a girl I didn't even know existing, until now.

I wonder what her reaction will be when I ask her out. Maybe she'll jump for joy. Who wouldn't, with my looks? A grin appears on my face. I 'm too confident. I hope I won't fail.

"You'll start tomorrow," Andre says, bringing me back to reality. "You have a month."

I see Sophia in the corner of my eye, walking towards the Main Building. She catches my eye and her foot trip on a rock.

I choke a laugh, causing Andre to shake his head.

"This is going to be fun," I say smugly.

***
The song is Stop and Stare by One Republic. I hope you'll listen to it, and to all the songs that will be posted in the story. :)

You can watch a trailer on the side ---> *All the trailers that are posted were made by readers.*

Book 2: Colliding with Fate is the spin-off (sequel) of The Bet. It's already posted on Wattpad.