Later that weekend, Rye, Sonny, and Jack were hanging out at the park. They'd been talking about random things. Their conversation eventually shifted to the group project and the detention they'd all shared.
"We have, like, a friend group of gays, now," Sonny laughed.
"Dude, having to blatantly assume what 2 strangers sexualities were, in front of their faces, that's some of the toughest shit I've ever done," Jack cringed, remembering the dare.
"Well, coming out to the entire grade, standing on a table in the middle of the cafeteria, is the toughest shit I've ever done," Sonny countered.
"What about you, Beaumont?" Jack asked.
"Huh?" Rye hummed, having zoned out of the conversation before.
"What's the toughest shit you've ever done?" Jack asked again.
"I dunno, probably, like, babysitting my brothers or something," Rye really didn't care about whatever they were talking about, and wasn't paying attention to it, anyways.
"That's weak, man," Sonny told him.
"Yeah we're over here dealing with sexualities and shit, and you babysit your brothers?" Jack scoffed.
"Well, what do you want me to do? I'm not an idiot like the pair of you!" Rye rolled his eyes.
"You gotta do something, Beaumont," Jack told him.
"Yeah, catch up to the shit we've done," Sonny agreed.
Suddenly, Jack got an idea that could help all three of them out. Rye would be forced to do something that could be classified by Sonny as 'tough shit'. Rye may very well end up with a boyfriend, and Jack would, hopefully, get over the feeling he got around a certain blond boy.
"I bet you can't get Fowler to date you by the time we're done with this stupid project."
"Oh, you're on!" Sonny exclaimed, loving the idea too.
"Okay, but why Fowler?" Rye asked.
"Dunno, just felt like it should be him," Jack said. In all honesty, though, Jack had felt butterflies in his stomach on the first day of school when he met Andy. He didn't know why, exactly. Maybe the cute blond hair, imperfectly styled, looking amazing. Maybe how small he looked, or rather just was, that made him wonder what it would be like to hold him. Or the blue eyes that Jack knew would be so easy to just get lost in. Either way, the boy made him crazy that day.
When they were all paired together for the project, Jack's stomach did flips, excited, but also nervous about the whole thing. How was he supposed to contain himself every time he saw Andy? He tried to control his feelings, and he thought he'd done a fairly good job at it, but it was hard.
Maybe, he thought, if he could get Rye to fall for him, and Andy to fall back, he wouldn't have to worry about it. They would be dating and he would be forced to contain his feelings. There was no way around it.
Sonny, on the other hand, felt similarly about the situation. He had liked Rye for awhile. Of course, they'd been best friends for years, but more recently, when Rye had become more open about how hard school was for him, Sonny realized he liked him. As more than a friend. He just admired how hard he worked, even when it didn't work out for him in the end. It was one of the few amazing things about the brown-haired boy.
Rye didn't really care at all about the bet. As long as it shut the other two boys up, he was fine with it. He would get Andy to date him, somehow, and when Jack and Sonny were satisfied, break up with him before it got too out of hand.
Really, Rye couldn't care less if it worked or didn't, which is why he said, "Sure, why the hell not?" and laughed as the other two cheered.
That same day, Andy and Brook had decided to hang out at the park. If you could even call it that, really. The pair had both brought a book, and were sitting down on a bench reading and enjoying their own little worlds.
What they didn't account for, though, was the birthday party that would be happening there. Or the water balloon fight that would occur.
They'd both been hit and splashed one too many times, and decided to walk around instead.
"So," Brook dragged out the word.
"What?" Andy mocked him.
"I dunno how to do this, to be perfectly honest," Brook confessed.
"Do what?" Andy asked.
"Like, have a normal conversation. With someone my own age," Brook said.
"Oh, yeah, me neither," Andy awkwardly fiddled with his fingers as he spoke, further proving his point.
"Geez. What do people our age even talk about?" Brook questioned, annoyed.
"I honestly have no idea, Brooklyn."
"Maybe we should ask them!" Brook got excited again. Andy looked in the direction Brook was pointing, finding none other than the three boys in their group project.
"Sure why not?" Andy agreed.
The two boys made their way closer, but when Andy heard himself being talked about, grabbed Brook's arm to make him stop walking.
Since the boys' backs were to Andy and Brook, they had no idea the two were listening to their conversation, hearing every detail about the bet. Andy looked down, disappointed, but not surprised. Of course they wouldn't want to be his friend. Why would they be betting against him if they did?
When the conversation was over, Andy grabbed Brook's arm, forcing him to run the opposite direction before any of the other three boys saw them.
"What're you gonna do?" Brook questioned.
"Probably play along," Andy told him.
"Why? Shouldn't we be above that kind of stuff, you know, as nerds?" Brook asked, although he couldn't help but be a little excited by all of this drama.
"Well they obviously don't think of me as a person. Just a nerd they can play around with. And now I know. And maybe I get Rye to fall for me. And then I can break his heart, like he wants to do for me," Andy explained.
"Ooh, okay. I like it!" Brook grinned, already thinking over evil plans to start drama within the group.
"You don't have to. Tell me if it's a stupid idea. Please," Andy begged.
"No. It's brilliant."
1055 words
here's where it starts to get interesting!
in other news, I haven't posted for awhile. oops, sorry. my life has been pretty stressful lately. I don't think anyone cares, but I have a choir concert tomorrow night and I have a solo playing viola and I'm really nervous about it so I've been practicing like crazy.
anyways hopefully you enjoyed this, new part out on Sunday! (as long as I don't forget again!)
~Soph
YOU ARE READING
The Bet//roadtrip bxb
Fanfiction"I bet you can't get Fowler to date you by the time we're done with this stupid project." "Oh, you're on!" Rye is the misunderstood sophomore at his high school that doesn't get very good grades. His friends, Sonny and Jack, are always by his side...
