Cruel Stakes High Roller

Behind the Crook is a Hook

[8] Behind the Crook is a Hook

The next day, Justin didn't show up again. I was beginning to wonder where that fool went. I was with my friends and Karen's posse when I saw Felice walk by. She smiled and waved at me as I gave her a recognizing nod. Trish snickered behind me.

"She must have been wondering where Justin went." She laughed as the other girls laughed with her.

"Lauren, what did you tell Justin again?" Stephanie injected as Richard and Tyler were listening intently as I was.

"Oh, I just told him that Trish was crying for weeks since she hasn't gotten her period in a few months and has been vomiting every morning."

Dreadful, that was just dreadful news. I can imagine any man's ears would bleed after hearing news like this.

"No fuck. Trish, when?" Richard asked her and immediately looked at her stomach.

"Silly, it's not true. Just before school started, Justin and I met again, we fooled around a bit, and he was totally drunk. I bet he couldn't remember a thing. We didn't have sex; I just want him to think that. You know, suffer." She laughed as Lauren nodded.

"Justin? But he's not from our high school. How'd you meet this dude?" Tyler questioned.

"Men travel, Tyler. But no matter, that's not the point. He made a huge mistake of leaving Trish hanging like that." Stephanie replied to a slightly jealous Tyler.

Trish slapped Stephanie's arm. "What?! It's true. He'll pay. I mean, to leave this hot babe for ugly Felice? Come on. Could he be more stupid?" She said defensively.

"Stuck in high school, girls?" Richard laughed.

"You mean to tell me, the dare Karen made with me was for you, Trish? So you could get back at Felice?" I asked suddenly hitting realization.

What do you know; these girls had an even more blackened soul than I've imagined.

"Oh, don't mind Stephanie, Anthony. She doesn't know what she's saying." Trish said as she looked around for any eavesdroppers.

Surely, you don't know what you're saying. Richard's right. These girls are stuck in high school. He will pay?  Am I stuck in some chick flick?

Worst of it all, I was playing a part in it.

But I consoled myself, foolishly thinking that I had a different purpose—I was doing it for lust. Karen is going to be mine.

While lost in thought, I stared at Trish's scowling face. She was not hot; neither was Felice, but what were they so angry about? It's not like flings last forever. We're boys, we come and we go. Women are so much greater in quantity over men, and there's no time to lose to explore each and everyone willing girl on the planet.

We're not all pigs, I concluded. It's just that, it would really take a special girl that would blow our mind away before we agree to be tied up. If not, you're just one of the crowd, babe.

Maybe, Justin has met his match in Felice. So Trish, just stick it up your arse, will you?

I didn't talk to Felice that day. I figured it would be too much. A little space would be good to show that I am interested, but not much 'into you', if you catch my drift. The tactic never fails; it always leaves the girls wanting me more.

It makes me go 50% in and let her do the other 50%.

That way, when we go on our separate ways, no bad blood there.

And while I was going out of my car the next morning, my phone started to ring. "Hello?"

"How are you, Anthony?" Karen breathed rasping through the phone.

"I'm fine. I have a question, and I want you to tell me the truth." I told her.

"Going commando now, are we?" She laughed. What is it with Karen these days? It's as if there's nothing in her brain but sex.

"Does this dare have anything to do with Trish?" I said as I stopped midway. I was standing in the middle of the garden between Unit 1 and the Library.

"Trish? What made you think--

"Don't lie to me!" I grumbled, frustrated. I didn't want to become a beastly man more than I already was for agreeing to this bet. I looked around to ease my frustration and saw Felice coming down from the Unit 1 steps.

"Fine. Yes, yes. It has. I'm hitting two birds with one stone. Haven't you heard of double purpose, Anthony? Trish hates her, I couldn't care less about her, so why not? Teaches both of them a lesson, and gives us a wonderful game to play." She managed to smoothly say.

Felice sees me and waves; I raise my finger up to ask her to wait for me. "Okay, Karen listen, I have to go. I have a class. I'll talk to you later."

I shut my phone off. "Felice!"

"Good morning, Anthony." She said softly. I looked at her; she seemed troubled although she forced herself to mask it.

"Are you okay? You seem... disturbed." I said as we both walk toward the brick road towards the other Unit Buildings.

"I'm fine." She said through her nose. After a minute of silence, she retracted, "Okay maybe not. It's just that I'm worried about Justin that's all. He's been absent for a week. I left messages regarding assignments, but I haven't heard from him. You know how many cuts that is, right?" Felice fixed her backpack as if she was carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders.

"I'm sure he's just sick." He's sick to the bone if you ask me.

It's wicked to put a man through that. If I was put in that situation, I would not have shown up at all.

And at that moment, her blockmates appeared from one side of the street and collected her as I was left standing in front of Unit 4 Technology building, and left wondering if she's already in love with Justin.

That's going to be bad news for me.

How am I supposed to make her fall in love with me? Let alone forget Justin. Maybe, if she was already in love with Justin, this could be my excuse to get out of the bet and spare her from Kate and Trish's idiotic plans.

Though, the second option seemed harder for me to do now.