The First

Chapter Thirteen

Trigger Warning! Mentions a guy in a club touching Becky w/o consent. Very brief but just thought I should warn you all. xx

"Well I guess if you two are together, bet's off. You're going to win." Richard laughs clapping Joel on his back.

The boys were all excited for him but Erick huffed a little, annoyed his bright idea was ruined.

"Oh no way." Joel laughed, "it's anyone's game. We aren't really together officially yet." he shrugs.

The boys looked at him curiously and almost at once they decided to question him.

"Dude," Zabdiel starts, "you can't be doing this for the bet, right?"

"If you like her the way you say you do then this bet is off. Are you just saying this to her to win?" Chris asks, confused

"Is this part of your game plan? You make her think you two are going to date so she lets you fuck her?" Richard asks.

Quickly they all stop speaking as Becky, Ali and Clara enter the room. Instead the boys look at her differently to how they have ever looked at her before. Richard, Chris and Zabdiel look pitiful, Erick looks disappointed and Joel looks lovingly.

"Hey." she smiles. "Hope you don't mind me crashing your meeting?"

Joel just walks over and throws an arm around her, "never." he smiles kissing her cheek. "I missed you," he whispers in her ear.

Chris leans into Zabdiel whispering, "we need to talk to him about this later."

"We will." Richard responds, Zabdiel nodding along.

Clara and Ali watch Joel and Becky smiling until Zabdie claps his hands together to capture everyone's attention. The meeting quickly starts and they discuss the release of their new single. Becky had no need to be at the meeting but the girls dragged her along anyway.

"I think that's it then!" Clara smiles.

"If we have nothing else to do," Joel starts rubbing his hands together, "then we can go?" Ali just nods in response. "Well if we can go now then I was thinking we could go get ice cream or something?" Joel asks looking at Becky.

Embarrassed by being asked out in front of everyone Becky turns red and just nods, unable to use her words. The boys watch almost angry. Chris was the angriest, he couldn't believe that Joel would so happily play with Becky's emotions just to win the bet. Zabdiel and Richard were almost in disbelief and wanted to finish their conversation with Joel before they grew angry with him. Erick sat back contemplating how he could still win the bet while she dated Joel. Once everyone moves their separate ways, Joel takes Becky's hand leading her to his car.

Becky and Joel spend the afternoon together. They ate ice cream and walked along the pier, they joked and confessed all the times they embarrassed themselves because of their feelings and even the moment they first realised they had feelings for each other.

"You didn't!" she laughed.

Joel had just confessed that when they went out for dinner the very first time, he thought she was cute and was jealous that Chris kept flirting.

"I did! I was so jealous too. I don't think I even realised how much I liked you until like a week ago. I think it was all deep inside and then something just pushed it out."

"Oh yeah? Something like that?" she questioned.

He looked down. He couldn't admit that the four other boys chasing after her made his blood boil, he couldn't admit that he was so competitive that sometimes he wondered if his feelings were real or just a desperate attempt at winning. So he shrugged in response and kissed her cheek before standing from his seat and walking off expecting her to follow.

"You know," he starts, "you haven't told me about any time you embarrassed yourself in front of me! I told you about the time I tripped running over to you and was scared you noticed. The only story I haven't told you is when I nearly got in a fight in that club because that guy grabbed your ass!"

"What fight? You didn't tell me anything!" you smile excited that he almost fought someone for you. "Tell me!" you beg.

Joel sighs, "You remember! Don't you?" You shake your head walking along together. "Basically he grabbed your ass and you were super upset because his hand basically went up your dress. You ran over to us and you were telling us what happened. Before you even finished, me, Rich and Chris slipped away."

"I noticed." Becky comments, "I thought you all thought I was overreacting."

"Overreacting? No way. We found him outside talking to some other girl. So I pushed him against a wall. My arm was pressed to his throat. I had never been so angry. Chris and Rich didn't know what to do. They thought that I would be the one holding them back."

"And then what?" Becky asked, holding his hand.

"Well then I yelled at him. The security outside noticed what was going down so Chris and Rich pulled me away and we came back inside. The boys wanted to tell you because they thought it would make you feel better but I was too angry and didn't want you to see me that way." he shrugs like it was no big deal.

"That's so sweet." you gush, pulling on his hand so he would halt his movements. "Thank you." you smile and lean up to kiss him.

Your hands hold his face and his settle on your hips. It's a quick kiss, a thank you kiss and then you keep walking.

"So come on," he yanks your arm as you walk, "your turn."

Becky couldn't think of all the times she had embarrassed herself. Only the most embarrassing time. She turned red at the memory as she faded out of the conversation telling the story like she was in the moment.

They were at a party and Becky pulled him into the laundry.

"What's up Becky?" He looks her up and down. She's ready this time. At least she thinks she was. "Becky?" Her face turns pale and she's grateful there's a sink next to her because she turns her head and before she can stop himself she is throwing up in front of the boy she was close to in love with. "Oh shit!" he screamed leaning forward and rubbing her back to soothe her, holding her hair away from her face.

The next morning, Becky had hoped he was too drunk the night before to remember. Instead she was awoken with a glass of ice water and a greasy breakfast in front of her. Joel had taken her back to his house and tucked her in his bed. He could have taken her home and Ali could have looked after her but he was the one that had convinced her to go to the party. So he had felt like it was all his fault.

"What's this?" she asks, rubbing his eyes.

"I thought you could use it."

"Thank you," she smiles taking in her surroundings. "You don't have to look after me though. I should've just gone home so that I wasn't your problem."

"Yeah I do. You dragged me into the landrey yesterday so that I would look after you, I am following that through today too!" he smiled

After Becky retells the story explaining that she had really dragged him in there to admit she had feelings for him Joel looked shocked. They had laughed together about all the things their emotions had made them do and finished the day once Joel had taken Becky home. She offered for him to go inside. He thought about the bet. Was this the moment he could win? He shook his head no. It would be too easy. He wanted to give the other boys another chance before he won.