Once Upon A Bet

/7/ Love letter

Dedicated to QueenWannabe67 for being the first comment last chapter <3!

/ Two Years Ago /

"No... No!" Dalia tugged me to a halt right before I could step into the restaurant. "Come on, Nova, let's go."

My brows pursed, I mean this wasn't my ideal plan either, but she was acting like I was about to sign up for a sect or something. "I need to return this."

"Leave it to the waiters! They'll get it for you."

Honestly, I wasn't eager to meet with Jake again, considering the last and only time we've talked I lost it and he saw me weeping like a brat baby; but I need to get him back the jacket I unconsciously borrowed. Which turned out to be trickier than I thought since school was over and we got literally no interest nor friends in common. I got no way to contact him at all.

Asking around to some of our classmates, careful not to let too much in, I managed to find out he's spent most of his summer time surfing, working or in parties. Considering this, the best option was to meet him briefly at his work place so it would be a quick interaction. And here we were, in front of the local where he'd been hired as a delivery boy.

Dalia and I were about to head to the beach, to enjoy the sunny day we were having so far. I was dying for a dip in the fresh water. Yet I wanted to do this and get in peace with my conscience since I been keeping the cloth with me for the past couple of days.

Just like Dalia, I wasn't thrilled to have to interact with Jake Tucker again, but there was this scratching int he back of my mind, this curiosity... I mean, yeah, he made me cry at first, but then took it upon himself to comfort me, right? And it wasn't something I would have expected him to do with his reputation. At all. So maybe he wasn't that bad as they made him see?

Not like I wanted to find out, but after all it kinda felt right to hand it over myself and not just 'let it ito the waiters'. So I ignored the common sense and baffled Dalia before me and adjusted the light sundress I wore over the bikini and took a better hold on the jacket carefully folded over my left arm.

"It'll be a minute, D. And then we'll forget about this, okay?"

As if a minute will corrupt me or something! I knew he was bad news, but come on. With one las reassuring smile I spun and headed into the restaurant.

"Hello, welcome to Ambrosia," the girl behind the front desk grinned me welcome. "Table for one?"

"No, thanks." I shifted awkwardly, already regretting my decision. "I'm, uh, looking for one of your co-workers. Jake Tucker?"

Her brows shot upwards. "Oh, really?" I nodded, expecting some refusal, but she rolled her eyes and turned towards the passing waiter. "Hey, Spencer." she called out and my chest tightened, almost making me shush her for attracting attention. The tall, gawky guy about my age approached us. "You know if Jake's here?"

"In the back. He's arrived some minutes ago from his last order. Why?"

He pointed at me with a knowing smile, as if that would make me any less embarrassed. This was definitely a bad idea, can I turn back time? "She's asking for him."

"Another?" he huffed and eyed me up and down. I literally felt like crawling in a hole and hide for the eternity. "I swear if he doesn't stop bringing hook ups-"