Chapter Twenty - You Bet

"So," Meera said over the phone. "...he drove your drunk ass home, woke you up next morning, offered you his t-shirt to tease you and he drove you to school? You guys are literally checking the boxes of a potential cute couple."

"Are you trying to make me throw up my lunch?" I grimaced. "Cute, my ass. I woke up to his cat licking my face as if I were his favourite popsicle."

She laughed. "Hey! That is cute!"

"It was sloppy." I made a face. "I love Cheeto, but still."

"It can't be that bad. And are you sure it wasn't Matt at some point?"

My jaw dropped and suddenly, my dream started playing in my head again. I couldn't even bring myself to tell my best friend Meera about it. It was the kind of thing one took to their grave.

"Ew, Meera!" I groaned. "That is the grossest and creepiest thing you've ever made me imagine and this is considering that pineapple pizza meme."

"Wait! So, you'd rather have pineapple pizza than kiss Matt?"

"Without a second thought."

"Even if it's just a peck?"

"Um...on the lips?"

"Yes."

"Pineapple pizza," I declared. "Hell! I'll take ketchup with my Oreos. Anything over kissing Matt."

But what you did in your dream says otherwise, came a voice from within me and I told it to shut the hell up. It wasn't like anyone could control their dreams. They were random as fuck.

"Ugh! Gross. I'm sorry, Becks, but I don't think we can be friends anymore."

I shut my locker with a chuckle and turned around, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of the person standing a few feet away with his back against the lockers and his eyes set on me.

"Rebekah." He offered me a smile.

"Sean, hey!" I blinked. "How long have you been standing there?"

Then I internally cringed at the question. Why did I have to make it sound like he was stalking me or something? He could just be hanging around.

"Not long," he replied, pushing away from the lockers and pointing to my phone pressed to my ear. "I just didn't wanna interrupt so I stayed quiet. Don't worry, I didn't eavesdrop."

"I'll call you back, Mee." I quickly hung up and took a step towards him, smiling. "What's up?"

"I saw you at the bleachers this morning during practice."

"You did?" I blushed. I'm not just a face in the crowd anymore.

"And I gotta say, Rebekah..." He flashed me his signature prince charming smile and suddenly, I was a little weak in the knees. "I've never met a girl this passionate about football. Not in my previous school. Not in this one. The way you watch the game. You're truly a sight, you know that?"

I managed to smile while my inner self passed some hardcore judgements on me. I didn't know a whole lot about football. I had only been watching the practices for him in hopes he would notice me.

"Anyway, the reason why I came here—I was actually going for this varsity football game and I happened to have an extra ticket. Do you wanna go?"

It would be an understatement to say that I panicked like an elephant around mice. "Me? With you, Sean—when?"

He looked a little amused and I cursed myself for coming off so desperate and excited to go out with him. "About three weeks from now. It's a Saturday. Is that cool with you?"

I pretended to think for three seconds, then shrugged casually. "Saturday's great."

"I'll see you then." He took a few steps back without taking his eyes off me, a spark of interest lingering in them as he ran them over me once. Then he smirked and finally turned around to walk away.

"Oh and, Rebekah?" he called over his shoulder. "When you win that challenge, I'd like to take you out sometime on a friendly…date?" he tested the word but when he realized I wasn't showing any signs of disapproval, he threw me a wink. "Give it a thought."

And then, he was gone.

Did he just…

I don't know how I didn't scream out loud right there in the corridor. I sure as hell wanted to.

And he'd said when I won that challenge. He had confidence in him.

Oh boy! Just when I'd forgotten all about music and thought I didn't need to win the challenge that bad, it found a way to creep up on me and remind me it was currently the most important thing in my life.

*****

"Will?" I hollered and waved my arm so he could see me amidst the crowded hallway. His head turned to me.

"Becks, hey!" His brows wiggled as a greeting while he walked up to me. "I haven't seen you since the gig. How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Awesome. Are you and Matt training yet? How's it coming along?"

I rolled my eyes and he probably got the message as he a little scowl fell over his lips.

"That's actually why I came to you," I said. "This training, it's not gonna work. We're simply not functional and I can't keep running after him to train me. I need your help."

"Becks," he sighed. "Honestly, I would love to help you but I only do backup. You know that."

"That's fine. I only need you to tell me if I sound good or not. You've been into music for a while. You know way better than me when it comes to what sounds good, what doesn't."

He went into a pensive silence, considering me. "You have a point."

"So, you'll do it?" My eyes lit up with hope.

"I guess there's no harm in trying."

"Really?" I grinned. "You're the best."

"Nope. Pretty sure that's you." He winked, making me chuckle. If I didn't have it for Sean so bad, I would've definitely succumbed to Will's charm at some point. I was surprised he didn't have a girlfriend despite how smooth of a talker he was.

"When do you want to start?" I asked.

"Whenever you're ready."

"I've got some time right now."

"Okay then. Let's do it. Let's go to the music room."

If I knew it was going to be so easy, I would've asked him a long time ago.

While we walked to the music room, he showed me the drunken selfies Parker had clicked in the car when he was driving him home from the gig. In one of them, he had one of his eyes half open and was holding up a peace sign with his fingers. I burst out laughing.

"He's fun to be around."

"Only when he's sober." Will rolled his eyes.

"Come on. I had a good time with drunk Parker at the gig."

"Well, you didn't have to drive drunk Parker home."

"Touché." I shrugged.

He swiped to the next picture and we were laughing again as he put his hand on the music room door to push it open. But right then, someone swung it open to walk out.

Matt stepped out and a little v formed between his brows as he looked between us. My laugh slowly subsided.

"Hey, Matt!" Will greeted.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm here to do what you were supposed to but you didn't. I'm gonna train Becks."

My enemy's eyes fell on me for a brief moment before he set them back on Will. But in that brief moment, they'd somehow spoken to me. Why did I suddenly feel like I was betraying him? Maybe because he'd looked at me like that.

"There's still time to change your mind, you know…" Will raised a brow at him. "...considering the stakes."

Stakes?

Matt looked at me again, right in the eyes this time and for a second, it seemed like he wanted me to tell him to train me instead of Will. But I'd already done it so many times. And wasn't he the one who kept turning me down? Then why did it feel like he wanted me to just say the word and he would readily agree to it now?

Of course, I was mistaken.

"It's fine. You've got this," he said to Will while his eyes remained fixed on my face. Then, he snapped them away abruptly and left.

"Of course," I scoffed after him, then turned to Will with a smile. "Let's go?"

He held the door for me. "After you."

*****

"This is my favourite song!" I shook my head with the beats, aggressively playing an air guitar while mouthing the lyrics, and danced with Will.

Yes, we got bored of singing and started dancing instead. We still had ten minutes before class and currently, Will was the DJ.

"Did I ever tell you I learnt to waltz?" He bowed gracefully.

"No. When was this?"

"In the fifth grade. My grandma enrolled me over summer break. I still remember a few moves."

"Show me."

"Better. I could teach you. I'm going to need a partner though." He offered me his hand and bowed his head, smiling up at me sheepishly.

"Don't blame me if I break your foot or something. I'm a wild dancer."

He chuckled, grabbing one of my hands with his and putting the other on his shoulder. "Now watch my steps and follow."

"Okay." I paid attention to his feet and counted steps to left and right, mimicking it.

"You're a fast learner," he complimented. "It took me at least five attempts to get used to the rhythm. I kept stepping on my partner's feet."

"How unfortunate. Did she still dance with you?"

"She didn't have a choice. There was no other partner available."

"Poor girl."

"Hey!" He scowled playfully. "Be nice to me. I'm teaching you something new."

"Sorry!" I chuckled, then gasped when I accidentally stepped on his foot. "Shit! Sorry, Will."

"It's fine. I'm just glad you were not wearing heels."

He twirled me around slowly with the music rhythm and I was going great until I climbed on his foot again and he groaned this time.

"I'm pretty sure you jinxed me. I was doing so good before you told me so." I pouted.

"That's what I was thinking too." He chuckled.

"Tell me I'm terrible at this before I suck at this forever."

"What? That doesn't make any sense."

"Do it anyway—"

Somebody cleared their throat and our heads turned towards the door at the same time.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Rebecca's brows were pulled together in confusion. She looked way too smug to care about it but her curiosity probably got the best of her.

I rolled my eyes.

"Dancing," Will replied. "I'm teaching her how to waltz."

"Oh? Is that what it was supposed to be?"

"Did you want something?" He raised a brow.

"Of course. But not with either of you." She puckered her lips like we were beneath her as she looked around the room. "Where's Matt?"

Now why did that bother me? I looked away from her face, annoyed.

"No idea. But he left here about fifteen minutes ago," Will said.

"Fine." She scowled between us as if just the sight of us had ruined her day and walked out, saying a half-assed, "enjoy."

Will made a face, imitating her, before focusing back on me. "I think we should head to class."

"Yeah. Thanks for today."

"For the little dance lesson, you mean. Because we didn't do shit about music."

"It's fine." I smiled. "We'll figure it out."

I grabbed my backpack and headed towards the cafeteria to meet Cheryl and Mack before going to class.

They were at our usual spot and I almost walked up to them until I saw Rebecca sitting at one of the tables. What surprised me was that Matt was sitting with her. Or at least he was in the middle of getting up and leaving, looking a little annoyed.

"It was one of the dumbest things I saw, I swear. I mean what kind of foreplay is that? If you wanna kiss, just kiss." I heard Rebecca say to him with a dark chuckle, a devilish gleam in her eyes.

I wondered who she was gossiping about now.

Matt didn't seem to care enough to even give her a response as he rose from his seat and took a step towards the exit. That's when his eyes fell on me.

I offered him a little smile and he started walking. I was expecting him to walk up to me for some reason.

But then he made me feel like a complete idiot when he walked right past me without so much as acknowledging my presence, let alone my smile.

And I had to look at Rebecca's satisfied face adorned with a malicious little smirk directed at me. She pulled out her lipstick and compact mirror from her bag and started applying it with a smile.

I threw a look over my shoulder to the door. What the hell was I even thinking? That Matt would stop to give me a high five?

Why did I keep forgetting our equation?

*****

"Then?" Meera blinked.

"Sean asked me out to the game." I smiled.

"Oh my God!" She gasped. "That is amazing, Becks! It's a date!"

"Kind of." I laughed. "I don't wanna get my hopes too high."

"What? Why would you say that?" Cheryl smacked my shoulder.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Lately, just when I start thinking things are going great, something happens and… I'm let down."

"What's this about?" She frowned. "Did something happen today?"

I blinked. I couldn't recall anything bad except the cafeteria part. Was I really bummed about my enemy not returning my smile? What was wrong with me? Why was I acting like a child?

In my defense, I am a sensitive little baby. That's it.

I let out a nervous chuckle. "No. Just stating a general philosophy of mine. Anyway, I do wish either of you had been there to pinch me when Sean asked me to the game because I still can't believe that happened."

Meera laughed. "You have no idea how much I would've loved to do that, bestie."

I narrowed my eyes playfully.

"Oh, and before I forget…" she started, exchanging a look with Cheryl. "When we were talking this morning, you missed out on mentioning that Matt drove you to school."

I deadpanned. He was the last person I wanted to talk about. "It was nothing. And he gave me a ride in exchange for my avocado toast. So, it wasn't for me."

"Ah, I see. The precious avocado toast."

"Don't make me hit you with a pillow when you have a busted ankle."

"Fine." She flicked my arm. "But you gotta admit that you two have started to bond."

It took everything within me to refrain from telling them about him walking past me in the cafeteria like he didn't even know me.

"It takes emotions to bond with someone and that guy seriously lacks in that department. So no, there's no bonding."

"Are you complaining, Becks?" She raised her brows.

I scowled. "Shut up about me. How are you doing? How's your foot?"

"Eh well, been in bed since morning."

"Do your parents know you were trying to sneak out?"

"When I fell and they ran out to my crying, I panicked and told them I was catching a bird. So, I think they figured."

I laughed. "You're an idiot for enacting a scene out of some cliché movie on teenagers. Leaving through the window? What were you even thinking?"

"This is making me feel so much better, Becks. Keep going."

"I'm sorry." I chuckled.

"Anyway, I love you guys so much for bringing this baby to me." She lifted her milkshake with a grin.

Mack waved his game controller in air from the beanbag without taking his eyes off the TV screen. "Not a problem."

"Babe." Cheryl crouched down next to him, pushing his hair out of his forehead. "Are you almost done with this?"

"Not at...all." He shouted the last word, grinning at the screen and finally broke his gaze to look at Meera. "You tell Ash I love him for leaving this behind."

Ash was Meera's older brother. He was in college now, far away just like mine. He was a gaming freak—started a YouTube gaming channel and decided to skip college to make it big there but his parents flipped out and made him promise he would go to college so he decided to major in game designing.

"You wanna take this console home, Mack? It's fine. No one plays around here," Meera offered.

"And get my ass whooped by your brother when he comes back? No, thanks." He shuddered.

She laughed. "Ashish is an angel. He would never. So go ahead."

"I'd still rather not take any chances." He grinned and shut the TV off, turning to Cheryl. "You were saying something, babe?"

"Nice to know your priority." She smiled sarcastically. "I have to go to the mall to pick some stuff for my mom. You wanna come along?"

"Can we have pizza?" He pouted.

"Sure! You wanna come along, Becks?"

"Sweet of you to ask, Cher but you guys literally start making out anywhere without a warning, so third wheeling? Nah! Besides, I gotta go study."

"History?"

"Math." I pouted. I needed a lot of practice to keep up. Maybe I did need a tutor.

"No emotions, huh?" Meera smirked at her phone, then looked up at me with a knowing smile.

"What?" I asked.

"No bonding, you said? Then explain this." She flashed her screen at me.

It was an Instagram profile. Chad's Instagram.

Meera clicked on the video he'd uploaded last week of me and Matt fighting outside the changing room.

While it played, I read the caption again: Williams, you lucky bastard.

And it was followed by a dozen hashtags. #HighSchoolDrama #Enemies #InkFight #CorridorFight #Makeout and so on.

Why, Chad, why?

I read through the comments on the video. A few were complimenting my madness and his patience, and a few had written #CoupleGoals. I scoffed. As expected, there were haters too, probably Rebecca's minions, but there was one comment on the top that had the most replies and likes. A recent comment.

I took her phone in my hands in shock. It was Matt's comment. It was posted last night.

You bet.