The Bet
Chapter 1: I'm not pathetic
Genevieve is a cheater!
After years together, the girl decided to break up with him!? They had been together for years! He hadn't even look at another girl since he was in middle school and now all of the sudden it was over.
Peter Kavinsky is the most popular guy in school. All the guys want to be him and all the girls want him.
Up until now only one girl had him.
To say that Peter was hurt, was an understatement; if he had to be honest, a little heartbroken too. Gen was his first everything. He always thought they were going to be one of those couples who had been together since middle school and grow old together. He really thought they were meant to be.
He would never admit it.
He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing she broke his heart.
Peter knew it was going hard to go back to school. He knew that by morning everyone in school would know and all eyes would be on him.
Good thing he's so good and masking his feelings and putting a wall between him and the rest of the world.
When the time came, Peter got out of his car with his head up high and that charming smile on his lips. He walked up to school as if nothing had happened and people notice.
He could hear the whispers as he passed by but he didn't bother to stop them. "Let them talk" he thought.
He continue walking, smiling at a couple of girls making them giggle. Gen might have broken up with him, but it didn't mean he was going down as a sad pathetic guy.
He had worked too hard on his reputation to let her ruin it.
He turned the corner to continue his way to his Chemistry class when he bumped into someone.
Peter took a couple steps back, confused.
"I am so sorry!" A panic voice quickly said.
Peter looked down to find no other than Lara Jean Covey. Although they were in the same grade, they were almost strangers to each other.
Once upon a time they use to hang out in the same group and he might have even consider her a friend back then but one day she just wasn't part of the group anymore.
"Don't worry about it, Covey" he said, flashing her a smile.
Lara Jean stared at the boy in front of her. Although she didn't participate on the spreading of the rumors, she couldn't say that she hadn't heard about the big break up between Peter and Gen.
"Uh, thanks" She awkwardly said before she slipped away from him.
Peter turned and watched the awkward long black haired girl squiry down the hallways between the other students. "What a weirdo" he said with a low chuckle.
He continue to his classroom, where he found his best friend already in the back of the class, waiting for him. "Yo, Greg" he hollered, catching Greg's attention.
"Why if it isn't the man of the hour" Greg said, a smirk playing on his lips.
Peter knew that eventually he would have to answer some questions and probably deny or confirm the rumors but he hoped he had more time.
"I don't know what you are talking about" He said, taking the seat next to Greg. He placed his bag on the floor next to him and took out his notebook and his Chem school book.
"Don't play dumb with me" Greg said, scooching closer. "Is it true?"
Peter sigh. "Don't you have better things to do than listen to the rumors around here?"
"So it's not true?" Greg raised his eyebrow.
Peter paused. He notice that the few people around him were listening in. He needed to choose his words carefully.
If he flat out lied and denied everything, everyone would find out he was lying and just see him as some pathetic guy who can't admit when he has been dumped.
But if he confirmed that Gen had indeed dumped him for another guy, it would come full circle.
He needed an in-between.
"I didn't say that" He mumbled.
"So she did dump you for a college guy?"
"It was a mutual decision" He grumbled.
"Mutual?" Greg asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Yeah. We have never been with anyone else so we decided to see other people" Peter shrugged, nonchalantly.
Greg laughed. "Yeah, right!"
Peter glared at the boy next to him. What kind of friend was he? "It's true"
"Up until yesterday Gen had you wrapped all around her little finger" Greg laughed, slapping his hand on Peter shoulder, who quickly shoved it away.
"She did not!"
"Yeah, she did" Greg smirked. "You are the kind of guy who likes being in relationships. You don't even have game, bro"
Peter scoffed. "Yes I do"
Greg shook his head. "Bro, you've only been with one girl. We all know you ain't no player"
Peter rolled his eyes, folding his arms on his chest. "I have plenty game"
Greg smirked grew as he pushed himself closer. "Is that so?"
"Yeah man. I can have any girl I want" Peter said. "In fact, I can make any girl fall for me. That's how much game I got"
Peter smirked. He felt like he was navigating this conversation pretty well and people were listening. By the end of the day, people would not be talking how Gen broke up with him, they will say Peter is on the market for a new bae.
"I smell a bet coming up" Greg smirked and Peter matched him.
"What terms?" Peter asked.
Kavinsky never backed out of a bet.
"Make one girl fall in love with you; pretty simple according to you"
Peter extended his hand but Greg shook his head. "Not so fast" He said slapping his hand away. "She actually has to say I love you. You have to bring her to every game and party and I get to pick the girl"
"What do I get if I win?" Peter asked.
"The satisfaction of being right?" Greg said. Peter lowered his head, giving him a 'You're kidding, right?' look.
"Okay, okay. Whoever wins has to streak on the end of school year pep rally" Greg laughed, extending his hand for Peter to shake.
Peter paused for a second. He didn't doubt he could do any of those things but Greg was equally as competitive and if he picked the girl he probably make sure it was someone who wasn't even a little interested. He could lose.
"Are you scared?" Greg teased
"Bet" He said, shaking Greg's hand.
Greg hollered a laugh as he settle back into his chair. "Don't worry bro. I'll find you someone real good" He winked.
Peter rolled his eyes and shook his head. He could do this, no matter who Greg picked. He was Kevinsky; all the girls wanted him, right?
On the other side of the school Lara Jean sat next to her best friend, Chris on their first class of the day.
"Did you hear about Peter and Gen?" Lara Jean asked, leaning closer to her friend while Chris laid her head on her desk.
"Yeah" Chris mumbled lazily. "I can't say I'm surprise"
"I am" Lara Jean said, resting her shin on her hand. She thought back to when she was still friends with Peter and Gen, before they were together. Gen was absolutely in love with Peter. He would be anything and everything she would talk about.
It wasn't a surprise when they got together. Gen had always been the kind of girl that got she wanted; including Peter and although Lara Jean was sure that Gen had been the one to decide to not be friends anymore she was happy for her.
"She always liked Peter" She said, receiving a groan from Chris.
"That's how she is man. Remember when she threw us to the side like two broken toys she didn't want anymore?" Chris said, turning her head to look at Lara Jean. "She uses people until she gets tired of them"
Lara Jean frowned. "She didn't do that" She said lamely. "She can't be that mean"
Chris snorted. "Listen, I am not the biggest Kavinsky fan but I feel bad for the guy. He fell for her trap and now he is paying the consecuenses"
Lara Jean sigh. She did feel bad for Peter, it wasn't like he was a bad guy. A little arrogant and completely full of himself, yes but no one deserved to have their heart broken.
At that moment the teacher came into the class and started the class. Lara Jean being the good student that she was paid attention, leaving any thoughts of Peter and/or Gen behind.
The day went just like any other. Class, class, class, lunch, class, class, class.
By the end of the day Lara Jean was more than ready to go home and just enjoy a blissful night of reading trashy romance novels.
"See ya tomorrow, L!" Chris called out as she jumped in some random boy's motorcycle.
"See you tomorrow Chris" She said, holding in a giggle. "Be careful" she called out as the motorcycle sped by her.
"What's the fun in being careful?" Chris called out, her voice already far away.
Lara Jean shook her head and continue walked down the familiar pathway to her house. Although her sister had left her car for her to use, Lara Jean didn't feel confident enough to get behind the wheel all by herself.
She had passed her driver's test and everyone kept telling her she was more than ready but Lara Jean couldn't bring herself to get into the driver's seat.
She told her family she would rather walk. Good excersice, right?
She allowed herself to day dream as she made her way home. She thought about the last chapter she had read the night before and grew excited to continue when she got home. She was completely involve in her thoughts when a car drove one next to her.
It followed her for 5 seconds before they honked their horn.
Lara Jean jumped, being caught completely by surprise. She looked over at the car next to her and immediately smiled when she recognize the driver. "Joshy!" she expressed with glee.
"Do you need a ride?" He asked, a welcoming smile on his face.
Lara Jean nodded and quickly jumped on his car.
A long time ago, she had a huge crush on Josh. He was the boy next door and her best friends. They had so much in common and she found herself trusting him more than anyone else but at start of her Freshman year Josh confessed his love to Margo, Lara Jean sister and all of Lara Jean's dreams about Josh were crushed.
She never hated her sister or Josh because of it. She never had the balls to tell Josh she liked him and she never confided with her sister that she liked him either.
"They deserve to be happy" she told herself.
Eventually she manage to buried her feelings deep inside her and was happy for them.
They had a very long happy relationship, until Margo broke up with Josh a week before leaving for college.
Josh was crushed and so was Margo.
At first, Lara Jean thought it might be awkward to see Josh. She knew how much he loved his sister and how hard he was taking the break up but she was pleasantly surprise to find out that just because Margo wasn't around anymore, Josh was going away.
Now that Margo was gone, things felt a little bit more like the old times and she could feel her feelings starting up again.
But she was not going to tell him.
He didn't see her that way and she understood that.
They were friends and nothing more.
"How was your day today?" Josh asked, as he started driving back home.
"It was pretty good. Pretty regular" Lara Jean shrugged, leaning back on her seat.
"Yeah. Any good teachers?"
"I have for Spanish. She seems pretty good" Lara Jean answered with another shrug.
"I had last year. She was pretty cool but prepare yourself. She will only speak spanish after the second day"
"Wait, what?!" Lara Jean jumped. "How am I suppose to understand what she is teaching if I don't understand the language?!"
Josh laughed. "You gotta figure it out"
"I am not longer excited about it" Lara Jean sigh which made Josh laughed even harder.
"Sorry" he said.
There was a moment of silence before Lara Jean looked over at him. "Isn't it scary to be senior this year?" she asked.
"No" he shrugged. "Was it scary when Margo was a senior?"
Lara Jean giggled. "It's Margo. She isn't afraid of anything"
Josh smiled, nodding his head. Another silent moment passed. Josh kept his eyes straight ahead, his lips pressed together.
"You can ask me about her, you know?" she said carefully.
Josh whole body tensed. "I wasn't..."
"I know but you can" she shrugged. "If you want to"
"I don't" He mumbled.
"Okay" she said before turning her head the other way.
The rest of the ride was silent.
As soon as Josh parked his car on his driveway, Lara Jean jumped out and started making her way to her house.
"Lara Jean..." Josh called out making Lara Jean stop in track.
"Yes?"
"I miss her but I don't want to ask about her" He said. "I have you"
Lara Jean smiled softly. "I know" she said before running inside her house.
She could feel a little thudding feeling herself and she was to afraid of that too familiar feeling. "Stop it. He's not for you. You're over it" she told herself before dropping her bag and heading to her room to lose herself in the enchanting world of romance novels.