Warning: Probable OOC, grammar mistakes, cliché situations, and irregular update schedule.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Middle (if you haven't guessed it already)

Prologue: The Bet

Axl

As he entered into the classroom, Axl Heck heard his teacher announce a new seating chart. He walked to the front of the room and scanned the clipboard for his name. When he found it, he found the desk and put his backpack down next to the chair. He looked to see the person he was deemed to sit next to, and he put on the most charming smile out of all of his smiles before he talked to the girl that sat in her chair already.

"'Sup?" he said to her while giving her a sly smile. However, instead of a response, all he received was her rolling her eyes and she moved her chair as far from him as she could go without leaving her assigned desk. When the bell rung, all Axl can think about is how the girl ignored his very obvious attempt to get her interested in him.

'Why didn't she respond to the "sup?" Every girl falls for it, honestly, who wouldn't? I'm irresistible,' he thought to himself instead of listening to the teacher's lecture on American politics. When the bell rung an hour after his failed attempt to get the girl's attention, he slung his bag over his shoulder before striding out of the door.

"Yo Ax-Man!" yelled a familiar voice from behind him. Axl turns around with a grin when he recognizes the voice of one of his best friends.

"Sean!" Axl said in return. They exchanged high fives when they reached each other.

"So I heard you couldn't pick up a hot chick," he said. Axl's eyes widen in shock. The class only just ended, how on earth did he find out about the incident already?

"How did you hear about that?" Axl said to him as quickly and quietly as he can, he didn't want to draw attention to himself from the other students and teachers that occupied the school's hallways and classrooms. It was quite a humiliating event for someone like him, and he wanted as little people as possible to find out what happened in the classroom.

"How could I not find out? The 'great' Axl Heck was finally turned down by a girl. Completely shot down! This is hilarious! It made my day, thanks man," Sean said and laughed when Axl released a frustrated groan.

"I can pick up girls. She wasn't even that hot, and she was probably a nerdy loser. You know how they are, always playing hard to get," Axl tried to convince himself as well as Sean, trying his best to maintain the little pride he had left.

"That was Amanda Samson who shot you down. One of the hottest girls in our grade. The girl who sleeps around with every guy who asks for it, the hardcore partier who you always see with a beer no matter what party we're at. What do you mean she 'wasn't that hot?' You're just losing your touch," Sean snickered. Axl sighed. He knew Sean was right. If he couldn't even get Amanda Samson's attention, that meant he was most certainly doing something wrong. Never did Amanda Samson ever turn down a guy, no matter how ugly, how nerdy, or how cheesy his pickup line was. Axl ran a hand through his hair before responding to Sean.

"I can get any girl. Trust me. That was during first period, it was still early, it was way too early for anybody to respond to a pickup line. Any girl would kill to get a piece of this," Axl said and gestured to his body as he said the last sentence. Sean raised an eyebrow at Axl, not believing him after the morning's incident.

"You know Axl, it doesn't even really matter. Maybe you can focus more on school or trying to get into college, or something… Instead of trying to get girls all the time," Sean said to him. Out of their friend group, Sean was the most focused on studies, the most responsible, and overall, the son most mothers dreamt of having— including Axl's own mother.

"Shut it Sean. I'm going to get a girl, she won't be able to handle the Ax-Man's charm," he said with confidence.

"Alright then Axl," Sean said. He knew it was nearly impossible to convince Axl not to do something once his mind was set. He gave up on trying to get Axl to focus on something other than picking up as many girls as possible.

"I'm so certain, that I'll bet you money," Axl said to his friend.

"No," Sean said. He knew of the Heck family's financial situation and didn't want to take money from his friend.

"Come on Sean," Axl said to his friend. Sean sighed, and not wanting to hear his friend's whining, begrudgingly agreed. "50 bucks says I'll get a girl to drool all over me in one week," Axl said.

"Too easy! 100 bucks says you'll get a girl to be your girlfriend and go to the homecoming dance and prom with you," Sean said completely letting go of his usual gentlemanly attitude.

"200 says I'll get her to be my girlfriend, come with me to homecoming and prom, she'll even ask me to the Sadie Hawkins dance," Axl said.

"400 says she'll be your girlfriend, go to homecoming and prom with you, ask you to Sadies, and even say she loves you," Sean said to Axl.

"Make that 600," Axl replied with a cunning smile.

"Only if I get to choose which girl," Sean grinned.

"If you bring it up to 700," Axl challenged his friend.

"Do the whole thing by the end of junior year and we have a deal," Sean said. Axl nodded and they both spat on their own palms of their hands before shaking hands with a smile.

"Easiest 700 I'll ever make," Axl said deviously. He didn't know a single girl who wouldn't fall for him. "Which girl?" Axl said while crossing his hands over his chest.

"That girl," Sean said and pointed at a girl. For the first time after the topic was brought up Axl felt the feeling of pure dread overcome him. He watched the familiar girl walk into a math classroom as he shut his eyes and thought to himself 'maybe this wasn't such a good idea,' as the bell rang and the tardy sweep caught him.