Chapter 3

The Rules

Toby woke up the next morning with a terrible headache. He was reconsidering ever drinking again, he rolled over to see that it was only five in the morning and he didn't have to get up because it was Saturday. He lead back down in bed and tried to sleep, but he couldn't. He kept closing his eyes and thinking about the night before. He had made a bet with his friends and even though they had been drinking, he knew his friends were serious.

Toby roughly threw back the covers and got out of bed. He couldn't sleep and he knew that he wasn't going to get anymore. He decided to go for a jog since he didn't have anything better to do. He liked to keep himself in shape anyways. He zipped up his hoodie, lace his sneakers, and put in his headphones before slipping out of the door.

He didn't know how long he's been running. He doesn't know where he's running to. He doesn't know why his body just wants him to keep on running. He runs until he sees the sun start to come up before realizing he has to head back home. He made it back home and his muscles were burning.

He walked into the house and unzipped his hoodie, then pulled of his shirt. He walked into the kitchen expecting to see his stepmom cooking breakfast, but she wasn't their. He found a note on the counter with her handwriting on it.

Had to be to work early today, so breakfast is cereal unless you want to cook on your own.

-Mom

"Looks like I'll be having cereal." Toby muttered to himself. He placed the note back on the counter for Jenna before heading upstairs. He went to his room to take a shower and put on some sweats. He loved wearing a simple pair of swear pants and a white T-shirt.

He walked back downstairs to see Jenna in the kitchen eating eggs and bacon."You cooked?"

"No, I wished for it and my fairly odd parents gave me this food."

He smirked because her sarcasm was kinda funny."Did you make me any?"

"Nope?"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like you."

Toby held his hand over his heart and pretended to look hurt."I'm your brother, you're supposed to like me."

"Stepbrother,"He pouted and she rolled her eyes."I made you a plate and it's the microwave."

"Thank you." He thanked her. She waved it off as she stood up and headed for the living room.

Toby sat down with his breakfast at the table. He was halfway through his breakfast when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and he wasn't surprised to see a text from Andrew.

We're meeting up at the Brew to go over the rules in an hour.

-Andrew.

I'll be there.

-T

Toby pulled up in front of the Brew an hour later. He got of his truck before venturing inside the building. He looked around once he was inside and he found his friends sitting in the back.

"Hey, Toby." Toby looked over to his right to see Emily standing behind the register. He completely forgot that she worked here."Can I get you anything?"

"Uh, no, I just came to meet up with the guys."

She nodded her head."Have you been thinking about what I said last night."

"Nope, because I still don't believe in that stuff." He pulled out his wallet and put a few bills in her tip. He didn't order anything and Emily hated when he tipped her, but he just liked helping her out."The guys and I are hanging out tonight, but how about we go to a movie tomorrow?"

"Okay, that's cool. See you tomorrow." She waved at him as he left to go join his friends. As soon as he sat down his friends looked at him with questioning eyes.

"What?"

"You didn't tell Emily about our bet, did you?" Andrew asked.

"No, I'm not stupid. I haven't told anyone."

"Good, we need to go over some rules for this little bet." Noel said before pulling out two sheets of paper and handed them to his friends. Toby and Andrew unfolded the papers to see that it was a list of rules for the bet.

Rule #1~ No one can know about this bet, especially Spencer.

Rule #2~We can't use our friends to get to Spencer.

Rule #3~ None of us can interfere when one of us is with Spencer.

Rule #4~ None of us can use the L word, it's like cheating and it'll guarantee that she'll sleep with you.

Rule #5~ If someone does win then we're all going to need proof.

"Okay, Noel, how is it that you can make all the rules for this bet?" Toby asked as he went over the list on the bet.

"Because it was my idea."

"Yeah, but if we're all playing the game dont you think some of us can have our input on rules too." Andrew argued as he scribbled down something on his paper before passing it to Toby.

Rule #6~ If Spencer breaks it off with one of us, then they can't tell her about the bet just to keep their item that they put in the game. Win or lose, no one is taking back their stuff.

"Now, you see I like this rule." Toby said before writing something on his piece of paper and showing it to his friends."But I also like my rule."

Rule #7~ Do not fall in love.

"These rules sounds simple enough. Are you guys ready?"

"Let the game begin." Noel said before walking off.

Toby found himself jogging through town later on that day. He wasn't supposed to meet up with guys until tonight, so he just decided to get in more exercise. He was going through town, watching as people did their daily life activities.

He was running past a building when suddenly something hit him on the head."What the hell?" He reached down to pick up the object that hit him. It was a tennis ball.

"Over here." He looked over and his stomach flipped when he saw her. It was Spencer standing on the other side of a tennis court."Are you going to throw it back or keep it?"

He looked down to see that the ball was in his hand."Sorry, I'll just bring it to you." He walked over to the fence and handed her the ball. She took it and Toby thought that this could be is opportunity to make his first move."Hi, I'm-"

"I know who you are and I'm definitely not interested." She said before running back to her tennis game.

"Ouch." Toby wasn't always lucky with girls, but no girl had ever turned him down like that. Yep, he was going to enjoy this challenge.

"I had a run in with Spencer today." Toby said and that caused Noel and Andrew to stop what they were doing and look at him.

"Toby, we all made an agreement that we make our first move on her on Monday." Noel said.

"I didn't plan for it to happen blame the tennis ball." He grumbled, but that only made his friends even more confused."You don't have to worry I barely even said hi before she shot me down."

"Ouch, that must have hit your ego pretty hard." Andrew joked as he went back to bowling.

"It did, but my ego is going to be rapidly boosted when I win this bet."

"What bet?" The three friends turned around to see that Caleb had arrived.

"Nothing, we just made a bet that Toby couldn't beat us in a game of bowling." Noel was quick to answer and Caleb seemed to buy that lie.

"Travis not coming again?" Caleb asked.

"Nope, he's having a dinner date with Hanna."

"That dude is seriously whipped." Caleb muttered before picking up a bowling ball so that he could join the game.

"No, he's not and I know the real reason why he's always attached to her hip." Noel said.

"And why is that?"

"Because one night Hanna got drunk and Travis had to take her home. In the car, she kept talking about how much she missed Caleb and how much she loved Caleb." Noel said and his words caused Caleb to drop his ball.

"That's not true." Caleb argued.

"Oh, but it is. Travis told me about it a little while ago. That's why he stays so close to her, so that she wont have the opportunity to go back to you."

"This just got a little uncomfortable." Andrew said as he shifted in his seat.

"I have to go talk to Hanna." Caleb tried to leave, but Toby stood up to stop him.

"Think about what you're about to do before you do it, Caleb. I know you and Hanna have a past, but think about Travis too before you go storming out of here."

Caleb sighs while running a hand through his hair."You're right I just need to think."

"Just stay here and hangout with us tonight, then tomorrow do whatever you gotta do man. Alright?"

"Alright." Caleb walked back over to their lane and picked up his ball."Let's bowl."